GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => General discussion => Topic started by: golfvr6 on 07 January 2004, 00:28
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This link only confirms what i've known for some time. GSF are selling dodgy parts, don't risk your life for the sake of a few quid.
www.germanswedishandfrench.co.uk
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Yup GSF is sh1te. Hope they get shut down. shouldn't mix German and French. :)
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obviously GSF arent popular round these parts, and must admit they're not the quality they used to be.
But to be fair, what exactly does the link have to say about GSF, cause i think i missed it?
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true wat has it got to do with gsf
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Also did ane see the date....Thursday, June 24, 1999 Published at 08:12 GMT 09:12 UK :o
Thats three and a half years old, bet the stuff's out of warranty by now ;).
Steve.
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It is an old article, but i thought it was worth putting up as too many people still think GSF sell 'quality' parts.
The link is GERMANSWEDISHANDFRENCH so the BBC can name them without and legal issues.
Everyone can take it how they like, i learnt the hard way not to use GSF.
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Yup GSF is sh1te. Hope they get shut down. shouldn't mix German and French. :)
thas funny :D
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I am going to e-mail The Golf magazine about this subject and see what opinion they have to offer! I am a big fan of that mag and i think they would look into it, especially as they run a 2 page add for them!
6, what was your bad experience? details or link to an old post. I won't use any names but i need an example for my letter!
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That BBC page does not mention GSF at all and the site linking to it is http://www.matb.fsnet.co.uk/ so not quite as it appears.
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Thats why they have disguised the link, so its quite obvious who they are talking about.
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that's not the bbc disguising the link, just some random geezer registering www.germanswedishandfrench.co.uk and linking it to a bbc article about car parts
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who cares about a link we all know gsf are crap! ;)
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I'd be interested to hear what GSF have to say in their defense. Maybe its time to bring to their attention the amount of bad publicity they are receiving within the VW community. :-\
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Maybe, but only tells me what i've suspected for a couple of years at least.
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.........or maybe they don't care >:( >:(
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What amazes me is people don't seem to care what they are buying. Its as if i'm making it all up.
Anyone with any sort of knowledge or experience can tell that GSF parts are like those nasty pirate videos compared with the originals.
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i used gsf for the wiring loom for the idicators in the big bumpers and they fitted and worked great but have also had a grill spoiler that didnt fit at all, if only i knew europarts address in reading
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.........or maybe they don't care >:( >:(
I think you hit the nail on the head Rich. More than likely they don't care. If they get forced out of business then they will just start back up under a different name. I'm sure they are aware of the bad publicity they just could care less. Time to put the owners on Named and Shamed perhaps? :)
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thats isnt gsf this is http://www.gsfcarparts.com (http://www.gsfcarparts.com) and i dont think for one miniute that gsf would risk buying fake parts there just non genuine!
i'm sure people know if their fitting good parts!
ive been on gsf and they say
We supply parts from major manufacturers such as SACHS BOGE, BOSCH, VALEO, BENDIX, TEXTAR, HELLA, GKN, GATES, DAYCO, LEMFORDER, ERNST, PAGID, ZIMMERMANN, BREMBO and REINZ. Many of our suppliers are original equipment suppliers to the car manufacturers and their dealers. By buying direct, with our huge buying power, we are able to offer quality car parts at very competitive prices.
so if the bbc are accusing gsf of fake parts they should contact the srading standards i'm sure if they did gsf would take legal action against the bbc for false acusations!
hutton enquiry with bbc at one end kelly on the other!
bbc is good at the bull.......brake pads made from grass! i take it there not pagid or ferodo then!
ah they were made by grassaton ;D
at the end of they day what you pay is what you get
check the parts have good names on them and are of good quality!
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If anyones interested, the site is registered to a Matt Burney of Peterbrough. Dont know if he is a BBC correspondant, local hack or just a punter with an axe to grind, but he is the one make the association between BBC's article on fake parts and GSF. And he (or anyone else making the same link) could be libellous in making that connection...
In G&S defence, id say that they sell alot of aftermarket/replica kit thats made in Brazil, South Africa, Italy and other third world countries. But its clearly sold as such and its cheap.
On the other hand, against GSF (yes, deliberate difference, i reckon thats when the rot set in), the quality of that kit is not very good anymore. It used to be nearly indistinguishable from the OE part but not these days. got a petrol pump recently and thought it was the wrong model at first.
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If anyone needs reminding what GSF 'O.E.' top mounts look like compared to VW....
http://www.richandhazel.servebeer.com/gti/genpics/files/strutani.GIF (http://www.richandhazel.servebeer.com/gti/genpics/files/strutani.GIF)
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That BBC page does not mention GSF at all and the site linking to it is http://www.matb.fsnet.co.uk/ so not quite as it appears.
Right seeing as I am the one who showed VR6 this site I should actually enlighten those who don't seem to understand what is being said.
On BBC2 in about '99 was a programme regarding the increase in pattern parts and how easy it was to make and sell your own parts if you posed as a legitimate business.
The BBC went undercover and bought some parts at the feltham branch that were supposedly original mercedes parts, then they went to Mercedes benz head office to check the originality of said parts and the metal used for a tie rod was found to be defective. Even items such as a grille and a badge were found to be of substandard metal.
At the time of the programme stan west , the Md of german and swedish refused to comment and that I think that speaks volumes as to the quality of parts offered by GSF.
So just to clarify the programme did mention GSF and did try to speak with the MD stan west about this matter.
The link GOLF VR6 puts for the top mounts are the ones fitted to my car, They sell rubbish and are rubbish, If you want to argue about this then feel free to Email me and I can let you see the BOGE suspension kit that has spings of differing height and the "original" cambelt tensioner were the adjust holes don't line up with the OE adjusting tool I have.
