RE: [T2] How to Choose a Quality Part?

["The Bus Depot, Inc." <type2@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> So Ron, what you are basically implicating here is, if a person is going
> to buy  any parts, purchase them locally, to defer warranty shipping
> costs, and also to allow a guy to get back on the road as soon as
> possible due to a defective parts situation, as mail order is not always
> the right or fastest answer, when it comes time for  maintenance item's.
> ( bearings, suspension, exhaust, brakes, etc.)


That certainly is an option.  Purchasing locally (if available) is the
fastest, and often lowest-risk, way to obtain a part.  If you mail-order,
best-case is a one-day delay to get your parts (if you order via overnight
shipping).  And there is always the risk of unexpected delays in transit,
the part not being what you expected, human error, etc. - risks that are
minimized when you are buying over-the-counter, since the dealer is
literally handing you the part right then and there. And a local store or
your VW dealer may be able to provide you with a higher level of service
than a discount mail-order house can.  The counter person may be able to
provide installation advice, match up a part that you plunk down on the
counter, or let you open up the box prior to purchase and inspect the part -
all services not offered by mail-order houses.  So yes, there is certainly a
place for local retailers.  If you absolutely, positively need the part
immediately, want to avoid virtually all risk, or expect a higher level of
customer service than available via mail-order, then purchasing locally may
be your best choice.

Of course this convenience comes at a substantial cost.  On average, you'll
pay 40-60% more than I charge for like quality (and in cases where your only
local alternative is the VW dealer, the price difference can be 300-400%).
Many local auto parts stores are about "two levels down the food chain"
compared to me. They buy from a local jobber, who buys from a warehouse
distributor, who imports the part.  I import many of my parts myself, and
typically retail them for below jobber wholesale.  They buy one or two sets
of bus brake shoes a month (if that);  I buy 500 at a time.  They have to
pay a staff to look up part numbers for you, provide one-on-one in-store
assistance, etc., a cost which is reflected in their prices; I make you do
all the work yourself via my catalog or website.  We may sell similar parts,
but our businesses are not similar.

Also, in many cases, you simply may be unable to obtain the part locally to
begin with.  Unfortunately, there are few shops with the width and depth of
Bus parts that I have. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. If the local shop has
to special-order the part for you, then you are simply paying them to
mail-order it for you; you might as well do it yourself and save the money.
In other cases, the part may be available locally, but not of the same
quality. For example, while you can generally find brake shoes and wheel
cylinders locally, they'll almost always be rebuilt brake shoes and
Brazilian or Chinese wheel cylinders, whereas for the same price (or less)
you could have gotten new OEM Pagid or Febi parts from me.  In such cases,
you may actually be INCREASING your risk by buying locally, even at the
higher cost, because you will be installing a potentially inferior part.

As far as reducing your inconvenience in the event of a warranty claim, this
really isn't much of an issue.  Yes, if you do have a warranty claim,  it
may be easier if you bought locally (since you can simply drive the part
back to the store for warranty exchange).  But warranty defects among
better-quality parts are so incredibly rare (perhaps 1/1000) that the odds
of this issue coming up are extremely low.  What I generally do to minimize
the inconvenience if you have a warranty claim, is allow you to buy the
replacement part first, and then when it arrives, swap it out on your bus
and send the defective one back for a refund.  This way, you can do the
exchange all at once, rather than having to first remove the part and then
wait for the replacement to arrive.

So, to get the "biggest bang for your buck," buy mail order when possible,
and locally when neccessary.  Try to plan your projects in advance.  If you
want to do scheduled maintenance, or a repair that can wait a while,
mail-order the parts via ground shipping, which is the lowest cost.  If your
repair must be done within a few days, mail-order the parts via expedited
shipping (such as next-day, second-day, or three-day UPS), which is costlier
than ground but typically still far cheaper than if you bought locally. And
if you need a part that is not in stock locally (or not available in the
quality that you want), then obviously you must mail-order.  But if you need
the part yesterday, simply cannot risk the slightest possibility of a snag
(a part arriving late, damaged, wrong, missing, etc.), or need a higher
level of service than a mail-order-house can offer, then buy locally.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  (215) 234-VWVW
  www.busdepot.com

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