TomkinsonBMWParts website
- Thread starter Cateyes
- Start date
Oh no...
Are they getting out of the classic parts side of the business?
Are they getting out of the classic parts side of the business?
Bad news
It's a shame because they seemed to have the best prices and I always found their customer service to be outstanding. There are other options that are close in price and service, fortunately.
It's a shame because they seemed to have the best prices and I always found their customer service to be outstanding. There are other options that are close in price and service, fortunately.
This is very interesting to me.
I don't buy from Tomkinson but I do/did have a good relationship with my local dealer and good prices as well. I try to support my local dealer and economy.
Recently I ordered some parts that I see are still shown as available.
My dealer trusted me to give them parts numbers and did not make me pre pay for parts.
I am going to totally disassemble my coupe this fall and redo the body.
I have just about finished all the mechanicals including an engine rebuild.
The parts I ordered are the covers that go over the rear shock towers.
Mine were broken. I have the elephant hide material to recover the floors etc.
Went to pick up the parts and the left rear was correct as a plastic cover with a very thin foam liner. The right rear was just the foam liner. No cover. Each part was over $100 and I refused these two parts since one was not correct and I was worried they would not match if I kept one. The color was also way off from the elephant hide I have.
That day I get a email from the parts manager saying I would have to prepay for parts and provide a VIN number. Of course a VIN number does very little for these cars and shows his lack of experience with the classics.
I do know that they have to pay a restocking fee for parts that are not picked up or paid for and he also gets a lot of grief from the dealer for parts inventory.
That said I have had a standing order for the front left headlight grill for 20 months now. I have mentioned this before about the grills here on the site.
I attend a lot of classic shows and have met the guys from the Classic division in Germany. I even sat at a dinner table with them in Hilton Head a couple years ago.
I have been in touch with them about this grill and have be told at least 3 times that they are going to make some more. I just get the same story every time. Oh, it will be 3-4 months.
I even contacted the ombudsman for BMWNA and he tried, only to get the same story.
What they really want is for me to give them my car to restore and a blank check. They are restoring a number of cars for US owners. Most of them are models like a 328 or 507.
It's becoming very apparent that they really don't care about individuals and there "projects".
Personally I see this as very serious. If parts supply for many of the classics totally dries up the values of our cars will tank because then it will change to only the folks with mega bucks that can pay whatever for parts and have the parts restored or have them made.
I think the dealers are beginning to see the problems with parts orders and the associated 25% restocking fee dealers are charged for returned parts.
This is why dealers are evaluating this process.
Please if anyone has any more knowledge about this subject please let us know?
Gary Beck
Atlanta
I don't buy from Tomkinson but I do/did have a good relationship with my local dealer and good prices as well. I try to support my local dealer and economy.
Recently I ordered some parts that I see are still shown as available.
My dealer trusted me to give them parts numbers and did not make me pre pay for parts.
I am going to totally disassemble my coupe this fall and redo the body.
I have just about finished all the mechanicals including an engine rebuild.
The parts I ordered are the covers that go over the rear shock towers.
Mine were broken. I have the elephant hide material to recover the floors etc.
Went to pick up the parts and the left rear was correct as a plastic cover with a very thin foam liner. The right rear was just the foam liner. No cover. Each part was over $100 and I refused these two parts since one was not correct and I was worried they would not match if I kept one. The color was also way off from the elephant hide I have.
That day I get a email from the parts manager saying I would have to prepay for parts and provide a VIN number. Of course a VIN number does very little for these cars and shows his lack of experience with the classics.
I do know that they have to pay a restocking fee for parts that are not picked up or paid for and he also gets a lot of grief from the dealer for parts inventory.
That said I have had a standing order for the front left headlight grill for 20 months now. I have mentioned this before about the grills here on the site.
I attend a lot of classic shows and have met the guys from the Classic division in Germany. I even sat at a dinner table with them in Hilton Head a couple years ago.
I have been in touch with them about this grill and have be told at least 3 times that they are going to make some more. I just get the same story every time. Oh, it will be 3-4 months.
I even contacted the ombudsman for BMWNA and he tried, only to get the same story.