At the end of the day if you are happy spending your hard earned money on parts that you think are of high quailty then fine, I for one am not going to risk the quality, integrity and value of my vehicle by fitting parts that I know from prior purchasing experience to be dodgy.
You have all bought VW's for the build quailty, so why risk it for the sake of a few quid and you could be risking your life.
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well said Mod.
what amazes me is GSF almost seem to have a cult following, especially on club gti.
think about what you buy... ::)
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It seems to be theres a pied piper mentality surrounding GSF. one leads and others follow.
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I find it disturbing how lots of people jump up in GSF's defence if anyone dares say they are poor...
Surely if anyone has had a bad experience then its a cause for concern. And its not like its one bad experience.....
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I'm suprised that JV, one of the sites moderators, doesn't seem concerned and just denies it like its of no interest to others on the site.
surely thats the idea of the site JV to share our experiences?
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It's not that I am not concerned, more worried about golfvr6's seeming 'witch hunt' regarding GSF. Fair enough, comment on his and your own experiences of poor quality parts but to tell everyone not to buy parts from there is a bit extreme. GSF, Euro Car Parts et all provide an alternative to buying from VW. People often complain about VW being too expensive so there is the choice. You pays your money and you take it :)
jv
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Well said jv.
On another point, has anyone bought a exhaust
from the local motor factors lately, the quality and fit is shocking. It's not just specialist part suppliers that are fobbing us off with sub standard parts, if you want quality and piece of mind, bite the bullet and get quality or genuine parts. (rant over) ;).
Steve.
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It's not that I am not concerned, more worried about golfvr6's seeming 'witch hunt' regarding GSF. Fair enough, comment on his and your own experiences of poor quality parts but to tell everyone not to buy parts from there is a bit extreme. GSF, Euro Car Parts et all provide an alternative to buying from VW. People often complain about VW being too expensive so there is the choice. You pays your money and you take it :)
jv
All well and good but when these parts are that bad they are dangerous and its my family in the car I think people need to be made aware. There isn't always the choice as people unless told are not always aware. People may think these places sell cheaper parts and that they are fine and just a bit cheaper when in fact they might be dangerous. I think its good of people to warn each other.
I dont know alot about cars but when Hubby showed me the difference in the Suspension Kit even I could tell they were dangerous and I'm a woman ;D :D ;)
Sam xxxx
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It's not that I am not concerned, more worried about golfvr6's seeming 'witch hunt' regarding GSF. Fair enough, comment on his and your own experiences of poor quality parts but to tell everyone not to buy parts from there is a bit extreme. GSF, Euro Car Parts et all provide an alternative to buying from VW. People often complain about VW being too expensive so there is the choice. You pays your money and you take it :)
jv
A witch hunt ? well not really. When a company sells a suspension kit that won't pass an MOT then people should know about it.
The problem with people in this country is they just put up with being sold sh!t just because they are told it is good.
Most people won't even know it is sh!t, as someone else will be doing the job for them.
Its up to people like myself and modulator to tell people of our concerns, as we both have used a lot of GSF parts in the past.
Its about time people started speaking out rather than staying quiet.
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what about Europarts ???
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glad u asked as i have both places in reading, fairly close to me, which do ppl recomend or is it best to say usin camberly auto factors??
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I haven't tried Euro car parts, i'm put of by the whole GSF thing really. Buying cheap doesn't always pay.
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thats true, u get what you pay for ::)
Euro parts seem ok but im abit wary
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being in debt and trying to get a sweet ride aint good either, i cant afford vw stuff so wots best??
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u want a decent suspension kit? try C&R enterprises, they done me a kit for 300 bar, and it was very good quality. The kit was a weitic.
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used euro a couple of times had no probs quality is good for non genuine stuff,if u need postage that is very quick,they are helpfull and know what you`re on about when you`re asking questions...
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Nice ride oakie!
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Don't forget here that we are on about safety critical parts here like balljoints and steering racks, for all means get your ill fitting wings and headlights from GSF. All they will do is look and fit terribly and detract from the value of your car, If your on a budget and have to then by all means do it.
As VR6 mentioned earlier they actually sold him a suspension kit that wouldn't pass an MOT. When he tried to take it back he was told "like it or lump it" and that he wouldn't be able to buy a kit for a MK3 VR6.
Right ok no one else sells a suspension kit for a MK3 golf except GSF. Thank you GSF I am enlightened.
I don't know about you but that in my mind isn't the way a decent parts suppliers work. I fitted a cam belt tensioner and VR6 and myself were so concerned about it knackering the cambelt and killing the engine we removed it asap.
I have spent much hard earned money buying parts from GSF and have received poor quality goods in return and having then had to take time to do the job once with GSF parts. getting problems, then having to remove the naff parts and fitting OE parts that do the job properly.
Its easier and cheaper for me to get original parts that I know will keep the integrity of my vehicle and keep it built the way VW intended.
I would buy a ford if I wanted an unreliiable car.
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Just something to add to GSF cam belt tensioner on Mod's car, it was actually on the piss, allowing the belt to rub against the belt cover. This would have lead to engine getting trashed for sure.
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I've had no problems to date with Eurocarparts. Stuart from Leeds is very helpful and if you check their website you can quite clearly see which parts are original equipment supplier, quality alternative brand or genuine part. Here is their explanation for the part numbers:-
"If you have more than one part number showing on the search results page - check the first 8 digits, if they are identical in more than 1 of the parts showing, the difference between them is their make. For example: 332456780, 332456781 and 332456785 are all water pumps for a Saab except '0' indicates 'Original Equipment Manufacture', '1' indicates 'Alternative Quality Brand' and '5' indicates 'Genuine Part'."
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thats good info Rich. Nice one