My point exactly, if Moss paid $20 for their cushion (a fair assumption, maybe
not exactly right, but fair) Then VB may have paid $? 18? 15? 10? Yet the
part sells for the same. This is just a further extension of what I spoke of
in my post. Do you think that that guy that sourced the parts of the MG
clutch from two or three different parts houses passed along the savings to
the retail customer? If you believe that I have some nice ocean front real
estate for sale in Colorado. <G>
I know of a case in the eighties where a supplier superseded (in their
catalog) 150 different GM EGR valves to, are you ready for this, 12 part
numbers. That's right 150 to TWELVE. Now I know that some of those
applications caused drivability problems for the car owners. Yet the owners
paid market price for their less than OE parts. Meanwhile, the shop that sold
these less than wonderful parts made a greater than average markup, and the
company made a bundle because they saved a ton on manufacturing, and
warehousing.
My point in all of this is that if you find a shop and or supplier that
supplies quality, hang on to them, and give them your business. You can
always find someone who has cr@#$% for less money.
IMHO suppliers ought to identify OE Vs after-market part in their catalogs.
None of the above should be interpreted as a slam against VB. I have done
business with them and have been satisfied. I was only using Barney's
example.
$.02
Rick Ewald
67 MGB roadster
99 Volvo S 80 T-6
In a message dated 1/1/99 6:48:42 PM Pacific Standard Time,
barneymg@ntsource.com writes:
> Seat cushions? Well, let me tell you that quality and retail pricing
> policies are not always closely related. In spring of '97 I replaced the
> MGA driver side seat cushion foam with a new one bought from Moss (about
> $40 at the time). It was molded in one piece, exactly the correct shape
> for the left side (different part number for the other side), slipped right
> in and stapled the cover back on (kind of sorry I farmed that job out).
> Now as it made such a huge improvement in comfort, and since I didn't
> cherrish the thought of becoming navigator for the entire Alaska trip, I
> figured I ought to replace the right side seat bun as well.
>
> By that time Moss was out of stock on this part, so I bought one from V.B.
> (about the same price, maybe a tad more). This one was hot wire cut from
> foam blocks, with two pieces glued together to get the approximate shape.
> And it was left (intentionally I think) a little oversize so it could be
> trimmed to fit either the left or right seat (only one part number). And
> let me tell you that it took a lot of trimming to make it fit. Whatever
> V.B. saved on the cost they would put in their own pocket, while I had to
> dig deeper into mine to pay for the extra labor of the shop doing the
> fitting.
>
> Of course there is nothing in either of the catalogs to indicate that there
> would be any difference in these parts. IMHO, the one from Moss was very
> near original equipment spec, so no such comment was necessary. While the
> one from V.B. was very nearly a piece of crap, but of course they won't
> tell you that before you buy it. Not the first time I've found similar
> comparison.
>
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