Steering Coupling Price

[sbay]

Hi all,

I have been watching the price slowly creep up for the past couple weeks on the OEM steering coupling, part no. 32301094703.

FCP now shows it for $175 (was ~$120 a few days ago), and ECS for $273. Found one on Amazon still selling for ~$100. Just throwing it out there if anyone is looking to change this in the future, now might be a good time to find a “cheap” one before they continue to rise in price.

[nachizl8]

Damn is everything for these cars rising exponentially right now!?!? *sigh*

[George Hill]

They just went nuts on price, I grabbed a couple as I saw them going up. Crazy.

[Norocehcap]

I paid $70.11 on 7/5/20..... We are getting screwed

[PSUEng]

Insanity, I paid $86 from a dealer 2 months ago. Same dealer now wants $154. I bought mine for upcoming rack rebuild but curious about how long these tend to last.

[cobra]

Here we go.

Before long it will be like the vintage motorcycle I was restoring. Stupid, simple parts were absurdly expensive and quantity was very limited. The famous part was this rubber ring that went around the headlight (think the rubber trim that clips onto the top of our headlight) was going for over $200.

[bigjae46]

WTF! It is $175!!!

I just bought a used one for a science experiment. Might have to rethink that…

There’s a website where you can get a universal joint coupler or go with a solid insert. Really doesn’t make much of a difference over the stock rubber.

I know people have said that going with a solid coupler will prevent the steering shaft from collapsing. Not sure they makes sense because there is still two joints on the shaft?

[E11even]

I bought one in Nov 23 for $95.

Is this a sign parts for these cars are gonna be NLA?

[Bry5on]

Insert plug for the solid LPSR steering shaft. Made a very positive difference vs my brand new OEM BMW one that I removed on the metrics of mid-corner corrections and precision on center.

[cobra]

I bought one in Nov 23 for $95.

Is this a sign parts for these cars are gonna be NLA?

Two options:
-Manufacturers are only required to support a vehicle with replacement parts for something like 10 years. Beyond that if they're still making money they will produce parts otherwise they will cancel production. The result is scarce parts availability.
-Distributors like FCP or ECS have a monopoly and locked us in by offering the free replacement guarantee so they can raise prices and we feel obliged to purchase replacements (and pay the difference) regardless of part supply. They can buy up all the parts and set whatever price they want.

[discoelk]

Distributors like FCP or ECS have a monopoly and locked us in by offering the free replacement guarantee so they can raise prices and we feel obliged to purchase replacements (and pay the difference) regardless of part supply. They can buy up all the parts and set whatever price they want.

"Enthusiasts" acceptance and endorsement of lifetime replacement vendors and their overpriced parts has only hurt parts affordability imo.

[PSUEng]

-Distributors like FCP or ECS have a monopoly and locked us in by offering the free replacement guarantee so they can raise prices and we feel obliged to purchase replacements (and pay the difference) regardless of part supply. They can buy up all the parts and set whatever price they want.

I never gave that much thought, but makes sense--just buy up all of it.

[bmwfnatic]

Insert plug for the solid LPSR steering shaft. Made a very positive difference vs my brand new OEM BMW one that I removed on the metrics of mid-corner corrections and precision on center.

Did it really make that much of a difference? I have one, albeit not yet installed.

[Bry5on]

Did it really make that much of a difference? I have one, albeit not yet installed.

To me, absolutely. Although I’ve learned from posting here that not all drivers are sensitive to or value to finer details of driving feedback. I was comparing to a new OEM rubber one, and I’ve done things like remove solid RTAB bushings due to noticeable NVH where the consensus on the forum is that there is zero difference in NVH. Your mileage/opinion may vary.

[oceansize]

To me, absolutely. Although I’ve learned from posting here that not all drivers are sensitive to or value to finer details of driving feedback. I was comparing to a new OEM rubber one, and I’ve done things like remove solid RTAB bushings due to noticeable NVH where the consensus on the forum is that there is zero difference in NVH. Your mileage/opinion may vary.

The solid RTAB thing is definitely an opinion as you point out, I went from brand new OE replacements, then added limiters within a 1000 miles, and then a few hundred miles later to a solid RTAB. Solid RTAB was by far the most valuable feedback I received. Stock felt mushy and unpredictable in comparison. As far as NVH there is always the princess and the pea scenarios I'm 52 and I listen to some of the guys talk about ride stiffness like their 85 years old and I'm thinking, man, going suck when they actually do achieve some mileage.