Bosch D Jet part numbers
- Thread starter coupeguy
- Start date
Bwana
Well-Known Member
You mean the VIN number or the Texas Registration?
Texas registration
My experience with multiple BMW parts people is that they have little to no training on vintage car parts. Because of US Mercedes Benz dealer complaints about gray market cars sold into the US, federal legislation was passed long ago "requiring" (enabling would be a better word) foreign car manufacturers to deny shipments of parts to the US for cars not sold in the US.
This legislation does not apply to vintage cars, but BMW parts people are only told that BMW cannot ship parts for European cars to the US. To make matters worse, BMW codes this "do not ship to the US" information into their parts systems. And this information is not updated once vehicles hit vintage status.
I once had to fight for a month with BMW about the check valve for our brake boosters because they had been coded with this "do not ship" information. And BMW showed 51 in stock in the US. (It would have been easier to buy the part from Volvo or Mercedes Benz, but sometime I have a low tolerance for stupid.)
It is the same problem with the BMW parts guys thinking all cars have 17 digit VINs. The 17 digit VIN was required in 1981; cars sold prior to that do not have standardized VINs. The parts people even at the "Certified Classic" centers, are not trained on this stuff.
This legislation does not apply to vintage cars, but BMW parts people are only told that BMW cannot ship parts for European cars to the US. To make matters worse, BMW codes this "do not ship to the US" information into their parts systems. And this information is not updated once vehicles hit vintage status.
I once had to fight for a month with BMW about the check valve for our brake boosters because they had been coded with this "do not ship" information. And BMW showed 51 in stock in the US. (It would have been easier to buy the part from Volvo or Mercedes Benz, but sometime I have a low tolerance for stupid.)
It is the same problem with the BMW parts guys thinking all cars have 17 digit VINs. The 17 digit VIN was required in 1981; cars sold prior to that do not have standardized VINs. The parts people even at the "Certified Classic" centers, are not trained on this stuff.
Bwana
Well-Known Member
Bingo. Once again Don shows himself to be the most experienced in the room.
And yes you are correct about the "do not ship" instruction. There are four of these in PA but I had to give them a copy of my title (Texas doesn't have paper registration, just the plate sticker) and they have to fill out a special form to submit both before it will go on order. We had to prove it is a Euro car it was going to and not a U.S. car. At least I didn't have to show my passport
Why would there be a restriction on a particular part? I can possibly understand a European temperature sensor being used on a U.S. car to beat some sort of emissions rule, it is a '72 and the U.S. was just beginning to impose smog testing. But why would a check valve be restricted? Just to be sure the car is immobilized if something ever fails?
It's not completely the parts guys inexperience. My second-main-man-40-year-BMW-assistant-manager-parts-guy-Johnny had never seen this before. And he sold Coupe parts when Coupes were new. He knew the P/N of the little plastic boot on the door latch off the top of his head and knew what the temperature probe was that I was looking for. But luckily (and the reason I asked to have him come up front and help) he knew the secret phone number to the corporate guy that knew the answer. I am getting a couple of the younger guys trained up on vintage stuff, they even know about the 7 digit VIN and how to switch their system from U.S. spec to European spec.
Edit: I wonder why the parts are even in this country if they are not allowed to be sold without special permission? Seems like an added expense on the off chance a legit import needs an obscure part.
Thanks again Don!