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Date:         Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:18:53 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: SA grill availability
In-Reply-To:  <6da579340610242116r718880e2x4289efac09bc2313@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> IF GoWesty has them, then they would be the ONLY ones > in the biz that do. Van Cafe (also on the West Coast) > *say* they won't have them until after the first of the year > and Bus Depot may still be out of them as well.

I expect my next shipment of grill kits in about six weeks. I believe it will still include chrome emblems for now (not the black ones now commonly provided), and expect to be able to maintain my current (lower) pricing.

> (VW South Africa) seem to let backorders pile up, > then run off various parts in infuriatingly small runs > at 6-12 month intervals to satisfy the "legitimate" > domestic demand, and then let the backorders > pile up again.... Groschi was facing the prospect > of having to BRIBE a factory worker just to get the > brake caliper saddles for the brake kit.

That isn't too far off the mark, and it's why I don't sell high-ticket South African mechanical parts like engine conversions, brake kits, etc. There's no way to predict future availability of replacement parts - it could be months, years, or never. As John pointed out, VW/South Africa is only concerned with supplying the domestic market (and isn't always exceptional at that); they couldn't care less if anything is left over for gray-market export. If your engine or brakes are out of commission due to a worn or defective component, and the part you need is unavailable (or backordered for a year), you have a big problem! I'd rather give up that profit and simply not offer the product, than risk leaving a customer of mine in that predicament. So when it comes to South Aftica, product, I tend to stick with "safe" things like grills, mud flaps, etc.

- Ron Salmon The Bus Depot, Inc. www.busdepot.com (215) 234-VWVW

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