The Vauxhall Trade Club used to be very good when I had a Vauxhall Omega up until 6 years or so ago. They would give discount if you were in an Owner's Club, and once that expired after ayear, I just kept using it as I was on first name terms by then. Cosumables such as fluids and filters were about 1/4 of retail price.

With the VW and Audi, I like ECP when they do offers (have problems with wrong parts too often though), Opie Oils (mostly for Mahle and UFI filters) when they do good offers and more recently local TPS branch which is run by VAG for genuine trade priced parts and Quantum oils.

I usually buy up oil and various filters when there is a good sale on somewhere and store them away.

To drum up more trade, I would suggest setting up a Parts Club with trade discount aimed at people who know what they want and need little advice. He could make a webpage or leaflet with prices for common parts such as fluids, wipers, batteries, filters etc..

It depends. I change cars frequently and generally have 2 so I tend to research the price on line and choose from there. Usually I check GSF first but they seem to be getting worse in terms of availability at my local branch. Andrew Page was nice to deal with for the Prius service bits. For the Scenic I was able to get more parts off the shelf from my local indy than from GSF, normal service parts too. Oil I usually buy from JTF, 5ltr Q8 fully synth for £17 ish. I keep an eye out for offers at Costco too.

Steve.

I too have used CP4L, not bad at all price wise.

I usually give my customers options, for example suspension bits, either cheapies with the possibility of them being a bit crap, or paying to upgrade to a Lemforder etc for quality as my factor can supply either.

Agree about Ford dealers too. The german brands can get me parts quicker from Germany than Ford managed to get me something that was in Leicester!

It seems OEM is preferred then...interesting.

Usually from the local factor, sometimes GSF or Eurocarparts, but i always buy a make i trust such as Mintex/Textar or Pagid pads/discs and M&H filters, Bosch Nuasa or Varta batteries...oh yes and Millers or Fuchs oil in 25 litre drums.

The dealerships could make themselves more attractive by going back to the knowledgeable bloke in a blue or brown smock behind a huge oil stained parts counter that every decent dealership had, the bloke who knew there was a repair kit or other option available and did his best for the customer, and if they stopped bending that customer over the second he walks through the door they might gain some, they really don't need to make 200% on every oil filter they sell.

People that buy car parts don't need to be wooed they don't need an estate agent lookalike with a laptop at a spotless sales desk, they want a bloke who knows his products inside out.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the parts dept of my local MB dealer, what a performance, i'll only visit again for such parts as genuine is the only option.

Edited by gordonbennet on 04/01/2013 at 22:01