Why are Audi dealerships reluctant to give out part numbers?

The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?

"Hooch" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>

suppose its easy to Google..........

"Hooch" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>

Because they are not daft. They have seen it all before and know that the
only reason you want to know is to source it cheaper elsewhere. They are not
a charity.

Huw

On Aug 23, 12:02 am, "Huw" > wrote:
> "Hooch" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> > The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> > price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> > number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>
> Because they are not daft. They have seen it all before and know that the
> only reason you want to know is to source it cheaper elsewhere.

Not necessarily. You may just need the part number for future
reference. It would save you (and them) the effort of looking it up a
second time.

> They are not a charity.

Of course. It seems that they make more money from parts than from
new cars!

"Madesio" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:35:21 -0000, Hooch >
> wrote:
>
>>On Aug 23, 12:02 am, "Huw" > wrote:
>>> "Hooch" > wrote in message
>>>
>>> oups.com...
>>>
>>> > The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
>>> > price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
>>> > number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>>>
>>> Because they are not daft. They have seen it all before and know that
>>> the
>>> only reason you want to know is to source it cheaper elsewhere.
>>
>>Not necessarily. You may just need the part number for future
>>reference. It would save you (and them) the effort of looking it up a
>>second time.
>
> (...)
>
> Parts personnel at dealerships are sometimes payed based on sales
> commissions. I'd have to side with them because if I were in there
> place, hell I wouldn't give out the part number either.

And if he bought the part he would indeed have the part number for future
reference...ergo everyone is happy. A lot of cheaper parts hardly pay for
the storemans time in finding them and the admin involved but at the end of
the day it costs a lot of money to keep these businesses going. They can
usually spot a time waster or chancer a mile off and boy do they need to.
;-)

Huw

On Aug 23, 11:07 am, Madesio > wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:35:21 -0000, Hooch >
> wrote:
>
> >On Aug 23, 12:02 am, "Huw" > wrote:
> >> "Hooch" > wrote in message
>
> groups.com...
>
> >> > The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> >> > price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> >> > number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>
> >> Because they are not daft. They have seen it all before and know that the
> >> only reason you want to know is to source it cheaper elsewhere.
>
> >Not necessarily. You may just need the part number for future
> >reference. It would save you (and them) the effort of looking it up a
> >second time.
>
> (...)
>
> Parts personnel at dealerships are sometimes payed based on sales
> commissions. I'd have to side with them because if I were in there
> place, hell I wouldn't give out the part number either.

They obviously haven't quite grasped the concept of goodwill, then?

On Aug 23, 2:20 pm, "Huw" > wrote:
> "Madesio" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:35:21 -0000, Hooch >
> > wrote:
>
> >>On Aug 23, 12:02 am, "Huw" > wrote:
> >>> "Hooch" > wrote in message
>
> egroups.com...
>
> >>> > The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> >>> > price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> >>> > number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?
>
> >>> Because they are not daft. They have seen it all before and know that
> >>> the
> >>> only reason you want to know is to source it cheaper elsewhere.
>
> >>Not necessarily. You may just need the part number for future
> >>reference. It would save you (and them) the effort of looking it up a
> >>second time.
>
> > (...)
>
> > Parts personnel at dealerships are sometimes payed based on sales
> > commissions. I'd have to side with them because if I were in there
> > place, hell I wouldn't give out the part number either.
>
> And if he bought the part he would indeed have the part number for future
> reference...ergo everyone is happy.

And many such parts are a one-off purchase. No need for future
reference.

> A lot of cheaper parts hardly pay for
> the storemans time in finding them and the admin involved but at the end of
> the day it costs a lot of money to keep these businesses going. They can
> usually spot a time waster or chancer a mile off and boy do they need to.
> ;-)

Here's a case in point. I needed a power steering hose for an Audi.
Went to the main dealer, he looked up the part number for me, gave me
the price and the part number. Given the expense (GBP 135) I looked
around for second hand units or alternatives. Couldn't find one,
phoned the dealer and ordered it over the phone. He didn't have to
waste time looking it up again.

"Hooch" > wrote in message
ups.com...

SNIP

> Here's a case in point. I needed a power steering hose for an Audi.
> Went to the main dealer, he looked up the part number for me, gave me
> the price and the part number. Given the expense (GBP 135) I looked
> around for second hand units or alternatives. Couldn't find one,
> phoned the dealer and ordered it over the phone. He didn't have to
> waste time looking it up again.


I have talked to dealers that will fax you the diagram of the parts just to
make sure that it is the right part. No one wants to order the wrong parts!
lol
Not sure if the parts numbers are on the diagram but there has to be some
sort of identifying number.
I think that is above and beyond what they "have" to do!

I guess it depends on the dealership. 8^)
Now if you have to order that part, they usually make you pay for it and
maybe you can buy over the phone with a CC.

If you really need the part number then isn't there a Russian site with the
part numbers?
Or can't you buy the ETKA software in Europe?

I use this one online
http://etka.auto2.ru/ which I think gets redirected to http://www.vagcat.com

On Aug 25, 1:34 am, "dave AKA vwdoc1" > wrote:
> "Hooch" > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> SNIP
>
> > Here's a case in point. I needed a power steering hose for an Audi.
> > Went to the main dealer, he looked up the part number for me, gave me
> > the price and the part number. Given the expense (GBP 135) I looked
> > around for second hand units or alternatives. Couldn't find one,
> > phoned the dealer and ordered it over the phone. He didn't have to
> > waste time looking it up again.
>
> I have talked to dealers that will fax you the diagram of the parts just to
> make sure that it is the right part. No one wants to order the wrong parts!
> lol
> Not sure if the parts numbers are on the diagram but there has to be some
> sort of identifying number.
> I think that is above and beyond what they "have" to do!

I think the "identifying number" maps to the VAG part number
elsewhere.

> I guess it depends on the dealership. 8^)
> Now if you have to order that part, they usually make you pay for it and
> maybe you can buy over the phone with a CC.
>
> If you really need the part number then isn't there a Russian site with the
> part numbers?
> Or can't you buy the ETKA software in Europe?
>
> I use this one onlinehttp://etka.auto2.ru/which I think gets redirected tohttp://www.vagcat.com

Thanks, very useful indeed!

> The times I've phoned up (various) Audi dealerships to find out the
> price of a part, they seem to have been reluctant to give out the part
> number. Anyone know why this is the case? Is this just a UK problem?

http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/bitz.html lists the three
databases. It's conventional to refer to "the Family Album".