Parts Shopping

[NewcastleFalcon]

Lets give this one a go. Your best tips and wrinkles and tricks of the trade...

One that I recently came across. Some of your "trade suppliers" you know the type of thing "motor factors" on industrial estates small fleet of vans supplying parts in the main to the local motor trade, rarely have an on-line offering where you can select and buy parts.

No but the good old fashioned telephone is your tool of choice. Far better than appearing at the counter and buying a particular part at the top end of their price flexibility.

I have found on a couple of my recent purchases they provided really keen prices. My local garage gets 4 deliveries a day and are quite happy to pop my stuff on their order.

Often worth looking past the ubiquitous ECP, but give them their due ECP do come up with some decent offers and discounts, and free delivery if you can wait.

Regards Neil

[white exec]

I find Mister Auto (PSA-owned) extraordinarily good here. Items are decently priced, a really good choice of brands, technical/dimensional details stated, and high levels of instantly available stock.

[GiveMeABreak]

For me it has to be Original OEM Parts - wherever I can get them, be it dealers from the bay of evil - surplus stock, Amazon, or PSA direct.

Never ECP from bad experiences on every single purchase or GSF - as I abide companies that inflate their prices 500% and then make out you're getting a bargain when they then give you 70% off - a complete joke and a reason why I never shop there.

Oh, nearly forgot - and never from anywhere that has 'Ali' at the beginning of their name.

[white exec]

Oh, agreed, Marc - OEM parts for vitals, bought either from Citroen or elsewhere.

[bobins]

I tend to keep a close eye on eBay and stock up on genuine Citroen OEM parts when they're cheap. I only get the parts I know I'll need - brake pads, drop links, wiper blades, etc, etc, and then they sit in the garage until I need them.

[GiveMeABreak]

Stop being a hoarder and leave some for me Robin!

[bobins]

Once I've bought all the stock I'll then start selling it off at vastly inflated prices

[GiveMeABreak]

You little GSF'er

[NewcastleFalcon]

Any non-oem'ers like me want to join in?

Your main dealers are like your Waitrose or M&S (and quite often more like Harrods and Fortnum and Mason! ) , Lidl and Aldi parts have served me well enough over the years, together with the odd skip dive round the back of ASDA (the metaphorical scrapyard). Only OEM parts I have knowingly fitted to my fleet in the last 20 years has been the odd bolt I have needed.

Very nearly bought a brake caliper repair kit with piston on line from Autodoc. Very impressed with their youtube maintenance videos....very professional. Their parts prices were good. Think they are based in Germany (home of Aldi and Lidl to continue the analogy) and many of the brands listed in their parts catalogue I had never heard of. Enough to put me off for now.

Regards Neil

[GiveMeABreak]

Steering racks aside.... but it's my belief that there are a lot of cheap cheap parts out there made to like the real deal and invariably as I see here time and time again, people buy these at a tenth or twentieth of the OEM price and wonder why they a) Don't fit, are b) DOA, or C) if they do work, they only last a short while.

But more significantly, because some think they have replaced the faulty part with an el cheapo new replacement and are still getting faults they start randomly changing other parts unnecessarily. Plus if the job is a bu**er to do accessibility wise, I would always want to reduce the likelihood of having to do said job again because of a premature failure down to naff quality.

So OEM for me has to be the way to go or certainly decent branded alternatives where practical. Obviously there are some exceptions, for covers and accessories and plastic parts - but anything electrical, mechanical or sensor related it would have to be decent quality.

[bobins]

That's why I play the waiting game on eBay - OEM parts do come up quite cheaply every now and then, filters are a case in point. Cabin, air, oil, and fuel filters are one of lifes certainties - so I make sure I've got hold of a cheap one of each in time for the next filter change on my car

[GiveMeABreak]

Same here, had my strut, both ARBs, Alarm module, Pollen Filters - all OEM but a ship of the OEM price.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Not sure if this is a genuine OEM accessory or a wind up ...er can't see any aftermarket copies of those!



...yes, not a wind up..straight from the horses mouth here

https://lifestyle.citroen.com/

Regards Neil

[GiveMeABreak]

No, genuine article, 99 Euros a set!

It’s what they’ve spent all the savings from Hydractive 4 R&D on.

[Peter.N.]

I have always headed to ebay for my parts, or at least since its been available. The competition ensures the prices are keen and the delivery times of most sellers means I get the parts the next day. I have had very few problems buying this way, apart from me not reading the description properly.

As I run cars the are only worth £500 or less I can't afford OEM parts and the price savings are amazing. I have just bought and fitted a cat for my 406 Hdi for about £85 which looks fine and fits perfectly, even came with the clamps, other prices go up to £200!

If you compare carefully the illustrations on ebay you will find that you can pay twice as much money for the identical part.

Peter