Unreal... (Stealership story).

bebey · **Joined:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:08 pm **Posts:** 62

So I took the Jeep to the stealership for a couple things that I couldn't find someone I felt comfortable doing them (these things irrelevant to story). While there, I asked about my seat belt tensioner and that it had been sticking recently (not retracting after I unlatch it). I asked if it could be lubed. The answer, "No, it needs replaced as there are no lube points. Also, you cannot just buy the tensioner; it is a full assembly, seatbelt included."

I then asked, "How too much is that?" expecting something ridiculous like 100 bucks.

He looked in his computer, and said "Hmm, it's a bit expensive/"

"What is expensive?" I asked, once again expecting the ludicrous 100 bucks.

"$687." he said.

^&^%%$^%#%$@#%$#&(*^*&^*&^*(&^*&^)(*&

After coming back to, I asked, "Please tell me you realize how ridiculous that is for seatbelt."

"Yea, it's a bit expensive."

"That isn't expensive. That is ludicrously stupidly insane. You HAVE to realize that, right?"

"I don't make the prices/"

"I know. But please tell me you know that is just f'in stupid."

He shrugs...

bebey · **Joined:** Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:08 pm **Posts:** 62

Oh, almost forgot:

Then he said, "Would you like us to do that for you?"

I said, "Yes please, all four if you would,"

He thought I was serious for moment.

Really???

DynoPax · **Posted:** Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:14 pm

Mouhahaah! Just loved your sarcastic reply :ROTFL:

Sometime, it feels like they are in a fantasy world :POPCORN:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:33 pm

Reason for the high price is they are discontinued.Costs the part supplier big $$$ to dig out the old plans and retool and make just one.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:38 pm

Also that these have pretensioners in them that fire in an accident as part of the safety system.

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:40 am

Ask the parts department for the part number and in what other vehicles this part used in, then google it, you'll find a good deal on one somewhere.

jinstall · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:13 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

Reason for the high price is they are discontinued.Costs the part supplier big $$$ to dig out the old plans and retool and make just one.

By law they are REQUIRED to supply parts for a minimum of 10 years after manufacture.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:00 am

Folks unless I am totally misreading the parts book and online suppliers the driver's seat belt assembly lists for just over $100 and can be purchased online for about $70+shipping. Also this is not CRD specific so I'm sure you can find a used assembly for less.

As to whether or not it can be lubed I certainly wouldn't believe the parts counter especially as they think a $700 instrument cluster is the cure for dead LED bulbs that cost $3 and are relatively easy to replace if you are handy with soldering.

Also I've learned from sad experience never ever order a part without making the parts person show you on the computer a picture of exactly what they think you want and what they think they will order to satisfy that want. Way too much can get lost in translation. The only thing I know of in the general vicinity of a driver's seat belt that would cost ca. $700 is an entire new leather seat assembly.

EAB · **Joined:** Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:39 pm **Posts:** 141

papaindigo wrote:

Folks unless I am totally misreading the parts book and online suppliers the driver's seat belt assembly lists for just over $100 and can be purchased online for about $70+shipping. Also this is not CRD specific so I'm sure you can find a used assembly for less.

Item# 5HG331J3AP. Regular price: $429.00
Item# 5HG331D5AP. Regular price: $449.00

A google seach can save some big $$ i you really want it fixed.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:22 pm

That's why I said show me the picture. Both the 2005 and 2006 parts manuals have numbers identical to what EAB posted except for the last "letter". A search for 5HG331D5AL (2005 Seat belt front outer left per the parts manual linked to the NOOB guide) on Steve White Motors collision parts list returns "Slate gray Left 2005 MSRP $103.00 Your price $70.11 Restraint systems - Front seat belts - Retractor assy - Slate gray"

Now whether or not that's the right part I cannot say.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 4:27 pm

Suffix letter changes usually denote a tiny modification in something like programming or feature count as an addition, which older vehicles may or may not be able to use added said feature. However, the bulk of that number being the same, that is where the meat of the information is. If the number is the same, the part should functionally be the same and the same fitment.