What they really want is for me to give them my car to restore and a blank check. They are restoring a number of cars for US owners. Most of them are models like a 328 or 507.
It's becoming very apparent that they really don't care about individuals and there "projects".
Personally I see this as very serious. If parts supply for many of the classics totally dries up the values of our cars will tank because then it will change to only the folks with mega bucks that can pay whatever for parts and have the parts restored or have them made.
I think the dealers are beginning to see the problems with parts orders and the associated 25% restocking fee dealers are charged for returned parts.
This is why dealers are evaluating this process.
Please if anyone has any more knowledge about this subject please let us know?
Gary Beck
Atlanta
Attachments
The photo of the grey cover, isn't it pliable and not stiff and breakable plastic like the original? The black one is weird, never seen a liner for underneath. Have they changed their product again, anyone?
Yes it is.
The dark gray one is the liner material of the light gray one.
It's as if they didn't get them attached.
Weird.....
I asked Tomkinson and they give a 10% discount for parts to BMW CCA members. Is that what most dealers give? Or is the average 15%, 20%, 25%?
Maybe we can request the parts manager at each dealership to publicize their discount and have that accessible on the BMW CCA member website under discounts. Or is that already a page that is on there?
Maybe we can request the parts manager at each dealership to publicize their discount and have that accessible on the BMW CCA member website under discounts. Or is that already a page that is on there?
If you are a BMCCA member then there have been ads in the Roundel magazine by dealers and parts suppliers.
Most but not all dealers will honor a 10% BMWCCA discount but as I said above they are requiring a CC# for payment to order the parts and a few actually make you come to the parts counter to order.
One that I see with a quick look in the Roundel is GETBMWPARTS.com
I have seen these guys at BMW meets and they seem interested in your business. What discount they offer I do not know?
There are dealers out there that will discount up to 25% if you are buying a lot of parts.
Sometimes it's about the relationship you may have with a dealer.
I know I take my car's to special events at the dealer just for display.
Usually gets you a few brownie points.
Good luck and let us know if you find something special?
Gary
Most but not all dealers will honor a 10% BMWCCA discount but as I said above they are requiring a CC# for payment to order the parts and a few actually make you come to the parts counter to order.
One that I see with a quick look in the Roundel is GETBMWPARTS.com
I have seen these guys at BMW meets and they seem interested in your business. What discount they offer I do not know?
There are dealers out there that will discount up to 25% if you are buying a lot of parts.
Sometimes it's about the relationship you may have with a dealer.
I know I take my car's to special events at the dealer just for display.
Usually gets you a few brownie points.
Good luck and let us know if you find something special?
Gary
Bwana
Well-Known Member
This ^^^^
Shortly after I cot my Coupe, I went to the dealer on a Saturday looking for some "standard" parts. I believe one of them was the plastic thingy on the door latch that allows you to shut it without slamming it. By pure co-incidence, the parts manager was behind the counter. He had been selling BMW parts since our cars were new. He knew the P/N off the top of his head. He and one of the other senior guys took a real interest in helping me restore my car. Gives me a good discount and never asks about pre-paying (I just picked up my new windshield this morning). Whenever I go in with my Coupe, I park it in the service drive thru even though I'm going to Parts. There's always a small crowd around it taking pictures when I come out. Good press for the dealership. Good suggestion about turning up for special events, I think I'll check on that.
I also had some problems with the fender covers. I finally got two servicable ones after four or five tries. I don't think they store them corectly in Germany.
Gary - I had a conversation with BMW Classic at the PVGP. If your thought is correct, the talk track they are using is pretty deceptive. If this is a concerted effort to drive us "hack mechanics" out of the car restoration process, that would really piss me off. I am very careful about the parts I use on my cars, and have spent a lot of time on all three of my BMWs fixing half assed repairs done by "professional" mechanics.
I have been loyal to BMW for 15 years now. That said, if they intend to prevent those of us who own these cars from being able to maintain them, I may need to change to another Marque.
Chris,
Catching up here.
Yes, I too worry about this a little.
I found the Classic group to just say "ok" and the "part is coming" because they really don't know and that gets us off their backs.
