caterham prices (rant)
Discussion
Why are Caterham so full of BS with their pricing?
I called Caterham Parts for a seal repair kit for an AP master cylinder yesterday, and the guy would not tell me the AP part number (no surprises there). He then told me the price of £30 (ex VAT), which I said was a tad high, as most seal kits are £15-£20. He replied they were selling them close to "cost". Having got the kit today (and hence the part number), then speaking to AP themselves, the retail price of the kit (inc VAT) is £21....
Why do they *insist* on being so unhelpful and taking the pi ss with respect to prices? Yes, I appreciate they need to make a profit, but a fair profit. Their sales staff also have the technical knowledge of most root vegtables.
Rant over.
I called Caterham Parts for a seal repair kit for an AP master cylinder yesterday, and the guy would not tell me the AP part number (no surprises there). He then told me the price of £30 (ex VAT), which I said was a tad high, as most seal kits are £15-£20. He replied they were selling them close to "cost". Having got the kit today (and hence the part number), then speaking to AP themselves, the retail price of the kit (inc VAT) is £21....
Why do they *insist* on being so unhelpful and taking the pi ss with respect to prices? Yes, I appreciate they need to make a profit, but a fair profit. Their sales staff also have the technical knowledge of most root vegtables.
Rant over.
pw75 said:
fergus said:
Why are Caterham so full of BS with their pricing?
I called Caterham Parts for a seal repair kit for an AP master cylinder yesterday, and the guy would not tell me the AP part number (no surprises there). He then told me the price of £30 (ex VAT), which I said was a tad high, as most seal kits are £15-£20. He replied they were selling them close to "cost". Having got the kit today (and hence the part number), then speaking to AP themselves, the retail price of the kit (inc VAT) is £21....
Why do they *insist* on being so unhelpful and taking the pi ss with respect to prices? Yes, I appreciate they need to make a profit, but a fair profit. Their sales staff also have the technical knowledge of most root vegtables.
Rant over.
not saying I agree with being ripped off, but why don't you return the item. If its unused problem solved.I called Caterham Parts for a seal repair kit for an AP master cylinder yesterday, and the guy would not tell me the AP part number (no surprises there). He then told me the price of £30 (ex VAT), which I said was a tad high, as most seal kits are £15-£20. He replied they were selling them close to "cost". Having got the kit today (and hence the part number), then speaking to AP themselves, the retail price of the kit (inc VAT) is £21....
Why do they *insist* on being so unhelpful and taking the pi ss with respect to prices? Yes, I appreciate they need to make a profit, but a fair profit. Their sales staff also have the technical knowledge of most root vegtables.
Rant over.
BertBert said:
fergus said:
Finchy172 said:
Unfortunately when darren was made redundant the parts department lost all of its technical knowledge and customer services skills.
Did anyone there ever have any? Bert
James.S said:
Fergus - so let me get this right, you want the Caterahm Parts Department to go and look up the AP part number for you so you can go to a factors and buy them......and they wouldn't do it for you, jees what a complete set of tossers.
FFS, people do not appreciate what is involved in operating a parts department.
No - I don't expect them to do that, if they priced their stock fairly in the first instance there wouldn't be a requirement for this type of request. Why are they so protective in their covert part numbering system.FFS, people do not appreciate what is involved in operating a parts department.
What is involved with running a parts dept out of interest?
DaveK-S1 said:
fergus said:
BertBert said:
fergus said:
Finchy172 said:
Unfortunately when darren was made redundant the parts department lost all of its technical knowledge and customer services skills.
Did anyone there ever have any? Bert
Dave
sam919 said:
James.S said:
Fergus - so let me get this right, you want the Caterahm Parts Department to go and look up the AP part number for you so you can go to a factors and buy them......and they wouldn't do it for you, jees what a complete set of tossers.
FFS, people do not appreciate what is involved in operating a parts department.
