I think the problem these days is when the dealers parts system stands on its own merit for profitability. In example whole goods, parts and shop all have to justify their exsistance by profitability in their departments and the main participants get bonuses based on the profits. That sounds good from the owners point of view and on the surface. The problem it creates conflict of interest. If the parts guy knows he makes 50% on that $140 tie rod end from CIH and makes $8 from the after market company and his year end bonus depends on what profit he makes in his department which part is he going to push? It's like pulling hens teeth to get the local parts guys to order aftermarket stuff. They have the catalogs but really don't want to mess with them. (I have no idea if they are on a bonus system - just guessing by the way they shun non-OEM stuff). So I do it myself on line or through another store.

The short term answer for the dealership is to push the CIH $140 part = lot more profit. Then the owner of the dealership in a couple years wonders why people hardly ever orders parts from them anymore except when they absolutely have to. They miss the point that they don't always give good value and long term people find out and buy elsewhere when possible. That's pretty much why we do nearly all of our own service work when at all possible. If the dealer does it I'm pretty much screwed into buying high price parts from them. So both parts and service departments loose out on my business long term. Parts and service used to be there to supplement whole goods sales - a person bought equipment there because they got good service and parts support. Guess they can't make enough money with that model.

I'll get myself in trouble here - I'm sure some of the locals at least pop in here occasionally. Oh well - if they already have not figured it out I guess spelling it out might help - but probably not. 

John