I have had cause to look for parts for my Suzuki Grand Vitara (Harmonic Balancer) , Dometic aircon (Temp probe), and my RV.(Steel Wheel)
I have come to the conclusion that Nobody stocks parts these days. It will have to be brought in from Melbourne Sydney Perth wherever.
I recently went to a Ford agent/service centre in Brisbane that operate a 24/7 service centre for a water pump for a Ford Escape 2004 model so not at all ancient. Don't have the part will have to come from Melbourne.
Begs the question after reading numerous posts re "What Tug to Buy" and the answers given, stick to the big names parts are easy to get.
Buy a Holden ,Toyota ,Nissan , Mazda........ everyone has parts all over OZ. Yeah, wait for it to be shipped in, It doesn't matter where you are you are, you are going to have to wait for it to come in.
Golddetectornomad said
06:32 PM Jun 21, 2013
Have you tried getting a set of 16" tyres for your Suzuki Grand Vitara lately?....I just tried for my wife's Suzuki Grand Vitara......I thought easy peasy, common 16" tyres ..phoned Bob Jane Bendigo..reply by Manager... "none in stock..gee they are a real difficult tyre to get hold of....I will ring warehouse in Melbourne and see if I can locate 4 for you...I told him any brand would do....waited a day and heard nothing whatsoever.....then rang Goodyear Bendigo...."none in stock...they are not a common size tyre for a Vitara...16" are hard to find".........I said the car is stock standard and I don't care what brand so long as they are new, and there are thousands of Suzuki Vitara's on the road as they have been around for years now so why a problem?...he managed to get 4 from Melbourne and I had them fitted 2 days later...if one can't easily get tyres for them I can see why you have had problems obtaining parts Yuglamron...carrying stock is dead money so very little is actually stocked by Dealers...same with GME, UHF parts/accessories etc etc all have to be ordered by Dealers these days........Hoo Roo
2foot6 said
09:21 PM Jun 21, 2013
Have you tried to buy 14" tyres for a Suzuki Alto,the car is still sold today (new)Almost impossible to get,and when you find one ,they are $60 dearer than a tyre that can be used to replace the Suzuki tyre.I ended up putting on four tyres the next size up at a cost of $320 instead of $560.The tyre dealer OKed the fitting,and said it was safe,I believe him ,what would I know.It turns out the recommended tyre for the Suzuki alto, is only used on the Suzuki alto,so dealers don't carry stock.If you can't find spares for your vehicle when they are still being sold new ,what hope do we have when they are ten years old?Cheers Peter.
kandagal said
10:13 PM Jun 21, 2013
We put new tyres on our Suzuki just 3 weeks before it was wrecked. Sob Sob. Since we have bought the replacement Grand Vitari we have bought some parts - something for the clutch I think. We got the parts from Suzuki dealer in Nundah (Brisbane suburb). There is a guy in Lawnton (just north of Brisbane) who also did a job for us this week (replaced the seal on the crankshaft) & Keith was very happy with his workmanship & also with the price charged. he said he would recommend him for any jobs on a Suzuki. (They only work on Suzukis).
herbie said
04:27 AM Jun 22, 2013
Son was telling me, that he was after new tyer's for his Troopy,and the same old storey,,,We have to order them,He said .but mate your a tire business that's all you sell.!!!!He ended up ordering 5 new tires off the inter net delivered to his door out in Longreach ,for the price under half price from the quote in in Longreach.
Mark said
06:26 AM Jun 22, 2013
Whilst I feel sorry for the trouble you had with your initial post of stepping on a chainaman, this post is hardly realistic is it!!
The vehicle is 9 years old and you expect people to stock spare parts!!
