Andyspares

Post by **Jon** » 10 Sep 2003, 03:01

Decided to post this in Citroen on the grounds that more people read this part of the Forum.
On Monday 8th September, Andyspares, 13 Tessa Road, Reading closed.
What does this mean to customers?
Hopefully, very little.
1) Anyone phoning the Andyspares number will have their call answered by a member of Andyspares staff who have transfered to the GSF HQ at Heathrow. I doubt anyone will notice. There is an automatic call divert in place.
2) For customers local to Reading, the GSF branch off Elgar Road carries stock of Citroen Peugeot and ReNault parts, and they are less than a mile from Andyspares.
3) For mail order customers (phone/fax orders) these orders will be sent out from Heathrow by the same method (post, carrrier etc)
4) Online shop orders will be processed and sent out from Heathrow.
I have decided to post this as I am aware that there were some rumours about the closure. As most of you will be aware Andyspares merged with German & Swedish over 3 years ago to become GSF Car Parts.GSF Car Parts then bought URO Automotive. GSF continues to grow and there are now 41 branches across the country. The closure of Andyspares Reading was inevitable as the same stock is held at the Group's main warehouses at Heathrow and Birmingham, and to a lesser extent at the other branches. It was therefore pointless to have a large distribution warehouse in Reading when the Heathrow HQ only 29 miles away could absorb the stock and staff easily.
As regards this Forum, no Member has any reason to worry about its future. As some of you are aware the hosting is supported by myself and David Black of Interwired, and indeed the Forum is not part of the hosting arrangement of the main GSFcarparts.com site.

kafkaian · Post by **kafkaian** » 10 Sep 2003, 16:57

This is good news for Citroen owners as is good competition for Citroen themselves, although as far as parts are concerned they don't seem to listen. How can Citroen charge @ £6 quid for a litre of LHM as I was quoted when GSF do it for £2 or so?

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 10 Sep 2003, 18:04

'tis an old marketing ploy of multi national companies for generations. It's known as the "Mushroom principle."
Keep 'em in the dark & feed 'em on bu!!$#i+
The average bear walks in & asks for the stuff & they deliver the "genuine" product with a couple of chevrons on the bottle & he thinks "must be good, it's genuine."
I heard a good un a few weeks back. Guy gets his oil changed & dealer uses Mobil One, full synthetic at about 3 times the price in the average store. He posts on a board & mentions the price casually in passing whereupon a couple of us ask if this is liquid gold & not oil that's been used. He asks the question of the dealer who explains that the "stuff you buy in auto accessories shops is only a weak version of what is supplied in 44 gallon drums to the trade!"
I suggested he contact the oil company for verification, but I think he just settled for a discount from the dealer instead.
Don't question 'em & they'll keep on a charging those kinds of prices.
Alan S

Thompatruck · Post by **Thompatruck** » 10 Sep 2003, 20:29

With the GSF group growing as mentioned, just wondering if they're planning any expansions?? I personally would welcome and regularily frequent a Northern branch such as Newcastle [:D] As i'm such a number of others would agree! .....Just a thought!

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » 10 Sep 2003, 20:58

Hmmmm, with the Silly Season prices being charged over here for parts at the moment, I suspect the locals'd take your arms off if you opened a French branch right now.
Even with shipping included in the equation, the major parts I needed to get my BX running were cheaper from GSF than from local sources. When I tried to tell them this, they shrugged (as only a Frenchman can....) and muttered "C'est impossible!" [:0]
"C'est la prix," more like, Pierre! Vous lose! [:D][:D][:D]

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 11 Sep 2003, 00:01

Yes, the local garage en France has a BX like mine for 2,600 euros and the local barman couldnt believe that mine cost 450! I explained that it was due to a manufacturing fault. All the ones with the volant in the wrong place were dumped on us and the Aussies.

Post by **Jon** » 11 Sep 2003, 01:54

That explains it then, the wheel was placed on the wrong side! I always wondered why I could buy a perfectly good GSA for £100, a BX for £250 or the current Zx for £500!! And then drive the things for 1000's of miles.
Everything is clear now, the French put the wheel on the wrong side so that depreciation would be rapid outside mainland Europe!! This means that we "Fous Anglais" can get cheaper parts as our cars are worth nothing!!![;)]
As regards the Parts prices, well we've all heard about Free Trade, deregulation and the like. That does not seem to apply in France. Thats why the French can export an oil filter (or whatever) to the UK, and I can sell it back to someone like Bob back in France cheaper than he could buy it from his local dealer. The mind boggles.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 11 Sep 2003, 05:04

Jon,
This is what the Aussie Government refers to as "a level playing field."
It works like a football match; they play on the downhill slope & we play on the uphill; they do say level, which means 'no undulations' and don't make mention that the playing field is on the side of a slope.
When I get parts sent in by courier, my final account goes; invoice price + freight + Import duties - THEN + GST (Getting Screwed Tax) on the overall total.
I recently had some tyres fitted at a local tyre place and the account was detailed but included "Other" $4.40
When I asked what "Other" entailed, I was told "as it sez mayte, it's 'other!!' I don't know why I had to ask.[:D]
Alan S