Mfg vs aftermarket?

[robertglines1]

I have on several occasions found considerably lower prices from Prevost than other suppliers...today purchased 4 air bags from prevost for 133 each including freight...Mowhawk priced them at 197ea plus freight..just thought I would share..goodyear for goodyear.I have no connection with Prevost just trying to save fellow bus nuts money...BOB

[scanzel]

I though the same thing at one time, some items are priced less expensive but some are just out of sight. When I had to replace my rear fiberglass cap, R&M was $600 plus S&H, Prevost wanted $4000.00 for basically the same cap. R&M had to be fitted the Prevost cap was probably ready to put right on.

[johns4104s]

The only experience I have with R and M is the wheel well covers. They do not allow enough room to get the wheels off.

John

[JackConrad]

The only experience I have with R and M is the wheel well covers. They do not allow enough room to get the wheels off.
John

John,
   We can get the tires off with our fenders, but we do have to carefully "walk" them off bringing the front out first.   

[belfert]

I've found in some cases that MCI parts are less expensive than any other source.  In other cases I've wondered what caret gold they plated the parts with.

I've intentionally purchased some fairly generic parts from MCI because I thought they would actually fit properly, but find out the parts still don't fit.  I ordered my auxiliary/fog lights from MCI.  They don't fit quite right in the hole provided in the front bumper.  They sent me generic lights from Peterson lighting.  I suspect the original was probably made in Brazil and may have been metric sized.

One time C&J ordered the brake drums for my front brakes from MCI.  They came and didn't fit.  MCI double checked part numbers and confirmed the part number was correct, but they still didn't fit.  C&J finally ordered brake drums that fit from a company in Chicago.

(MCI provides the parts for Dina buses as they sold them in the USA.)

[SmoothJazz]

I though the same thing at one time, some items are priced less expensive but some are just out of sight. When I had to replace my rear fiberglass cap, R&M was $600 plus S&H, Prevost wanted $4000.00 for basically the same cap. R&M had to be fitted the Prevost cap was probably ready to put right on.

The Prevost caps are not just made of fiberglass, they have Kevlar, which is used in bulletproof vests, added to them for increased strength. Whether or not it is worth the extra money or not is up for debate, but just wanted to point out the difference.