Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[clan chieftain]

I checked with Rick first to make sure I am not breaking any forum rules.
For years I always used main dealers but its really only in the last 20 years or so that motor factors have moved in and undercut one another, which for joe public has been good. For the last few years I have always used Dingbro mainly because I worked for them and got cost prices and I still do even now I am retired. There is also nationwide supplier whose parts are a lot cheaper even although the parts are OE spec. but they dont seem to last as long. I noticed this in my job going round the garages.
But lately the main dealers are fighting back big time and are cheaper than the factors especially Vauxhall. So now you really need to shop around. How are motor factor prices and main dealer prices where you live.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Roger-hatchy]

I had a BMW 525, 1975 model if I remember right.

Back in the mid 1980's I needed a new radiator, with oil cooler for it.
£150 exchange from the local main dealers.
Got one from the motor shop in the village, £89 no exchange.
When it arrived it was BMW packaging and BMW stamped on the unit with the same part number.

Got many a part from that shop over the years, and always cheaper than main dealers. sadly he retired last year and the shops gone.
Can never remember him having anyone else to help run the shop, or the small service garage out back.

[D4B]

I worked for various motor factors for over 20 years. Yes many
parts they sell often come from OE sources, ie suppliers who supply
OE aswell as aftermarket eg BLUEPRINT and PAYEN

Some dealerships are very competetive on parts especially Vauxhall
and BMW, but you will find that if the part you want is only available
OE then the price is usually painful !!

I remember on a visit to the Champion spark plugs factory in the
late 1980's, the production line all started off at one source and
eventually splits, one line being labelled CHAMPION, another
MOTORCRAFT and another UNIPART.... what was even more
surprising was finding NIPPON DENSO in there... we were told
it was "purely for research reasons"

Happy Days

[Penman]

hi

[ukdave2002]

My Father in Law worked for GM, the standard discount he gets on spares, gives one an idea of the margins, in some cases its 70% off the list price... and has been or a long time.

A few years ago Jaguar owners, suddenly found dealer prices for spares reduced significantly...this was due to Ford owning them, and oddly enough a cam sensor for a Jag doesn't have to cost more than one for a Mondeo

When I buy car paint I have a cash agreement with my supplier, this roughly equates to knocking 30% off the best price you would find on the net.

For a long time there have been some huge margins in the automotive industry and now there is probably some truing up ..or down

Dave

[Richard H]

I get pretty much all my stuff from one of two local small motor factors. The first one is very local but is also relatively new and quite small. He has most consumables, good polish and car detailing section, oil, batteries, bulbs, paint etc.

The second one is about five miles away, this one has been trading for over 20 years and is much bigger with a good range of just about everything, tools, paint, car audio equipment. They used to have a very good range of parts for cars from the 1950's, 60's and 70's but unfortunately most of this has now been sold on Ebay and they have very little left.

I buy virtually all the spares for my cars from Ebay, the A30/35 Club and ACCC spares schemes, Earlpart, Bull Motif Spares and East Sussex Minors. Years ago when I had a Fiesta I went to the local Ford dealer to try and get a bag of the little clips that hold the brake pipes to the inner wings, behind the arch liners. The man on the counter was so unhelpful I haven't been to a main dealer since! (The fact that my youngest car now is 52 years old may have something to do with it as well)
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Richard Hughes

[Bitumen Boy]