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Richard Treacy
Grand Master
Username: richard_treacy

Post Number: 206
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, 05 June, 2004 - 06:02 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Switching from the Gearbox Leak thread to a new one, but continuing the theme, I would like to make a few points. I have certain experience in capital goods industries (ie $100M plus capital purchase values), including supply management / purchasing and maintenance/service/repair aspects), and can state a few views I feel valid. Although of far lower purchase values, our cars do somehow fit the model rather well.

Let's put aside litigation and safety issues for now. These are dogging aircraft maintenance businesses, where bogus spares have caused a few disasters recently. That is a parallel issue.

I think Crewe has its spares strategy all wrong, but so does GM for that matter with not selling Turbo 400 sump gaskets for example. The cheek.

I am prepared to pay Crewe a reasonable premium for a one-stop guaranteed and reliable spares service. I believe all customers prefer this to doing a milk-run to secure the spares required for a job.

However, if an oil filter can be bought for $10 from Crossland, and the same item, often not even repackaged anymore, from Crewe, I feel cheated and my trust vanishes. By contrast, a steering rack from Crewe at $1,000 compared to $700 elsewhere is more palatable.

Likewise, to buy a transmission front seal for over $100 from the Crewe main dealer or $15 from GM really irks. OK, 85 bucks are peanuts (less than a tank of fuel where I live), but the factor of seven in prices really hits home.

Where GM makes its mistake is to drop a line like the sump gaskets mentioned and force us to cross town and cross-reference a NAPA part, a little unsure that it is the correct one afterall. That costs $1 per mile and $200 per hour or so for our time, eh ? Surely a reasonable margin to buy everything at a one-stop, comprehensive and reliable source makes sense in this context.

If Crewe (and GM for that matter) could arrange proper commissioned frame agreements with Crossland, NGK (plugs), NAPA and so on to keep Crewe outlets stocked by them directly with the correct spares we would all win. With no handling by Crewe, but a margin earned, one-stop risk-free parts for us, and great savings on time and travel costs would benefita all parties.

The UK parts discounters have come part way, but still have a long way to go.

I would prefer we don't all just spit at margins, but understand that these organisations need to learn a few more contemporary principles and reorganise their spares philosophies in a hurry.
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Larry
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 68.195.74.199
Posted on Monday, 07 June, 2004 - 11:04 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Yet, $200 an hour is way beyond most people's wildest dreams for example, so Bosch oil filters for $4.50 that are better than Crossland, or rebuilt racks of the longer lasting models for $400, as opposed to $700 becomes neccessary.

A good, online cross reference list where tested research has already been done telling which Napa, etc. Turbo 400 sump gasket is definitely correct (and for less money), or which GM $15 air pump check vakve is identical to the $85 one that Crewe will supply you with, or britishstarters.com for a $295US Nipppondenso Starter, instead of the $600 one from other suppliers, or even MORE money from Crewe, or which certain year Ford Cortina steering wheel hub adapter will work to fit a Shadow with a nicer steering wheel, since a hub adapter MADE for a Shadow is impossible to find, (or overpriced). (And my current search for a hub adapter cross reference that will work with my Silver Spur), or anything else that we find that is the correct item to buy for far less, is the kind of website & idea that we really could use.

Larry
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Richard Treacy
Grand Master
Username: richard_treacy

Post Number: 209
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Monday, 07 June, 2004 - 11:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Sorry, Larry,

Maybe $200 (Aussie Dollars as this is an Australian site) is a bit much to value your leisure time.

However, your points are in fact in line with my main theme.

If Crewe were smart, they would organise Bosch, Napa and the like to stock the Crewe spares outlets correctly and directly under frame agreements, we would all benefit. For that I would gladly pay, say, a premium of 20% over Derendinger or Napa. To be sure of all parts and to buy them all from the Crewe shop instead of hunting multiple sources for spares would be welcome.

My complaint is that we are paying far too much for most Crewe-sourced spares, especially for low-value service consumables.

Some less commonly-needed spares are even more apalling: Crewe hydraulic tappets at AUD450 each, substitutes for AUD$7 for example !!!! This is nuts.

I tells you two probably things: Crewe's spares overheads are out of control and their pricing is outrageously aggressive in many cases.

That leads us to look elsewhere, and Crewe is losing serious business through their silly pricing and purchasing policies. Unfortunately, they may give up on us as their spares sales evaporate as a consequence. That would be bad for us all.

The transparency of the Internet and e-mail has burst the bubble of secrecy.

