What's the problem with radiator price for Motorhome?

I don't know if semi trucks radiators are the same used on RV and frankly I don't care, but when radiator on my vintage Prevost got too close to fan bolts on Mexican dirt road, I called Prevost dealer and the new radiator was $7000 before tax. That was few years ago, so not sure how much prices changed.
I was happy finding a shop that recored damn thing for $3000.
Good thing old radiators are all copper/brass and can be recored.
1 important number to compare beside the size is rows.
Count the rows in your old radiator and order the same, or higher number.

Funny part about copper prices, just recently I had to buy tubing extension for my household AC.
Had rare 3/4" tubing or 5/8" pipe size.
Bought the last 25' piece local plumbing supplier had on the shelf waiting over 10 years for $50.
I think new price would be over $200
For those in politics >>> we do not have inflation in this country.

My Freightliner mechanic sent me to a specialty radiator shop (where they build rads from scratch and recore). He said he could do it but it would cost an arm and a leg. The rad shop could not do a recore as the side panels were plastic. Looking at the rad he thought he's seen one before and within 5 minutes determined that it came from a Volvo truck. Had the replacement the next day and the bonus was that the new rad has 4 cores while the old one had 3. Rad cost $1800, labor and misc parts was another $1400 (13 hours labor at $90/hr). This was done in Mississauga, Ontario. 330 Cat side rad on a Freightliner.
BTW the dealer wanted $3000 just for the rad.

I found a guy that sells the core that I think will fit my application, $858. I just have to measure everything. Much less than a complete rad but I have to find someone to remove the headers and weld the new core in place. This is not rocket science, just need a good welder.
http://www.cgj.com/store/product/3-2301-core/

I will keep looking, maybe I will find a better price. I do not care if it does not fit perfectly, this is a 12 years old MH, who cares, a good fitter will make it fit.

Today's mechanics are not what they use to be, or maybe they are too lazy to or too close to their wallet, don't know. I might start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just hate to be rip-off.

I took a close look and my rad is definitly leaking from a few fins. It is hard to see because the fan blows everything out. I think I can do this job in a few hours saving close to $1000 quote from the rad shop. Let see what you think of this.

My intercooler is on top of the rad and the trans cooler is behind the rad and just bolted to it. I do not think I have to remove the Intercooler.

1. Power steering reservoir unbolted and probably cut the PS braket to make room.
2. Move the PS out of the way, lines still connected.
3. Remove the air filter indicator.
4. Unscrew the intercooler from the coolant rad.
5. Unscrew the trans cooler from the coolant rad and unscrew the lines from the coolant rad and disconnect.
6. Remove trans rad.
7. Cut part of the bumper to make room for the rad to come out, it looks kind of thight and I do not want to mess with it. The bumper goes inside pass the doors so it won't show, I will just nicely screw it back in for ease of removal if there is a next time.
8. Empty the radiator, disconnect the two hoses, unscrew the 4 bolts that holds the rad to the frame, pull it back then lift it up and out it goes.

All looks good. I would not go clear to step 8 before draining and disconnecting the radiator. Possibly around steps 5-6 as soon as some of the items in the way are removed.

Good point, I will start to drain at the begining so it drains while I undo things.

Just got a reply from someone who done the job on another website. I don't think I will cut the bumper. All I have to do is to remove the Intercooler, it pulls out when unscrewing from the rad and disconnecting the two air tube

I have a cousin in Canada who is a plumber and he claims the new copper plumbing is much thinner walls than old copper lines.

Along the price gouging thing----the cooling fan on the Saturn quit Sunday---every parts house wanted around $200 for a new fan assembly. I googled the number on the fan motor and got a new one shipped for $21----talk about a rip off!

Had a plastic tank aluminum on my freightliner chassis. Ransome Cat in Bensalem Pa had a new brass and copper built and installed $2300