Off Topic Fiat parts prices - is my local dealer taking having a laugh

[Retro Pedro]

Went to my local Fiat main dealer (Thames Fiat, Tunbridge Wells) this morning to buy a timing belt and crank shaft oil seal (timing belt end). Bearing in mind I done this job when I first got the Doblo 18 months ago, originally I sourced a complete geniune Fiat timing belt kit and water pump and geniune cranks seal and cam seal for around the £110 mark. With this in mind, I thought the seal would be around the £15-£20 mark and the belt probably about the same money.
Parts bloke said did I want the complete timing belt kit or just the belt. Knowing the tensioner isn't that old I was just going the get the belt.
Parts bloke then announced the price and I kid you not
Just the timing belt: £56
Crank seal: £77
I was to busy responding by asking if that was the fitted price to remember if the quoted price was inclusive of VAT so I'll give him the benefit of doubt.
Needless to say I walked away without buying hoping that I can do alot better with another main dealer. Initially I'm going to try Bristol Street Motors in the West Midlands (dealer that I got my parts from first time around) but will have to see how I get on.
In the meantime if anybody knows any other outlets that sale geniune Fiat parts for sensible money and is prepared to post, I'd be very much appreciate the heads up.

 

[Ziggy122]

Went to my local Fiat main dealer (Thames Fiat, Tunbridge Wells) this morning to buy a timing belt and crank shaft oil seal (timing belt end). Bearing in mind I done this job when I first got the Doblo 18 months ago, originally I sourced a complete geniune Fiat timing belt kit and water pump and geniune cranks seal and cam seal for around the £110 mark. With this in mind, I thought the seal would be around the £15-£20 mark and the belt probably about the same money.
Parts bloke said did I want the complete timing belt kit or just the belt. Knowing the tensioner isn't that old I was just going the get the belt.
Parts bloke then announced the price and I kid you not
Just the timing belt: £56
Crank seal: £77
I was to busy responding by asking if that was the fitted price to remember if the quoted price was inclusive of VAT so I'll give him the benefit of doubt.
Needless to say I walked away without buying hoping that I can do alot better with another main dealer. Initially I'm going to try Bristol Street Motors in the West Midlands (dealer that I got my parts from first time around) but will have to see how I get on.
In the meantime if anybody knows any other outlets that sale geniune Fiat parts for sensible money and is prepared to post, I'd be very much appreciate the heads up.

Try
www.shop4parts.co.uk

and you dont need to have a genuine belt, other companies such as continental contitech are a reasonsble brand vs value - try talking to your local parts suppliers, vs fiat ones

ziggy

Ziggy

 

[Cento186]

What year and engine?

 

[Retro Pedro]

What year and engine?

2005 Mk I 1.9JTD 8 valve diesel - 105bhp

 

[Cento186]

2005 Mk I 1.9JTD 8 valve diesel - 105bhp

Looks like the timing belt alone should be £53.23 with the full kit (Belt/tensioners/waterpump etc) is £216.54.

The timing end crank seal is £8.68 and gearbox end is £77.06

Fiats prices in general are rather high, personally I would search ebay and buy good brands from there. (As above, contitech and the likes..)

 

[Retro Pedro]

Thanks for replies Ziggy and Cento.
The removed timing belt still looks in good condition apart from evidence that it had been exposed to engine oil but not to the point where it was saturated. Thought it best not to take a chance and get a new one. Might go for a Gates belt.
Re the seal, reckon the parts bloke may have looked up the wrong part.
£8.68 is alot more like it. Did you find the prices on ePER Cento or have you got another source for part numbers and prices? Reason I ask is that I've got four brand new timing belt end cam seals. When I first got the Doblo I thought I'd do the cam seal at the same time as the leaking crank seal. Problem was the cam seals were sold in packs of 5. Comparing it to the crank seal that I removed today, the cam seals look like an exact match for size. The only thing that stopped me taking a chance was that I didn't know if the crank seal needs to have a higher tolerance for temperature to that of the cam seal.

 

[Andoo]

I use Gates belts and haven't had a problem.

I recently replaced my clutch & flywheel and decided to get an oil seal too.

I am sure it was around 30 from Euro car parts.

The front seal should be around 10 normally.

 

[Retro Pedro]

Had a sensible quote from another Fiat main dealer for the crank seal, £8.86 including the VAT - now that's more like it.
£86 for the complete timing belt kit including the tensioner and roller, he didn't put a price to the requested belt only option. The other item I got them to price was the auxiliary belt (alternator, air con etc.), came in at £22 inclusive so I didn't think that was to bad.
As Andoo said, reckon I'll go for a Gates timing belt, can't justify £50 for a Fiat belt when Gates belts have a good reputation.
Goes to show, if I had been flush with money and desparate for the part, I could have easily paid £77 for the wrong item. Purely because the parts bloke jumped straight in rather than take on board what had been requested.

 

[Cento186]

Had a sensible quote from another Fiat main dealer for the crank seal, £8.86 including the VAT - now that's more like it.

I'd like to point out that all Fiat dealers charge the same prices for parts

Fiat ePer by the way.. and your parts bloke got the crank seal at the gearbox end

 

[Retro Pedro]

I'd like to point out that all Fiat dealers charge the same prices for parts

Fiat ePer by the way.. and your parts bloke got the crank seal at the gearbox end

Reckon your spot on Cento.
As a side note, is the ePER price advice accurate? Being an online parts catalogue, do Fiat or anybody else/whoever maintains ePER keep the pricing structure aligned to the latest that Fiat charge in the main dealer parts departments.

 

[Cento186]

Reckon your spot on Cento.
As a side note, is the ePER price advice accurate? Being an online parts catalogue, do Fiat or anybody else/whoever maintains ePER keep the pricing structure aligned to the latest that Fiat charge in the main dealer parts departments.

The latest version has the up to date prices as it is what Fiat use