Avoid getting screwed

To plug the half-dozen holes left when the third brake light and the factory spare tire carrier were removed from my Jeep, I had inserted some random bolts I had lying around in the garage. The other day I decided to replace those with ones that looked like the other bolts in the tailgate. I drove down to the local Jeep dealership and went up to the parts counter, and (after bracing myself) I asked how much they were.

The guy behind the counter was nice enough, and he snickered that they were probably three to four bucks… Each. I smiled and said it wouldn’t surprise me. Sure enough, he was right. I politely declined the expensive, hole-filling bolts.

The answer was found at a local auto parts place. We have three stores (all different chains) nearby I can choose from, and I got what I needed on my second try. These were the same style black, captive-washer bolts that matched the factory bolts. The cost came out to about fifty cents each.

The reason I knew to brace myself when I asked about the price at the dealership was because the dealerships overcharge like crazy for most any part. For example, the factory Jeep CD player is outrageously expensive and low on features. I shudder to think of how much they must charge for the factory soundbar speakers, which are so staggeringly awful that they make people want to die.

My favorite learning experience was when I had stupidly stripped a headlight adjustment screw. I had put in the new lights, or bulbs, or had the lift done, or something like that. When I went to get the lights adjusted correctly, I got the driver side done fine, but the passenger side had stripped the hex(?) slot in its head. I managed to complete the adjustment using a pair of needle-nose vicegrips on the bolt head, but I wanted a proper bolt in there for next time.

So I drove down to the same dealership and asked if such a thing was available, and what it would cost. The guy looked it up on his computer and informed me that they only sold the complete headlight assembly, so it would run something like $110, even though I really only needed the bolt.

I declined that purchase as well.

I got home and phoned up a Jeep salvage yard (J&W Wreckers) and asked them if they could supply the screw. No problem they said, those were seventy-five cents apiece and how many would I like? I think I ordered four, just in case I or my friends ever needed another, and to help maybe make it a little more worth their while. Net savings was about $107, and I got four bolts instead of one.

When I need some little part for my Jeep now, it’s pretty much impossible to work up the willpower to go down to the dealership. I have had luck in getting one small part there without having to put a second mortgage on the house, but generally they have scared me off. It doesn’t seem like good business to me, but what do I know?