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How can I be so stupid?


MichiganBob

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MichiganBob

You would think after riding Beemers for 26 years that I would not have these temporary lapses of good judgment. So I was going by a dealer and thought that I could always use a few extra tuperware screws. I go to the counter and have them get me four shorties and four longies. How much do you think it totaled?

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ShovelStrokeEd

$32 plus tax. Never mind you can get the color of your choice for 1/2 that in the aftermarket. Somebody had to source them in the fatherland, inventory them at the factory, put them in little baggies with a number on them, ship them to the dealer who in turn had to put them in his inventory, file away the little baggie, pay the guy to look up the number and go find them, hand them to you and ring up your transaction, all while keeping the lights on, the air conditioner/or heater running, paying rent or mortgage and property taxes, insurance and the like and Oh yeah, trying to make a small profit.

 

I know he shouldn't try to make it all back on you but them's the facts of life.

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$25.44 for 8 small tuperware screws. Stainless here I come.

 

$25.44 ? is that all, I thought that they would be "expensive" lmao.gif

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Yah but, those are OE screws and just like OE filters, they are better than after market ones. lmao.giflmao.giflmao.giflmao.giflmao.giflmao.giflmao.giflmao.gif

 

Don't you want to keep your bike a "real" BMW? grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

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Dude, A @ S has all 55 of them in stainless with washers for $29.95!! Their folks gotta make a living too!

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

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+1 for What Ed said...

 

I'm not defending any corporation; it's just that I'm used to dealing with 'parts retail' and it ain't pretty.

 

In my world, most manufacturers have adopted a 'miminum hardware factor' where a tiny widget (nut, bolt, washer) used to wholsale for an appropriate price...and might be sold by the dozen... the new policy is a minimum billing for any and all of those small parts. The typical manufacturer sports a $2.65 minimum at the wholesale level, so one can expect a flat washer to retail for about $4.25 or so.

 

Kind of like visiting your local BMW dealer? You bet it is.

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Juan_in_a_million
$25.44 for 8 small tuperware screws. Stainless here I come.

 

Don't feel too bad. I had to replaced all the gaskets in my Kawasaki after having it stored for 10 years and I was charged $64 for 4 rubber 1/2 inch O rings that go on the four corner bolts of the cylinder head. tongue.gif That happened 8 years ago and I still remember. Even the clerk at the dealer was embarrased when he rang the price.

So I sympathize with you.

 

JP

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Al Navecky Jr
Now you know why BMW stands for Bitch, Moan, Whine.

 

I though it was "Bring, More, Money". And everybody thinks the Air Force pay too much for it parts.

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I do not understand what is so shocking...after all we do stick our big BMW noses up in the air to other bikes don't we? I think for the privledge of owning a BMW the price should be higher for the the parts necessary to run these machines....By the way what are you doing buying parts and leaving the highly qulified german speaking service manager at the BMW shop out of a job to do??

 

I can not believe you have such nerve....

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I do not understand what is so shocking...after all we do stick our big BMW noses up in the air to other bikes don't we? I think for the privledge of owning a BMW the price should be higher for the the parts necessary to run these machines....By the way what are you doing buying parts and leaving the highly qulified german speaking service manager at the BMW shop out of a job to do??

 

I can not believe you have such nerve....

 

lmao.gif

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Try www.Mcmaster.com

 

100 5mm X 12mm stainless steel buttonhead socket cap screws (same as the short BMW ones, part# 92095A210) are $16.66 thumbsup.gif

 

You could buy both sets (short and long) and have enough to replace all of the screws in 3 or 4 bikes for around $35 with shipping grin.gif

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+1 for What Ed said...

 

I'm not defending any corporation; it's just that I'm used to dealing with 'parts retail' and it ain't pretty.

