89 LX vert seat belt ?

The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat belts
(1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows the
buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to access. I
went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was told
that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire seat
belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will give
me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize this is
a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find a
part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.

Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for a
replacement part.
Howard
1989 LX 5.0 vert

"Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
news
> The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat belts
> (1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows the
> buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to access.
I
> went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was told
> that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire
seat
> belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
> anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
> substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will give
> me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize this
is
> a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
> other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find a
> part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.
>
> Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for a
> replacement part.
> Howard
> 1989 LX 5.0 vert
>
Nevermind. Google is your friend. I found a souce. Here is link in case
there are others who need fox body plastic parts.

http://www.sacramento-mustang.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl

Howard Nelson

http://www.sacramento-mustang.com/im...ntseatbelt.jpg

#HS 39.90 pair

Not too bad.

Ever look arounfd the interior of any other 15 y.o. car?

"wont buy a ford again?"

"Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
> news
> > The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat
belts
> > (1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows
the
> > buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to
access.
> I
> > went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was
told
> > that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire
> seat
> > belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
> > anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
> > substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will
give
> > me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize
this
> is
> > a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
> > other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find
a
> > part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.
> >
> > Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for
a
> > replacement part.
> > Howard
> > 1989 LX 5.0 vert
> >
> Nevermind. Google is your friend. I found a souce. Here is link in case
> there are others who need fox body plastic parts.
>
> http://www.sacramento-mustang.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl
>
> Howard Nelson
>
>

Howard Nelson wrote:
> At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will give
> me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize this is
> a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
> other automakers however it is at least annoying.
> Howard
> 1989 LX 5.0 vert

Compare your '89 to a car built in 1960. How many total parts are on a
1960 car? 1000? 3000? I dunno, but not too many. Now how many different
parts (on the entire car) are on your '89? Probably 7,000? Maybe
10,000? Again, I don't know, but you get the point. Now imagine that
you are FoMoCo and you try to inventory ALL those parts.....How are you
going to do it? And it gets worse every year.
I agree that $550 is a lot to replace your seat belts, but part of
that money is used to pay for the high cost of inventory. (And the
CEO's salary, of course!)
I agree with you completely about the high cost, but put yourself in
Ford's shoes for a minute. BTW, it's just as bad with the other
manufacturers also.
A few years ago I replaced an almost clear lense in an interior light
of my '86 Ramcharger. The 1.5" X 2.5" piece of THIN plastic was right
at about $7. I was as disgusted as you are. Serves me right for asking
to buy it before asking the price of the piece.

www.50resto.com?

Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> http://www.sacramento-mustang.com/im...ntseatbelt.jpg
>
> #HS 39.90 pair
>
> Not too bad.
>
> Ever look arounfd the interior of any other 15 y.o. car?
>
> "wont buy a ford again?"
>
> "Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
> . ..
>
>>"Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
>>news >>
>>>The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat
>
> belts
>
>>>(1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows
>
> the
>
>>>buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to
>
> access.
>
>>I
>>
>>>went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was
>
> told
>
>>>that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire
>>
>>seat
>>
>>>belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
>>>anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
>>>substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will
>
> give
>
>>>me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize
>
> this
>
>>is
>>
>>>a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
>>>other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find
>
> a
>
>>>part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.
>>>
>>>Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for
>
> a
>
>>>replacement part.
>>>Howard
>>>1989 LX 5.0 vert
>>>
>>
>>Nevermind. Google is your friend. I found a souce. Here is link in case
>>there are others who need fox body plastic parts.
>>
>>http://www.sacramento-mustang.com/cgi-bin/cart.pl
>>
>>Howard Nelson
>>
>>
>
>
>

Hi

I need a couple of these plastic seat belt buckle sleeves for my 89. I see
sleaves for sale on the net here. How do you get the buckle in the sleeve?

Fred

"Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
news
> The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat belts
> (1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows the
> buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to access.
> I
> went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was told
> that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire
> seat
> belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
> anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
> substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will give
> me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize this
> is
> a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
> other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find a
> part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.
>
> Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for a
> replacement part.
> Howard
> 1989 LX 5.0 vert
>
>

Large Torx bolt on tunnel. Remove and slide old belt through new sleeve.

Howard

"Fred V." > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> I need a couple of these plastic seat belt buckle sleeves for my 89. I see
> sleaves for sale on the net here. How do you get the buckle in the sleeve?
>
> Fred
>
> "Howard Nelson" > wrote in message
> news
> > The plastic sheaths that support the buckle (short) side of my seat
belts
> > (1989 LX 5.0 convertible) are cracking and breaking apart. This allows
the
> > buckle side to fall down between the seat and tunnel thus hard to
access.
> > I
> > went to my local ford dealer today to see about a replacement. I was
told
> > that the part was not sold and that I would have to purchase the entire
> > seat
> > belt assembly ($225 dollars each side) in order to get that part. Does
> > anyone on the group know of a source for this part or an acceptible
> > substitute? At $550 dollars to replace a simple plastic sheath I will
give
> > me seconds thoughts about purchasing a ford in the future. I realize
this
> > is
> > a 16 year old car and I probably would run into a similar situation with
> > other automakers however it is at least annoying. I probably could find
a
> > part at wrecking yard but it would still be old and the plastic brittle.
> >
> > Just wanting to vent but would appreciate it if anyone knew a souce for
a
> > replacement part.
> > Howard
> > 1989 LX 5.0 vert
> >
> >
>
>
>