• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Really? Caveat emptor

Share this page

Gliderman8

Gliderman8

Great Pumpkin
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Last week I noticed that the battery light on my “green & yellow” tractor was on. I got out my VOM and checked voltage at the battery while it was running. Voltage measured 16+ volts. Obviously that’s too much.
I called the local “green & yellow” dealer to order a new voltage regulator…. cost $116.
I removed the original voltage regulator and looked it up online. Amazon had one to me in two days for $21. When I compared the two voltage regulators, they were IDENTICAL!
I installed it and the voltage light is off and the battery is charging at a normal voltage.
$21 vs $116, corporate greed?
 
Last edited:
Certainly could be corporate greed! But could also be that the $116 regulator provider's employees get a decent wage, and the $21 regulator provider's employees get a really low wage - even for the same product. I've seen that happen with electronics many times. It's one reason why textile company's moved from New England to the southern states, after WW2. Lower wages often increase corporate profits.

Here in New England, our area electricity provider reported to all customers that the cost of natural gas had tripled, so they had to increase electricity rates. At the end of the year, our electricity bills were 50 to 75% higher. And so were the electric company net profits.

grumble grumble
 
NutmegCT said:
Certainly could be corporate greed! But could also be that the $116 regulator provider's employees get a decent wage, and the $21 regulator provider's employees get a really low wage - even for the same product. I've seen that happen with electronics many times. It's one reason why textile company's moved from New England to the southern states, after WW2. Lower wages often increase corporate profits.

Here in New England, our area electricity provider reported to all customers that the cost of natural gas had tripled, so they had to increase electricity rates. At the end of the year, our electricity bills were 50 to 75% higher. And so were the electric company net profits.

grumble grumble
Click to expand...
OK Tom I’ll meet you partway…. Sure, charge more but even at triple the Amazon price it would still be a far cry from $116.
 
JPSmit said:
Unfortunately no guarantee at all that one is American made. 🤬
Click to expand...
I know the one purchased on Amazon is made in the PRC and I’m guessing that the dealer part is as well. I compared the original one that I removed (the failed unit) with the replacement. They are exactly the same.
 
Would be interesting to compare the new Amazon part with the new Dealer part, to see if there's any indication of place of origin.

My local Quickie Lube will change the oil in my Sentra for $25. Nissan dealer charge $97. Same oil, but Quickie Lube has barely trained employees; Nissan has well paid employees.
 
waltesefalcon said:
That's why you buy red and black tractors, not yellow and green ones.
Click to expand...
One major correction if I may…. I have a “green and yellow” not “yellow and green “ ;) but get your point (y)
 
Unfortunately the OEMs - Green /Yellow or Red / Black or.. Ford, GM.. or....... have spent the last 20+ years looking for cheap manufacturing outside of the US so in all likelihood directly from the manufacturer / or Amazon the part came from PRC or some other none US source. Same with hand tools, and well just about everything else.
 
70herald said:
Unfortunately the OEMs - Green /Yellow or Red / Black or.. Ford, GM.. or....... have spent the last 20+ years looking for cheap manufacturing outside of the US so in all likelihood directly from the manufacturer / or Amazon the part came from PRC or some other none US source. Same with hand tools, and well just about everything else.
Click to expand...
I don’t have a problem with the manufacturer sourcing the part cheaply but when the seller on Amazon is making money selling at $21 why does the OEM sell the exact part for $116. Sure, they have the right to sell at any price and there will be people ready to buy.
And…. Stay safe!!!!
 
Lambo throttle body, way over a grand, comes off a volvo you can buy from Ebay for just over 40 quid.
most parts are audi, still have audi part numbers on them and can be got for a fraction of the cost.
 
mezy said:
Lambo throttle body, way over a grand, comes off a volvo you can buy from Ebay for just over 40 quid.
most parts are audi, still have audi part numbers on them and can be got for a fraction of the cost.
Click to expand...
I watch a Youtuber named Samcrac who buys supercars at auction and tries to get them running. Often able to get an AUDI or Volvo part that is correct. However the parts are often electronically matched to the car. So, can't just replace a module without having to pay stupid money to get it matched. Mind Boggling that someone thinks the transmission needs to be mated electronically to an engine etc. etc. Goes to the heart of Right to Repair. (grumble grumble)
 
JPSmit said:
I watch a Youtuber named Samcrac who buys supercars at auction and tries to get them running. Often able to get an AUDI or Volvo part that is correct. However the parts are often electronically matched to the car. So, can't just replace a module without having to pay stupid money to get it matched. Mind Boggling that someone thinks the transmission needs to be mated electronically to an engine etc. etc. Goes to the heart of Right to Repair. (grumble grumble)
Click to expand...
get where your comming from JP, I have a jag XF and the Gbox is mated to the ECU, sort of fubars the second hand car parts market
 
Avoid buying anything made after 1999, that's my philosophy.
 
Gliderman8 said:
I’m ~guessing~ that the computer you’re using to post was made after 1999 :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
Touché, I meant vehicles. For computers, I don't mind if they are electronically linked and controlled. That seems to be their main purpose.
 
gol' durn new fangled elek tronik computerz - what's wrong with the older ones?

difference engine.jpg
 
I hate to pop anyone's bubble but, JD tractors are now made in Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Finland, France, India, The Netherlands And China. Even 90% of Caterpillar equipment is made overseas anymore! :censored1:
 
Back
Top