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But I can trivially easily buy replacement brake pads from any number of manufacturers. Even for a Lexus LFA (limited production supercar), I can buy pads from

But I can trivially easily buy replacement brake pads from any number of manufacturers. Even for a Lexus LFA (limited production supercar), I can buy pads from Bendix, FVP, Proline, and Wagner [and that's just what RockAuto carries]. For a more pedestrian 2020 Camry Hybrid, I have my choice of 57 different offerings from 13 different brands (covering both front and rear axles). > The companies spent extra money on design, to make that internal part significantly different, then extra money on tooling to actually build it, just so that you cannot buy a replacement unless its from them. Note that none of those were branded as Toyota/Lexus original parts, nor sold by them. If they did all that design work in order to capture spare parts sales, they forgot to do the second part of that strategy.

lelanthran 3y ago
> But I can trivially easily buy replacement brake pads from any number of manufacturers. Even for a Lexus LFA (limited production supercar), I can buy pads from Bendix, FVP, Proline, and Wagner [and that's just what RockAuto carries]. My point isn't that aftermarket manufacturers stepped in, my point is that, with old cars, the design was close to, if not identical to, an existing caliper, even if that was from a different manufacturer. Maybe it was because many manufacturers didn't design or manufacture their own calipers - it was done by bendix, et al. Now they spend extra money designing their own, often with no obvious benefit. > Note that none of those were branded as Toyota/Lexus original parts, nor sold by them. If they did all that design work in order to capture spare parts sales, they forgot to do the second part of that strategy. That's only the brake pads bit. I mentioned quite a few other components, too.
- sokoloff 3y ago
  Poke around RockAuto. For a 2020 Camry Hybrid (chosen randomly), of your list of parts, the following are all available from multiple non-Toyota suppliers: Steering tie rod ends (the part that tends to wear), balljoints, radiators*, coolant expansion tank*, washer fluid reservoir*, thermostats, Wheel bearings, CV joints (sold as full axles) https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2020,camry,2.5l+l4+electric/gas,3445373 https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2020,camry,2.5l+l... * Part not from RockAuto, but available from several other aftermarket suppliers I couldn't find an alternator for the hybrid, but I'm not sure if it has one, or if charging is part of the HSD. It's available for the non-hybrid, of course. I turn all the wrenches on our family cars. It's extremely rare that I have to go to a dealer for a part. Like once a decade rare.
  - lelanthran 3y ago
    We're talking past each other. My point is not that aftermarket parts are made to match the original, it's that in older cars the original itself was made to match something that existed. The fact that you can get Mazda brake pads from Bendix is completely irrelevant to the fact that you now can't get Mazda brake pads from a Ford parts bin, whilst on older cars you could!
    - sokoloff 3y ago
      You could get 1991 Mazda Navajo brake pads from a Ford parts bin back when Ford built Explorers and slapped Mazda Navajo badges on it. I couldn't quickly find other examples of Mazda/Ford crossover brake pads other than the badge-engineered vehicles.

lelanthran 3y ago

> But I can trivially easily buy replacement brake pads from any number of manufacturers. Even for a Lexus LFA (limited production supercar), I can buy pads from Bendix, FVP, Proline, and Wagner [and that's just what RockAuto carries]. My point isn't that aftermarket manufacturers stepped in, my point is that, with old cars, the design was close to, if not identical to, an existing caliper, even if that was from a different manufacturer. Maybe it was because many manufacturers didn't design or manufacture their own calipers - it was done by bendix, et al. Now they spend extra money designing their own, often with no obvious benefit. > Note that none of those were branded as Toyota/Lexus original parts, nor sold by them. If they did all that design work in order to capture spare parts sales, they forgot to do the second part of that strategy. That's only the brake pads bit. I mentioned quite a few other components, too.

sokoloff 3y ago
Poke around RockAuto. For a 2020 Camry Hybrid (chosen randomly), of your list of parts, the following are all available from multiple non-Toyota suppliers: Steering tie rod ends (the part that tends to wear), balljoints, radiators*, coolant expansion tank*, washer fluid reservoir*, thermostats, Wheel bearings, CV joints (sold as full axles) https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2020,camry,2.5l+l4+electric/gas,3445373 https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2020,camry,2.5l+l... * Part not from RockAuto, but available from several other aftermarket suppliers I couldn't find an alternator for the hybrid, but I'm not sure if it has one, or if charging is part of the HSD. It's available for the non-hybrid, of course. I turn all the wrenches on our family cars. It's extremely rare that I have to go to a dealer for a part. Like once a decade rare.
- lelanthran 3y ago
  We're talking past each other. My point is not that aftermarket parts are made to match the original, it's that in older cars the original itself was made to match something that existed. The fact that you can get Mazda brake pads from Bendix is completely irrelevant to the fact that you now can't get Mazda brake pads from a Ford parts bin, whilst on older cars you could!
  - sokoloff 3y ago
    You could get 1991 Mazda Navajo brake pads from a Ford parts bin back when Ford built Explorers and slapped Mazda Navajo badges on it. I couldn't quickly find other examples of Mazda/Ford crossover brake pads other than the badge-engineered vehicles.