VW - Sad demise of parts departments

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Fri 21 Mar 2014 18:31
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - chewer1

Some time ago my small local VW dealer had a traditional parts counter with staff who knew what they were talking about. Result Franchise taken away.

Latest vast new ' glass palace ' dealership has a man in a suit at a desk. I needed a DRL/dipped beam bulb for a polo.

Computer + 5 mins later - ''we don't stock them ''

When asked what bulb code was he pointed to a 5w bulb on the screen.

I said '' you cannot be serious this is a dipped beam bulb as well 5w is useless ''

His reply '' Thats what it says on screen '' end of story

Exited stage left.........

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Fri 21 Mar 2014 19:12
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - gordonbennet

Local MB and Honda dealers have gone the same way, (couldn't tell you about the rest), maybe the idea is to make parts customers spending as little as possible feel uncomfortably inadequate or something , all in the showroom together, the new car or service dept customer welcomed as part of the grandiose design they are paying for, the less well heeled (by association) parts customer merely tolerated?

Things like this only confirm my increasing attraction to older cars, the more they try to make us bend to their corporate money extraction methods the less they will see of the wallets of increasing numbers of us.

I'm a member of a forum of like minded souls who enjoy older cars you can fix yourself (and interesting to boot), you wouldn't believe just how busy the forum is, and how much combined hatred there seems to be for modern dross and for the dealers of same.

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Fri 21 Mar 2014 20:57
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - elekie&a/c doctor

Modern car parts departments keep very little in stock.Delivery and supply logistics mean that most parts can be supplied same day or within 24 hours.The other issue is that the same model and year of car could be fitted wth a variety of different parts type,so keeping parts that would be common to a lot of models would be very difficult.Btw the Polo drl bulb is probably an H 15,which is a twin filament 15/55watt.hth

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 07:52
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - jc2

H15 is in stock at Halfords.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 08:40
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - P3t3r

My dealer (Citroen) has a proper parts department, but when I tried getting parts they were almost double the price I could get them for online. I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra, but not double.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 17:59
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - Hamsafar

Our VW Dealer in West Bridgford is the same - was a seperate entrance to a small room with a counter - now just a desk in a corner of the showroom with a chair and a wireless doorchime button.
Sytner Audi has always been the same as it is a newer dealership, but the people who come out from the back are still knowledgable and courteous.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 18:06
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - groaver

MY old VW dealer in Glasgow never did get back to me when I ordered parts whilst I was in for a service.

They were bought over and the company went bust a year later with other franchises.

Isn't it just a franchised dealer thing?

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 18:14
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - oldroverboy.

Speaking as an ex-old parts manager, Nobody wants to pay for a qualified parts person any more, costs too much! I forget the "looks" i have had over the past 9 years since I stopped working, and the times i have attempted to "guide" people towards part numbers. It seems easier to e-mail customer services than to reply to a customer directly, (OH! no part number available)

Small wonder that with the sftermarket businesses wanting our custom at competitive prices we are deserting in droves.

Why even go to a main dealer for an MOT if you can get it for half prices elsewhere, and if your labour costs at an indie are £35 instead of £100 ish.

Typical uk business model! put your servicing costs up to a price that will drive people away after warranty has finished.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 20:05
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - madf

Typical uk business model! put your servicing costs up to a price that will drive people away after warranty has finished."

The sensible ones sell 4 years service in advance for a reasonable price with a new sale, thus keeping customers for a long time..See Mini, Honda, Toyota etc..


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Sat 22 Mar 2014 20:08
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - dan86

The parts department at W J King in Bromley where they sell Vauxhal, Seat, Suzuki, and Hyundai have very knowledgeable staff and a good stock of service items is only let down by there very slow computer system. If they don't have the part in stock they generally have it within 24 hours.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 21:35
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - galileo

Small wonder that with the aftermarket businesses wanting our custom at competitive prices we are deserting in droves.

Why even go to a main dealer for an MOT if you can get it for half prices elsewhere, and if your labour costs at an indie are £35 instead of £100 ish.

My indie throws in an MOT with a full service. We are fortunate here to have some excellent motor factors who supply top quality parts, often ex-stock, at well below dealers' or Halfords prices.

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Sun 23 Mar 2014 08:53
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - chewer1
I eventually tracked down the bulb at a small place with a slightly grubby counter but " proper" parts guy behind it ( bliss ! )
The reason I couldn't easily look at the bulb myself is that the headlight unit has to be removed to change the bulb...........another modern " improvement"
To be fair I managed this without too much hassle but I can't wait for fashion to dictate we go back to headlights that don't extend from the grille to the windscreen....
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Sun 23 Mar 2014 12:55
VW - Sad demise of parts departments - grimep

Thumbs up for my local Ford dealer - its a big flashy glass showroom with the parts desk at the back but staff are helpful, even ringing through to ask their head mechanic for advice on fitting a part. As for prices, their Ford DOT4 brake fluid is cheaper than Halfords.

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