This is really the ultimate in price gouging that I've EVER seen. I have an Alfa V6 3.2 L with Xenon lights. My warranty ran out around 3 weeks ago. I washed my car over the weekend and found condensation in one of the headlights. Not just misting but droplets of water.
Well of course I wasn't happy especially since the warranty had just ran out but this was nothing to how I felt when I priced the part.
ALFA HAS THE AUDACITY TO CHARGE $3500 FOR THIS PIECE OF PLASTIC. The guy who gave me the price treated it like a big joke.
He gleefully informed me that if I didn't replace it I would go through Xenon bulbs at $600 a pop.
So even if I replace the part I could be up for another $3500 in another year or so. The cost of this non-mechanical part is more than the cambelt/metal water-pump/40K service that I just have had.
To say I am disgusted in Alfa and my choice of a GT is an understatement. Does anyone have any suggestions apart from taking to the car with a sledgehammer and dropping it off outside Ateco. It will probably turn out cheaper in the long run.
Signed,
Vic (An extremely disgusted long-term Alfa owner).
About a year ago I decided to replace the foglights on my 156.
I found buying them in the UK less than half the price of buying them here through a dealer, and at least coming from the UK you can be sure (?) that the lights are suited to RHD cars.
Do a search for the light or look on UK eBay.
Worth a try.
That is amazing! So if you have a light crash with a bumper bar, a couple of lights and a bonnet you pretty much write the car off?
At least a couple of times a week I get rednecks in 4x4/utes cutting in front of me when I have right of way. If I wanted a new headlight it's just a matter of not backing off as they always assume I will. Just pick someone that looks like they have insurance, and hopefully won't stab you...
Kris
This is another example of new/modern cars are a joke at robbing your wallet,im shedding tears for u, sounds like a good idea the ebay way-but half the price is still a sting-buona fortuna.ciao
Talking of price gouging. Friend has a 159, at a suburban football match last weekend football comes over the fence breaks off side door rear vision mirror. Replacement cost ( close your eyes and have a guess or think of a number) $1,000
I feel your pain
I'm a 22 year old student and I own a 2000 alfa spider
I clipped the side mirror in the garage on a tool shelf and the plastic cover came off. I was quoted $2000 for a new mirror. Instead I got my dad to slastic the mirror cover back on; stuck on just fine. :)
I have a funny noise coming from my wheels, I think it's a bearing. If it is, its going to cost me around $800.
Never the less it's hard to put a price on cruizing around on a sunny day with the top down; this justifies the expense of maintaining the car for me lol.
The cost of genuine parts is an issue, not only is there a huge mark up from the manufacturer but then the dealer puts their own mark up on it, which in some cases is not controlled or capped by the manufacturer/distributer so in the end the shafting is copped by the customer. Hence the unbeliveable cost and potential price variation between dealerships.
My old 147 had a worn rack end, problem is Alfa dont service the part seperately and only sell the complete steering rack which was $1500. I ended up buying the rack end from Milano for $150
I hate to tell you this, but Xenon headlights cost about the same no matter which car make you are buying them for, and yes, $3500 is the normal price. You'd be paying around that whether you had bought a BMW, a Range Rover, an Audi.....
Quote from: Jekyll and Hyde on August 05, 2009, 10:42:02 PM
I hate to tell you this, but Xenon headlights cost about the same no matter which car make you are buying them for, and yes, $3500 is the normal price. You'd be paying around that whether you had bought a BMW, a Range Rover, an Audi.....
I'm not sure where you get those prices but just out of curiousity I checked out late model Range Rovers and Audis and the price is less than $300. Correct me if I'm wrong http://www.drivewire.com/products/audi-a4/headlight-assembly/28885/
Sounds like a manufacturing fault. Even though the warranty is expired, you are still entitled to get it replaced. It is not wear and tear, it is a design fault. No water should ever enter the head lights, no matter what type they are. Contact Consumer Affairs in Vic. Lodge a claim, and you will be guaranteed a phone call from ALFA! Good luck!
Quote from: vicw on August 05, 2009, 07:52:02 AM
This is really the ultimate in price gouging that I've EVER seen. I have an Alfa V6 3.2 L with Xenon lights. My warranty ran out around 3 weeks ago. I washed my car over the weekend and found condensation in one of the headlights. Not just misting but droplets of water.
Well of course I wasn't happy especially since the warranty had just ran out but this was nothing to how I felt when I priced the part.
ALFA HAS THE AUDACITY TO CHARGE $3500 FOR THIS PIECE OF PLASTIC. The guy who gave me the price treated it like a big joke.
He gleefully informed me that if I didn't replace it I would go through Xenon bulbs at $600 a pop.
So even if I replace the part I could be up for another $3500 in another year or so. The cost of this non-mechanical part is more than the cambelt/metal water-pump/40K service that I just have had.
To say I am disgusted in Alfa and my choice of a GT is an understatement. Does anyone have any suggestions apart from taking to the car with a sledgehammer and dropping it off outside Ateco. It will probably turn out cheaper in the long run.
Signed,
Vic (An extremely disgusted long-term Alfa owner).
Well I saw the Alfa dealer today and the service manager was very reasonable and the car is booked in for Monday and they will do what is required to ensure the unit is waterproof. From what I gather Magnetti Marelli are the rogues in the outlandish costs of the headlamp units.
