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Date:         Wed, 18 Oct 1995 15:57:23 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Trace Choulat <tchoul@unf6.cis.unf.edu>
Subject:      Re: Best Dealer To Buy Parts From (Don't Skip This Post)

Drew,

This is very interesting and I'm sure will help a lot of us.

Questions: Can I get parts fiches from the dealer? How much do they cost? Is there multiple fiches per model and year?

BTW there is one dealer here that will give a 15% discount if I say I'm buying for an auto repair shop. I haven't tried this myself, but my father has used them for his '86 GL.

How does that compare to 20% over cost?

Thanks for the info,

Trace Choulat tchoul@unf6.cis.unf.edu --- '93 MV

On Wed, 18 Oct 1995, Derek Drew wrote:

> Recently I conducted a test to find out which was the VW dealer offering > factory VW parts at the lowest prices. I composed a bid form with about 25 > different factory parts I intended to buy new, and I sent this form to a > half dozen dealers around the country to see which really offered the lowest > prices. > > Included in my survey were > > Joel Walker's friend Jim Ellis at VW Atlanta > Sonnen Motors in California > Bob Hoy's VW in Texas > Paul Walser Volkswagen in Phoenix, Az > > I mentioned in my bid to Paul Walser Volkswagen that I had heard on the > Vanagon List that they were willing to sell parts at 20% over their cost to > people like me (Internet Vanagonatics). The Walser people responded promptly > and their prices were lower than all the other dealers by a significant > margin on all parts but one obscure one. > > Accordingly, I placed my order with Walser, directing them to send the parts > UPS. I live in New York, but it is better to buy the parts from an out of > state dealer so as to avoid 8% sales tax. As for the UPS shipping charges, > in general they are not significant so it doesn't matter which state I am > ordering from. > > In the future, I plan to buy all factory parts from Walser without going > through the effort to get bids from different dealers. I am submitting this > post to recomend that other list members do the same. Be sure to mention the > Internet and the 20%-over-cost program to get your proper discount. > > I conducted the entire operation by fax and have never spoken to anyone at > Walser. Here is there phone numbers > > Paul Walser Volkswagen > Phoenix, Az 85016 > 800-876-5199 > fax: 602-265-8768 > > List members may wish to copy the 800# and label it something like "Cheap > Factory Parts By Mail" and keep it handy. > > I used to buy my VW parts from the local dealer here but I cannot get over > how silly this is. You pay sales tax. You often have to go to the dealer > twice--once to order and once to take delivery. You have to wait in line. > You pay full price or a high price. Who needs it? Go 800 and do something > more productive with your time and money. > > The one caveat is that I supplied the part numbers and asked them to double > check some of them. If you lack a microfiche you might be forced to go to > your local dealer to look at the thing and make sure you have the right > parts before ordering. But now with the recent innovation appearing on this > list of how to get a cheap microfiche reader (Radio Shack 50X $7 microscope) > there is no excuse: all list members should get their own fiches. > > By the way, before finalizing my order I called up the Parts Place and found > that when they could supply a part, it was about 60% of the cost of buying > that same part from the dealer. Accordinly, I gave the Parts Place my > business for these parts. > > > ___________________________________ > Derek Drew > drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail) > derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup address, checked infrequently) > >


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