Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 13:11:53 -0500
Reply-To: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Subject: Re: read!! - VWOA to begin selling "classic parts"
In-Reply-To: <110.1ae94688.2af16fe7@aol.com>
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Hi All,
This has actually been going on for about 7 or 8 years now. The "classic
parts" department had been, up until the last year, housed in the VW Museum
on Dieselstrasse in Wolfsburg. However, they grew out of their space and
have been moved to a new location.
I've visited both the Mercedes and BMW classic operations and the current
VW is nothing more than a clearing house for old inventory...the staff is
very helpful and knowledgeable...however both M-B and BMW are either
manufacturing or subcontracting the manufacturing of repro parts. At this
point, from what I have seen, VW has not risen to that level.
When I've been in Wolfsburg I would always "pick through" the shelves to
see what is available...5 years ago I was able to purchase a VW-Savers book
complete with 100 stamps. The book was filled on June 20, 1944...two weeks
after D-day...interesting that the German people were still saving up for
their beetles even after the tide of war had turned against Germany.
Ric
At 12:24 PM 10/30/2002 -0500, JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>forwarded fromt he audi list...interesting..
>
>Most of you who own older ('80s or before that) Audis/Vw's have probably
>noticed
>that some parts for these cars aren't available from the Audi/Vw dealerships
>any more.
>
>VW/Audi have taken a look at their competition and have started a service
>which collects NLA parts from dealerships where they're collecting dust on
>the shelves, and restocking them in a central warehouse in Wolfsburg. Parts
>about to be struck from the list but still in stock in the main VAG parts
>warehouse will also be transported to Wolfsburg.
>This will in time grow into a proper classic car spares operation, with
>research into parts still available from the OE manufacturer and at a later
>date perhaps reintroduction of (repro) parts.
>
>'Classic' parts will be recognizable in ETKA by the 'C' appearing when you
>select the part number.
>
>These parts will be marketed by:
>
>Volkswagen-Audi Classic Parts Center
>Weser-Ems Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
>Theodor-Heuss-Str. 28b
>38436 Wolfsburg
>Tel.: +49 (53 61) 30 85 77- 30
>Fax: +49 (53 61) 30 85 77- 77
>E-Mail: classicparts@t-online.de
>
>While not exactly to the same standard as M-B's and BMW's classic division
>I suppose you've got to start somewhere, and this might be a nice idea. At
>least VAG are recognizing that NLA parts are starting to become a problem
>even for owners of relatively recent cars. By organizing the older parts
>supply in this manner, the small-scale and low-volume sale of these parts
>might become profitable again. Also, by concentrating the administration of
>said parts, it's much easier to estimate demand and organize the
>reintroduction of higher-demand parts.
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