I put my favoured UK spares outlet in contact with Britishstartes.com a long time ago, and britishstarters.com products will likely be a line item there soon. Bad luck, Crewe.
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Bill Coburn
Grand Master
Username: bill_coburn

Post Number: 170
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Tuesday, 08 June, 2004 - 11:18 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I have just obtained a 1984 brochure for my Spur. It is beautifully presented as usual with the very best spin but what chokes me is the Factory oft repeated claim that of all the Rolls-Royces produced since 1904 more than half are still on the road. This I suggest is not necessarily to the credit of the car but to idiots such as I who persevere with his car despite what common sense may dictate!
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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 258
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, 09 June, 2004 - 08:40 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Hi Bill,

Remember the old saying:-

"There is no fool like an old fool!!"

What is worse is an old fool with a large bank balance and a R-R/B car!!!!!!

(Message edited by david_gore on June 09, 2004)
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John Dare
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 144.138.194.240
Posted on Friday, 06 August, 2004 - 02:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

There I was, driving along in the Range Rover, marvelling at the quietness of the differential/s (All THREE of them!) and then.. SUDDENLY my speedo failed!. "Goodness me", I mused, "will I be up for a transducer at 325 pounds, as fitted to those EFI Turbo jobs I never stop hearing about?" and, "what IF, after all that, its not lacquered inside?". With trembling hands and beading perspiration, I nervously opened up my trusty UK catalog and lo and behold.. THERE it was.. "my" TRANSDUCER, and for ONLY 35 pounds!. At such a REALISTIC and REASONABLE price, I purchased TWO, and, unable to resist the temptation,carefully dissected the "spare" to see...LACQUER!. REAL,GENUINE,LACQUER, and SO very SHINY too, covering all of the little bits and pieces. "Oh, joy and wonder,WHAT a truly SUPERLATIVE piece!" I did exclaim, being ever SO grateful that I had not had to pay 10 (TEN!) times "the price" and THEN not get any shiny LACQUER, not even a teensy bit. So now things are back as they were with speedo working and all(3) differentials quiet. Who said life wasnt meant to be easy?
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John Dare
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 144.138.194.59
Posted on Wednesday, 18 August, 2004 - 10:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

About 4 years ago I supplied a pair of FACTORY front (vented) discs (yes..yes..in the FACTORY "packaging" ex UK etc!) and NOW after minimal miles/kms., a RECOGNIZED R-R EXPERT has noted that the pressed steel(??) centre, as "swaged" over castellations in the outer cast rotor (any "experts" seen ANY disc from any OTHER make/model car constructed in this manner?)has GROSSLY distorted resulting in the disc running well out of "true". NOT conducive to efficient braking!. Now I feel obliged to offer the gentleman SOME form of compensation but, HEY.. wait just a minute.. THIS hasnt happened to the discs on my "Porsche" (either of them) nor on my Range Rover; front vented disc for the latter, A$120 ea. versus A$650 ea. for vented R-R!. To add INSULT to injury, I often have to read (and digest) a load of old cobblers about so called "SUPERLATIVE" parts, a term (of misgiuded endearment?) frequently ascribed by mesmerised worshippers and the blinded "party faithful". Radiator header tank on my Shadow is beyond reclamation (today; 18/8) but from my spares stock I was fortunate to have a sound used one. A new one.. last price I recall, was well in excess of A$1000. Same/similar part for a 1994 "Range Rover" V8; 26 (twenty six)pounds stg. net without VAT, translating to under A$100 landed here in the "other" side of the world. As stated earlier, involvement with other makes of cars is both enlightening and edifying, tending to bring one into sharp focus with the realities which abound in the non rarified atmosphere of the real world.
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Dwayne Kennemore
Frequent User
Username: dkennemo

Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Monday, 27 September, 2004 - 11:57 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Gentlemen,

Speaking of spares sourcing, I've been looking everywhere for, but have been unable to find, a gas gauge sending unit for my Silver Shadow. Easy enough to replace, it seems, but not something I've been able to find after some effort. Is there such thing as a universal available?

And - my gas tank is full of rust! Is there any way to cheaply locate a spare or maybe some treatment I might apply???

Thanks,
Dwayne
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Chip
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 67.62.68.55
Posted on Wednesday, 13 April, 2005 - 08:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Re - replacement tappets - what are the specifics on that, might need to do that on SRX1248. Got a lead on pushrods too? Wouldn't mind looking into that!

Cheers
SRX1248's caretaker

(Message approved by david_gore)