GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => General discussion => Topic started by: dom on 16 April 2010, 12:56
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Ok, rang my local VW stealer this morning to get a price for a new camshaft sensor for my Mk3 8v. After asking for my reg, which I gave him, he then went through the e.g....'so thats a 97 2.0 gti?' etc.
They then went on to ask; 'and is that petrol or diesel??!!!!' What kind of idiots do they employ?? Surely even if they didn't know that the Gti is petrol they would have it on the computer screen infront of them??!
Also £187.60 for a camshaft sensor? Daylight robbery anyone??
Rant over.
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Probably used to asking that/slip of the tongue.
When I called VW recently I gave them the alternator part number and asked for the pulley .. "Sorry we can't cross reference the alternator part numbers with pulley numbers..." WTF. So I spent an hour researching the net for the pulley number, called them back and found they had 3 in stock. Kinda stupid they can't cross reference the VW Alternator part # with the VW Alternator pulley #.
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Lowly paid admin/reception staff who have next to no interest in the brand, employed by a franchise operation. You are going to go some to speak to someone who really knows their stuff.
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Lowly paid admin/reception staff who have next to no interest in the brand, employed by a franchise operation. You are going to go some to speak to someone who really knows their stuff.
Sadly all so true,
To most of them its just a job, most of them would not know what the part actually does. I know a few who do it as they love the brand they work for and are car nuts but there so few of them.
You know what they say, you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
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I must be lucky then - my dealer parts department are very good. They know me and i know them (all) by name. I get discount and don't have to pay for special order until the parts arrive.
Main reason they like me is that I always give them the part numbers!!
Not always inexpensive of course but there is no knocking the quality of VW OE parts.
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I had to get a skoda camshaft sensor for my mum's felicia and that was only £50?
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dadrathers has nailed it there, I have a loyalty card with my local VW dealer, gets me 15% off, I know the by name and I don't pay for orders until they arrive. How did this happen? because I am registered on the free website www.vagcat.com and just give them the part numbers off there, so much easier. The lad who is annoyed that they can't cross reference the alternator to the pulley are you really that surprised? The alternator is bolted to the Engine block so should those part numbers cross reference?
Save yourself some time and money by registering on vagcat and just ringing them up
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There's a couple incompetent members at my local VW - They don't really seem to know anything about cars and always order me the wrong parts in.. A couple of the lads are brilliant though - always asking what I'm getting upto now and asking to see my mk2. Never had any discount or anything from them, but at least they get me the right parts!
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to many of theses guys rely on their computers got no real knowledge of cars. rely to much on regs. dont use common sense, i ran my own factors for 15 years no computers, you get to know your customers cars and so can give correct parts, most of theses guys wouldnt know a pulley if it hit them on the head
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This is why i use GSF
The local one used to employee dub heads, The car park was always filled with beatles, campers and Golfs. Would ask for a new belt and they would just go get it. No need to even check it on the computer as most of the time they would say 'fitted one of these the other day, total arse but they do the job'
Was even getting a 30% discount by the end of my Golf day, I did build two golfs using mostly GSF parts, The body on my Golf GTI track car was 50% GSF Pattern parts, The arches, bumpers, wings, bonnet, grill, front and back lights all came from GSF.
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The lad who is annoyed that they can't cross reference the alternator to the pulley are you really that surprised? The alternator is bolted to the Engine block so should those part numbers cross reference?
Save yourself some time and money by registering on vagcat and just ringing them up
I'm on vagcat, however VW used 3 different make's of alternators (Bosch, Valeo and Hitachi) for my car on the production line, meaning 3 different pulley's. When looking at the alternator on vagcat it had no reference to which pulleys are for which alternator under my model of car, I eventually found it by searching vagcat and finding the same alternator used on another model with the pulley part numbers cross-referenced.
I just find it silly that the mighty VW can't cross reference the alternator part # with the pulley #, even AFTER giving them the alternator number which they said they would need to find out which is the correct pulley - thus lying to me.
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I did build two golfs using mostly GSF parts
Give us the registrations then mate so we can stay well clear of those! GSF parts are bloody awful. Ive fitted a GSF rad in my Mk1 and the car cannot stay cool, it will not stay at 90 degs, its about 100 now :angry:
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Yeah not a fan of pattern parts....
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Anyone currently getting discount with VW?? :wink:
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Go to TPS they seem to know there stuff - my dealer is bloody awful too :rolleyes:
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Anyone currently getting discount with VW?? :wink:
yes!
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Driftbridge VW in Epsom rock, Shame they are all on ED38!!! :grin: :grin:
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I buy any parts I need through someone who has experience of actually fitting them to cars, I've lost count of the times he has said to me "Ahh.....but"
:cool:
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Anyone currently getting discount with VW?? :wink:
Yep, i always ask for discount where ever i go, be it forces or trade discount and nearly always get something
:smiley:
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You have to pick your parts from places like gsf, some of them are crap but some are pretty good. Its worth using the dealer for some parts but the prices can be ridiculous. Get to know your local motor factor and they'll usually tell if a part is good or not. My local gsf guys all know their old dubs really well, even individual parts like hoses of the top of their head. Plus one guy brings his mk1 on schmidt th lines to work in the summer :drool:
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I always try the dealer first, as sometimes I am pleasantly surprised that firsty they can actually still get the part, and secondly that it's not always that expensive. Although, as I've recently posted on another thread, they seem to charge a huge premium on Mk2 16v parts over the Mk2 8v.
Gilder's is the dealer in my local area, and even though I live close to the Sheffield branch, I use the one in Rotherham. The guy there looks like he's been there for years, and knows his stuff - even about the older dubs. He doesn't mind me helping him locate the exact part on ETKA if I don't have a part number.
I've had mixed experiences with GSF - the local depot is always overworked, but the guys there seem okay. I don't mind getting some parts from there, but don't trust any trim pieces or electrical parts.