> 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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