Knew a fellow that worked for the local Chrysler dealership parts counter.
He said when they bought new parts they marked them up 100% and when they
were "sold" to the repair department they went through another markup -
maybe 50%-100% AGAIN.

I asked him what the difference was between the FLAPS brake pads and the
dealer brake pads - in other words why should I buy dealer parts versus the
$20 FLAPS brake pads for example?

He said that the factory delivered the vehicles with 6-10 different brake
pad compositions and the FLAPS aftermarket could supply only a few - maybe
3 different compositions to serve ALL makes and models of ALL cars. More of
a compromise versus the factory parts. This applied to alot of stuff he said.

Would he always buy dealer parts I asked? No - not exactly. You've got to
weigh value and cost and quality.

FWIW

Chris M. <"Busbodger" of "TEAM SLOWPOKE">
Cookeville, Tennessee

ICQ# 5944649
scm9985@tntech.edu

'78 VW Westfalia (67 HP -> that is...67 Hamster Power)
'65 Beetle - Type IV powered
'99 CR-V AWD station wagon
'81 CB900 Custom moto-chickle
2.5 Corvair engines for my Trans-vair Conversion