Origin of Genuine Parts sold on Amazon

[The Critic]

I needed some ZF Lifeguard 8 (Mopar 8/9spd ATF).

List price at a Stellantis dealer is $34.85/qt.

Real ZF Lifeguard fluid 8 is around $15/qt depending on where you buy it.

I found this Amazon seller selling the Mopar labeled version for $84.49/6. That is $14/qt shipped!

I took a chance and ordered. It is legitimate - sealed box, fresh stock.

Pretty sure dealer cost isn’t under 40% of MSRP. This seller has sold over 700 cases too.

I wonder where this seller obtained their inventory from. Did someone steal a truckload?

 

[AutoMechanic]

Maybe the person who got it was able to sell it this cheap and still come out ahead. Maybe it was lost and found at like a warehouse auction or something like that. All kinds of possibilities.

 

[Cujet]

My guess, it's legit, and probably directly sourced.

 

[The Critic]

My guess, it's legit, and probably directly sourced.

The cost structure makes me extremely skeptical…unless the Big 3 operate very differently than Asian brands. There isn’t this much profit in fluids.

 

[benjamming]

I usually assume it's stolen, perhaps by a dealership employee, who then prices it just right to be convincing.

 

[Jetronic]

The cost structure makes me extremely skeptical…unless the Big 3 operate very differently than Asian brands. There isn’t this much profit in fluids.

It's not likely the cost of this fluid is higher than zf lifeguard 8. So you paid a fair price imo.

the cost of bulk dealership oil was about 15% of what was charged to the customer back when I was working at the dealer. 5W-30 ACEA C3 by Castrol or Total

 

[JTK]

I'll grab a few cases and sell it to you for $29.99/quart if it makes you feel better.

Seriously though, that's a decent Amazon deal.

 

[nwjones18]

Mine gets here Thursday.. what pan are you going to run? OEM is $275 + shipping on RA, ouch..

 

[atikovi]

Pretty sure dealer cost isn’t under 40% of MSRP.

Probably more like 50%. At my Chevy, Honda, Nissan and Toyota dealers, they give me 35% off list, so I doubt they only make 5% off my purchases but who knows. Doesn't one guy here work at a dealer parts department that would know?

 

[The Critic]

Probably more like 50%. At my Chevy, Honda, Nissan and Toyota dealers, they give me 35% off list, so I doubt they only make 5% off my purchases but who knows. Doesn't one guy here work at a dealer parts department that would know?

@bdcardinal

 

[Kira]

Twice Amazon had 6-packs of Valvoline Mercon V on a bannered sale (banner=big graphic highlight).
I simply lucked out the two occasions I needed this fluid. I never tracked the frequency of Amazon's special offers.

 

[k1xv]

ZF transmissions are used in some American vehicles, and ZF fluids for those transmissions are sold by those dealers labelled Mopar or Ford,as is relevant. And the prices are way below the same fluids sold in ZF containers.

 

[dishdude]

I usually assume it's stolen, perhaps by a dealership employee, who then prices it just right to be convincing.

The guy sold 700 cases, that amount isn't going unnoticed.

 

[4WD]

I needed some ZF Lifeguard 8 (Mopar 8/9spd ATF).

List price at a Stellantis dealer is $34.85/qt.

Real ZF Lifeguard fluid 8 is around $15/qt depending on where you buy it.

I found this Amazon seller selling the Mopar labeled version for $84.49/6. That is $14/qt shipped!

View attachment 183519

I took a chance and ordered. It is legitimate - sealed box, fresh stock.

View attachment 183521

Pretty sure dealer cost isn’t under 40% of MSRP. This seller has sold over 700 cases too.

I wonder where this seller obtained their inventory from. Did someone steal a truckload?

Good find - I just got few ZF LG8’s for $16.39/L … it was more like $21/L last time …

 

[KrisZ]

Products today go through so many hands, each cutting out a slice of profit for themselves, that it’s really hard to know the true cost of an item and a profit margin.

This guy must have a more direct source, skipping a bunch of middle men to sell at this price. And if he truly sold 700 cases already, there is no way this stuff fell off a truck.

 

[ls973800]

Wish I could find some Honda 3.1 fluid (for a ZF 9 speed) at those prices! Car is still under warranty so I don't want to try this 8 speed stuff.

 

[GON]

Quite possibly the Seller.of the fluid bought.a.shipment of frustrated freight. Quite common.

The atf fluid could.of ended up at Ollie's, etc. In this situation, the Seller is marketing the stuff on Amazon.

Who would have been a tractor trailer load of Mopar ATF? Stellantis likely would pass. Likely to small a quantity for AutoZone, advanced and O'Reilly's. And the Seller can't warranty the atf. So sell it on Amazon or eBay.

thge ATF has somewhat limited shelf life, limited buyers, etc- so the Seller has to price it so the stuff moves. Thats ATF sitting in a warehouse for years likelytrying to get even wholesale cost is likely not a good way to move it.

 

[Hootbro]

I needed some ZF Lifeguard 8 (Mopar 8/9spd ATF).

List price at a Stellantis dealer is $34.85/qt.

Real ZF Lifeguard fluid 8 is around $15/qt depending on where you buy it.

I found this Amazon seller selling the Mopar labeled version for $84.49/6. That is $14/qt shipped!

View attachment 183519

I took a chance and ordered. It is legitimate - sealed box, fresh stock.

View attachment 183521

Pretty sure dealer cost isn’t under 40% of MSRP. This seller has sold over 700 cases too.

I wonder where this seller obtained their inventory from. Did someone steal a truckload?

First time I have seen a "Use By" date for a ATF fluid.