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werksberg
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005
Posts: 2151
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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 Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:14 pm Post subject: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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Yes, it sucks but let's use this thread to list VW shops and suppliers that have closed their doors to this economy:
Some known Calif. ones already listed:
Donsco in the Calif. Bay area
Bugformance Sunnyvale (Bill retired and he deserves it!)
BFY or Bugs For You (bad deal there..)
Now: S&S headers (AZ.) lost their building (repo'd) and went under....
C&M alum foundry (made lots of cast alum products for many companies like myself, Gene Berg Ent. and more...also was Papa Pete's VW parts too...)
There's more to come, sadly......but list what ones in your stated area....
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Last edited by werksberg on Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bart Dunn
Samba Consiglieri
Joined: May 09, 2004
Posts: 2354
Location: Sea level (Mid Atlantic)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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I question the utility of this thread. Places not to buy parts? BFY didn't go out of business due to the economy, either. That was just good old fashioned fraud.
I think lots of these people and shops go out of business because it's hobbyists who want to have fun doing their hobby for a living, but have no clue how to run a successful business. A giant crate of NOS '74 Beetle giant plastic air cleaners? NEAT! But, won't sell well. Etc.
Back to my wine.
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Not enough car seats fit into my:
'58 Beetle convertible
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Aiko
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2007
Posts: 476
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werksberg
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005
Posts: 2151
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:13 am Post subject: |
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| Bart Dunn wrote: |
I question the utility of this thread. Places not to buy parts? BFY didn't go out of business due to the economy, either. That was just good old fashioned fraud.
I think lots of these people and shops go out of business because it's hobbyists who want to have fun doing their hobby for a living, but have no clue how to run a successful business. A giant crate of NOS '74 Beetle giant plastic air cleaners? NEAT! But, won't sell well. Etc.
Back to my wine. |
99% of the threads on here are useless but this one informs people of USA ACVW business that have closed, mostly due to the China syndrome & the economy........
Did you know that S&S headers recently closed? Now you do....
And you don't know what happen at BFY.....it was trying to grow bigger, not watching the costs and the economy crashing with big debt.
These businesses have been around 20 - 30+ years and that is not a guy doing a business as a hobby.
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Desertbusman
Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2005
Posts: 14655
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:04 am Post subject: |
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G. Serrano's in Torrance closed because of money issues 
There are other shops that should be shut down because of economic greed.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy |
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Bart Dunn
Samba Consiglieri
Joined: May 09, 2004
Posts: 2354
Location: Sea level (Mid Atlantic)
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:09 am Post subject: |
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| werksberg wrote: |
| Bart Dunn wrote: |
I question the utility of this thread. Places not to buy parts? BFY didn't go out of business due to the economy, either. That was just good old fashioned fraud.
I think lots of these people and shops go out of business because it's hobbyists who want to have fun doing their hobby for a living, but have no clue how to run a successful business. A giant crate of NOS '74 Beetle giant plastic air cleaners? NEAT! But, won't sell well. Etc.
Back to my wine. |
99% of the threads on here are useless but this one informs people of USA ACVW business that have closed, mostly due to the China syndrome & the economy........
Did you know that S&S headers recently closed? Now you do....
And you don't know what happen at BFY.....it was trying to grow bigger, not watching the costs and the economy crashing with big debt.
These businesses have been around 20 - 30+ years and that is not a guy doing a business as a hobby. |
In the light of day, the thread seems a better idea. The wine made the shadows look scary.
Don't know what to tell you about BFY. Maybe you know something the general community doesn't, but he took an awful lot of money from people for parts he never shipped. Carry on...
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Not enough car seats fit into my:
'58 Beetle convertible
'58 Beetle sedan |
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coad 
Samba Scapegoat
Joined: September 12, 2002
Posts: 7552
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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That thread's almost 3 years old, so I can't see a problem with a new one.
Just keep it a list and not a bitch session about individual companies. |
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werksberg
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005
Posts: 2151
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:21 am Post subject: |
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| coad wrote: |
That thread's almost 3 years old, so I can't see a problem with a new one.
Just keep it a list and not a bitch session about individual companies. |
Sounds great to me! 
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Werksberg Products....Products that work!
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bugnut68
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2003
Posts: 4180
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 1:13 pm Post subject: Re: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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| werksberg wrote: |
Yes, it sucks but let's use this thread to list VW shops and suppliers that have closed their doors to this economy:
Some known Calif. ones already listed:
Donsco in the Calif. Bay area
Bugformance Sunnyvale (Bill retired and he deserves it!)
BFY or Bugs For You (bad deal there..)
Now: S&S headers (AZ.) lost their building (repo'd) and went under....
C&M alum foundry (made lots of cast alum products for many companies like myself, Gene Berg Ent. and more...also was Papa Pete's VW parts too...)
