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    UK Parts Alliance Archived Message

    Posted by Peter Warman on April 3, 2004, 9:01 am, in reply to "Re: AUTOSAFE"

    Hi Rob

    Could you outline any of the schemes for us. Looking at the Parts Alliance website, it looks as if it is just a collection of Motor Factors in a buying group, how would that benefit the Independent Garage?

    Surley any scheme that involves a part supplier (Unipart Car Care, UK Parts Alliance, Autosafe, Delphi Brake Centre etc) is going to revolve around getting you to buy from that supplier. The idea of say "UKAT Service Centre", is that it is an alliance of UK Technicians who are willing to help and support each other with the way we run our businesses, help with technical problems, not tie ourselves to one supplier

    Since the closure of the Express Factors, i have thought quite a bit about how we are treated by suppliers

    1st: Unipart made quite a fuss quite a few years ago because car care centres bought parts other than Unipart, so for the last few years i bought Unipart parts from Express as a first line supplier. Now Express Factors have gone, and Unipart want me to buy from Parto, who supply me with parts from Unipart, Cooper, Mintex, Powertrain, Champion, NGK, Gabriel, Timax etc, so they have changed the goal posts because it suits them, brand loyalty is out the window

    2nd: About 2 years ago i did use A.R.E for about 6 months and the rep persuaded me to sign up to Brembo and Ferodo fitting centres, giving me all the woffle about how they are the best braking products. Months later A.R.E change from Ferodo to Delphi, so the rep came back sheepishly to tell me that they cannot support Ferodo anymore, and now Delphi is the best and can i change......i stopped using them after that fiasco

    How many of use have struck up a good friendship with a Motor Factor rep, used them because the rep was efficient and very helpful. Then that rep leaves and goes to a rival company, them comes back to you and tell's you how good his new company is, trying to get you to change suppliers again.

    So from now on i will just use a supplier that suits my needs and supplies quality products, good delivery service, which happends to be Camberley Motor Factors in Crawley .

    Peter

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