Case in point, something that gets updated constantly - The engine ECU. They change the part suffix (AB, AC, AD, AE...) every time they change something in the flash, and slap a new sticker on the casing. The rest of the part number is the same, and the vehicle could still function with the old part / number.

If ours already have the pretensioners, then maybe the new number denotes that they filled the gas charge with mountain spring air now, instead of Detroit grime. Of course, that change could also mean they changed nothing at all, other than the profit margin.

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 4:49 pm

geordi wrote:

filled the gas charge with mountain spring air now.

Yes, It's a lot of new hot air.

nursecosmo · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:25 pm

$75 seems to be the going price for used. For $300 you can get the air bags and everything.

http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:59 pm

jinstall wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

Reason for the high price is they are discontinued.Costs the part supplier big $$$ to dig out the old plans and retool and make just one.

By law they are REQUIRED to supply parts for a minimum of 10 years after manufacture.

But the company changed hands twice since your CRD was built,kinda throws that whole "must make parts for 10 years" out the window.

Oh and it's 7 years by the way.

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 379

note that the law states they're required to supply parts. it doesn't say they're required to supply parts at prices that make you feel like a reach-around should be included. it also doesn't state how long the lead time for said parts has to be.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:03 pm

uuummmhhh - the Bankruptcy Judge can insist they keep all commitments - or void everything.... and any combination in between... That's why it's called Bankruptcy

The auto pretensioners - would be the seriously expensive part - and you'd need to verify that Junkyard ones still have them.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 4:03 am

The bankruptcy judge in Chrysler's case gave them the biggest gift he possibly could have - Full absolution and separation from any liabilities against the old Chrysler, including all lawsuits about faulty gear, fatalities, defective equipment... Everything.

The new Chrysler was declared not financially responsible for ANY of those things, ergo... If they CHOSE to honor your warranty, that was their decision in the name of being magnanimous corporate people. What they said in the press conferences about "continuing to honor all existing warranties" was pretty as a sound bite, but legally worthless. They didn't have to honor diddly, and chose NOT to in any way that might cost them money.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 9:17 am

geordi wrote:

The bankruptcy judge in Chrysler's case gave them the biggest gift he possibly could have - Full absolution and separation from any liabilities against the old Chrysler, including all lawsuits about faulty gear, fatalities, defective equipment... Everything.

I didn't watch this closely but rather than a gift it may have been a condition of the takeover. If an asset sell off was the alternative, out of which no one would have benefited, it may have been the lesser of two evils.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:43 pm

I don't think it was a condition of the takeover, I seem to recall that this happened AFTER they had signed the papers about the takeover / transfer, and this was the result of the existing creditors and plaintiffs asking "what about us" to the court. At the VERY SAME TIME as this was in the papers, Fiat execs were on TV crowing about how happy they were to accept all the current Mopar owners and would continue to support all the "current" vehicles under warranty.

I put the quotes there, but thinking about this - Even that statement could have been prepared by a lawyer, b/c if they did state it like that, it leaves the door open to drop any and all support of non-production vehicles. Like ours. (Not that we ever had a lot of dealer support to begin with)

Anyone with that "lifetime" warranty also might be in a jam, considering that it might be termed to mean the "lifetime" of the company that wrote the warranty, NOT the lifetime of the owner OR the current owner of the company name.

tregrrr · **Joined:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:37 pm **Posts:** 59

geordi wrote:

**snip**
Anyone with that "lifetime" warranty also might be in a jam, considering that it might be termed to mean the "lifetime" of the company that wrote the warranty, NOT the lifetime of the owner OR the current owner of the company name.

as per http://www.jeep.com/en/lifetime_powertrain_warranty/faq.html, CRD owners would be in the lurch anyways:

Q7: Are any Chrysler vehicles excluded?
A7: Vehicles that are not covered under the new Lifetime Powertrain Warranty include SRT models, Diesel vehicles, Sprinter models, Ram Chassis Cab and certain fleet vehicles.

Wasn't that big of them?? Not to mention excluding us 2nd rate Canadians in their pre-bankruptcy magnanimity, not that it would matter to me as a 2nd owner.... but it's the thought that counts!!!

Unreal... (Stealership story).

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