The moral is never ever take the first price offered and always look around.

It is because of the utterly stupid business model dealereships are forced into by the manufacturers that this happens.

In my business (telecoms) we never usually mark parts up more than 50%, I sincerely wish I could get away with 200%..

Needed amaster cylinder for a Volvo 240 a few years ago and was quoted steeply by the local main lot ,got one from from Sweish /German auto parts and had it fitted for a third of the price. worse than that is the repair that isn't needed. Had a leaking differential and was told it needed replacing. I know a mechanic who enquired of his contacts and apparently this diff was prone to a little fluid leak but just top it up once in a while and all will be fine,,,and it was. A local main does the brake frightener, if your pads are not quite up to scratch or your discs either they give you an advisory to get you topart have them changed even when they know they are really quite safe. I had this direct from the service manager. On theother hand I suspected I had a duff battery and went to a local indie who tested it and said it was fine, he cleaned the contacts and that did the job. He didn't charge and guess where I went in future for maintainance.