Vic
Quote from: vicw on August 06, 2009, 06:59:39 AM
I'm not sure where you get those prices but just out of curiousity I checked out late model Range Rovers and Audis and the price is less than $300. Correct me if I'm wrong http://www.drivewire.com/products/audi-a4/headlight-assembly/28885/
Well, aside from the fact that those headlights aren't Xenon, they're halogen, and the list price is actually $365 American dollars.... I did however come across another American site which had Xenon Audi lamps listed at $700 USD, no mention of whether it included the ballast (which was about $400 USD elsewhere) or globe, all of which will likely be included in the unit supplied from a dealer, whether you want it or not. However, you weren't complaining about the prices you could find on the net in another country, you were complaining about the price coming from your Alfa dealer. So if you are still curious, try ringing up a Land Rover dealer, or an Audi dealer, and ask them for a price on Xenon headlights. I know for a fact that the Xenon lights to suit the current shape Range Rover were about the $3500 mark through ULR in Melbourne about 2 years ago, and I'd be very surprised if that's changed much, despite Land Rover parts costs jumping around a lot in the last year (Turbo which used to cost $700 now costs $1400?).
Quote from: vicw on August 06, 2009, 03:56:12 PM
Well I saw the Alfa dealer today and the service manager was very reasonable and the car is booked in for Monday and they will do what is required to ensure the unit is waterproof. From what I gather Magnetti Marelli are the rogues in the outlandish costs of the headlamp units.
Vic
Who also manufacture the halogen headlights you posted earlier for Audi, and presumably would also manufacture the Xenons for Audi...
Quote from: Choderboy on August 06, 2009, 10:42:54 PM
and... CHECKMATE!
Are you OK?? Just relax... Rang Euromarque in Brisbane and the Xenon assembly for the latest Audi A4 is $1800Au. A bit of a difference to $3500Au.
Quote from: Choderboy on August 07, 2009, 02:20:18 PM
I am ok.
And I am relaxed.
I don't know what you are using in referring to me being not relaxed.
Since you were yelling out 'CHECKMATE' in a middle of a thread, without any other input I thought you might have had a touch of Tourette's syndrome.
Quote from: vicw on August 07, 2009, 11:51:18 AM
Are you OK?? Just relax... Rang Euromarque in Brisbane and the Xenon assembly for the latest Audi A4 is $1800Au. A bit of a difference to $3500Au.
Well, I'll admit that price surprises me. However, would you have still started this thread if Alfa had quoted you $1800?
Quote from: Jekyll and Hyde on August 07, 2009, 08:52:27 PM
Quote from: vicw on August 07, 2009, 11:51:18 AM
Are you OK?? Just relax... Rang Euromarque in Brisbane and the Xenon assembly for the latest Audi A4 is $1800Au. A bit of a difference to $3500Au.
Well, I'll admit that price surprises me. However, would you have still started this thread if Alfa had quoted you $1800?
I think I would have. Maybe I wouldn't have been as taken aback and I wouldn't have worded it as strongly. When anyone gets a quote they have a mental limit beforehand in their mind and I guess mine was about $1000 fitted. I'm talking about just the plastic shell which should be replaceable in my mind without having to pay for the rest of the rigamarole which still works fine. With Alfas I've learned to expect somethings that I would imagine expensive not to be that bad while other things that I would think aren't much, turn out astronomical.
One thing I was told was that HID (Xenon) lights are still under patent worldwide and EVERY light that is fitted there are royalties involved. I think that could be a lack of competition because of this and hence the ridiculous prices.
Having said all this, after experiencing Xenon lights I couldn't go back to halogen.
Quote from: vicw on August 07, 2009, 09:22:14 PM
With Alfas I've learned to expect somethings that I would imagine expensive not to be that bad while other things that I would think aren't much, turn out astronomical.
While not made exactly clear, my reason for my original reply was exactly what you've just said... Its the same story with every car manufacturer, just different parts cop the ludicrous price tag. Whether you actually need that part in the course of your ownership is a different story, and is often the reason why one person will refuse to ever buy another car from one make or another, while someone else doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.
Quote from: Jekyll and Hyde on August 07, 2009, 09:39:36 PM
Quote from: vicw on August 07, 2009, 09:22:14 PM
With Alfas I've learned to expect somethings that I would imagine expensive not to be that bad while other things that I would think aren't much, turn out astronomical.
While not made exactly clear, my reason for my original reply was exactly what you've just said... Its the same story with every car manufacturer, just different parts cop the ludicrous price tag. Whether you actually need that part in the course of your ownership is a different story, and is often the reason why one person will refuse to ever buy another car from one make or another, while someone else doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.
I agree with you. The Alfa GT I have now would be the best car I've ever driven. Apart from a couple of small niggles it has been very reliable. I guess I got shocked that when the warranty was up the first thing is I'm slammed with is a huge bill for something that really is not complex. (Talking about the condensation NOT the mechanics of HID).
When it all boils down Alfas aren't as unreliable as folklore would suggest. I have relatives that have niggled me re my Alfa choices in the past but my Alfas were still running and registered as second cars long after their Mitsubishis and Nissans had been made into metal cubes at the junkyard. How's that for going off on a tangent? ;D
Quote from: Choderboy on August 08, 2009, 03:29:33 PM
sorry im not 'down' with the lingo.. these crazy kids today and their hoola hoops and pacman video games...
(can anyone guess the movie reference?)
Schlinder's List. ;D
Quote from: Choderboy on August 08, 2009, 07:06:17 PM
haha. (insert family feud wrong answer noise here)
wrong!
Baseketball. :P
It's a Trey Parker & Matt Stone film, they are the guys who do South Park.
It's about two guys who invent a new game that becomes a pro sport, a cross between Basketball and Baseball.
If you like their quirky stuff there's a movie they made called "Cannibal! The Musical"... Interesting film. :D