I think that German Engineering thing is going a bit too far

Mrs. Kfred drives a 12 year old BMW. It's a good car, with low miles, looks good, and I try to take care of it and address any problems as soon as possible. She recently informed me of the fact that both the front AND rear beverage cup holders were non-working and broken and asked me to take a look at them to see if I could repair each. After determining both were hopelessly broken and would need to be replaced, I called the local dealer to get price quotes.



Imagine my shock and surprise when said dealer quoted me the price of $68 each for these precision parts! $68 friggin' dollars! EACH! The guy did admit "yeah, they are pretty cheap (flimsy) and we've got a bunch of them in stock". Gosh, I wonder why. I have no idea what these cost to produce. I am willing to bet, however, that at $68 each for a couple of pieces of molded plastic, the German economy is on a solid path to economic rebound and soundness.

Needless to say, this repair has immediately moved to the bottom of the priority list. Mrs. Kfred has been informed that any of her future beverage holding needs will be met by the age old solution for most drivers: place the beverage firmly between her knees. Ah, the ultimate driving experience.