Car Parts In The UK Compared To USA
Discussion
In the USA for Mazda's you can literally go on your local Mazda website, and buy/browse for any genuine OEM part for very cheap and delivered within days.
In the UK however, nothing like that exists and sourcing genuine parts yourself is impossible without going through the tedious process of emailing Mazda and chasing it up.
How come in the USA it's so much easier to get ahold of genuine parts than it is here? I have found in the past that Mazda won't even give out OE part numbers. I do however have a parts catalogue website which is based in the middle east so I can cross reference when looking for parts
Thankfully there are some sellers on eBay who can get genuine parts but they tend to be quite expensive as obviously they want to make a profit
In the UK however, nothing like that exists and sourcing genuine parts yourself is impossible without going through the tedious process of emailing Mazda and chasing it up.
How come in the USA it's so much easier to get ahold of genuine parts than it is here? I have found in the past that Mazda won't even give out OE part numbers. I do however have a parts catalogue website which is based in the middle east so I can cross reference when looking for parts
Thankfully there are some sellers on eBay who can get genuine parts but they tend to be quite expensive as obviously they want to make a profit
To be fair I know it's not Mazda, but I've had good dealings with a Toyota dealer in the past, who's parts guy I just emailed, he'd come back to me with part numbers and price (and would usually do a decent discount too) pretty quickly - never tried to take the piss, never upsold anything that wasn't required but would helpfully point out if I'd missed a replacement bolt or washer to go with a part etc.
Within 30 miles I have 7 or 8 different dealer groups with a Mazda franchise.
Most people aren't going to cross shop parts, but will cars. They'll go to whatever garage they bought the car from, or whatever is local.
From my experience BMW is pretty upfront with their parts diagrams, and are on eBay, normally about same price as dealers. Still, normally buy stuff I'm willing to wait for from LLL or similar anyway.
Most people aren't going to cross shop parts, but will cars. They'll go to whatever garage they bought the car from, or whatever is local.
From my experience BMW is pretty upfront with their parts diagrams, and are on eBay, normally about same price as dealers. Still, normally buy stuff I'm willing to wait for from LLL or similar anyway.
I'm yet to buy a car where a main dealer doesn't have a parts desk who can get anything. 
I know that many of us would rather look it up than speak to a person, but if you phone/visit a Mazda dealer you'll get the parts (assuming they are still in production).
Mercedes were especially good. Yes I had to walk into the glass-cathedral dealership and ask a shiny-suited chap where the parts desk was (hidden out of view where the #lifestyle #luxury crowd couldn't see it whilst someone made a song and dance about pulling a cloth off their new car), but once I was there it was staffed by normal people who were happy to bring up the EPC, cross-check my VIN, tell me precisely what I needed and how long it would take to get in.
Toyota will sell parts for my Lexus (at least, the common stuff like sundries and fluids) but get a bit funny when they ask what it's for and I explain it's a Lexus.
So - speak to a main dealer parts desk if you are struggling.
I know that many of us would rather look it up than speak to a person, but if you phone/visit a Mazda dealer you'll get the parts (assuming they are still in production).Mercedes were especially good. Yes I had to walk into the glass-cathedral dealership and ask a shiny-suited chap where the parts desk was (hidden out of view where the #lifestyle #luxury crowd couldn't see it whilst someone made a song and dance about pulling a cloth off their new car), but once I was there it was staffed by normal people who were happy to bring up the EPC, cross-check my VIN, tell me precisely what I needed and how long it would take to get in.
Toyota will sell parts for my Lexus (at least, the common stuff like sundries and fluids) but get a bit funny when they ask what it's for and I explain it's a Lexus.
So - speak to a main dealer parts desk if you are struggling.
MakaveliX said:
How come in the USA it's so much easier to get ahold of genuine parts than it is here?
I believe, though I may be wrong, that this is because of Right to Repair legislation in the US that essentially means that manufacturers are obliged to allow consumers to repair products themselves. There's a fair bit of chat on YouTube about Right to Repair, with a particular emphasis on Apple products, but I think that the rules apply to mechanical devices too.Block Exemption and its Uk equivalent MVBER has not specifically stopped someone obtaining the parts catalogue from an OEM. However the OEM's will make it very difficult for you if you ask for a copy - in terms of hoops to jump through and time taken. However they are legally obliged to provide this info to you and independent repairers. But not many people ask.
However the tide is changing, and more and more OEM's are starting to wake up to the fact that they need an online parts presence. Ebay hoovers up almost all the retail parts sales outside of a dealer and that is 95% aftermarket, so a huge opportunity is not being expoloited by the OEMs.
OEM's have historically feared opening up their parts databases as the info could be used against them ( and they are right) but the tech is out there now to essentially have EPC's put online anyway - see Simple Part. Indeed MB, BMW have fairly extensive catalogues available - to the right people.
I personally am involved in a project to help dealers trade parts on line, for all or any makes they hold a franchise for. Dealers in the past have had to add the parts manually which as you can image takes a very long time as you need, a schematic, price, dimensions , description and most importantly fitment data.
It is coming to the EU, 3-5 years and the market place will be massively different, with the entire OE parts catalogues available either on eBay, a dealer website or a manufacturer website. Not that that helps you today
However the tide is changing, and more and more OEM's are starting to wake up to the fact that they need an online parts presence. Ebay hoovers up almost all the retail parts sales outside of a dealer and that is 95% aftermarket, so a huge opportunity is not being expoloited by the OEMs.
OEM's have historically feared opening up their parts databases as the info could be used against them ( and they are right) but the tech is out there now to essentially have EPC's put online anyway - see Simple Part. Indeed MB, BMW have fairly extensive catalogues available - to the right people.
I personally am involved in a project to help dealers trade parts on line, for all or any makes they hold a franchise for. Dealers in the past have had to add the parts manually which as you can image takes a very long time as you need, a schematic, price, dimensions , description and most importantly fitment data.
It is coming to the EU, 3-5 years and the market place will be massively different, with the entire OE parts catalogues available either on eBay, a dealer website or a manufacturer website. Not that that helps you today
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