'We are being ripped off'- Rather interesting, Whats your say?

[Wolfburger]

An interesting Read with a few valid points

whats your take? Are we being ripped off

https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Guides_ ... a-20180817

[Tman21]

This is common knowledge for anyone that does their own maintenance. But unfortunately resale and "bad maintenance" Stigma still sticks to a resale when there is a lack of stamps due to self service with quality parts.

Can be debated toF!

[Tman21]

This is common knowledge for anyone that does their own maintenance. But unfortunately resale and "bad maintenance" Stigma still sticks to a resale when there is a lack of stamps due to self service with quality parts.

Can be debated toF!

[mellos]

Good day
Interesting read indeed, I'm not going to mention names in this correspondence for fear of being sued.I have experienced this first hand.I needed my sunroof repaired so I went to a renowned sunroof repair place only to be told agents only, note no names mentioned,these sunroof repair guys were denied access to spares by the manufacturer forcing people to go back to the so called agents and be forced to pay exorbitant prices.
All these sunroof guys do now is to close your sunroof for you and somehow disable it,how many guys are out there with sunroofs on their cars but they cannot open them.,all because the agents are charging these ridiculous prices and they sell you a complete sunroof for the price of a small second hand car.Just thought I would share my experience Thanks.

[Wolfburger]

This is common knowledge for anyone that does their own maintenance. But unfortunately resale and "bad maintenance" Stigma still sticks to a resale when there is a lack of stamps due to self service with quality parts.

Can be debated toF!

+1 Totally Agree

[Rascal69]

Yeah fck the agents and their ridiculous prices... I always replace with OES non agent parts where i can unless the part is well priced at the agents (sometimes service items are ok priced) .. in many cases, its the exact same thing with maybe just the serial number or BMW stamp removed as i've seen when replacing Guibo's, center bearings, suspension bushings .ect

[ICE King]

Yes and No , The agents suppose to re quality control each and every product they resale as well as branding and serials etc... This is an overhead cost and I suspect is the reason for the amplified cost.

If I could use the example of a CV boot, Costed me R450 at the agents but it came in a solid box, had proper Cv grease , OEM Clamps (not hose clamps), was QC passed and the boot rubber was durable. Everything I required for the job was in one box. happy to say hasn't given me a days issue since installed.

Certain parts on the other hand is questionable , eg. pistons etc...

[Le Clue]

When it comes to VW I have picked up many OEM parts being considerably cheaper and of much better quality than WAG parts.

[billionairebum]

When it comes to VW I have picked up many OEM parts being considerably cheaper and of much better quality than WAG parts.

+1 this is what I have been told by a few guys that work on a lot of these.

[G-spot]

When it comes to VW I have picked up many OEM parts being considerably cheaper and of much better quality than WAG parts.

+1 this is what I have been told by a few guys that work on a lot of these.

I agree, Also with VW there is tons of sub par pirate parts available, some quality non OE parts normally cost close to OEM parts anyway

[MarshallGTi]

All my working life has been spent in dealership workshops, and then in the aftermarket spares game for the big names, and its tricky. Yes there are definitely parts available on the aftermarket that come off the same line and sometimes even same batch as what you get from the agents, that days production just gets split with some getting VAG stickers and boxes, and other aftermarket packaging.

Trouble is a brand cant have a viable aftermarket business with just OE-level stuff, so they then make a range of aftermarket parts for which they are not OE suppliers, and thats ok cos everything is usually similar quality. The problem starts when that same brand then sources some of these non-OE parts away from their own factories because thats where quality issues and performance issues can creep in.

As the end customer, you know for certain that on your Golf, "brand X" makes the OE brakes for example, so you have no problem buying that same brand from a spares shop cos regardless of the box it comes in, the brakes will be pretty much the same. But then you decide to fit that same brand to your wifes Toyota, not knowing that "brand X" doesn't make Toyota brakes and actually just sources those brakes from one of the not-so-great factories in China and does no QC work on them.

The problem gets even worse at the lower end of the price spectrum, because some of the importers/wholesalers base their decisions on price above everything and the quality you see sometimes is shocking.

[Titleists]

Try finding a fuel cap lock solenoid at a non-vw spares shop. Impossible

[Supervan II]

Try finding a fuel cap lock solenoid at a non-vw spares shop. Impossible

Many years ago (1984/5) I was looking for a set of new HT leads for my Golf GTi as the agents were out of stock (no-one stocked Bougicord for them yet either) so I hunted down the OEM manufacturer locally (I knew one of the procurers at the factory at the time - it came in quite handy too, I can assure you!).

Yes, they swore me to secrecy, but I walked away with a complete set at less than half the price quoted for a new set at the agents!

I also managed to source a complete, brand-new, set of 14" mags (Snowflakes) that were made of unobtanium and was the first GTi locally to run 14" mags (fitted them with Pirellis too, nogal). Oh, and was once asked: "Are you insane? How on earth can you put retreads on this car?" At the time the tread pattern did look similar.