icefox

My state doesn't require a front plate and I don't like a front vanity plate, so I took the holder off. It left two gaps in the chrome grille bars.



Before buying the car my dealer told me I could get two trim bars to fill in the gaps "for a few bucks". So I called the part department. They quoted---not a typo---$180 for parts and half an hour of labor for installation, totaling $250. I couldn't believe my ears. I then went online to do some research. The price seems right. The lowest I saw anyone pay was $130 for the two trim bars.

This was beyond ridiculous. I searched and searched and most places have them for $140+. Finally by searching for the part number 4M0807967B3Q7 I found a fishy "cars245.com" that sells the part for $76 + $3 shipping. The price was, to be honest, still ridiculous to me, but compared with other sources too good to be true. The website seemed to be Russian. After much debate, I bit the bullet and made my order. They confirmed order with me before shipped the good, which doesn't sound like what a scam website would do. The parts came out of Latvia, and was stuck at US customs for weeks. I waited and waited and...the order arrived! (Tracking still said it was at customs; thank you USPS for the thrill.) The two plastic bars each weighed maybe an ounce. These were the two most expensive ounces of plastic I ever bought. Installation took 3 seconds, literally. Yet the dealer was about to charge me $80. It would have been the most expensive 3 seconds of labor I had ever paid for.





The car front is whole now. But I'm just baffled by how much dealers dare charge OEM parts and labor. They play us for fools. Once we bought their cars they can do what they want and we can't do a thing about it. But I still try. And feel really happy when I succeed.

Cadx6

What's more interesting is the filler plate for the 2017 A4 (also just snaps in) is less than $20

repcapale

LOL, $ 80 to install.


In Canada we have option code 6W9 Without front license plate holder

It costs..........$0


Do you not have this in US?

SYMAWD

We have it, but I guess he bought the car out of state.

VipinLJ

Audi being Audi and the insane rates people pay here, I'm not surprised!!

HBarlow

I like stories with happy endings. I would have found it a little difficult to plug my credit card details into a Russian website but sometimes you have to take a risk to get what you want. I'm glad it worked out for you.

icefox

True! When I asked the dealer he said the part is just a few dollars and takes 3 seconds to install. He was later shocked by the price too

icefox

Like said above I bought it out of state.

To be fair I think $80 was for removing the license plate holder and installing the trim pieces. Not much less outrageous though

bkafrick

I'm more impressed that shipping from Latvia was only $3.00

bhatiaax

So what happens if you are buying a Q7 without the front plate holder but your state requires you to have. Is Audi going to charge you for holder cost and labor??? Curious because I'm looking to buy out of state. Thanks!