| Subject: | Best Way To Get Factory Parts From The Dealer |
| From: | Derek Drew |
| Date: | Fri, 2 Nov 2001 13:04:56 -0500 |
<html> <font size=3>Frank, here is the scoop on where to order your factory parts from when ordering from Volkswagen directly.<br> <br> So far as I know, both Rennie and Camelback are still in the business and are excellent sources of factory parts. Their prices will be comparable but I think Rennie may have a slight price advantage. <br> <br> If you would like to place European parts orders, then you can also ask me for a price quote as I can usually beat USA prices by a European VAG factory parts importing system I set up to help list members. As a result of this system, I am probably the cheapest source of parts you need to source through a VAG Dealer in Europe because it is out of stock or not sold in North America. Before using this system, however, check with Bus Depot (<a href="http://www.busdepot.com/" eudora="autourl">www.busdepot.com</a>) to see if they have a method to obtain OEM parts through aftermarket sources because this will be cheaper still. For transmission related components, you can check with either me or Weddle Engineering. <br> <br> To contract Camelback in Arizona (now known as Paul Walser VW???) call 800-876-5199 and order by phone/mail-order.<br> To contact Rennie email volksdragon@earthlink.net (he is in Los Angeles).<br> To contact Weddle Engineering send an email to info@2weddle.com.<br> To contact me, send an email to derekdrew@rcn.com.<br> <br> At the bottom of this email I reproduce two emails from the past I sent on this topic which should be reviewed by list members who are new to this topic. Ordering from your local dealer is a crude and prehistoric method of obtaining parts and should be avoided whenever possible for various reasons discussed below. As it says below, "I used to buy my VW parts from the local dealer here but I cannot get over<br> 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."<br> <br> At 11:25 AM 11/2/2001 -0500, you wrote:<br> <br> <blockquote type=cite cite>Derek,<br> <br> Is Rennie still in the parts biz, or is Camelback the way to go?<br> <br> Other than email, it there a way to contact him?<br> <br> thanks - Frank<br> <br> \\\\////\\\\////\\\\\////\\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////\\\\<br> Frank Terhaar-Yonkers W4FTY TRA 8325/L2<br> Cisco Systems, Inc.<br> NSITE - Pineview Building - RTP<br> 7025 Kit Creek Road PO Box 14987<br> Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709<br> fty@cisco.com voice(919)392-2101 fx(919)392-6927 </blockquote><br> =================<br> <br> <br> February 2001 MESSAGE ON RENNIE:<br> <br> It has come to my attention that Rennie, otherwise known as volksdragon@earthlink.net, is able to get us parts at 20% over dealer list and is happy and willing to supply us.<br> <br> He has been posting to the list all kinds of help and owns his own Vanagon, and we have sort of ignored him as a place from which to order parts, partly because he never mentioned anything about becoming a vendor and doesn't want to "undercut" anybody. <br> <br> But his prices are likely a discount from the amount we have been paying Camelback when sourcing factory-only parts, it appears that it might be wise to start shifting our business to the extent Rennie wants us to. I spoke to him this morning and he says he is fine to become the new Camelback if that is what we want to do. I hope he has a cooperative shipping department. <br> <br> Next time you need to source some parts available only through the dealer network, consider trying Rennie out. Possibly this could work out. <br> <br> He is on email more than Camelback is, and seems genuinely interested in the vehicle and in helping out so all else being equal, he could be the best choice for this. <br> <br> Meanwhile, if the part is a Europe-only part or carries a significant European price advantage, I have set up a pathway for efficient sourcing from there email me if you want to pursue this avenue. <br> <br> ===========================<br> <br> FEBRUARY 2001 MESSAGE THAT HELPED ESTABLISH CAMELBACK ON THE LIST<br> <br> Date: Wed, 18 Oct 1995 14:26:01 -0400<br> Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com><br> From: drew@interport.net (Derek Drew)<br> Subject: Best Dealer To Buy Parts From (Don't Skip This Post)<br> <br> Recently I conducted a test to find out which was the VW dealer offering<br> factory VW parts at the lowest prices. I composed a bid form with about 25<br> different factory parts I intended to buy new, and I sent this form to a<br> half dozen dealers around the country to see which really offered the lowest<br> prices.