Minor rant on mirror lens prices

strat81

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
With shipping, a turn signal lens for a mirror is $50-$60. I can buy a whole bloody mirror, lens and all, from Rock Auto for less than $65.

What in the blue hell are people smoking to come up with prices like this???
 

Denali n DOO

Member
May 22, 2012
5,596
strat81 said:
With shipping, a turn signal lens for a mirror is $50-$60. I can buy a whole bloody mirror, lens and all, from Rock Auto for less than $65.

What in the blue hell are people smoking to come up with prices like this???

Their smoking the same stuff as the people that would actually buy it at that price. That's rediculous:crazy:!!
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
There's clearly an aftermarket supply chain for the whole mirror assembly, so some Chinese injection molding factory is cranking out lenses to go in them.

But there's not enough people breaking JUST the lenses and not tearing the whole mirror off the truck, to support the aftermarket supply chain for lenses only. Some number of suppliers have done the analysis and said it's not worth investing in filling the inventory pipeline of lenses only to support the small number of folks who need that exact part only.

The free market system is pretty efficient. IMHO.

Lesson: junkyards rock.

There also must be a LOT of members here or on trailvoy with amber lenses sitting around their garages after they upgraded to the clear ones that were all the rage a few years ago.
 

BO TIE SS

Member
Nov 18, 2011
1,497
the roadie said:
But there's not enough people breaking JUST the lenses and not tearing the whole mirror off the truck, to support the aftermarket supply chain for lenses only.
But there are a whole lot of us who don't have lenses at all, who would like to be able to buy lenses at a reasonable price. :hissyfit:
 

strat81

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
the roadie said:
Lesson: junkyards rock.

Junkyards are pretty awesome, but in some cases, the prices they charge aren't much different than aftermarket stuff. In the case of the mirror I replaced, I went with a junkyard piece because I could not find a paint-to-match mirror unless I wanted an OEM unit for a bazillion dollars. All of the aftermarket stuff was that gray textured stuff (a pox on whoever at GM is in love with that stuff). The retailers I called either said the plastic was textured or they "weren't sure" if it was smooth and ready to paint.


So, do I spend the extra $15 or so for an entire mirror and keep that on my spare parts shelf? Maybe I'll find something cheaper on fleaBay.
 

strat81

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
I'd also like to add that my local dealer sucks. On the plus side, I don't have to call them for prices. But, that's because I can just get the list price from GM Parts Direct and use that as my local price.

Parts drone: "List price on that part is $xyz."
Me: "And what do you charge?"
PD: "What do you mean?"
Me: "You charge list price?"
PD: "Yes."
Me: "Is that your best price?"
PD: (Getting annoyed now) "Yes."
Me: "That's a shame. Thanks for your time." *click*


These are the same imbeciles that complain at chamber of commerce meetings about residents shopping out of town, or on the internet. Instead of getting 80% of something by giving me a price that isn't complete thievery, they get nothing.


I know, I know... first world problem. :coffee:
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
strat81 said:
...Instead of getting 80% of something by giving me a price that isn't complete thievery, they get nothing. ...
They have to make up for all the wholesale discounts they give local mechanics. If the local mechanics get you to pay list price for a part, they make money off you twice. If your local dealer started giving EVERY consumer a discount, the other dealers would shun them at the chamber of commerce meetings, the country club's tennis courts, and other dealer's kids would taunt them at dental school. The conspiracy of "list prices" strikes again.
 

strat81

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
the roadie said:
They have to make up for all the wholesale discounts they give local mechanics. If the local mechanics get you to pay list price for a part, they make money off you twice. If your local dealer started giving EVERY consumer a discount, the other dealers would shun them at the chamber of commerce meetings, the country club's tennis courts, and other dealer's kids would taunt them at dental school. The conspiracy of "list prices" strikes again.

This chamber (and town) only has two dealers - Ford and Chevy. Their closest competitors are 20 miles away.

What's funny is the hardware store owner will give me a discount if I ask. He'll also price-match guns for me (they're a gun dealer too). There are four hardware stores in town - guess which one gets 99% of my business?


ETA -
135329226_conspiracy_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg
 

Boricua SS

Member
Nov 20, 2011
3,080
Ohio
i feel yourr pain... i was in the market for lenses as well as my SS didnt come with them... my findings...

an amber lens from the local dealership and on fleabay.... cost $18.00 a piece
a clear lens from the same dealer and fleabay, costs $46 a piece :eek:

expensive yes... but i love the looks of them... needless to say.. im still getting the clear ones regardless :rotfl:
 

strat81

Original poster
Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
the roadie said:
Then the market is pricing the item properly. $1 less than you're willing to pay for the scarcity. :confused:

My complaint isn't so much the cost of lens, it's the bizarre price spread (or lack thereof) between a lens and entire power mirror assembly.
 

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