The same gas cap: $146 in two months vs $40 now

The “Fiata,” properly the Fiat 124 Spider, was a Mazda Miata heavily modified by Fiat, with a retuned suspension and Fiat powertrain. One thing they do share in common is the gas cap, and the way that is sold may be emblematic of two ways of doing business.

The car parts are both sold online via discount dealerships which provide the list price along with their discounted rate. The Mopar cap is $146.32 after a hefty discount ($140 at Mopar Parts Giant); your friendly dealer is more likely to sell it at over $200, since few dealers sell over-the-counter at below list pricing. Indeed, many charge above list price.

Mopar Parts Giant’s catalog includes a note that the cap has been discontinued. Mopar Genuine Parts (owned by Westbury Jeep), on the other hand, does not mention this.

Mazda, which is seeking to build up its U.S. customer base by slowly building up its reputation and by adding pricier cars to the lineup, has at least one dealership selling the same cap for under $41.