Are they having a laugh!!?

NickC · 17 July 2007, 11:25

Lost a small seat cushion for a Zodiac Yachtline 4.8m somewhere on the A303. To order from a Zodiac dealer is £265! This to me is an outrageous price - I was thinking more along the lines of £30 max! Any thoughts on how I can replace at a reasonable price or do you simply have to accept it?

Regards

NICK

psychopic · 17 July 2007, 11:39

That is very expensive! There is an upholsterers near me who shape foam and make up covers for seats in old cars etc. They are not too expensive. I'm sure that if you sent them or similar a template and told them how thick you needed it, colour etc it would be an awful lot cheaper than from zodiac. I recently bought the materials cut to size for a small boat seat for about £15, however my mum sewed it together for me for free

Tims Osprey · 17 July 2007, 12:48

The prices for replacement parts from these big company's are scandalous! but the trouble is lots of people actually pay them

i was once quoted nearly a grand for some stainless steel hand rails for a Boston whaler, i had them made up to the same spec and quality for less than £300 elsewhere

psychopic · 17 July 2007, 13:07

it's the same deal with cars, if you were to buy all the parts on their own from say BMW and build the car yourself, you would end up paying about 100k fior a 30k car

NickC · 17 July 2007, 16:27

Yeah but, no but.......... £265! It's about 3ft long by 1ft wide! I know it's a bespoke item but even so...

RAD · 17 July 2007, 17:59

Bit obvious but have you tried driving the route? Anyone else seen the cushion?

I remember seeing a bow cushion washed up in Poole near to Sandbanks! (that was back in May)

NickC · 18 July 2007, 10:01

It could be anywhere on a very long route so not really a drive back option. Think I'll do Psychopic's suggestion of finding someone local. Might see what what I can get done for Zodiac's £265 quote - calf leather, gold leaf and ermine trim perhaps. Might be able to shame Zodiac into reducing their ridiculous prices - I know - folorn hope - but at least I get to write a pompous letter!

genoa · 18 July 2007, 10:09

Afraid I am one of the mugs who paid up!
I got a new floor for the Futura FR after getting petrol all over it over night. Fortunately the insurance paid, but it still cost me 150 + increase in premium. The actual bill was £600+
I couldn't go anywhere else. The inflatable floor was gone. At least with a seat cushion you can go to Mrs Brown's upholestry round the corner. Hope you get sorted at a reasonable price. Good luck

Tims Osprey · 18 July 2007, 10:19

Well said, but as you say no folorn hope! unfortunately the people that own most of these giant company's spend most of their time sitting in the sun and cruising around on their big yachts and don't give a stuff, even if they were to lower the price of replacement parts it still would not be to a reasonable amount that would make the whole thing worth while. Maybe i'm wrong i don't know but thats how things seem to be

RibinSpain · 18 July 2007, 11:04

My Ribeye bow cushion was lost by the vendor & a replacement was quoted at 90 GBP or so, I thought that was a rip off but now see it as a bargain!

I got an alteration lady to make me a cushion from my measurements for the vast cost of 15e. She used a jigsaw with fine blade to cut the foam (square edges) & the cushion has a side panel & zip so I can wash it.

It clearly isn´t the same quality but at 1/10 the cost I am more than happy. Manufacturers margins on spares are laughable - I would just use theirs as a copy & get someone locally to make it up.

bedajim · 18 July 2007, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychopic

it's the same deal with cars, if you were to buy all the parts on their own from say BMW and build the car yourself, you would end up paying about 100k fior a 30k car

Yes but they have to make them, keep them until you want them in a nice warm secure wharehouse, deliver it to the dealer who has to pay for his nice premises.

Or you could pay for them as a one off hand made spare + tooling and wait the 10 weeks for delivery before you can have the parts

Not defending them but there are reasons

Tims Osprey · 18 July 2007, 11:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Yes but they have to make them, keep them until you want them in a nice warm secure wharehouse, deliver it to the dealer who has to pay for his nice premises.

Or you could pay for them as a one off hand made spare + tooling and wait the 10 weeks for delivery before you can have the parts

Not defending them but there are reasons

Still even with all this in mind mark ups and profit percentages are still the main reason why the prices are so expensive, sometimes these company's are making near on 1000% profit on there goods, i'm sorry but all the overheads and rates in the world can not justify that sort of mark up on goods.

prairie tuber · 18 July 2007, 13:04

Zodiac is absoutley shameless in the pricing of their replacement parts. I was once considering the purchase of a used military FC 470 SIB and got a quote for a set of aluminum floorboards for it - $ 3000 CDN (about 1500 British pounds)

bedajim · 19 July 2007, 04:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Zodiac is absoutley shameless in the pricing of their replacement parts. I was once considering the purchase of a used military FC 470 SIB and got a quote for a set of aluminum floorboards for it - $ 3000 CDN (about 1500 British pounds)

I used to work for a German engineering company mark up on spares was x 3.1 cost price, crap if your buying great if your selling

NickC · 19 July 2007, 22:43

Wife claims she can make one - gawd elp us!

Reminds me of the time she claimed she could cut hair........!

Biggles · 19 July 2007, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickC

Wife claims she can make one - gawd elp us!

Reminds me of the time she claimed she could cut hair........!

Or knit you a nice little jumper