Heres a story for you guys buying Toyota parts from Toyota. If you ever break a part or a part needs replacement most toyota owners look anywhere but Toyota first, due to Toyotas OUTRAGEOUS prices. As a last resort i myself MIGHT call toyota to get a chuckle out of how much they want for a particular part.

So anyways. My struts in my 98 Taco TRD have had enough and are clunking pretty bad. Monroe replacement struts are around $150 CDN each. Bilsteins are just over $200 each. Another manufacturer (three letters)(KYB??) cant remember the name. Just over $200 each. So as a curiosity we call Toyota to see what kind of payment plan or second mortgage we can work out for their direct replacements. They guy goes through the book, or computer, comes back with $55 each. We reply, that cant be right because monroes are $150 each. He looks again. Nope.It says $55, and you get all the rubbers,washers etc with them. Hmmm. Nope ..Cant be right.I can see $55 for a washer or a rubber gromet. We give the Toyota guy the serial # of my truck so he can get an accurate replacement price.

He calls back.. Yup. $55 each.

Has Toyota come back down to earth with their prices?? Who knows. But shocking to say the least.

 

hurry up and go buy them before they realize their mistake!!!!

 

werd...they wanted $75 when I asked for a TRD sticker....thats ONE TRD sticker...

 

I paid $15 for a peice of plastic that went in between the shifter and the tranny, only cause no other shops had one

 

LOL. yup. I ordered them a few days ago. We will see what i end up getting.

 

Some of Toyota's parts are that way. A wheel bearing for a the old 90 p/u was 90 bucks but he said he'd give it to me for 50 cause I said I was ganna go check out Franklin Autoparts, haha. Bought some other stuff too.

A few months ago I also needed a new ignition for the same vehicle. Well, I figured screw the dealer, I'm going to Viking Salvage Yard. Got one for 67 bucks, but 2 keys now. A few weeks later I went to the dealer and figured I'd ask while I was there, 76 bucks!

Also in the past I needed a new front diff (5 teeth in a row stripped off the ring gear!), assembled, 1200 something new! Got one for 175 from the yard.

 

Wow, at those prices I would order from the US and pay the GST and PST.
One quick Google for Taco shocks brought these up:

Monroe $29.99 each
Bilsteins (yellow replacements) $280 a set of four
Bilstein 5100 $90 each
KYB $50 rear $75 Front

 

Pattison in North Van has them for 48 each when i was looking. They aren't the same as the aftermarket bils but a lesser version made for toyota hence the massive difference in price. I looked at North Shore off road and the bils for my 4runner were gonna be 750 plus tax four all four corners. stick with the stocks for now though i would say.

 

On my '97 Ltd my right front OE strut began leaking fluid. One of our local dealerships here in Louisville wanted $45 per strut plus $350 to do the work. Ouch! Called Sears and for Monroe Sensi-Tracs they wanted $337 installed. Better but still high.

Called friend of mine where I bought vehicle. He ordered the OE struts from Toyota for $23 a piece and I paid him $40 for labor. I'm very happy!

Even if I had the tool to compress springs, for $40.... I was all over that! Saved me and brother-in-law the trouble. More time to eat turkey and watch football.

 

also parts can be priced on availability and location... lets say store a has xx part for $20, its a very common part and really easy to find.... well store b has xx part, but its $60, this is the only store in a 50 mile radius and it will take them a week to order it......

 

Thats strange that toyota's prices are actually competitive on one of their parts....

Parts Ive priced for laughs through my yota dealer:

VAFM 625
Catalytic C ~500
Alternator ~450
Timing belt was some obscene thing like 80....

Napa or pepboys price

VAFM 180
Cat 100
Atl 160

 

Actually i always call toyota.... seems they can fool u sometimes and be cheaper. Full gasket kit for a 3.4 liter $350. auto zone wanted $450. haha And sometimes they are about the same price, is they are close i just go to toyota and get the factory parts

 

When I had the struts replaced on my 84 Camry years back, I was told that the struts I bought were guaranteed for life and they would replace them if they ever broke/leaked or failed. Of course, I am sure labor was not included. I wonder if they still have this policy?

 

That's why I work for Toyota and drive one. Parts are 10% over cost

 

Nope! Toyota hasn't come down to earth in their prices. Maybe those struts/shocks are just repackaged cheapies like they do with the Toyota/Fram (ad special) oil-filters?

They're still stealerships. It's still $85 for a 4spd gear-shift knob and $50+ for a 1.5ft long throttle cable on a 22R. You don't even want to know how much they want for a complete windshield molding set for an '88PU.

 

i got the outside black rubber weather strip for the tailgate on my 85 4runner (keeps the water from leaking down by you rear window and rusting ou our tailgate). the metal strip was rusted inside of it and when i would fold down the gate half of it would fall out of place.

they only wanted $25 and that included all the new white clips that hold it in place. i was thinking it would around $50 to $75. i was suprised at that.

 

$60.00 for a front mudflap. Thought I would throw that in.

 

I know a guy who works at a Yota dealership in BC Canada, and he told me OEM (yota) shocks for an 89-95 4x4 P/U are $23 cost, CDN funds, each.

 

really!?!?
I got my TRD stickers for $20 each. But I have bought so much stuff from the dealership, the parts guy gives me a big discount.