By law the manufacturer only has to stock them at the central warehouse for 7 years and after that it becomes a factory supply from the initial manufacturer of the part who again, is only legally obliged to stock for 7 years after the final production run, to my knowledge the Suzuki Vitara has had several different build types based upon several different vehicle chassis and components. I don't know where you are located, but, I am currently in Broome and working as a mechanic in a non franchised workshop, we deal with everything as there are only three dealerships in town, so, we get to see all sorts and have somewhere in the region of 25 vehicles at any one time in the compound awaiting parts from over east, or even the far east if we have to. We have some vehicles that are less then 5 years old but because there is not a dealership in town to support the poor sod that bought the vehicle in Perth and is now on his holidays, it has to be shipped, freight, charges, it's unreal. We have customers with 1 year old Mercedes and BMW's that bought the car in Perth and didn't think about warranty, logbook service, spares, diagnostic facilities, or anything else that should be a consideration, but, they expect a workshop to hold all the parts under the sun, have the diagnostic equipment specific to that vehicle, the special tools, literature etc..etc...etc..., get real!!
Now the parts you say you need, a harmonic balancer (or to the untrained) a great big round thing that goes on the back of the bottom pulley on the crankshaft that smooths out any vibration, in reality, how often do these things fail?? Not very often. A Dometic Air Temp Probe.............. MMMmmm well, how many different types of probles are there, I needed some parts for my own Dometic aircon (less than a year old) ordered direct from Dometic over East, at the caravan park reception three days later!! Are you relying on your local Dometic agent to get them for you?? I'm sure he'll be trying to source those from an existing supplier because it easier for him!! and best of all, steel wheels, go on the internet and look up steel wheels, 27,000 hits, now look at images, 13,500 different types!!
IF you owned a business of spare parts, what would you stock, the fast moving current items or the bits that somebody MIGHT want as they are passing.
And sorry, but does going to a 24/7 workshop mean they are gonna carry spares for a 9 year old vehicle, I've been to 24 hour supermarkets but they still run out of bread and milk (until the supplier supplies)
I wonder if you have ever owned your own business that supplies spare parts? I'm assuming not. Isn't this all part of the big travelling adventure?
I'm sorry to have a go, but please, don't blame people for running their businesses as efficiently as they can, overheads are huge without stocking charges and redundent stocks. I know my boss would LOVE to be able to clear the backlog for the customers, and get paid for the work already done, but also so we didn't have to insure the vehicles (at his cost) whilst on the premises, keep the batteries charged (at his cost for the electricity and the chargers) and wash the bloody things when they eventually do move off site (at his cost as it doesn't look good handing back a vehicle covered in red dust)
And yes, what vehicle do you buy!! They are all faced with the same problems of shipping, frieght, stocking charges, overheads, etc..etc..etc..
Mark
DeBe said
12:06 PM Jun 22, 2013
If you buy a Ford or Holden made in Australia (at the monent), there is a fair chance there is plenty of parts avalable around Australia & easy to get. Most of the parts can be got readily from a local wreckers if its needed in a hurry. Or as aftermarket parts from Sprints or simmilar places. These days theres plenty of low Ks vehicles writenoff (doesnt take mutch for insurers to write off a vehicle these days) in the wreckers for good parts.
-- Edited by DeBe on Saturday 22nd of June 2013 12:11:22 PM
Since my last post re stepping on a Chinaman.
I have had cause to look for parts for my Suzuki Grand Vitara (Harmonic Balancer) , Dometic aircon (Temp probe), and my RV.(Steel Wheel)
I have come to the conclusion that Nobody stocks parts these days. It will have to be brought in from Melbourne Sydney Perth wherever.
I recently went to a Ford agent/service centre in Brisbane that operate a 24/7 service centre for a water pump for a Ford Escape 2004 model so not at all ancient. Don't have the part will have to come from Melbourne.
Begs the question after reading numerous posts re "What Tug to Buy" and the answers given, stick to the big names parts are easy to get.
Buy a Holden ,Toyota ,Nissan , Mazda........ everyone has parts all over OZ. Yeah, wait for it to be shipped in, It doesn't matter where you are you are, you are going to have to wait for it to come in.