<br> <br> Included in my survey were <br> <br> Joel Walker's friend Jim Ellis at VW Atlanta<br> Sonnen Motors in California<br> Bob Hoy's VW in Texas<br> Paul Walser Volkswagen in Phoenix, Az<br> <br> I mentioned in my bid to Paul Walser Volkswagen that I had heard on the<br> Vanagon List that they were willing to sell parts at 20% over their cost to<br> people like me (Internet Vanagonatics). The Walser people responded promptly<br> and their prices were lower than all the other dealers by a significant<br> margin on all parts but one obscure one. <br> <br> Accordingly, I placed my order with Walser, directing them to send the parts<br> UPS. I live in New York, but it is better to buy the parts from an out of<br> state dealer so as to avoid 8% sales tax. As for the UPS shipping charges,<br> in general they are not significant so it doesn't matter which state I am<br> ordering from.<br> <br> In the future, I plan to buy all factory parts from Walser without going<br> through the effort to get bids from different dealers. I am submitting this<br> post to recomend that other list members do the same. Be sure to mention the<br> Internet and the 20%-over-cost program to get your proper discount.<br> <br> I conducted the entire operation by fax and have never spoken to anyone at<br> Walser. Here is there phone numbers <br> <br> Paul Walser Volkswagen<br> Phoenix, Az 85016<br> 800-876-5199<br> fax: 602-265-8768<br> <br> List members may wish to copy the 800# and label it something like "Cheap<br> Factory Parts By Mail" and keep it handy.<br> <br> I used to buy my VW parts from the local dealer here but I cannot get over<br> how silly this is. You pay sales tax. You often have to go to the dealer<br> twice--once to order and once to take delivery. You have to wait in line.<br> You pay full price or a high price. Who needs it? Go 800 and do something<br> more productive with your time and money.<br> <br> The one caveat is that I supplied the part numbers and asked them to double<br> check some of them. If you lack a microfiche you might be forced to go to<br> your local dealer to look at the thing and make sure you have the right<br> parts before ordering. But now with the recent innovation appearing on this<br> list of how to get a cheap microfiche reader (Radio Shack 50X $7 microscope)<br> there is no excuse: all list members should get their own fiches.<br> <br> By the way, before finalizing my order I called up the Parts Place and found<br> that when they could supply a part, it was about 60% of the cost of buying<br> that same part from the dealer. Accordinly, I gave the Parts Place my<br> business for these parts.<br> <br> <br> ___________________________________<br> <br> <br> <br> </font><br> <div>________________________________________________________</div> <div>Derek Drew New York, NY & Washington, DC</div> <div>derekdrew@rcn.com<x-tab> </x-tab> 212-580-6486</div> <div>Email me for viscous couplings</div> <div>'90 Syncro Westfalia... </div> <div>...seen off-road at </div> <div><a href="http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/Syncro_Madness_Area.htm" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/Syncro_Madness_Area.htm</a></div> <div>Note: most valuable Vanagon sites on the planet (for owners) are:</div> <div> <a href="http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?S1=vanagon" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?S1=vanagon</a></div> <div> <a href="ftp://gerry.vanagon.com/pub/" EUDORA=AUTOURL>ftp://gerry.vanagon.com/pub/</a></div> <div> <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro</a> </div> <div> <a href="http://www.vanagon.com/" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://www.vanagon.com</a> </div> <div> <a href="http://www.syncro.org/" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://www.syncro.org</a> </div> <div>My refrigerator article: </div> <div> <a href="http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/Refrigerator/Reefer_Madness.htm" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/Refrigerator/Reefer_Madness.htm</a></div> <div>My article that shows how to deal with insurance companies: </div> <div> <a href="ftp://gerry.vanagon.com/pub/auto-insurance-madness.html" EUDORA=AUTOURL>ftp://gerry.vanagon.com/pub/auto-insurance-madness.html</a> </div> <div>To view Wolfgang's incredibly informative wheel article</div> <div> <a href="http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/fitbigtiresonvanagon.htm" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/fitbigtiresonvanagon.htm</a> </div> <div>To view Tim Smith's incredibly useful gearing calculator</div> <div> <a href="http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/syncrotireandgearratios.xls" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/syncrotireandgearratios.xls</a> </div> <div>To view some 16" Trailing Arms that enable much larger tires see</div> <div> <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/syncro-org/files/Wheels,%20Tires%20%26%20Gearing/Wheel%20%26%20Tire%20Photos/16_Inch_Trailing_Arm.jpg" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/syncro-org/files/Wheels%2C%20Tires%20%26%20Gearing/Wheel%20%26%20Tire%20Photos/16_Inch_Trailing_Arm.jpg</a></div> </html>
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