Same thing happen to me a last year, I had to replace the collant deposit cap because it was loosing preassure because of the rubber seals were gone, so I went to Honda dealer, of course they did bot have one so they had to get one from the US.

It would cost me like $30 USD, before placing the order I asked a friend whom is mechanic, looked at my old cap and told me to get one for the 90-95 Nissan Tsuru (do not know if this car sells out of Mexico).

Anyway, I ended up paying only $3 bucks!!! and it fits and works perfectly.....

 

T'aint nothing new. Back when I was a kid, late '50s, Dad had a Cadillac in the shop with a bad generator. Dad sent me to the parts store to get a new one, so I told the counterman we wanted an armature for a Cadillac. $36. Dad told me to return it and get one for the same year Chevrolet. That one was $18. Same part, same manufacturer, same parts house.

A few years ago it was rebuild time for the carbs on my CB650. The needle valves were $20+ from Honda. I found a site that gave and application chart and found that those needles were used on nearly every Honda built and bought the same needles for about $2 each - listed for a CB750.

Why didn't I remember that when I paid around $140 for wheel bearings for the CBR last summer? Hmmmm?

When the CBR's alternator bearing died and I was quoted some astronomical price for a new rotor and bearing (because the bearing wasn't listed separately by Honda) the mechanic shrugged and sold me a bearing for the Rukus, IIRC, for about $7.00. Same bearing, different machine.

 

Nope, ain't nothin' new, BUT
If we have a resource which will save us all a bundle of cash now and again,
that has to be a good thing, AND
most of the time where I live, if you ask for spares for a 1000F, all you get is a blank stare........
so knowing where else to look is a good thing.

 

Wait until you sell mining equipment for a living. You'd be shocked at the prices we sell things like O-Rings etc.

 

Oh yeah, trips... same with some of the stuff I use at work. Especially brackets and such. Something you could buy the steel for and weld yourself for $20 will cost several hundred from a place like Cat.
Like hydraulic lines, too. Had to replace a line on my old IT. I think it was like $279 (and out of stock...) from the manufacturer. We had one made downtown for like $22. Nothing special, either, just a 3' hose...

I had an old civic with a leaky injector. I just needed an o-ring, but you had to buy the kit from honda. I think it was $9 per o-ring and you had to buy 4. So, $36 for the set.
Instead, I bought a "universal air conditioner o-ring repair kit" for $1.99 at the cheapo parts store.
Never leaked!