My 1998 Honda Civic DX needs a new driver’s side manual window regulator. I’ve identified the part number and searched online. I’m a little startled at what I found.
If any of you think there are other sites I should be checking that can get the part for less than $53.46, I’d appreciate the heads up. However, my question is: What is the matter with Sears that they would charge that much for the part? Why gouge the customer like that?
I would guess that the first site with the $53.46 price is a dealership with a parts department manager that is clearing out the inventory of parts for which there is little demand. You are probably getting the part at cost. This is one good parts manager.
I am really surprised that Sears would even have the part available as most of Sears business is tires and batteries. This may partially explain the high price.
What’s crazy is the dealership selling this Honda OEM part is a Chevy/Buick dealership, and according to the website, they have 100 of them in stock. I wish I had the capital to buy them all and list them on Ebay at $100/each.
One site even has the passenger side regulator listed for about $10 less than the driver’s side regulator. I guess the driver side ones are in higher demand.
You know, I always thought a window regulator was an electrical component, not the mechanical device that pushes the window up and down when you turn the crank. Now I just need to decide whether I want to spend $53.46 on an OEM part or $24.79 on a non-OEM part from RockAuto. I think I’ll get the $24.79 version. Thanks, @texases!
It’s quite common for vendors to put high prices on items when they have none to sell…$25 sounds like the plastic gears contained in a window regulator, not the entire assembly which includes the motor…
@Whitey: That has to be a misprint. Nothing automotive related sells for $53 per 500mg. I’d suspect the weight is in error, not necessarily the part.
Sears has had trouble maintaing profitability, to put it mildly. Not helping the matter was getting OUT of the catalog business right before it could’ve been folded into the internet ordering business quite seamlessly. (Somebody STILL has to be kicking themselves for that.)
I know they’ve scaled back warranties on a lot of their Crafstman stuff; I know a lot of folks seem to think they’ve “liquidated their reputation”: lowering quality and counting on reputation to sell. This strategy can produce short-term profits, but–as stated–it’s a liquidation…one the reputation’s gone, it’s gone. Hopefully they can get a good price for it!
That said, I’ve used Sears Parts Direct more than once, for fixing stuff; I got my current refrigerator there. I think they’re part of Americana and I hope they can figure out a way to make a Sears e-catalog work.
A number of times I have googled something and Sears pops up with the item but lo and behold they don’t really have it. Just like Target that often comes up no matter what you search for.
In the olden days sears would only sell anything that was up to higher standards, Cannot tell you if this is still the case. Might be a built in warranty standards, but watching and waiting for a better answer!
Sorry but Sears is no longer known for quality anything. Appliances are generally Whirlpool, mowers are MTD with different numbers, hand tools are lower quality now, power tools are Black and Decker, etc. They are in very bad shape struggling to survive with their greatest asset their real estate.
Sadly, I have to agree with Bing and Doc. Sears is no longer competitive, especially with the internet being here.
The paradox is that Sears built its company on catalog sales and direct delivery to the consumer (they even sold entire houses in their catalogs at one time). You’d think they would have been on the leading edge of the internet marketplace, but they seem to have “missed the boat”.
I’ll always be forever grateful that they provided a catalog thick enough for me to sit on and see over the steering wheel. The Ward’s catalog was not thick enough.
Sears used to be a pretty good place to shop but I don’t know how in the world they keep the one closest to me open. By comparison, Sears makes a mausoleum sound like a rock concert.
I was in a Tru-Value hardware store the other evening and noted that they’re apparently a vendor for Craftsman tools now.
It was probably half of a kilogram. And I agree that it is likely Sears acting as a reseller. I have looked at their web site for other items and found many that are not available in the store. I think if you root around on the Sears site you will find information about their reselling practices.
Ok4450, I noticed to my great surprise the same thing when I was recently in a Tru-Value store. That is not a good sign for Sears. It bodes of long term poor financial performance from Sears.