Parts Prices

[68spitfire]

Hi all,

 

Recently been taking an interest in the price of various parts for our cars and was actually shocked at the prices.

 

Yes I spent most of my money ten years ago doing my car up but it was an eye-opener looking at current prices.

 

And I do realise the effects of inflation etc etc.

 

But Seat foam sets on the Eb@y for £258.

 

Rear wings for early spitfires for £232 each and I know early Jaguar wings can cost £1000 each!

 

I must be stuck in a time warp or just getting old but anyone entering some serious restoration is in for a massive bill in parts.

 

Is it just in line with inflation? or are suppliers upping the prices in line with the current boom in classic car market prices?

 

Another rambled rambling from me.

[dougbgt6]

You got to know where to look. Try Park Lane Classics, seat foams, back foams, £40 each. I got mine there £160 the lot, and, good quality. My brother has just bought a 1500 Spitfire and is already complaining about spares prices! That's life, everybody wants to separate you from your dollar!

[steveweblin]

Compare classic car parts with new car parts. Often cheaper and you are probably adding value whereas modern car parts tend to be more expensive and the cars go down in value.

[68spitfire]

Yes, shopping around is the key.

 

Just done a quick list of body panels likely to require replacing on an early spitfire for a first time restoration from a large parts supplier;

 

Rear Valance; 2x rear wings, 2x sills, 2x inner sills, 2x front wings,2x floor pans, 2x door skins 2x front arch bowles.

 

Well less any other minor panels and what you can fabricate yourself that lot came to £1800 just in panels.

 

No wonder I was given a rough quote a few months back for re-restoring my Mk3 at in excess of £12000 !

[68spitfire]

@steveweblin,

 

Yes, granted. Modern parts and probably panels are quite expensive though luckily have not had to go that route myself.

 

But as in another thread I was partaking in. We have to balance the cost of restoration against final market value, what we would like our vehicles appearance to be, or just to keep them on the road as a rolling restoration and not trailer them to shows and polish them.

 

Each to their own, how they invest in their cars and how they run them.

 

Just thinking its all getting a tad expensive now.

[Colin Lindsay]

Radiator for Volvo S40 - £338

Same radiator used on Ford models - £225

Same radiator used on Mazda models - £125.

It actually says Ford / Volvo / Mazda on the sticker.... so why three different prices?

 

Electrical component for Triumph 1500 engine - £75

Same electrical component for MG 1500 engine - £55.

 

Light unit through Triumph dealer - £38

Same light unit through Holden Vintage and Classic - £25

 

It's often down to the dealer. I don't see how it's any argument to say a part for an MG is cheaper as there are more of them and so they can sell more and price accordingly - surely the cost price is the same, but the profit differs?

[thescrapman]

One that used to really bug me was A/D type overdrive solenoid. Triumph version was £60 but the Healy version was £30 or even less.

 

And don't get me going on TR tax....

[Pete Lewis]

From my days in the industry a 300% mark up of supplier cost to sales cost was the normall minimum to cover the volume, stockage and distribution , throw in the premium of the vehicle image and up some more

eg brake pads for a Spitfire dont cost much more to make than a jaguar but the marque image makes substantial mark up profiteering.

 

same as production costs , they are about the same , take a Micra vs a Lexus the actual production time and costs are very close , but you can charge so much more for a lexus so there, s more you can throw at the car