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Date:         Wed, 13 Feb 2002 11:35:17 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: parts supplier
Comments: To: vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

The first rule of electronic commerce is *Don't send money to strangers*. If you are intent on purchasing from vendors that don't support or contribute to the list then you should ask specific questions. #1. What is the brand name ?. #2. How long for delivery ?. #3. What is your return policy ?. #4. Do they offer discounts off the published price ?. #5. How much do I have to purchase on a single order to get a discount ? #6. Do they pay freight on back orders? #7. Do they use better boxes than bus depot? #8. Where is their beep beep ? I've seen a fair amount of vendor bashing on the list and if you get burned, disappointed or otherwise compromised by a new vendor we'd like to know.

Stan Wilder Satisfied with Bus Depot, Bus Boys, IMPEX and Gordon Johnson Machine.

On Wed, 13 Feb 2002 10:57:49 -0500 The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM> writes: > > I have checked out Aplusparts web sight and it looks good, prices > > are not bad. I have a few items to order from them like rear > > brake drums for my 90 vanagon. > > > They're using the same wholesaler's database as the other "new > vendor" > mentioned last week, the Parts Bin. Different web interface but > same parts > database. Not surprisingly, just like the other vendor their > pricing is all > over the board, from very good to horrible. Brake drums a little > cheaper > than mine, tailpipe twice my price, clutch kit about the same (but > only one > version offered whereas I sell 3), and so on. > > Remember that we offer the listmember discount, and often ship > higher > quality for about the same price (i.e. OEM German brake pads and > shoes > rather than generic, stainless-bodied 2.1L muffler rather than mild > steel, > etc.). So make sure you're comparing apples to apples. I think that > averaged > out, while another vendor may be cheaper on an isolated part or two, > you'll > still end up paying less overall at the Depot, and for better > quality parts. > > Not to mention that by supporting dedicated specialists such as me, > Ken, and > the others on this list, who are committed to Vanagons, you are > supporting > vendors who in return support the Vanagon community - by > contributing > regularly to this list, and by going to great lengths to keep > finding new > parts supplies that keep our Vanagons on the road. A jack of all > trades > might have a better price on a part or two. But he won't have the > commitment. He won't care if a certain part that Vanagon owners > need > becomes unavailable, because that part represents a miniscule > portion of his > sales compared to all the parts he sells for Nissans, BMW's, and > everything > else. A Vanagon specialist will go out of their way to find new or > better > quality sourcing, come up with alternatives, etc., because we have a > real > desire to keep Vanagons on the road affordably - not only are they a > major > part of our business, but we drive them everyday ourselves! > > Long after the jack-of-all-trades parts places have let their > selection of > Vanagon parts dwindle in favor of parts for newer, more lucrative > vehicles > (and they always do; they already have with Bus parts!), it will be > the > dedicated specialists/enthusiasts on this list whom you will need to > be able > to turn to in order to keep your van on the road. > > - Ron Salmon > The Bus Depot, Inc. > (215) 234-VWVW > www.busdepot.com > > _____________________________________________ > Toll-Free for Orders by Part # 1-866-BUS-DEPOT > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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