> I have generally found that the price I pay a mechanic for a part is
about the same as I 
> would pay if I bought it myself online.� Sometimes
I can get it considerably cheaper. 

My experience strongly diverges from yours. My last experience was to be charged $500 for a generic catalytic converter, I later found I could have gotten on eBay for $75. I usually find parts like spark plugs, filters, headlamps, fluids etc. are double or triple what I could get them for at Autozone. Most places will get the VW specific parts at a VW dealer and then mark them up.

-David

--- On Mon, 4/5/10, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Radiators ... Re: Radiator flush
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Monday, April 5, 2010, 1:03 PM

---- Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I was surprised to find out that my local Subaru conversion shop, Utah
> Imports
> could get the same radiator that I got from Bus Depot for the same $150.

I have generally found that the price I pay a mechanic for a part is about the same as I would pay if I bought it myself online.� Sometimes I can get it considerably cheaper.� My van mechanic (Daryl of Daryl's Hobby Shop in Norman, Oklahoma) allows me to source my own parts and he installs them for what seems like a reasonable price, but of course, if he can get them for the same price, I buy from him.� That way his work is covered if the part fails.� Most mechanics refuse to install customer supplied parts, or they charge extra for labor if they do.� Really can't blame them, since parts markup is a part of their business, too.

David McNeely