 

In my world, most manufacturers have adopted a 'miminum hardware factor' where a tiny widget (nut, bolt, washer) used to wholsale for an appropriate price...and might be sold by the dozen... the new policy is a minimum billing for any and all of those small parts. The typical manufacturer sports a $2.65 minimum at the wholesale level, so one can expect a flat washer to retail for about $4.25 or so.

 

Kind of like visiting your local BMW dealer? You bet it is.

 

 

confused.gif

 

What you talking about Willis?

 

Buy flat washers at the local hardware store in a town of 3,000 in rural S. Il for 15 cents each. grin.gif

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DavidEBSmith

The problem with the buttonhead screws from McMaster-Carr (or any non-BMW source) is that they don't have the point that makes it easy to locate them into the tupperware and thence into the mounting holes below. If the holes don't quite line up, as they often don't, the non-pointed screws can be a PITA to get in.

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Jim VonBaden
The problem with the buttonhead screws from McMaster-Carr (or any non-BMW source) is that they don't have the point that makes it easy to locate them into the tupperware and thence into the mounting holes below. If the holes don't quite line up, as they often don't, the non-pointed screws can be a PITA to get in.

 

But not so hard to get cross threaded! dopeslap.gif

 

Jim cool.gif

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Try www.Mcmaster.com

 

100 5mm X 12mm stainless steel buttonhead socket cap screws (same as the short BMW ones, part# 92095A210) are $16.66 thumbsup.gif

 

You could buy both sets (short and long) and have enough to replace all of the screws in 3 or 4 bikes for around $35 with shipping grin.gif

 

IN thumbsup.gif

 

$36/4 =$9. Count me in for one of the sets. Thanks. grin.gif

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$25.44 for 8 small tuperware screws. Stainless here I come.

This is BMW's way of saying "We think our customers are idiots, and we're gonna screw 'em". That is right up there with the $110 they charge for just one side of the front disk brake pads (just 1 pair of pads) on the K1200GT.

 

Just to rub salt into the wound, the cost of this type of screw to BMW is about 2 cents each... at least that is what we pay for nearly identical fasteners in lower quantities than BMW uses).

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MichiganBob

What makes me a total yutz is that I forgot to simply ask how much the part is before deciding if I want to buy it.

 

Now for a true confession and this is a tough one. When I got the screws and was told the price, the credit card was already run through. I was embarrassed to say "never mind" at that point. Something tells me by the counter guy's smile that he knew I was surprised about the price. I stopped at the shop while in transit taking a friend to his place up north. I was burning inside about beind duped or being a dupe or both. But I conjured up the nerve on the way back south to stop in there and tell the guy "I wanted to return these." Part's guy in condescending tone "he want's them, then he doesn't." No response from me. Signed the credit slip, out the door and somehow felt that I did the right thing. Just seemed a matter of principle. I will take the 24 bucks and waste it on a nice Arturo Fuente, a six pack of Bell's beer and a blue cheese burger and ponder the meaning of life. End of story. Anyone else every get trapped like this?

 

Ride safe,

 

Bob

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I don't buy that the dealer has to make money and that there is a "modest" profit after everything is added up - I don't mind paying top dollar for quality (I have this conversation all the time, I make granola and it is the very best and it sells for $12.00 for a two pound bag)and I have nothing against BMW or anyone else making a healthy profit but $26 for four screws is ridiculous and can't be justified. Good for you for going back in. We ride $20,000 bikes so it's not about the money and yes I expect to pay more for parts for my GS, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Why not $50 for 4 bolts? Or a hundred bucks? Come on. And good for you for going back in. Sheesh.:(

beno

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phoenixtexas

Desmo Parts has a huge inventory of stainless steel bolts, nuts and screws, as well as kits, all OEM type. The whole kits run about $40. My O3 BCP has polished stainless from Desmo from front to back, every visible fastener. Beautiful but not gaudy.

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Jenny needs the tax money. I hear her husband had to cut back his staff to only thirteen. Wonder how he gets anything done.

 

rpg

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