Plastic fuel retainer clips for $7... here's what's wrong with Ford
I visited Firestone recently for a routine oil change and they pushed me to replace my fuel filter for $89 bucks; so I punted in favor of doing it myself. I then picked-up a new fuel filter for my 2004 Mercury Marquis for $10 bucks and set out to replace the fuel filter myself. In the process of removing the old fuel filter (on the passenger side of the vehicle in front of the rear wheel), I broke one of the two plastic hairpin clips which were pretty brittle. I have replaced other fuel filters and the plastic fuel retainer clips were always paired with a new fuel filter; not so with the 2004 Mercury Marquis fuel filter.
So I spent most of afternoon in four different automotive parts stores trying to track down a replacement fuel retainer clip... nobody had them until (as an absolute last resort), I visited a local Ford dealer who was all to glad to try to sell me one at $6.80 for one plastic clip. I walked out in complete disgust. When I got home, I found the identical fuel clips that I needed online from Dorman (Part # 800023). I called a few more automotive parts stores and found 6 of the fuel clips packaged together for $3.99
The next time I consider buying a car, I will recall wasting 8 hours and driving around countless miles while contributing to the green house gases on this planet and vividly remember that some lowly Ford dealer wanted to screw me royally for a 10 cents part. I shouldn't be too upset though because I found some other poor sucker online who paid Ford $20 for 2 fuel clips in a pinch. I suppose that the Ford figureheads flying their corporate jets need to balance that bill on the backs of average "joes" like myself! The next time I hear about one of Detroit's three major automotive companies in financial trouble filing for bankruptcy, I won't feel a bit sorry for any of these lowlifes who are quite content in screwing over an average joe given the opportunity!