Originally Posted By: Vikas
Oh well, I paid for it and the new windshield washer nozzle is in. One nozzle was broken years ago but I had managed to JBweld it and it lasted until this winter. While cleaning the snow, it broke again. This time I decided to replace it and looked at ebay/amazon. Few people had problem in fitting of the nozzle, so I visited the local Toyota dealer.
For the single nozzle I paid $26 :-( We are talking about the black unheated plastic part with the dimension of 1/8 by 1/8 inch. What a markup!!
Check the actual Toyota list price in the link below and let us know if you were ripped off by your dealer:
http://www.toyomotorparts.com/
It doesn't look like you were though. For my Toyota, the list price is $24.25.
Sometimes small parts can be expensive. Apple charges $30 for a $3 Chinese USB power adapter for their iPhones. At least, Toyota parts are high-quality parts made in Japan, with labor laws respected. Sadly, with the inflation, $24.25 is not that much money these days.
Also, parts like windshield nozzles hardly break and need replacement. Since the stocks can be stored for only a few years because rubber deteriorates, they need to be replenished often in the warehouse.
This is probably why they are expensive: rarely needed part that is hard to make (custom made, not universal fit) and expensive to store because it has a short shelf life.