Have you tried to buy 14" tyres for a Suzuki Alto,the car is still sold today (new)Almost impossible to get,and when you find one ,they are $60 dearer than a tyre that can be used to replace the Suzuki tyre.I ended up putting on four tyres the next size up at a cost of $320 instead of $560.The tyre dealer OKed the fitting,and said it was safe,I believe him ,what would I know.It turns out the recommended tyre for the Suzuki alto, is only used on the Suzuki alto,so dealers don't carry stock.If you can't find spares for your vehicle when they are still being sold new ,what hope do we have when they are ten years old?Cheers Peter.
Son was telling me, that he was after new tyer's for his Troopy,and the same old storey,,,We have to order them,He said .but mate your a tire business that's all you sell.!!!!He ended up ordering 5 new tires off the inter net delivered to his door out in Longreach ,for the price under half price from the quote in in Longreach.
Whilst I feel sorry for the trouble you had with your initial post of stepping on a chainaman, this post is hardly realistic is it!!
The vehicle is 9 years old and you expect people to stock spare parts!!
By law the manufacturer only has to stock them at the central warehouse for 7 years and after that it becomes a factory supply from the initial manufacturer of the part who again, is only legally obliged to stock for 7 years after the final production run, to my knowledge the Suzuki Vitara has had several different build types based upon several different vehicle chassis and components. I don't know where you are located, but, I am currently in Broome and working as a mechanic in a non franchised workshop, we deal with everything as there are only three dealerships in town, so, we get to see all sorts and have somewhere in the region of 25 vehicles at any one time in the compound awaiting parts from over east, or even the far east if we have to. We have some vehicles that are less then 5 years old but because there is not a dealership in town to support the poor sod that bought the vehicle in Perth and is now on his holidays, it has to be shipped, freight, charges, it's unreal. We have customers with 1 year old Mercedes and BMW's that bought the car in Perth and didn't think about warranty, logbook service, spares, diagnostic facilities, or anything else that should be a consideration, but, they expect a workshop to hold all the parts under the sun, have the diagnostic equipment specific to that vehicle, the special tools, literature etc..etc...etc..., get real!!
Now the parts you say you need, a harmonic balancer (or to the untrained) a great big round thing that goes on the back of the bottom pulley on the crankshaft that smooths out any vibration, in reality, how often do these things fail?? Not very often. A Dometic Air Temp Probe.............. MMMmmm well, how many different types of probles are there, I needed some parts for my own Dometic aircon (less than a year old) ordered direct from Dometic over East, at the caravan park reception three days later!! Are you relying on your local Dometic agent to get them for you?? I'm sure he'll be trying to source those from an existing supplier because it easier for him!! and best of all, steel wheels, go on the internet and look up steel wheels, 27,000 hits, now look at images, 13,500 different types!!
IF you owned a business of spare parts, what would you stock, the fast moving current items or the bits that somebody MIGHT want as they are passing.
And sorry, but does going to a 24/7 workshop mean they are gonna carry spares for a 9 year old vehicle, I've been to 24 hour supermarkets but they still run out of bread and milk (until the supplier supplies)
I wonder if you have ever owned your own business that supplies spare parts? I'm assuming not. Isn't this all part of the big travelling adventure?
I'm sorry to have a go, but please, don't blame people for running their businesses as efficiently as they can, overheads are huge without stocking charges and redundent stocks. I know my boss would LOVE to be able to clear the backlog for the customers, and get paid for the work already done, but also so we didn't have to insure the vehicles (at his cost) whilst on the premises, keep the batteries charged (at his cost for the electricity and the chargers) and wash the bloody things when they eventually do move off site (at his cost as it doesn't look good handing back a vehicle covered in red dust)
And yes, what vehicle do you buy!! They are all faced with the same problems of shipping, frieght, stocking charges, overheads, etc..etc..etc..
Mark
If you buy a Ford or Holden made in Australia (at the monent), there is a fair chance there is plenty of parts avalable around Australia & easy to get. Most of the parts can be got readily from a local wreckers if its needed in a hurry. Or as aftermarket parts from Sprints or simmilar places. These days theres plenty of low Ks vehicles writenoff (doesnt take mutch for insurers to write off a vehicle these days) in the wreckers for good parts.
-- Edited by DeBe on Saturday 22nd of June 2013 12:11:22 PM