Quality non-franchised - "pirate" - parts for used cars cost a lot less than those from the dealer, says motor industry mediator Errol Coosner .
He recently helped a 90-year-old man reduce a R26 000 repairs quote to R9000 by parts other than those the dealer intended to use.
"My customer had given his grandson a 1995 Nissan Stanza and when the cylinder head gasket blew a Nissan dealer quoted R26 000 for the job.
"The service manager said the price included a new R12 000 cylinder head, as the existing one had corroded. He agreed that the old one could be repaired and worked out another quote. In the end, the car was repaired with only 'pirate' parts for R9 000, including VAT."
In another case, a 1998 Toyota Conquest blew a gasket and the owner was quoted R16 000 for repairs and labour.
"Later the dealer phoned to say it would cost R22 000 as the engine was gone. I went to take a look. The engine was not gone, just the cylinder head gasket (had) blown. They were charging about R3500 for labour and R5000 for engineering.
"I phoned another dealer, which quoted R7500, including R1600 for four hours' labour.
"We took the car away. It is now being done for R6100, with a new radiator and water pump, and only requires exhaust valves."
"Don't spend unnecessarily on older cars," Coosner says. "People are being taken to the cleaners by a motor industry that does not take the car's age into consideration.
"A 1998 Toyota is worth about R25 000 so it doesn't warrant spending R22 000 on repairs."
Quality "non-genuine" parts can be bought through any reputable motor part dealer.
Coosner, who is to address guests at a Cape Argus Action meeting on October 26, cautions vehicle owners to have all quotes for repairs examined carefully by someone knowledgeable before accepting promises of work to a vehicle - such as Coosner who can be contacted on (083) 461-8378.