Well probably yes, one can expect to pay more for original parts, but how much more ?
The auto parts store wanted around 100.00 bucks for an EGR Pressure sensor for my 1999 B3000, but before paying that I went to Ford, just to see.
230.00 $ Canadian dollars _ I don't think so, and I wasn't even a Ford part, it was just the generic plastic one _ no Ford logo or part number on the piece at all.

So for the heck of it I went off to the Mazda dealer and to my surprise it was 57.06 _ shocker !

Got the part today by courier and installed it.

I asked the parts guy at Ford, what's going on here, he said "sometimes that happens"... Hmmm...

 

yes ford is ripping people off , generally the Mazda part is cheaper . my example is the bolts for the driveshaft flange 5.85 each at ford , 1.75 from mazda , they came in a ford box with a ford part number .

 

Makes me wonder if Mazda is just get rid of their B Series truck parts at a reduced cost.
I have an old receipt from Mazda that is 8 years old quoting the original owner or 102.00$ for the EGR pressure sensor _ and now 57.00 ???

 

In fairness a "ripoff" is when you don't get what you paid for after the deal is done, you find out you were deceived after paying what you decided was a fair price.
If the part was only available from Ford then it could be considered "Gouging" if they raised price because they were, "the only game in town".
But Ford may just pay more for a part so they charge more for it.

Some larger companies, like Ford, or Military or NASA, require paper work on where all the materials came from to make a part, who made and assembled all the parts involved and the packaging, then the list of how and who they were shipped to get to Fords delivery point.
The $650 hammer is a case in point, you can buy similar hammer for $30 but won't have a clue of where the ore was mined or any back ground at all on how it was made.
Was there an 11 year kid in forced labor digging out ore
Was ore processed in a plant with no safety concerns for workers or environment
Was machining shop the same
Was the box it comes in made from illegal tree cutting, deforestation, of 3rd world countries
Was it shipped in the back packs of illegals coming across the boarder, lol, OK a stretch but you get the idea.

Bigger companies have to be concerned with these types of things as do "government" subsidized companies like NASA and the Military.
It doesn't look good in print when "child labor" or poor working conditions come up as being paid for by these types of companies, "We didn't know" doesn't work as an excuse.

So you get the $650 hammers, and possibly the $250 DPFE sensor

Or it could just be they are low on stock so want to sell fewer at a higher price to get enough profit to re-order more.
And if the Ford Dealer's shop installs one they have to justify that $250 charge on the bill if customer calls in to parts department after the fact, lol.

 

Interesting point of view.
With that said Mazda must be a different entity as far as parts go then _ where they're sourcing them and quality control.
The box that it cam in does say genuine original Mazda part, if that means anything.
Just like the Ford packaging, although there wasn't any Ford logo on the part.

So who knows what's going on really ?

I guess if the 230.00 dollar Ford part failed with in the warranty, they could trace it back where the problem occurred and Mazda couldn't.

 

Well Ford and other US automakers do have Unions they must make happy as well, so touchy subject when using or selling non-Union made parts.

Not saying $230 is a reasonable price, just saying it isn't as cut and dried as a high markup price gouge

 

Its always business and these dealers have the mindset of being the official shop and give steep price. Time to get more resourceful.

 

And in this case, the Mazda dealer only wanted 57.06 for the same generic part.
Weather or not there were unions involved or child labor, I don't know, but the price difference was just too big of a pill to swallow, even when comparing to the local auto parts store.

I'll be calling the Mazda dealer again tomorrow to check out some hinge pins and bushings or even the entire hinge assembly, I don't really want to buy some Doorman hinge pins.
They have been reported to be cheaply made and from the photo on Amazon, they look like they're made out of some really cheap brass, rather then an alloy containing nickel.
I would bet that the bushings would be made in China or India where there would be very little quality control and there could be anything in there.