They're not supposed to do that. A good dealership won't do try to sell you things you don't need, and while they might have the reputation for that, a few bad apples shouldn't spoil the bunch. I know a dealership where the sales manager was skimming money off accessories and options (that weren't actually happening), but that's not indicative of most places.
Quote (FMX_89 @ Dec 10 2014 11:42pm)
You are talking about a niche market obviously. If a shop is putting a water pump on a silverado it isn't coming from a dealership.
They do make money selling parts to themselves... every part they use gets payed for by the customer right? And they set the prices... There are certain oem parts that aren't copied but most are at this point. Not to mention big brands like Ford and GM have their own parts sold through independent retailers (motorcraft and acdelco.)
It might on newer trucks. When I was in high school, I drove parts for a little bit for a dealership, independent shops bought just about everything except filters from the dealership. Some stuff more than others, but some of the more common ones were pads and rotors, hoses, etc.
I meant in a net sense. A parts department makes their money on wholesale to other shops, not to their own dealership. If they only sold to themselves they wouldn't make any money. Ford and GM do sell their parts through retailers too but that's no different then any other product really. You sell through your own network then through non-affiliated ones to capture the market you wouldn't otherwise get if you only sold through your own.
This post was edited by Caedus on Dec 11 2014 07:15am