What If?

[92Lex]

What if we pieced together our own cars with every single part seperately from the dealership...would it cost more than buying the car pre-assembled?

[Lexusfreak]

What if we pieced together our own cars with every single part seperately from the dealership...would it cost more than buying the car pre-assembled?

lmao! 92lex.....that's one of the BEST questions I have seen on any forum (are you sitting down?). I was a car jockey years ago at several dealers (just wanted to be around cars all the time). When I worked at the Dodge/Chrysler dealer.....I was bud's with the parts guy & we did just that (slow close to X-mas & the boss was on holidays)....pieced together a 1995 Dodge Spirit sedan together piece by piece at retail $$$.....I mean every little thing you could possibly thing of. This is in Canadian funds......but after like 3+ hours we were not even 2/3rds done.....I kid you not....................................................$148,000 at that point!!!! :o It would have been well over $200,000 by the time we were done!

I am terrified to even imagine what it would cost to do that to a Lexus!

[92Lex]

LOL. If it was a Lexus, you would probably be able to pay off a house. I'd rather just buy a Ferrari and not assemble my own car...probably end up with some change too.

[Lexusfreak]

I was pretty shocked by the findings to needless to say lol.

[blake918]

It's definitely much more expensive to piece the car together yourself. I think Lexus charged something like $1,000 or $2,000 for air suspension in the LS400s. You can buy one (maybe 2) air strut(s) at the parts counter for that much money (not to mention the rest of the componets that go along with the system.)!!

[92Lex]

I'm going to add up the cost of building my car from ground up later. I'll post the jaw dropping results later, if I actually finish today.

[LexKid630]

So theoretically, if you purchased a new lexus ($45,000) and sold EVERY part, you'd make more money?

[bartkat]

So theoretically, if you purchased a new lexus ($45,000) and sold EVERY part, you'd make more money?

That's why people steal cars and sell the parts instead of just selling the cars.

[92Lex]

And that's why people part out old beat up cars instead of selling as a whole. I'm not even done adding up the cost of piecing together my car.

[Lexusfreak]

And that's why people part out old beat up cars instead of selling as a whole. I'm not even done adding up the cost of piecing together my car.

How far through are you 92 & what is the cost to this point? :)

[92Lex]

I haven't started it yet. I was stuck watching football yesterday and was a little tipsy from the bbq. I'm gonna get on it tonight though.

[92Lex]

I'm finally done adding everything up. It comes out to $173,498.77, that's including all fluids/oil. State tax and paint wasn't included. Insane huh?

[JIBBBY]

That is why I stay clear of the dealship when ever possibe...Lexus dealship prices are riduculous..

[93LSOwner]

Stealing for living isn't a bad job after all........and I'm not talking about car repos.

[92Lex]

I'm actually tempted to part out my car. I might actually be able to buy that Ferrari that I've been dreaming of owning.

[Lexusfreak]

I'm finally done adding everything up. It comes out to $173,498.77, that's including all fluids/oil. State tax and paint wasn't included. Insane huh?

Not suprised......and that's in U.S. funds too! lmao

[JIBBBY]

Well not to defend the prices of new car dealership parts, but each car manufacture is required by law to make a certain amount of spare parts and "store" these parts for many many years for customer support purposes.... Each part has to be packaged and shipped to each dealer after being stored...There are some costs involved that exceed a new car build, but not more then 4X....

I use to own a used car dealership years ago and I know from previous experiences the new car dealerships make most of there profits off the maintenance and repair center, car parts and then new car sales.... Without the dealer repair center and parts department new car dealerships would surely go belly up...

Needless to say I got out of the business years ago before I went mad.....

[Lexusfreak]

Well not to defend the prices of new car dealership parts, but each car manufacture is required by law to make a certain amount of spare parts and "store" these parts for many many years for customer support purposes.... Each part has to be packaged and shipped to each dealer after being stored...There are some costs involved that exceed a new car build, but not more then 4X....

I use to own a used car dealership years ago and I know from previous experiences the new car dealerships make most of there profits off the maintenance and repair center, car parts and then new car sales.... Without the dealer repair center and parts department new car dealerships would surely go belly up...

Needless to say I got out of the business years ago before I went mad.....

It's been my experience that 'new car' dealers make a pretty good chunk of change (more than new vehicles actually) from their used car dept. ;)

As for the parts......I agree, I think it's 10 - 12 years they must stock parts for.....something like that.

[92Lex]

What happens after the 10-12 years? All uncommon parts are special ordered or unavailable?

[nc211]

GM knew this too, and back in the 90's, they designed some of thier components to actually fail just outside of the 3 year / 36k bumper-bumper warranty. I read somewhere they used inferior bearings in their alternators, powersteering pumps and other components so they would fail around the 40k mile mark. They banked on their profitability coming from the service departments.... we know how that turned out.

On the flip side, Acura back in the 80's when they came on the scene, loaded up on the parts as required by law, and spent some serious dough training up the mechanics on how to work on the all new Legend and Integra. But, they manufactored the cars so well, they never came back for servicing other than the normal routine maintence! So they shot their capital on new dealerships, advertising, staff, and parts, and only made money on the profit margins of the original sale, and nearly lost their butts on the servicing side. Nearly put them out of the game actually. Luckily they were able to shift some of that loss over to the Honda's books which smooth everything out and gave them breathing room to perfect their business model. We had an 86' Legend, and the only problem with that car in 200k miles was when you engaged the rear cigerrette lighter....it would short out the battery and the car would actually stall out, and would not restart until you jumped it. Had something to do with the computer. Simple solution was to just toss out the lighter. Shouldn't smoke anyway.

[92Lex]

Acura Legends? OMG, junk! They are notorious for blown headgaskets. Every single other Jap car, I can vouch for reliability, but Legends are trippen balls. Haha. 120k and I'll see one, for a headgasket. As a member, I'm just trying to give y'all a heads-up. I'd stay away from Acura Legends...I can probably change the headgasket, drunk.