A caterham parts dep is for spoon fed caterham owners. An alternative method to get the same part from a motor factors is for the mechanically orientated.FFS, people do not appreciate what is involved in operating a parts department.
Two parts departments two different customers
James.S said:
LOL......
This is the one point about seven ownership I can't stand, the idea that it is "us" (customer) and "them" CC, mentality that is so prevelent on the other forum.
Why not get like BC and start a bulk buy so you can go directly to AP and cut the factor and CC out of the loop.....think of the till you chaps will be saving them.........FFS.
In fact why not sell your feckin Caterham and build your own, design it from scratch, set up a supply chain, workshop, assembly line, sales department, parts department, service department, marketing department, a mototsports department, after sales etc,etc,..........as a manufacturer you will be laughing as it is so feckin, piss easy .........you will be tilling it in in no time.
You'll be doing so will you could probably give the fecking spare parts away at cost....you nice chaps.
Nothing to do with being 'nice'. I object to prices which are overly marked up that's all. What's wrong with saving money via a bulk buy for instance? I never said it was easy running a low volume manufacturing unit, but just because you are low volume doesn't mean prices must be jacked right up. I'm not sure where you're getting all these supposed quotes from?This is the one point about seven ownership I can't stand, the idea that it is "us" (customer) and "them" CC, mentality that is so prevelent on the other forum.
Why not get like BC and start a bulk buy so you can go directly to AP and cut the factor and CC out of the loop.....think of the till you chaps will be saving them.........FFS.
In fact why not sell your feckin Caterham and build your own, design it from scratch, set up a supply chain, workshop, assembly line, sales department, parts department, service department, marketing department, a mototsports department, after sales etc,etc,..........as a manufacturer you will be laughing as it is so feckin, piss easy .........you will be tilling it in in no time.
You'll be doing so will you could probably give the fecking spare parts away at cost....you nice chaps.
Edited by James.S on Friday 13th March 08:18
Do you work for CC?
PS I have absolutely no 'brand' loyalty to Caterham. I like the car because of what it does, not what it 'is'....
BertBert said:
fergus said:
James.S said:
Where do you think it should be, lets say a part costing CC £20, let's presume it is fast moving and off the shelf to keep things simple.
It should be priced roughly in line with suppliers of the same or comparable part. Simple as that.Why would you mark in line with the rest of the street? Simple competition. What rationale consumer would knowingly buy a part that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere. Most Caterham parts can be bought on price alone as several are generic.
darth_pies said:
fergus said:
What rationale consumer would knowingly buy a part that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere. Most Caterham parts can be bought on price alone as several are generic.
Not sure what business school you went to but plenty actually. 
I was in the Apple Store the other day looking for a pair of decent headphones for my iPod. Didn't buy any though because Apple seem to be charging 100% more for a pair than the prices on ebay.
Do Apple therefore not sell anything from their stores because its 'overpriced'?
Are they a bunch of p$ss-taking thieves for doing this?
Shall i start posting up rants about what b@stards they are?
No.
You're paying for the lovely, cuddly, 'branded' experience of going into an Apple Store....and anybody half sensible knows that. I think most people would recognise that you often pay more for things like convenience and customer service. Often its simply that you can't be bothered, or don't have time, to hunt for a deal on something low-value that you need.
Likewise, why buy a pair of branded jeans on the high street when you can find them cheaper online? Possibly because you can try them on and get some advice from the shop assistant on which cut/size to buy? Maybe you need them ASAP and don't have the time/energy to faff about looking for a cheaper deal?
What's the difference between that and ringing Caterham to provide help and advice on parts and them charging a bit more than a generic competitor? Would you try a pair of jeans on in a Levi store and then ask the staff to look up the price of a pair on ebay for you?!?!
Ok, we're talking oily bits here not fashion, but its the same principle - if you want the lowest price then do the legwork and find out that part number yourself rather than expecting Caterham to provide a service, take your calls, hold stock AND price match everyone else out there!
