Originally Posted by
copperfieldkid
Expensive parts usually belong to expensive vehicles or simply cost a lot to make. Older car parts are hard to find and the scarcity drives up the price.
These parts cost a lot due to who makes them. If they need shipped from overseas, due to a foreign brand, then the price will grow more. Mercedes has pricier parts due to the fact that they are a high end company that has to import their parts and use better parts with tighter standards. Remember, the Sum is greater than the whole.

All I can say to this is the fact Chrysler jacks the price so high for the same branded part (and most of the time a boxed MB sourced part with a Chrysler label on it), the answer is simpler,
greed (and to a lesser extent)
supply and demand!
.