Help with difference OEM, ACDelco, Professional Line, Dealer Installed

[03GMCYukon]

2003 GMC Yukon, ZW7 Suspension, 105,000 miles

 

A front shock was leaking and I took it to the local GMC/Chevy dealership in upstate NY. Both front shocks were replaced ~$200 including shocks (ACDelco 88966852), labor, tax, etc.

 

Dealership said the shocks they installed were a direct fit for the vehicle.

 

Upon further research, I'm struggling figuring out why they were so inexpensive. Here is what I find:

 

OEM GM #12477738 @ $233 ea (what came on the vehicle)

ACDelco Professional #530-301 @ $76 ea

 

ACDelco OEM #540-184 @ $249 ea

 

ACDelco Dealer Installed 88966852 @ $43 ea

If I have shocks that work and perform well, then I'm all for saving ~$200 a shock. It just seems like there is something wrong.

Is there someone who would know the difference in these product lines and can advise why there is ~$200 difference between a shock a dealer would install vs. the OEM part?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Jsdirt]

Personally I think it's all a scam - the OEM parts are no better than aftermarket, IMO. That's what I've been seeing in the past 18 or so years - in some cases OEM has been WORSE, quality-wise.

 

I'd be willing to bet every part listed above is exactly the same. Why they price them like that ... well, I have a theory on that ... but I'm trying to keep my blood pressure low ...

[Doug_Scott]

There are only so many companies that manufacture shocks. Same for batteries. GM sends their specifications to whoever won the shock making contract, and they are made to GM specs. Note that GM may have many different specs depending on the suspension package. The difference is spec may simply be the colour, and what stickers they get.

When you get the z-71 option, and pay x number of dollars extra for it, you don't expect to or even want to see the shock being the same colour, and appearance as the base suspension package. There are likely some valving differences inside the shocks for them to work with higher rate springs.

I could never really understand how different suspension packages can fluctuate so much in price. For the most part, these suspension packages contain the same number of parts, all have the same warranty, and all attach the same way. Why does the package cost more? Because we are trained to believe that if something is an option, and costs more, it must be superior, and we must have it. I can understand paying more for a NAV system over the standard AM/FM/CD head unit. Paying extra for a suspension package is a bit tougher to take for me.

 

What is all boils down to is this, your shocks are likely listed as being direct replacement shocks, likely comes with a longer warranty(used to be lifetime warranty on aftermarket shocks) and likely cost way less than OEM part. That being said, $43 per shock installed does not even sound possible to me. R/R for a shock must be at least .5h flat rate. At $43 your dealer gave you the shocks for free. Did you maybe already have lifetime warranty on the previous shocks? I would be careful about raising any questions at the dealership, they may just have forgotten to charge you for either the parts or the labour.

[Jsdirt]

And I thought that price was HIGH!

[03GMCYukon]

Sorry I confused you with the cost of the dealer installed shocks. I meant to communicate the shocks that the dealer installed were $43 each for the part alone.

 

The shocks were $43 ea (total $86) plus an hr labor @ $90, plus tax/etc = ~$200 for the pair installed.

 

Still your point is well taken regarding the shock price and what we're trained for. In fact, that's probably what I'm most nervous about. Given I never expect to go to the dealer to save money, when I do save money (and a lot of money), red flags, bells, whistles, etc get raised immediately.

 

Given that this is my son's vehicle at college, I'll probably get the original equipment shocks back on the vehicle. I found them through Amazon with the same color, ID tags, etc for about $110 each, and I'll do it myself. Likely will also replace the rear shocks in self defense.

 

I call this irrational thinking the cost of being a father ... I just can't get past the fact that GM would charge retail $43 for a shock that is supposed to replace a $233 shock.

 

Thank you for your insight into the marketing aspects, it's very helpful.

[Doug_Scott]

 

I call this irrational thinking the cost of being a father ... I just can't get past the fact that GM would charge retail $43 for a shock that is supposed to replace a $233 shock.

 

Thank you for your insight into the marketing aspects, it's very helpful.

 

Oddly enough I think just the opposite, why does the manufacturer charge 5 times the price for the same item from the aftermarket? I would make sure the shocks that they installed were the heavy duty model, and had a good warranty. I would also make sure that all 4 shocks are the same model. I look for lifetime warranty shocks, you end up having to pay the labour to replace them, but, that is cheaper than paying for parts and labour. Shocks are a consumable item, they start to wear the instant you start to drive.

 

One thing about shocks, when they begin to get weak, the ride becomes very plush. It is one of the parts that fails nicely. After you replace them, most will complain about how rough the ride is now. You become used to the slowly fading life of the shock, and once replaced, it is a huge difference in ride. i would not change the shocks you just had changed, but, I would have the rears replaced with the matching ones to the fronts.

 

BTW, shocks are like boobs, they travel in pairs.

[Jsdirt]

Living in a state that takes every dollar they can from us, and puts ZERO into the roads (unless you live near Boston ...), we usually do 2 pairs of shocks all around twice for every 60k miles of driving. These roads beat the best vehicles into submission fast.

 

I put Bilsteins or Edelbrocks on everything I own - gets tiring doing shocks every 30k miles. Usually by the second set, you'll need ball joints, tie rod or rack ends ... and probably some bearings if built after '95. Gotta love it ...

 

Driving 20mph slower than everyone, and breaking down for 10 minutes in a Model T while you dry out the distributor doesn't seem all that bad now ... At least you can rebuild the lower end on the side of the road using your belt for babbit.

[NEFisher11]

JSdirt tell me about it. I live in MA too and have 45k on my truck and are definatly going to have do the shocks this summer the roads are in such bad shape. But dont worry the gas tax will go up to repair them

[Jsdirt]

Yeah that'll be the day! I had a little trailer 4' off the ground today on some backroad in town - the whoop-de-doos rival a motocross track ....

 

The tax WILL go up though - that you can count on!