Why are Z32 Parts so Crack-Smokin' expensive!!????

[lotekinc]

I'm curious - why are Z32 used parts on ebay (even NA models) so expensive? C'mon - $100 plus shipping for a radio bezel.... I can buy a tricked out double din bezel - new - for $130. The obvious comeback is "because they didn't mfg very many" - but you can buy rollers with blown motors/trans for under a grand - just like you could a maxima. One thing I have noticed is that many of the parts on ebay don't sell (I've seen some parts sit there for months). The ebay sellers are just too proud of them!

OK parts sellers - bring on the flames!

[NolimitZ32]

I have a part-out that I am going through right now, I know how much every part costs new, I know that 99.999% of people that want OEM parts aren't in a position (for whatever reason) to buy an entire roller just to strip it of the parts they need. So I ask what I believe to be a fair price based on the basic rules of a free market. With a car like the Z32 which is rare enough for the aftermarket to be small but not rare enough to drive prices of the actual car through the roof you are stuck with being able to own a very cool car which is fairly cheap to get but quite expensive to maintain.

[evildky]

Because so many of the parts are proprietary and it was the lowest production of any Z car chassis.

[Medic!]

You oughtta try buying parts for a Honda. One of the reasons I got rid of my DD prelude (besides the tacky ricer people who came with it) was the price of parts.

OEM parts from Honda (america) are expensive enough, but having to buy them from Honda Canada adds another 50-60% on top of that.

Used parts come with that greedy Honda kid mark up on top of the greedy Honda kid...greed.

I was just looking at a new shift knob for my z. $60. A ripped up used pos shift knob for a Honda is 1-200 bucks, because it's "so rare."

A set of floor mats for my z, $130. Used mats with bald spots for a lude: 3-400. New? I've seen them for 600! For a Honda!!!

So far, I have found z parts, oem, and aftermarket to be cheaper than everything else I've owned.

It could be worse, you could be searching for Honda parts.

[DCaff300ZX]

Medic makes a good point- sometimes it's not obvious what other platforms cost to build. Also, EVERYTHING in life that isn't basic day to day stuff has been on the HUGE rise for quite some time given our economy and automotive upgrade parts and accessories certainly have been at the top of that list since it's a popular thing to do, but there are SO many different setups to deal with that cost is even worse for those less-popular paths such as Z32 and other lines that had lower production numbers and a higher cost that previous models.

Not only that, but the particulars of the platform make a huge difference in costs as well. I built up my '67 GTA Fastback Mustang back in the day, and it was a HUGE pain in the butt because the costs for big block Ford parts were and still are astonishing. Back then a set of roller rockers for a sb Chev POS would run about $600-$700; the only known rollers for a BB Ford were $5K and custom built (Dove Engineering in Cleveland) until after 3 years into my build Ford Power Products built a set for sale...at $2.2K, which I bought.
You also had no aftermarket BB Ford distributors to purchase, and locating an old school racing setup was nearly impossible and costly and netted usually a junk unit needing full resuscitation. Same for the coil unit, after much research the only solution was to buy a EFI kit and coil and go that route...at of course a HUGE cost. I had $3K into the motor before even turning a bolt, and just for three minor but necessary upgrades to making even a small amount of extra power.
Then came my biggest pride and joy- the Tri-power intake. It was in need of a refresh...$700 just to be factory fresh, more for upgrades. Even though it wasn't cheap either, I went for a different manifold and a Holly annular discharge booster venturi carb (over $400 at the time, rest went for about $300 range) and still came in at less cost then a standard rebuild of the tri-power, which I then sold to a buddy of my Dad who could afford the rebuild work+, and probably is still hugging me in his dreams to this day.

Bottom line is- You Pay To Play...

[RubyRed300ZX]

All Z parts are forged from 99.999% pure gold by hand, by little tiny elves, who are held in absolute servitude by trolls. And, the trolls are greedy basturds. That's why. It's an absolute fact ... I read it on the interwebs.

[DCaff300ZX]

[ThisIsSparTTa]

Heh, you think Z32 parts are expensive? I've been looking at getting a different DD, and my girlfriend is as well. I always figured aftermarket Z parts were so expensive because they're relatively low volume. Nope. Parts for modern cars are even more expensive than most comparable parts on the Z32, even though they should have a much larger volume of sales.

And yea, market rates are market rates. If I'm trying to sell something at a certain price and it sits for a couple of months, the price doesn't support the demand. On the flip side, even if something has high demand, I can only price it up to near new or what everyone else is charging.

I'd highly recommend you get off eBay, and start checking out the classifieds here, 3ZC and TT.net. I've also done most of my swapping recently through the Z32 Marketplace Group on Facebook. There was a better buy/sell group, but the guy made it Secret, which you can't come back from, so they can only directly add you.

[marcyprojects]

I'm curious - why are Z32 used parts on ebay (even NA models) so expensive? C'mon - $100 plus shipping for a radio bezel.... I can buy a tricked out double din bezel - new - for $130. The obvious comeback is "because they didn't mfg very many" - but you can buy rollers with blown motors/trans for under a grand - just like you could a maxima. One thing I have noticed is that many of the parts on ebay don't sell (I've seen some parts sit there for months). The ebay sellers are just too proud of them!

OK parts sellers - bring on the flames!

Simple supply and demand. Cost for parts for us has very little to do with what they cost to make but everything to do with how desirable they are. I recently saw a replacement digital clock for sale at Concept Z for $270! I just about lost it when I saw that. However, if you really want something at a good price you just need to do some work, more that searching ebay. Ive recently found some great groups on Facebook with tons of parts and a local Z shop just 10 minutes from my house that I never knew existed. He does work on our cars and sells parts. Found him while buying oil at orielys. Ive also found parts on craigslist, sometimes you have to search outside your own city and ask the seller to ship but ive done it with some success.