GM lug nuts over twice the price of Toyota ????

[Steeve777]

I have the 17" aluminum wheels on my 2003 GT and the chrome capped lug nuts have rusted and swelled under the chrome cap requiring replacement. I called Surgenors and they quoted a price of $9.20 per lug nut, yes per lug nut. I called Toyota and they were $4.20 per lug nut. Why are they less than half the price at Toyota and is this the same for all parts ? My Vibe has just come off warranty and if parts are going to be half price at Toyota, I think I'll get the work done there. Anybody else had a similar experience ?

[scherry2]

Toyota supplies the lug nuts to GM.
Toyota packages them and sells them to GM at marked up prices and GM has to Mark them up again to make some kind of profit.
like the lugnuts, alot of the parts are the same. some parts are GM some are Toyota. If you can do any of the work needed (if needed) check the price at GM and Toyota buy the cheaper costing part and install it yourself.
As far as getting you car worked on by Toyota, they will probably want to work on your Pontiac as much as the Pontiac dealer wants to work on a Toyota. and the labor is what is going to kill ya, and the labor will most likely be the same at either dealership.
hope this helps.

[joatmon]

Quote, originally posted by Steeve777 »

Anybody else had a similar experience ?

http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=5934
Sounds like the price has come down since then

Toyota is not always cheaper though. Toyota wants more than double what GM wanted for a catalytic converter.

[northvibe]

i need a new oil drain plug and my gm dealer quoted me 16 some dollars :S i need to stop by the toyota dealership to get their price though.

[Raven]

Don't pay $80.00 plus for lug nuts. Check Ebay, they go for about $20.00 a set or get aftermarket from NAPA or some other auto parts supplier.

[ColonelPanic]

You got a good deal for $4.20 Canadian! Those goobers at the Toyota dealer here got me for $5.85 a piece or something like that for mine. Had to buy 5 of 'em.

These are the cheapest lug nuts I've ever had the displeasure of working with... They get chewed up REALLY easy if people aren't watching what they are doing, hence the need for me to buy 5 new ones... I even skinned one up myself switching back to my summer tires... That GM price is ridiculous for the quality you get with these, or should I say don't get with these.... I think the Toyota price is still a ripoff because of how weak these things are, they should be $1 each. But anyway, I'll bet Toyota rips GM off to begin with, so GM has to pass that on to us. scherry2 is right on, GM has to make something to get back the cost from repackaging and putting these parts in their inventory... It really shows, like our $12/qt. Toyota transmission fluid.

[Stealth Vibe]

I just bought a Vibe after having a Matrix for 4 years. The deal was I'd get any after market parts at cost. I ordered the rear bumper protector; Pontiac quoted me $56, while I had just bought the same thing at Toyota for $47 over-the-counter. They insisted that was their cost, as Toyota resells that part to them. As in all things, Buyer Beware.

I was also lucky to think to ask about lock nuts for the alloys; they came with the Matrix, but not with the Vibe, so I kept mine (I have two sets of wheels, so the alloys were off for the winter).