Sadly not gold

[Bolin]

Point is why a (presumably) generic part from a motor factor etc is more than twice the cost of Genuine ones from Xpart.

I know the garage can't spend ages looking for cheaper parts - the motor factor will know this too, are they taking advantage of it? I didn't imply the garage were the ones taking a big % cut.

Perhaps there is no mark-up by the garage and the price includes delivery? Or maybe the motor factor delivers free to trade locally? (Obviously garage will have many parts delivered at once so pro/rata charge for these will be less than delivery from Rimmers).

Or maybe it depends on the manufacturer and one (manufacturer of these) charges more than twice the amount of another (the one who makes them for Xpart) - and vastly more in % terms than the ones on ebay - for the same product. Why? And if so why wouldn't the factor source cheaper ones?

The >100% difference in price between the same item is what is startling and raised the question, thankfully I can afford the difference no problem thank you.

[bigblue75]

Did you ask the garage about the difference, be interested to hear their take on it ( no pun intended )

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Bolin

Point is why a (presumably) generic part from a motor factor etc is more than twice the cost of Genuine ones from Xpart.

I know the garage can't spend ages looking for cheaper parts - the motor factor will know this too, are they taking advantage of it? I didn't imply the garage were the ones taking a big % cut.

Perhaps there is no mark-up by the garage and the price includes delivery? Or maybe the motor factor delivers free to trade locally? (Obviously garage will have many parts delivered at once so pro/rata charge for these will be less than delivery from Rimmers).

Or maybe it depends on the manufacturer and one (manufacturer of these) charges more than twice the amount of another (the one who makes them for Xpart) - and vastly more in % terms than the ones on ebay - for the same product. Why? And if so why wouldn't the factor source cheaper ones?

The >100% difference in price between the same item is what is startling and raised the question, thankfully I can afford the difference no problem thank you.

I never thought bleed nipples could hide so many mysteries in life.

Perhaps the ones supplied by the garage were hand polished?

Given that you have raised our depth of interest, why not purchase a collection of bleed nipples at different price points and send them off to a metallurgy testing lab to ascertain whether there is any difference in quality and then carry out earned value analysis on the basis of the journey taken by each nipple to determine if you have suffered from someone taking liberties with your nipples. Now that you have raised our interest, I'm sure we'd all like to know.

I hope DMGRS posts on this rivetting matter - or is it a nippling matter - he's probably had some OEM-Q nipples made to a special design.

Perhaps Trikey would like to post on his experience and recommendation?

I'm sure ARTIC has already published a paper on the optimum bleed nipple selection method including some excellent photographs.

[grivas]

Originally Posted by Bolin

Recently I got the local garage to replace my brake bleed nipples whilst changing the fluid - just as well I didn't try it myself as both rears needed 20 mins of heat each to free them.

Cost of the new bleed nipples on the invoice = £22.80 inc. VAT.

Quick look on ebay shows a set for less than £6 and stainless steel for less than £10.

Even a Genuine set from Rimmers is £9.60.

I have checked and they are standard plated steel, not solid gold, not even gold plated.

So who is getting a cut that isn't justified?

Solid gold bleed nipples?, whatever next!.

[bl52krz]

Sorry But I would be more worried about what damage has/could have been done by using ‘heat’ to slacken the nipples. (Boiled brake fluid)? Yes I know it was changed, but 20 MINUTES each nipple? Seals damaged? I think you have been told a fairy story .

[Arctic]

Originally Posted by MSS

I never thought bleed nipples could hide so many mysteries in life.

Perhaps the ones supplied by the garage were hand polished?

Given that you have raised our depth of interest, why not purchase a collection of bleed nipples at different price points and send them off to a metallurgy testing lab to ascertain whether there is any difference in quality and then carry out earned value analysis on the basis of the journey taken by each nipple to determine if you have suffered from someone taking liberties with your nipples. Now that you have raised our interest, I'm sure we'd all like to know.

I hope DMGRS posts on this rivetting matter - or is it a nippling matter - he's probably had some OEM-Q nipples made to a special design.

Perhaps Trikey would like to post on his experience and recommendation?

Hi Mahrinder.
Funny you say that when i had the hose fail on the tourer and had to replace both front hoses, the brake nipple sheered on one of the Calipers.
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So went to local car shop which has been around for over 30 years, and purchased 8 bleed nipples because he had two different lengths 45p per bleed nipple.
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tap in a torx 25 which then helped remove the sheered bleed nipple.
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10

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Arctic

Hi Mahrinder.
Funny you say that when i had the hose fail on the tourer and had to replace both front hoses, the brake nipple sheered on one of the Calipers.

It looks like I was right!

We really need DMGRS now to comment and display his OEM-Q nipples with a (car lifetime + 5 years) guarantee and delivery to the far reaches of the universe.

No doubt Ronnie (member szubulu) will come in at some stage with photographs of his beautifully chromed nipples.

[suzublu]

Originally Posted by MSS

It looks like I was right!

We really need DMGRS now to comment and display his OEM-Q nipples with a (car lifetime + 5 years) guarantee and delivery to the far reaches of the universe.

No doubt Ronnie (member szubulu) will come in at some stage with photographs of his beautifully chromed nipples.

Unfortunately Maninder, my nipples are not for public viewing 😁

Sent from my SM-A145R using Tapatalk

[Bolin]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

Sorry But I would be more worried about what damage has/could have been done by using ‘heat’ to slacken the nipples. (Boiled brake fluid)? Yes I know it was changed, but 20 MINUTES each nipple? Seals damaged? I think you have been told a fairy story .

David I think you are spot on, when I pulled away after collecting the car there was a rubbing, I thought they had adjusted the handbrake badly (no need for them to touch it anyway, I've found it tricky to set up perfectly in the past). The rubbing settled down but I later noticed the car couldn't be pushed on the driveway and there was a smell when parking up! Thankfully hadn't done much mileage but then sat for a month as I was unwell. Upon investigation I found the caliper was sticking, not the handbrake, a little bit of loose rust behind the bellows. But no sign of a leak Had to replace the caliper. Not a coincidence!

Originally Posted by Arctic

Funny you say that when i had the hose fail on the tourer and had to replace both front hoses, the brake nipple sheered on one of the Calipers.
1

2

3

So went to local car shop which has been around for over 30 years, and purchased 8 bleed nipples because he had two different lengths 45p per bleed nipple.
4

5

6

tap in a torx 25 which then helped remove the sheered bleed nipple.
7

8

9

10

Steve that's why I didn't do the fluid & nipple change myself, if that had happened it would have been beyond me to sort, kudos to you

I note that my nipples cost >1000% more than yours!!

[MSS]

Originally Posted by suzublu

Unfortunately Maninder, my nipples are not for public viewing ��

Sent from my SM-A145R using Tapatalk

Perhaps that's just as well Ronnie. I was given a month's ban by Reebs when I displayed my nuts and massive fruits in a post in the "Social - General" forum. Until that point I was so pleased with my gifts from nature.

The gods act in mysterious ways!