just had an odd experience with TPS- I can walk in and order parts in Derby as a private buyer, but when I just called Stoke to check availability of an obsolete part they had recently ordered, I was given the run-araound. "Sorry mate but we only deal with Trade", but I can do it at Derby so whats the difference I replied. He reluctantly let me try the part number, but he replied instantly that it was not available- far too quickly for him to have even put the number in the computer Whats is the score with TPS??? Got to mention that Parkway TPS have always been very very helpful!
yeh ive had similar- medway tps didnt want to know but ive walked into the one at dartford and got served no probs. i think the official line is that theyre not meant to sell direct to the public, but some branches have a cash account set up that they dont mind using. im sure ianb will be along soon to clarify . .
I have no problem with the Leicester VW, I cant see why they dont want the business, its not like the are selling many cars these days.
what I dont understand is if they all decided to just deal with the Trade, where the hell do we get our parts from?? In this day and age, and especially the current financial climate- isnt anyones money as good as anyone elses?!
you get your parts from VW dealerships . . . TPS are "trade parts supplies" and are effectively VW's distributor for parts to dealerships and garages, who are the retailers. its just the same as going into RS electronics or builders merchants etc that are "trade only"- most of them can be convinced to do cash sales but some wont.
Correct, when they started VW said trade customers only on account terms but didn't take long for that to change and rules be bent a little.
well if only that was 100% true! we have 2 TPS's which niether want to delliver to the dealership I work in, even though 1 of the vans passes daily we have to go to pick up & they try not to give us discount (I.E. full retail value!) and for people infomation the TPS are run directly by VW in our cases, we get poor service while a mate of mine that works out of a van gets cracking service from the same places Support your local dealer parts department
but the TPS is my local VW parts dealer- there are NO other options. When I have gone into the dealership or rung the parts dept, that is where I am directed to
Same here, never had a problem in there. They know what car I have now so can find parts easy. Or usually when I walk in they say oil or g12 this time....lol
We get a good service from our tps, guys that work there all worked at our previous trade centre (where I first started!). They help us when needed and they need us to help them as they can't get keys etc.
i used to work for TPS and the policy is to sell to trade costumers only. As a parts supplier you don't want to be dealing with joe public because they take up far to much time etc when the phones are going constantly. If you do not want to use a VW dealers parts, then call up your local TPS, act confident on the phone and say you are a new company that wants to use TPS (i line like we don't get many VW in so can we just put it on a trade sale), say you want to collect the parts and just put it on a trade account. This means you do not need a account set up with them. Don't mess the parts guys around, and do not take up to much of their time, as they will not want to deal with you - don't go ringing them up for prices of this and that - use a dealer for this as that is what they are there for. remember if you give them a part number or your order a certain part and it is not what you wanted then you will still have to pay - unless of caurse it is wrong to part number or damaged. HTH
one of the guys is a right pita though as he wont give the discoiunt unless its for a gti! I think he fails to realise that cgti has evolved a fair bit and we now have everything in the club.
iv never had any problems with derby. and have never refused service or discount. top lads id say. even gave me a good price on the trade batteries!
dont get me wrong the rest of the lads are brill!! its only this one guy who seemed to dislike the fact I was buying a seat a splitter and something esle for the Audi, not seen him since mind you.
think i got that **** last time i went in.Asked for cgti discount as usual, but he wouldn't give it me because i was getting bits for my t4 Then once i got home i found out he'd given me the wrong sort of oil filter despite giving my chassis number etc.
I would do if my "local" dealer was any good. I would be happy for Citygate High Wycombe to loose their VW Franchise tbh. Instead I have to support my not-so-local dealer (40 mile round trip) to get the bits I need.
