Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

There have been a few postings lately asking "where do I get such and such a part". I hope you find this posting useful as it's taken me ages to put together.

I have found it advantageous to always start with my Official Porsche Centre (OPC) at Wilmslow http://www.porschehost.com/home.asp?opc=wilmslow . I e-mail my list to them info@porschewilmslow.co.uk , and they respond with the prices. Then when I order anything I ask them for my TIPEC discount - and I know I'm getting it because I have the pre-discount prices in front of me. The following are a few of the things I have asked about recently. Prices are pre-discount (although I've read plenty of postings from disgruntled members who have been refused the discount by Porscheshop) and include VAT but not postage - although Porsche have yet to charge me for postage -

944 564 623 00 sunroof inner seal, i.e. the thin trim that goes round the opening - OPC £7.94, Porscheshop £17.68 (yes, a tenner more).

944 512 043 00 rear hatch seal - OPC £64.05, Porscheshop (OEM) £70.86.

944 512 365 01 rear lock seal left side - OPC £16.29, Porscheshop £18.93.

944 512 366 01 rear lock seal right side - OPC £16.29, Porscheshop £18.93.

I recently bought the bonnet release backing plate and front cover from OPC for £5.40. To get the same from Porscheshop is £23.71.

Somebody asked about the rear hatch lock seal - £4.45 including postage from Ebay, £5.40 plus postage from Porscheshop. I don't have the OPC price, but you could telephone 01625 445006 and ask them. (edit - Lindsay reckons about £1.50 - whch I can believe).

After getting the OPC prices I then check Ebay and a couple of others, but have yet to beat OPC on OEM trims and bespoke parts etc.

For mechanical, like brake discs, pads, exhausts, cam belts and rollers etc, I start at OPC for a laugh, and then do Ebay, ECP, GSF, Berlyn, Frazerpart, and then look in the USA at Autoparts Warehouse, Autohaus, Pelican and 944online.com. I got a pair of OEM engine mounts delivered for £40 all in from the states. I usually get the best results from ECP and GSF - and always ask them for, and always get a discount.

Tyres and MOT is my local HiQ http://www.hiqonline.co.uk/ based purely on price. Service and general maintenance is Autotech Services in Ashton-Under-Lyne http://www.autotech-garage.co.uk/ the country's most honest mechanic who has looked after all my cars for the last ten years or so.

This is only my experience, and everybody will have their own favourites - but my favourite tends to be the one who charges me the least

Closing note - always ask the OPC first.

Somebody had better read this

Thank you very much tri man. This is the very answer I was looking for.

Hi

Thats a VERY good post...I suspected that Porscheshop was more expensive than an OPC ... plus the fact they now seem to be refusing discounts says it all really....


I do similar to you on parts, small bits from OPC, big stuff from the States.... around half UK PRICE, I always reckon...

All the best Brett

My OPC won't supply parts for older cars. There just not interested. Unless you give them the exact part no. Which for my car is often difficult as it's a bit of a hybrid. They dont do returns if the parts not right! I find JMG http://www.jmgshop.com/ much more useful as they understand what I'm looking for. They also sometimes recommend something else. You also missed off GSF that still do discount for Tipec & are great for synthetic oil. Though not as cheap as they were thanks to the exchange rate. I also buy a lot of parts from the states. http://www.lindseyracing.com/ & http://www.944online.com/ Useful post.

Yep, great post and I have found the same. Only problem I have recently with OPC Bristol is the parts guy has moved on and his replacement not so willing to give any discount, but he hasn't been charging for postage, so swings and roundabouts really.
I quite enjoy hunting out a bargain and some you have highlighted are very surprising. Especially the tenner difference!
Something else to throw in ... when you buy from Porsche you of course are also guaranteed the quality and consistency.
I recently bought a track rod end from Porsche and one from one of the well known Porsche parts suppliers that was supposed to be OEM. To me OEM should be the same? It was a different design altogether and I find it hard to imagine the same factory knocking out the two different parts. However it was fine, and a lot cheaper than the Porsche part.
And of course the OPC generally has a good level of knowledge, although this is fading a bit now
Re the Porscheshop discount ..... I was told by them it had gone from 10% to 5% and then when invoice and card slip arrived they gave me nothing off. So not sure what the truth is, but not bothering with them now anyway.
What I need are some really cheap window rubbers and seals!!! The price of them is a complete joke wherever you look!

