Why are Japanese car parts more expensive?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 26 Jun 2015 22:03
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Spatacus

Why are Japanese car parts more expensive?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Jun 2015 22:08
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Hamsafar

I agree, and there seems to be no reason for it. Certainly, they are not bigger or better parts. Often they are puny (small brakes) and faulty hence needing replacing (heavily corroded brake calipers are common).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Jun 2015 22:25
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Spatacus

As much as they are reliable it makes you wonder if its really worth it?At least with your fords and vauxhalls you know they will break down every now and then but you will get cheap parts and labour as well.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Jun 2015 23:14
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - alan1302

Are they more expensive though?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Jun 2015 23:23
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Wackyracer

Depends on what the parts are and where you buy them (and that goes for all cars within reason).

When I had my Toyota I rarely bought parts from a Toyota dealer. Mainly from an indy jap specialist. Normal service stuff I bought from the local motor factors.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 00:07
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - bathtub tom

Are they more expensive though?

Totally agree.

Try buying parts for a ten-year-old British built motor - are there any?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Jun 2015 23:17
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - oldroverboy.

As much as they are reliable it makes you wonder if its really worth it?At least with your fords and vauxhalls you know they will break down every now and then but you will get cheap parts and labour as well.

Reliability has nothing to do with it, Economics has.

It has been a good few years since i was on the front line, so to speak, but someone will surely correct the bits where i may be inaccurate.

The car is the first part of the sale, and then it has to be maintained.

So, a paper element oil filter that costs GM a couple of pennies to produce

for an astra j 1.3 is for sale currently at retail of £22.25 online inc vat.

we all know vat is 20%, dealer profit margins on service items absolute minimun of 50 at retail.

You can carry this across the board, but remember some countries pay more import duty than others on cars and parts.

But also remember that some countries have parts prices that have no relation to uk prices. ie Jaguar brake pads uk against jaguar brake pads switzerland.

Random example Citroen clutches in france against citroen clutches in the uk or germany.

As with vehicles, duty/demand and last but not least, what the market will bear.

I am sure that our contributors in Europe can give an idea of the hourly rate in a franchised main dealer and compare.

Above I have mentioned original equipment parts, but in many parts of europe, aftermarket stuff is no cheaper.

Finally, we have to pay for all those "Glass Palaces"

Sad to say in the uk we put up with these pricing structures too easily, and if it is not serviced/repaired in warranty with oem parts, then said warranty can be kissed goodbye.

Cars are sold to sell car parts and servicing.

I know, my bonus was 1% of retail parts sales... Wonder why retail customers don't get discounts?

Edited by oldroverboy. on 26/06/2015 at 23:22

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 00:05
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - galileo

As an example, many years ago components we supplied to Volvo for £1.20 each were £15 from the Volvo dealer a quarter of a mile from our factory.

This was the usual difference between what the vehicle maker paid for parts and what their dealer spares price was - I guess the same ratio applies now.

The 'pattern' parts industry here may not have the same volume demand for Japanese parts, works unit cost (and hence retail price) is naturally lower if production runs are for higher quantities.

(With CNC machinery, set up times and cost may be less of a factor than it used to be, but tooling cost still has to be taken into account.)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 07:37
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - oldroverboy.

As an example, many years ago components we supplied to Volvo for £1.20 each were £15 from the Volvo dealer a quarter of a mile from our factory.

Funnily enough that is almost the ratio I used to apply tp parts from outside the importer (unavailable or no longer stocked/deleted) but that included purchase, shipping import duties and tax and a profit for the garage too.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 00:07
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Andrew-T

... (heavily corroded brake calipers are common).

Must be that long sea voyage .....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 08:24
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Falkirk Bairn

Price of parts in any industry is based on cost of making the bit & distribution and then "what the market will stand element" which could be many times any metal bashing /manufacturing & packaging cost

Remote control battery - even from well know brand on Ebay = 2 for £1

Packaged up with MB Packaging & part number £3.00 (and they will not be paying 50p each).

MB parts are not cheap but a good few years back my Indie was replacing the rear disks - MB or Pattern he asked? On picking up the car he said he had fitted the cheapest - MB supplied! Where there is a viable alternative the main dealer price may be competitive - where the part is " unique" you willl pay more.

Even the same part from the manuafacturer can vary - sump on Toyota Van was less expensive & different part# than the identical Toyota car sump.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Jun 2015 23:10
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - focussed

I'm not convinced that all oem parts are dearer, at least, for service parts.

Examples:-

For my 07 Honda Cvic 2.2 diesel.

Airfilter element £15.75

Oil filter element £8.00

Pollen filter £14.31

Front pad kit incl all shims bolts etc £39.86

Rear pad kit incl all as front above. £33.22

All genuine Honda parts

All + vat from Cox Honda dealer.(not an advert I buy my parts from them)

For my other vehicle however, a Mitsi L200 pick up, no way would I go anywhere near a Mitsubishi dealer to buy parts as their prices are outrageous so it's Milner's or K+S for pattern parts, which I've never had a problem with the quality of.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 28 Jun 2015 11:09
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - Engineer Andy

I agree, and there seems to be no reason for it. Certainly, they are not bigger or better parts. Often they are puny (small brakes) and faulty hence needing replacing (heavily corroded brake calipers are common).

Am I right in reading you are stating that Japanese parts are NOT 'better' (and by implication less reliable) than ones made elsewhere in the world? Given that Japanese cars are known to be much more reliable than those from other manufacturers, surely it stands to reason than their components are also more reliable? Also, size is no indicator of cost of parts - a small part can be more expensive (as laptop PC components are than desktop PCs') as its often lighter and requires a better design and more (expensive) precision manfacturing techniques.

I'd also point out that Japanese-made parts have further to travel than European made ones, and that labour costs in Japan are far higher than in China. If a Japanese make decides to produce parts in China, that will reduce the cost, but the high part quality (higher design engineering standards and precision manfacturing than others) will inevitably affect price to the customer.

Of course, as has been said by others, the end price to us rarely bares any resemblance to the cost price plus a standard mark-up - its what the market will bare - similarly to German car manufacturers charging a much greater price for their cars than the Japanese, yet I suspect that the build costs are similar.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 28/06/2015 at 11:11

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 28 Jun 2015 16:38
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - hillman

"... (heavily corroded brake calipers are common).

Must be that long sea voyage ...." Andrew-T

Add to that the time (18 months ?) spent parked in a field near to the port of entry.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 28 Jun 2015 16:54
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - gordonbennet

"... (heavily corroded brake calipers are common).

Must be that long sea voyage ...." Andrew-T

Add to that the time (18 months ?) spent parked in a field near to the port of entry.

Unfortunately because the cars are usually so reliable they tend to get neglected, few bother to hose the salt off the undersides of their cars during and especailly after winter.

Both our Japanese cars, 13 year old Outback and 15 year old Landcruiser are on original calipers in full working order, and should, now they get regular correct maintenance in their dotage, last the life of the cars.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 29 Jun 2015 19:28
Why are Japanese car parts more expensive? - madf

Our 13 year old Yaris has no rust on its calipers and is on its original exhaust system...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link