As the 'official' source of parts they'd be mad (and probably out of business) if they did that! If the tenner is a big deal to you or you happen to know somewhere you can get the part quicker/cheaper, then go and buy the part elsewhere. I assume that in whatever line of business you're in you aim to make the lowest margin possible on everything?!
The only need to ask Caterham for a part number is that they are incredibly protective of their relationships with suppliers and as such as reluctant to provide this info, i.e. they try and prevent AP from dealing direct with people.
Why not try and source things cheaper elsewhere? I'm sure you'd not buy at list from a dealer if you were buying a car but would shop around for the same goods at a lower price?
Making a low margin on a high turnover business is a good way of setting up an efficent barrier to entry. Not everything is a function of a high margin....
PS ringing caterham and getting a mail order part is no more/less hassle than ringing a cheaper supplier and ordering the mail order part. Your high street shopping example isn't quite the right one to support your argument
Edited by fergus on Wednesday 25th March 15:01
BertBert said:
fergus said:
our high street shopping example isn't quite the right one to support your argument
I'm afraid it absolutely is. You have choice. You can buy from Caterham or elsewhere. If you have enough info to buy elsewhere, then you can, your choice. However if you want to not be bothered about part numbers you can ring up Caterham and order the part at the price they sell at. If they get it wrong, people stop buying from them and can be bothered to source elsewhere. Exactly analagous to buying in the Apple store or off ebay. Each has benefits and dis-benefits (yuk, sorry), you choose what you want to do. It's really that simple. I don't understand why you are so upset about it. That's the bit that lost me.I thought that the thing that you were really upset about was the fact that they couldn't answer your questions with regard to tensile strengths and suitability for purpose?
Bert
Whether suppliers like it or not (or whether it is 'moral' to do so) consumers will continue to shop around to get the best deal, even if that means people end up doing work that leads to nothing.
This happens all the time in terms of firms going through the competitive tender process. It's just part of life. I saved almost £4k on a watch shopping around like this. Not to be sniffed at in my opinion.
dino ferrana said:
Caterham are protective of their part numbers and relationships with suppliers, but as they have paid for tooling or development of many bits then they should. I know that this item is probably generic and not owned or licenced in any way by Caterham, but they need to make a profit and I don't begrudge them that.
I don't buy every little sprocket from them, but I find the way that some people go on a crusade to get the company to deal direct to save a few quid ridiculous. Constructive feedback to Caterham I am sure is appreciated and might elicit a response, but hurling insults around on a forum and raising your own blood pressure is possibly a bit pointless!
Caterham is still British owned and manufactured, if they are making profit from their parts operation then that means I will still be able to get the bits for my car or its successors for many years. You only have to ask owners of cars that were low volume and the manufacturer is no longer around what a b
d it is to get parts to see its good to give the maker some support if you can.
I doubt Caterham have had any development involvement in APs products which they choose to employ? (certainly not the parts dept anyway)I don't buy every little sprocket from them, but I find the way that some people go on a crusade to get the company to deal direct to save a few quid ridiculous. Constructive feedback to Caterham I am sure is appreciated and might elicit a response, but hurling insults around on a forum and raising your own blood pressure is possibly a bit pointless!
Caterham is still British owned and manufactured, if they are making profit from their parts operation then that means I will still be able to get the bits for my car or its successors for many years. You only have to ask owners of cars that were low volume and the manufacturer is no longer around what a b
d it is to get parts to see its good to give the maker some support if you can. 
A few quid? How about saving almost £120 on a dry sump scavenge pump direct from the manufacturer. £120 saving for a phone call. How stupid I am....
Caterham is British. So what? We're not stuck in the 1950s here. Just because Caterham may not *stock* a part, does not mean it isn't made or available from elsewhere. Just because you would then be unable to order via a catalogue number does not mean the cars will end up off the road. A small bit of research will go a long way here.
PS My blood pressure is still normal, thanks.
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