Regards
Paul

Interesting posts, I knew The Porscheshop take the pi$$ but FFS they really shouldnt be in business.

I hope everyone in TIPEC reads the 1st post and gives them a miss for any parts! They are a disgrace!!

For spares I try a few places.

Near me, I try FranklinHill Porsche (http://www.agclassics.com) for Porsche spares but they tend to deal more in older 944s. Other secondhand places I try are PH Sportscars or Porsch-Apart (pricey but I've been told that they don't sell rubbish unlike some breakers).

New is a mixed bag really. Whilst I've used Hartech for suspension/upgrades to it, I also use ECP for most spares (cheapest on radiators (seem to be OE too), GSF for belts, and OPC for many small bits, and maybe the odd service pack. PCT I find are quite competitive on a number of occasions especially on the service kits (£50 all in for a full service kit using OE/Genuine filters on a 944 S2 anyone? (GSF come close at £47 but that's using Mann filters and not selling an Air filter (an OE only part it appears for an S2)).

I used to use GSF for oil with their Total Quartz but they've gone to Fuchs now. I know my past cars preferred to run on Total (especially the French cars (but I guess they were designed to run on the stuff), and it stayed cleaner quite a while longer too, but I found buying oil from Millers Direct works out about the same as oil from GSF.

The previous owner to me used to use Porscheshop and Merlin Porsche, but I think he was also a PCGB member.

With eBay (and all other mail-order places), the postage can make a cheap item expensive. I have GSF a short cycle ride away (or a long walk) so I always check them first as they are often the cheapest after factoring in postage/driving elsewhere. Nearest Porsche dealer is 50 miles away in Exeter. Good call in sharing the best OPC dealer as they will obviously get much more business if they are helpful.

Surprised by the HiQ link - I went there for an exhaust for my Saab (GSF sell it for £89 inc clamp ic VAT). HiQ quoted me over £200 +VAT and I'd have to wait 2 days to get one delivered. Local indy tyre & exhaust place quoted me £100 all told, "Take about 20mins". Not even worth getting my hands dirty!

Always worth checking out local indie places (though a lot don't have internet presence) as well as eBay and OPC.

I agree ... I have a very good indie near me who really looks after me for batteries, brakes and tyres. They are brake and suspension specialists so they are doing all the work on mine at the moment. Been apart for two weeks so far Hopefully have her back for the weekend and one step closer to an MOT!

The HiQ is only for tyres and MOT - nothing else. My Dansk exhaust came from ECP.

Porsche Centre Kendal ask for Andy, top bloke i must do his head in asking for loads of mad little bits but he does oblige and gives me discount, i have known about Porschshop being a rip for years.
Mind you some OPC stuff is silly like a rotor arm £49 (YES £49) Bert at Berlyn £17 for a genuine Bosch jobby

ok boys,

dont think of this as been lazy but theres a few bits im looking 2 get and was just wondering if u may have all ready soucered the best priced parts,

decals
rear porsche logo
stone garuds
944 logo

rummer trim
boot lock
window scrapers and mayb rear 1/4 peaces

rad temp swicth

center caps coulored? large crest concaved 76-77 mm

floor mats
porsche shop are offer a set 40 pounds on there up coming open day, is this a collection only price?

front wheel bearings
not now but will do bracke pads and discs, 944S all do i would like 2 upgrade 2 big reds or 4 pots from turbo/s2 if anyone has any info?


many thanks

I'm sure I've read on the forums that the distributor cap and rotor arm etc are the same as a Volvo, but if you buy Volvo it's half the price.

Somebody will confirm it.

Ive given up pricing with Porsche shop as I have found on several occassions that the main dealer was actually cheaper.I also find that Porsche shop dont always give you the club discount even though they say that they have...be wary

Happened to me last week. No agreed discount from Porscheshop...

Regards
Paul