Why are these odometer gears so expensive?!

[Nick_S]

Been wanting to fix my odometer and since Bavauto sells the gears figured I'd go order them. I knew they weren't real cheap but $25 a piece? For a tiny freakin plastic gear??

What kills me though is this gear, the E2 one is $25


And this one, the E1 gear is $25....for this tiny little piece of plastic that is 20x smaller than the E2 that costs the same? WTF.


Now I don't know which are stripped or broken on mine but I was blown away that if all need replaced, it appears you'll have to spend $100 for a couple ounces of cheap plastic.

[slammin.e28]

They are Odometergears.com gears. Good, proven stuff.

[Nick_S]

They are Odometergears.com gears. Good, proven stuff.

I'm not doubting that. I guess I just don't understand how they can justify the price of that tiny gear being the same as the much larger ones.

[dude8383]

It's not the size that counts ;)

[coreyw]

Theres a guy on here that sells a package with 3 gears I think (maybe 4, all the ones you need to replace), for $25. Let me see if I can find his username.
Edit: Idk how I found him, but I have his email. PM me if anyone wants it.

[slammin.e28]

ODOgears is the only gears, IMO.

I am biased though.

[E30Gus]

This is the reason I'm not fixing my odometer. Can't justify the cost.
Change my oil every few months and I'm good to go.

[noE30]

I pulled my cluster apart to try fix it with a set of new gears and none of my gears were ruined... wtf? The rod that runs through the odometer has come loose and now just spins inside with out turning the gears.. I haven't found out how to fix it yet either.

[Nick_S]

I pulled my cluster apart to try fix it with a set of new gears and none of my gears were ruined... wtf? The rod that runs through the odometer has come loose and now just spins inside with out turning the gears.. I haven't found out how to fix it yet either.

Dab of epoxy I would think would fix the issue. I'll be pulling mine apart here soon to check.

[dogsbark26]

Economics theory predicts that if you are the only source for a product you are free to price your product at whatever level you desire.

I got my gears at Odometergears.com. I paid the price and they work correctly.

[LJ851]

And this one, the E1 gear is $25....for this tiny little piece of plastic that is 20x smaller than the E2 that costs the same? WTF.

The plastic in the gears is prob the least expensive part in the whole process of bringing those gears to the market. Both gears have to be designed, prototypes made and tested, permanent molds made, and then produced. It doesn't make much difference that one gear uses a little more plastic when you factor in all the aspects that affect the cost of these low volume pieces. If you were the OE manufacturer and BMW says they want XXX,XXX of them it would be a different story.

[Nick_S]

The plastic in the gears is prob the least expensive part in the whole process of bringing those gears to the market. Both gears have to be designed, prototypes made and tested, permanent molds made, and then produced. It doesn't make much difference that one gear uses a little more plastic when you factor in all the aspects that affect the cost of these low volume pieces. If you were the OE manufacturer and BMW says they want XXX,XXX of them it would be a different story.

I understand the process behind the product...but they are basically just making copies of an existing part, a very simple part at that. There can't be that much R&D in a tiny plastic gear to warrant a $25 price tag IMO.

[CHIF8008]

why not get metal gears? wouldn't wear out

[Nick_S]

why not get metal gears? wouldn't wear out

Do they make them?

[CHIF8008]

i thought someone on here had gotten some