A self-proclaimed dad of TikTok said a GMC dealership quoted his wife $900 for a simple part replacement that he later found on Amazon for $6. He demonstrates in a video exactly how easy the part ended up being to install.
TikTok user @grace.exterior posted a video on Thursday that shows the entire process took approximately 1 second.
“Ladies, GMC quoted my wife $900 to put this in her car,” he says to start the PSA. “We got it on Amazon for $6.”
He then places the cover in the empty space and pats it in place until there's a click. “Don’t get fooled, ladies,” he concludes when the speedy job is done.
He continues the advice in the caption, “Ladies, don’t let a car dealership take advantage of you.”
The part in question is the Armrest Cover Cap for the rear bucket seats, which fits the 2007-2019 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade. It is available on Amazon for $6.99, Newegg for $22.19, and eBay for $29.88.
Viewers Relate
In the comments section, plenty of users offered their own stories of going to the dealership, getting what they viewed as a ridiculous quote, and later finding the part on Amazon for pennies on the dollar in comparison.
“Toyota quoted me $600 for a small plastic piece that goes on the side mirrors,” said one person. “Got it on Amazon for $12.”
“We did the same thing with new key fobs for our truck,” said another. “Bought them on Amazon and they work perfectly.”
“My taillight went out on my Yukon,” said a third person. “$1,500 at O’Reilly’s or the dealership. Went to Amazon and got it for $175.”
One person said they’re more concerned with why this particular part needs replacing so often. “OK, but mine keep breaking off,” they wrote. “I’ve replaced them 32 times.”
Why Do Dealerships Give Ridiculous Quotes?
Someone else asked, “How could they look at her straight in the face and give her that quote?”
The TikToker replied, “Because they pass it to the lady receptionist and have them do it. On a quote. Not even talking and describing the part and prices.”
The economics of running a car dealership are such that a routine visit for an oil change can quickly turn into a long invoice of potential repairs, large and small. That’s because it costs a lot of money to keep a dealership running, and mechanics often report feeling that they’re forced to recommend repairs that aren’t completely necessary or at an unreasonable price point.
Motor1 reached out to Grace Exteriors via TikTok for comment. We'll be sure to update this article if we hear back.
@grace.exteriors Ladies, don’t let a car dealership take advantage of you. #dadsoftiktok #dadlife #cars ♬ original sound - Grace Exteriors
