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VwDubber
Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2012
Posts: 144
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 Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:25 pm Post subject: Bus Depot |
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What a Surprise..
Recently I called Bus Depot to order and inquire about some parts.
Over many years of building and purchasing VW parts normally when doing so the many vendors can't give you technical advise apparently there only sales persons.
But recently when ordering combined items for Bay windows, and Vanagons this time a guy answered who really knew his VW Stuff. He also answered several of my technical questions. Said he use to be a VW mechanic
I think he said his name was Jay
He was a great help..
Just thought I'd spread the word that BD apparently has a technical guy.  |
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bluebus86
Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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i have found several of the vanagon speciality venders to be knowledgable on technical issues also. if the phone is not ringing off the hook, if the counter sales are dead at the time, and all the orders processed, sometimes they can talk vanagons or vws for many minutes, other times they are so busy they can barely get your order placed before running off to next task. most of the vanagon vendors get good marks for advice over the phone if you catch them at an open time. Once and a while you get one of the new hires whos knowledge is limited, other times the head mechanic or owner picks up the phone and has decades of knowledge to share. Some times if you need detailed info and things are too busy, ask when is a good time to call back or ask for a call back from them.
keep patrionizing the good vendors!
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Captjon1959
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2010
Posts: 287
Location: Peoria, Illinois
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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I really appreciate Bus Depot for their reasonable prices and great selection. Their website could be better (more pictures) and shipping is a little slow, but I can deal with that.
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1984 Westfalia Wolfsburg Edition
Former 1.9 L now Bostig Ford Zetec |
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amwaj
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2017
Posts: 68
Location: the desert
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 10:47 am Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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| agreed, Bus Depot is good people, and good value |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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wcfvw69 
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 3:00 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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| djkeev wrote: |
| Captjon1959 wrote: |
| I really appreciate Bus Depot for their reasonable prices and great selection. Their website could be better (more pictures) and shipping is a little slow, but I can deal with that. |
Bingo! ^^^^
I've often lamented (and even talked to them) about shipping times.
They're even bad when you pay extra for fast shipping........
But still, I shop there for many reasons..... shop local....
Just not when I must have it NOW!!!!! For those times I order from California....... go figure.......
pennsylvania to NJ 3-5 days minimum
Vs
California to NJ. Often 36 hours with standard shipping.
And I can drive to Pennsylvania and stand at BusDepot's door within 2 hours.
Maybe someday they'll listen?
Dave |
Funny, I had a good size order placed with them about 2 years ago for my bus. It didn't arrive to PHX after like 8 days. I called. A woman seemed incredulous that I expected the parts to ship the same day. I explained that all the regular vendors I use actually do ship the same day. She went on to tell me they are a small operation, limited staff, etc. Now, she wasn't rude but wasn't a relationship builder either.
I've shared that experience with Ron on a few threads since then but clearly no changes to their shipping times. I've probably spent $3k with other vendors since that last experience with BD and have not used them since.
MOST of the best VW parts vendors ship the same day you order. No one does it as good as Wolfsburg West either. Clearly I'm not the only one who probably takes their business to places other than BD because they won't ship the same day.
Americans are becoming accustomed to Amazon. Where you place your order and it's on your door 2 days later. I HATE to wait more than 2-3 days before what I ordered online arrives. You want me to wait 2-3 days BEFORE you even ship it? Now that's funny!
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MayorMcCheese
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2009
Posts: 659
Location: Lancaster PA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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It's unfortunate that it takes them so long to ship. I live within 2 hours of them yet parts from California arrive before busdepot even ships  |
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2325
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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I get parts for my Vespa quicker from Germany than from SoCal. Usually in less than 48 hrs, at the *cheap* rate. Why shipping takes so long over here is a mystery to this ex-pat Brit!
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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Okay, so my recent experience (last month):
I ordered on a Friday evening 1/13. As you would expect it did not ship until Monday 1/16.
On my front porch (Arizona) at 9:30 Friday morning (1/20).
So for me - a quick shipment. Thanks Ron.
YMMV. |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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| fxr wrote: |
| ...Why shipping takes so long over here is a mystery to this ex-pat Brit! |
Yeah, our mail moves slowly... but our phones work. |
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pablum
Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2015
Posts: 562
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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I never experienced a letter taking longer than 3 days, or being lost, by the USPS.
UPS can be slow. FedEx can be slow, and imprecise (delivery within a 2 block radius?).
If you read the reviews for the USPS at google or yelp, they all sound like cranks who would gripe about anything.
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I see [a cat] in the street and i aim for the pest with my car. --  bluebus86 |
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86scotty
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2013
Posts: 223
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 7:32 pm Post subject: Re: Bus Depot |
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Just placed my first order with Bus Depot middle of last week. Got it Saturday, so 3 days total maybe? I'm a few states south in Tennessee. I was happy. 
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