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My ten year old Nissan truck has always been a great vehicle. I have serviced and maintained it and it has served us well. This week it started running strangely and I traced the problem to a cracked air intake manifold connector hose. Three and a half inch inside diameter, two and a half inch total length rubber hose with two clamps. A trip to the car parts stores revealed nobody stocked it. Braving Masters traffic I went across town and learned that Nissan won't sell just the hose but requires you to buy the entire plastic air intake system to get the hose and wants over $74.00 plus tax for it. To get a small rubber hose. Can we say rip off boys and girls (Mr.Roger's neighborhood)?
After recovering from the shock I found the exact same hose with clamps and shipping, plus a year warranty for under $27.00 online from a reputable racing parts company. As usual I checked the Better Business Bureau complaint website to make sure
the online store was on the up and up.
I know that the car company needs to make money but isn't this a bit extreme?
It's not just Nissan, the same thing happened with a Ford I have and a hose related to the cooling system. Small hose developed a crack, had to buy the whole assembly for a couple hundred dollars.
This is nothing new with autos - parts are assembled into components and when a part goes, that whole component gets replaced. I'm frankly surprised the car parts store didn't just sell you a length of hose - almost anything would do I'd think for an air hose.
This is nothing new with autos - parts are assembled into components and when a part goes, that whole component gets replaced. I'm frankly surprised the car parts store didn't just sell you a length of hose - almost anything would do I'd think for an air hose.
Seems like I did get a hose job from Nissan. Their toll free number produced a person who was not at all sympathetic and suggested I trade the truck for a new Nissan. Yep, buy a new truck because the air hose is split. I almost followed her advice until I realized I could get the hose online for under twenty bucks. Saved over fifteen grand and still have my trusty ole Frontier.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I don't see this as a big deal, $74?? That's not a big markup over the $27 item considering you also get the rest of the system. Considering all of the other parts I have priced over the years from any car dealer compared to the auto parts stores, just about anything will be at least $50-100 more at the dealership. I have found a lot of obscure parts cheap online, ebay can be your friend.
Seems like it's always like this. Run a situation up the pole, get upset then walk into a local store and find the exact same part for sale for $7.99 plus tax. So Nissan held out for their expensive sale but lost it all to an auto parts chain store. Guess that's business but isn't a few bucks better than no bucks at all plus a load of bad karma from the guy they tried to gouge? Hmmmmm?
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