Ok, I was bolting the pulleys on tonight to check the water pump and crank pulley alignment. Now I find out the water pump pulley is setting too far in on the mounting area. Something like 1/4 to 1/8 inch or so. I thought, wonder if it needs a spacer. So I got out my factory AIM and noticed a "reinforcement" that goes between the water pump pulley and the mounting area (part# 3720616).

Ok, so I thought, hmmm wonder if the GM dealer happens to have one in stock. So I call them, yup they do. Something like 2-3 dollars, so I drive down there. And then they tell me, oh these only come in a pack of 5.

WTF, my does everything the GM dealer wants to sell me always come in PACKS?

Guess I'll have to try schucks/napa/autozone in the morning.

Anyone else hate this?

I worked a GM parts counter for several years. Yeah, the stuff comes packaged 5 to a bag, 10 to a bag, whatever, but you can OPEN THE BAG and sell just one of that's all the customer wants. Here's another good example, small block head bolts...the short ones come 10 to a box (you need what, 16?) the medium ones come five to box (you need 4) and the long ones come 10 to a box (I think you need 14)

You won't find anything at those other stores, go back to the dealer and ask for just one.

Yet another one, GM guide plates for push rods. Come five per box. Now I have two spares.

Bag and box lots are one way that GM saves money. There is no profit in all the handling that goes into one 25 cent screw. The dealers don't want to have a lot of oddball parts sitting on the shelf so they want to sell you the whole package, especially if you have ordered it. For the most part, you have to want the part pretty badly to buy ten to get one. If the dealer already has the bag of parts on the shelf, it shouldn't be any problem opening the package and selling one. To cut down on shelf space used, the dealer that I deal with puts the slow moving odds and ends parts in one bin. That bin is worth checking out as there can be some good stuff in there. I've picked up quite a few parts there. On the other hand, I'm not about to spend $50 to get the one $5 part that I need. The bean counters have been involved in this one for sure. If you buy the bag of parts, let everyone know here that you have left overs for sale. If you needed one, then odds are others probably need one too.