Letter about GM parts sparks responses

Dear Bob: I am responding to the letter that B.J., who works at a GM parts counter, sent about customers wanting free information from him about GM parts.

I personally am a GM customer and, trust me, I would like to keep my GM vehicles equipped with genuine factory parts. But let’s look into the reasons people do this.

First, the parts are ridiculously overpriced. There is no way that the Big Three automakers can honestly justify the parts costing as much as they charge. For Pete’s sake, they use more raw materials to make their parts than anyone in any aftermarket auto-parts business, meaning that they are charged considerably less for those raw materials than are their aftermarket competitors — but yet the savings is not passed on to the consumer.

Second, I can not only get a part of equal quality for less, but also in many cases it comes with a limited lifetime warranty! The Big Three won’t even consider that.

B.J., I’m sure you get a discount price on any parts you purchase from your dealership. Unfortunately the rest of us don’t, so your letter won’t stop us from calling to get GM parts numbers.

We live in a world now where we all struggle to get the most from our dollar. I’m sure you are no different, B.J. It seems to me that there are things more important to complain about than an inconvenience at a job you choose to have in the first place.

— Thanks, T.F., Clear Spring, Md.

A: B.J.’s letter provoked a great deal of mail. Here’s more:

Dear Bob: B.J. speaks for all us counterpersons in dealerships. I have 20 years in a dealership and five years in the aftermarket, selling famous aftermarket lines.

We all know that your vehicle’s parts numbers won’t apply to all parts made in the aftermarket. That’s why we pay $1,000 per month for a catalog to decode these numbers. Nothing is free.

— G., Ohio

A: Two different people with two different opinions — one a customer, the other an employee of a dealership. Who’s right? Probably both are, in different ways.

Dear Bob: The rearview mirror on my 1991 Pontiac Grand Am has fallen off eight times. I had it reglued at the dealership for $80, and it still fell off. I currently have it wired back up and have given up on it.

I don’t see others with this problem. I miss the old cars that did not have falling mirrors.

— Thanks. C.A., Albany, N.Y.

A: Seems like the problem is with the glue, not with the mirror itself. It’s simply a victim of weak or improperly applied glues. I’d definitely take the vehicle back to the dealer and again have the mirror reglued. There should be no charge for this, since it shouldn’t have taken a dive so soon after the dealer first worked on it.

The only vehicle with a falling mirror that I’ve ever driven was the original Yugo. I was test-driving a brand-new one, and the rearview mirror kept falling off. Finally I gave up and, much as you have done, wrapped it in string to hold it in place.

I believe Yugo was considering adopting my improvement in later-model vehicles, but went kaput before this innovation had a chance to prove itself.

Dear Bob: What is the safest way to store gasoline in appropriate containers in a garage during the summer? Should the vents be opened or closed?

— S.S., via e-mail

A: I consulted several experts on this obviously important safety question. Everyone I talked to says that the vents should be open, to relieve any pressure buildup from the expanding/evaporating gasoline.

AMERICAN DRIVERS FIGHT BACK

Here’s a tip that will help you get better gas mileage while fighting terrorism and cutting our nation’s dependence on Mideastern oil:

Having a shut-off valve installed in the heater-coolant hose leading from under the hood to the passenger compartment can save gas in the summer months.

The valve shuts off the flow of hot coolant before it reaches the passenger cabin, and not having hot hoses under the dash helps keep the interior cooler. In turn this means less work for the air conditioner, because there is no hot coolant flowing near the air conditioner’s evaporator unit, which is also located under the dash.

The bottom line is that less gasoline is burned to satisfy the requirements of the air-conditioner compressor in keeping the car temperature comfortable. In other words, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the compressor running to keep the car cool.