| Motoring Discussion > Spares Counters | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: Bromptonaut | Replies: 5 |
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New Thu 8 Aug 13 23:14
Spares Counters - Bromptonaut
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Nipped into a French Citroen garage yesterday for a bottle of power steering fluid. No desperate need but none in spares box and reservoir on low side of normal. The cast of characters round counter was just like UK! Guy wanting some obscure seal or washer - possibly discontinued; constant ring from phone; harassed attendant who knows stuff but needs to check with a tech; need to confirm exact model before releasing part and then; take part to another counter run by officious female to actually pay. |
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New Fri 9 Aug 13 06:54
Spares Counters - -
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Those reassuring parts dept days are over at the MB palace, enter showroom get greeted and directed by one of a pair of receptionists seated in their own island. Walk past busy doing nothing suits and quite ugly new cars, eventually reach a huge desk that has never seen a grubby thingumybob bought in for pattern. Squeaky clean chap in suit sits opposite you and opens his laptop, finds the part you want eventually on his screen and tries to tell you that you need to by Y and Z as well as X, luckily customer (me) looking at the screen and niticed the part has its own non linked part number whilst confirming its the one we want, oh thats OK sir its a seperate part, pay me £16, part turns up a few days later. One good thing about the experience not another customer in sight anywhere in the whole palace and the phone didn't disturb the parts man as no doubt others would have been fielding any calls once past the receptionists/telephonists. Overall not a reassuringly old fashioned parts dept or dealer experience, give me a real parts counter every time in a traditional dealership warts and all, a bloke in a grubby smock behind a huge battered counter who knows his cars inside out and who if you happen to pass muster gives you 10% trade or a bit more for fast moving service stuff. Honda dealer is similar now, maybe its a sign of the times where few people actually buy parts from the main dealer and fit themselves, Toyota is still (or was) old school thank goodness. Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 9 Aug 13 at 06:56
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New Fri 9 Aug 13 08:18
Spares Counters - Falkirk Bairn
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On Monday I took the CRV for a 1st service. Not to my local Honda Glass Palace but to a former Honda dealer, now a Honda service & warranty site only. (the former showroom is alike to the Marie Celeste - a few cars and desks but not much else. Whilst waiting for the car a few others came and went. Chap came in and as there was nobody in the parts window, asked the chap on reception. After 1/2 minute or so rang through and within minutes the part duly appeared and then the long process of paying commenced. The chap on reception was a mechanic of some 40 years experience and the partsman was not far behind him and obviously knew lots about the W Reg Accord's inner workings. My own visit was uneventful, 1hour 20 mins for the oil service and taking off the wheels to give the brakes a Spring Clean to counter a skiffing sound that happens now and then. Cost of my service was £89 - £37 for oil/filter, 1 hour labour and VAT. A cheap job that I am confident was done correctly and a Honda stamp in my service book. Much better than the Service Desk that is remote from the workshop that is staffed by people who know as little about cars as I do. The Honda fixed price was some £215 at my local Glass Palace. |
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New Fri 9 Aug 13 09:32
Spares Counters - helicopter
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I loved the old fashioned spares counters ....... Mental image.... Shop on corner with bell clanging when the door opens.... Blokes in brown overall coats called Fred or Arthur with roll up dangling from corner of mouth..... oil and grease ingrained counter./// If they were serving you the ( bakelite ) phone was left to ring unanswered..... Manual cash till .. ... computer ? Whats that..... Brain filled with unparallelled knowledge of the parts - 'if you have the ABC 123 model you need an xyz321 left handed floggeltoggle sir - not right handed .....' Walks straight to correct shelf in stores and finds item exactly where it should be in what looks like utter chaos... After checking grubby paper price lists and with Doreen in the cashiers office - 'Sorry, Its a bit pricey sir, One and sixpence please '...... Last edited by: helicopter on Fri 9 Aug 13 at 09:33
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New Fri 9 Aug 13 12:21
Spares Counters - Zero
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| 30 odd years ago, the guy who ran the spares counter at my local Ford dealer was a diamond, not only dispensing the right part (by asking all the right relevant questions) but also throwing in first hand experience of the best way to do the job, often with a "you'll be needing one of these as well" advice. |
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New Fri 9 Aug 13 12:36
Spares Counters - Ted
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Called out to a Yaris Hybrid last week, customer had complained that wiper wasn't very good. I'll say it wasn't, blade...about a yard long, was broken in four pieces and was on the bonnet together with someone else's. Pantograph type arms were knotted together. The washers are part of the arm as well. Took the car off the road and home. Rang Toyota at 1140. The receptionist said someone from parts would ring me back. They did, at 1215. Told me that parts ordering finished at midday ! Too late, mate ! Ordered the part the following morning and booked a ' waiting ' appointment for them to fit it the following day........which they did efficiently and quickly. Told the service manager about the issue/problem I had and he said to ring him direct in future.......well, I do deal with about 30 new Toyotas now ! Two days off the road and not earning it's keep due to some silly tit getting his so-called pleasure from a bit of light vandalism. 20 years ago I would have straightened the arm and gone and bought a blade at the local shop for a few quid ! Ted |
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