To their credit they did get new tool boxes made for the E9 and a few others. There is/was a list of parts they have had remanufactured. Don't have time to look for that now.
I found the parts departments to be the last man on the totem pole at dealers. A necessary evil so to speak.
I have also found a number of parts that are coming mislabeled or miss packaged. Luckily the parts departments can return those without to much trouble.
You see someone Bwana had trouble with the fender covers and had to order them mutltiple times.
I have had a left front headlight grill on order for 2 months shy of 2 years. The order is still standing and has not been cancelled. Classic and the US BMW ombudsman have told me at least 4 times that the part is coming in a few months. Last time was in March.
I think they leave these orders open and that's how they gauge the interest in a part. Get enough orders and make the part.
If and when I ever get some time to pursue this I will try to find some better answers.
I am planning to totally disassemble my coupe this winter and do the body and interior so I will find out first hand what I can get or not?
Gary
I don't understand why BMW goes to the trouble of making new tool kits and shock tower elephant skin that to my not very discerning eye looks nothing like the original.
The look and the feel of the material is way off.
My .02 cents: they don't care. They blow off their own obundsman and others. BMW Classic or whatever they call themselves now is what the US Army calls "eyewash." It is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of their huge profit.
Steve
The look and the feel of the material is way off.
My .02 cents: they don't care. They blow off their own obundsman and others. BMW Classic or whatever they call themselves now is what the US Army calls "eyewash." It is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of their huge profit.
Steve
In any multinational manufacturing company, whether an activity like supplying Classic parts is "profitable" depends on how you want to allocate costs.
Even if the Classic operation is not very profitable, there is huge value to the BMW brand in having a bunch of car nuts proudly keeping vintage BMWs on the road.
Even if the Classic operation is not very profitable, there is huge value to the BMW brand in having a bunch of car nuts proudly keeping vintage BMWs on the road.
The good old grill is still NOT coming.
In September it will be 5 years since I ordered the RF headlight grill. Number ending in 484.
They tell me about every quarter that it will be made.
It really sounded like it might happen this year but I ask again last week and here is the reply.
Mr Beck,
I am very sorry that the part is not yet available.
Unfortunately, there are currently still delays.
We definitely get the part again.
I hope this year
BMW Group
Ludwig Daisenberger
Konzernkommunikation und Politik
BMW Group Classic AK-51
Produktmanager Teilevertrieb
Moosacher Straße 66
80809 München
Postanschrift:
80788 München
Telefon: +49-89-382-98662
Mobile: +49-151-601-98662
Mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.bmwgroup.com/
http://www.bmwgroup-classic.com
http://shop.bmw-classic.com
In September it will be 5 years since I ordered the RF headlight grill. Number ending in 484.
They tell me about every quarter that it will be made.
It really sounded like it might happen this year but I ask again last week and here is the reply.
Mr Beck,
I am very sorry that the part is not yet available.
Unfortunately, there are currently still delays.
We definitely get the part again.
I hope this year
BMW Group
Ludwig Daisenberger
Konzernkommunikation und Politik
BMW Group Classic AK-51
Produktmanager Teilevertrieb
Moosacher Straße 66
80809 München
Postanschrift:
80788 München
Telefon: +49-89-382-98662
Mobile: +49-151-601-98662
Mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.bmwgroup.com/
http://www.bmwgroup-classic.com
http://shop.bmw-classic.com
BMW Classic is all talk and no action. Strictly PR.
Why don't we all send dear Ludwig an e-mail?
Good idea and it was no accident that I included all his info.
I thought I had a separate thread started on this but sure didn't find it.
Maybe I should start one.
Maybe I should start one.
m_thompson
Well-Known Member
My local dealer discontinued their WWW site and online sales last year. It didn't matter to me because they charge about 20% over BMW MSRP and then give me a BMW CCA discount down to about 10% over BMW MSRP. It is much less expensive for me to get parts from Tischer (https://getbmwparts.com/) and pay the shipping than to get them from my local dealer. I have discussed this issue with the service manager many times (parts is part of service) at BMW CCA events that the dealer sponsors. The response is always "I will look into it." and nothing happens. I realize that I am a small customer and they just don't care.