Casting around last night for a few parts and wanted some ball park figures as to what cost would be I became sooo frustrated with various online parts dealers. It doesn't seem to apply to just one dealer but seems to be pretty widespread.
First they ask for the make, then model, year, part etc. then e-mail or phone number, finally click on complete, and what comes back? A price? No, a message along the lines of 'we will check our stock and contact you with our prices', Que???
If you want a hi-fi component, dishwasher, etc do Curry's, Dixon's, Richer Sounds et al say 'we'll contact you when we feel like looking up the price'? Do they as heck, they give you a price there and then and take you straight to an order page if you want to buy.
Just what is it about the motor trade that makes everyone so coy about their prices, is it just historical or are they all really that worried that someone might undercut them by a pound or so on a gearbox or brake disc?
It really is about time some of them were a little more up-front about this, after all this internet thing has been around for a while now and people like to shop using it.
Is it just some great plot to try and stop us shopping around, because if it is I've got news for the motor trade, it doesn't.
Has any one else had the same trouble or is it just me being a bit sensitive this week?
Cockle
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I emailed a large parts supplier recently with a very straightforward price query for an exhaust, just as suggested to do by their website. I made sure I gave them full details. Several days later I received a standard one sentence email reply along the lines of "Please telephone us on XXXX". No effort at all on their part to help, and it simply seemed like it was too much trouble for them. So emailed the local Nissan main dealer with the same query. No reply at all from them!
Emailing these places is nothing but a waste of time, I have found.
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There is a very big MB dealer I often use for parts. Normally I would go in person or telephone, but I had a long query about a part so took the opportunity to e-mail.
Several days later I was passing in the car and decided to drop in and asked whether they had dealt with my query. The response was, "Oh, we've got e-mail mate, but no one every looks at it". Great.
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Telephone is king. I'm sure it's not just me that always seems to take second place to a phone which starts to ring whilst I'm already being served in shops, libraries or whatever.
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I had an old car which was in the garage. Garage had no luck sourcing a part they needed from the manufacturer and suggested I try a scrapyard. I rang one... "I don't suppose you've got a ...?" I asked hopefully. Turned out they had four. I mailed them a cheque with the address of the garage to send the part written on the back and was back on the road in a couple of days. Wish I could remember the name of the place, I was very satisfied. Purfleet I think it was in.
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The e mail lathargy applies to every sector of the market that tries e commerce. Pitiful.
In the last week or so I have contacted 4 e commerce "champions" for a reply. The only one to respond was E bay, who do not have a telephone as an option. The rest were quite simply "hopeless".
To all you fiancial institutions, motor factors, builders merchants etc that have this facility. Use it or take it offline, I don't mind which!
H
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Telephone is king. I'm sure it's not just me that always seems to take second place to a phone which starts to ring whilst I'm already being served in shops, libraries or whatever.
Hi, when it comes to car parts, queries re parts/servicing - you can't beat the telephone.
As our respected frined stated in the intial post her - the web for parts id rubbish!! Can give you an idea, but thats about it.
When searching for new and used cars - thats a different story.
LD
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There is a very big MB dealer I often use for parts. Normally I would go in person or telephone, but I had a long query about a part so took the opportunity to e-mail. Several days later I was passing in the car and decided to drop in and asked whether they had dealt with my query. The response was, "Oh, we've got e-mail mate, but no one every looks at it". Great.
I owned Audis/Fords/Vauxhalls - but never a MB, but have family that own new/old MB,s - so we know how the service centtres deal with people after they've sold the car.
We purchased a C class o few weeks back - they're booking is four five weeks in advance if you want a curtsey car -
I feel you get treated sliglty better judging by my sis experience - over approx ten years they bought a few new MB's and recently bought their second S-class - they get trated like royality.
A work colleague has a Classic, manual A-class, they get treated like "dirt"
LD
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>> There is a very big MB dealer I often use for >> parts. Normally I would go in person or telephone, but >> I had a long query about a part so took the >> opportunity to e-mail. >> >> Several days later I was passing in the car and decided >> to drop in and asked whether they had dealt with my >> query. The response was, "Oh, we've got e-mail mate, but >> no one every looks at it". Great. >> I owned Audis/Fords/Vauxhalls - but never a MB, but have family that own new/old MB,s - so we know how the service centtres deal with people after they've sold the car. We purchased a C class o few weeks back - they're booking is four five weeks in advance if you want a curtsey car - I feel you get treated sliglty better judging by my sis experience - over approx ten years they bought a few new MB's and recently bought their second S-class - they get trated like royality. A work colleague has a Classic, manual A-class, they get treated like "dirt" LD
I have been dealing with MB for over 20 years. Unfortunately I think things have gone downhill in recent years - they got rid of a lot of the smaller dealers and now actually own (indirectly) most of the larger ones. Caused a lot of ill feeling amongst the dealers.
In terms of buying parts etc. they are no different to any other dealer, although their availability does tend to be better on older models.
If you've one of the more expensive models then yes, you will get the usual fawning etc., but they still say rude things about you as soon as you're out of earshot and bleed your credit card white.
The problem with the A-Class is not so much the service, more the fact that it is not a very good car - lots of bits seem to wear out prematurely and service costs are out of line with its market segment. See my post in Technical about 'coding' the ECU...
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Several days later I received a standard one sentence email reply along the lines of "Please telephone us on XXXX".
Emailing these places is nothing but a waste of time, I have found.
Since some people cannot use the telephone easily because of hearing impairment, those companies which do not reply to emails but ask you to telephone seem to me to be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act ... and I have started to point this out by letter if I'm not happy with the response I get.
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I run a Range Rover and thoroughly recommend www.lrdirect.com/customer/home.php for parts. You can search by description or part number if you know it. The site is evolving to make it even better. Excellent service and online ordering. P&P only £4.99 for all orders!
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
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Thanks for that V8Man, I have a Discovery and have saved it to my favorites.
Hugo
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T C Harrison Ford, very quick to e-mail back regarding price for a front screen relay for my Escort.
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