$700-800 for UCAs is dumb and price gouging. Prove me wrong

Ok so lets price some shit out then just for parts.
A GOOD FK spherical bearing looking at right around 50 bucks per side.
Universal 1" OD urethane bushings (not rubber) about 50 bucks
Grease zerks $2
Steel about 80 bucks depending where you're located.
Unibal bearing cups about 50 bucks
High misalignment spacers with custom taper for spindle about 100 bucks
grade 8 hardware about $5

That's just over 300 just in parts alone at this time

Now with a good jig and good welder prep time etc you're looking at a good couple hrs labor at $30-50/hr
so lets say labor 100 bucks

Now we're at over 400 that's just to weld them up

lets say it costs them 25 bucks for powder coating small parts.

Now we get into the things that are harder to quantify per part basis
Shop overhead
employee tax burdens
employee benefits
consumables (welding wire, gas, nozles, tips, sanding supplies, etc.)
advertising expenses
R&D for future projects


We'll say that costs roughly $200 bucks per and I'm sure I left off quite a bit there on the other expenses that non business people ever take into account.

So now we're a little over 600. They cost 800
So the company profits 200 bucks lets say ok well they want to grow and move forward so they reinvest 150 of that and the owners then pocket 50 bucks. Which I'd bet they are pocketing a lot less than 50 bucks per set of control arms. Items like that are a higher volume less margin vs a long travel kit.

But lets whine and complain that the evil entrepreneurs and businesses provide a product that people want and need vs actually doing it themselves.

For you to properly make a set of control arms at home you're probably looking at a few hundred just in materials to set up and build the jigging. Then you have to purchase all the materials to make them. Next you have to find the time and weigh is it worth your time or is your time worth more doing something else. Do you have the proper skillset to make them or will you be on a steep learning curve trying to tackle this project.

OP what do you do for a living I bet there are a bunch of whiny babies like yourself that think the same thing of your profession.

 

Would be hilarious if OP was a rectal thermometer tester. Those guys never understand the cost of doing business.

 

I didn’t say I was going to make them, just that they are severely overpriced. Insurance is part of doing business and is factored into the cost of operations.

 

This thread delivers

 

called the toyota tax, why I miss my jeeps lol

 

Over priced is subjective. What it takes to make a product and cover your ass if it is a critical part, will be a huge factor in what makes up the difference in price.

Price gouging would be like some of our medication prices in the US. If the product is made in another country and distributed around the world and marked up 300% just because it's the US, and nowhere else, is certainly gouging.

 

You over estimated materials

 

I spend almost $1000 on boots every two years, another grand on 1 pair of pants every 4, and probably another on upper body clothing.

or I would if I didn’t get a decent discount.

can we talk about that

 

What about tires? No one’s gonna talk about 1.5k for a set of 5?

 

I think $1000 for 240 pounds of rubber layered with steel and nylon belts is a much better value than $1000 for 4 pounds of steel with four rubber bushings and two ball joints.

 

Is it really though? Atleast you can rebuild the 4 pounds of steel for $100 every couple of years.

 

Going to guess OP has never made anything, or made anything to sell. People who don’t underestimate costs and labor all the time.

“What do you mean you can’t build me a table out of hardwood for what I could pay at Haverty’s?”

 

And you’re not just paying for the product.
You’re paying for someone to run a business. That’s not cheap.

 

Me too - because it's obvious he can't. Otherwise we wouldn't be seeing this thread.

 

I used to believe this was the case. They ship the new non-tubular ones with the xaxis bushings from Mevotech now too.

 

Just go off the grid and make everything yourself, isn’t that why we need these UCAs anyway?

 

SPC is havertys… and thats the issue

 

What UCAs you run now?

 

tHinGs CoSt moneez!

Why - supply and demand bro. No matter what opinions may be.

If you're looking for uniball uppers for less look up BTF and Solo

Speak of the devil!

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