There's more to come, sadly......but list what ones in your stated area.... |
S&S Headers went under altogether? Wow, news to me... Last I'd heard they stopped making air cooled VW exhausts because of all the idiots buying cheap Chinese shit like EMPI.The S&S Header I've got on my currrent 1776 is the best exhaust I've ever owned, hands down. |
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werksberg
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005
Posts: 2151
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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| bugnut68 wrote: |
| werksberg wrote: |
Yes, it sucks but let's use this thread to list VW shops and suppliers that have closed their doors to this economy:
Some known Calif. ones already listed:
Donsco in the Calif. Bay area
Bugformance Sunnyvale (Bill retired and he deserves it!)
BFY or Bugs For You (bad deal there..)
Now: S&S headers (AZ.) lost their building (repo'd) and went under....
C&M alum foundry (made lots of cast alum products for many companies like myself, Gene Berg Ent. and more...also was Papa Pete's VW parts too...)
There's more to come, sadly......but list what ones in your stated area.... |
S&S Headers went under altogether? Wow, news to me... Last I'd heard they stopped making air cooled VW exhausts because of all the idiots buying cheap Chinese shit like EMPI.The S&S Header I've got on my currrent 1776 is the best exhaust I've ever owned, hands down. |
Well, you now have an very rare piece on your car!
_________________
Werksberg Products....Products that work!
Follow my new products on my Facebook Werks Berg
Click the below ADs link for products & feedback.
Search "werksberg" on Photobucket for products photos & Please remember to buy "American made products!" |
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bugnut68
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2003
Posts: 4180
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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| werksberg wrote: |
| bugnut68 wrote: |
| werksberg wrote: |
Yes, it sucks but let's use this thread to list VW shops and suppliers that have closed their doors to this economy:
Some known Calif. ones already listed:
Donsco in the Calif. Bay area
Bugformance Sunnyvale (Bill retired and he deserves it!)
BFY or Bugs For You (bad deal there..)
Now: S&S headers (AZ.) lost their building (repo'd) and went under....
C&M alum foundry (made lots of cast alum products for many companies like myself, Gene Berg Ent. and more...also was Papa Pete's VW parts too...)
There's more to come, sadly......but list what ones in your stated area.... |
S&S Headers went under altogether? Wow, news to me... Last I'd heard they stopped making air cooled VW exhausts because of all the idiots buying cheap Chinese shit like EMPI.The S&S Header I've got on my currrent 1776 is the best exhaust I've ever owned, hands down. |
Well, you now have an very rare piece on your car! |
Just my luck, I find a product I'm totally impressed with and I can't get it anymore for future engines/cars...lol. |
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werksberg
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005
Posts: 2151
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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Search for them now before they shoot up in price!
_________________
Werksberg Products....Products that work!
Follow my new products on my Facebook Werks Berg
Click the below ADs link for products & feedback.
Search "werksberg" on Photobucket for products photos & Please remember to buy "American made products!" |
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69 Jim
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2004
Posts: 6264
Location: Chickengeorge's Neighbor
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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| bugnut68 wrote: |
| werksberg wrote: |
Yes, it sucks but let's use this thread to list VW shops and suppliers that have closed their doors to this economy:
Some known Calif. ones already listed:
Donsco in the Calif. Bay area
Bugformance Sunnyvale (Bill retired and he deserves it!)
BFY or Bugs For You (bad deal there..)
Now: S&S headers (AZ.) lost their building (repo'd) and went under....
C&M alum foundry (made lots of cast alum products for many companies like myself, Gene Berg Ent. and more...also was Papa Pete's VW parts too...)
There's more to come, sadly......but list what ones in your stated area.... |
S&S Headers went under altogether? Wow, news to me... Last I'd heard they stopped making air cooled VW exhausts because of all the idiots buying cheap Chinese shit like EMPI.The S&S Header I've got on my currrent 1776 is the best exhaust I've ever owned, hands down. |
I have to agree as far a quality goes.
I called them about a year or so ago and basically what they told me was the same thing, generally
VW owners in their opinion are more interested in cheap shit rather than quality. Sad to see another American manufacturer/employer gone. |
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AlteWagen
Troll
Joined: February 23, 2007
Posts: 8501
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: VW Part shops and suppliers out of business list! |
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| bugnut68 wrote: |
| S&S Headers went under altogether? Wow, news to me... Last I'd heard they stopped making air cooled VW exhausts because of all the idiots buying cheap Chinese shit like EMPI.The S&S Header I've got on my currrent 1776 is the best exhaust I've ever owned, hands down. |
My 1 1/2 inch merged header and turbo muffler just turned 20!! Been in over 6 cars and 10 engines. It was the best $200 Ive spent on my vw.
Add one more to the list
United Foreign Auto Parts in North Hollywood (closed 2007).
I would like to say economy but new owners and lame business practices didnt help. |
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fresno james
Samba Member
Joined: December 12, 2009
Posts: 559
Location: Kingman AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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Well, Not many of you are in Fresno, But for those of us in the area, We've seen A couple of shops that were mainstays close up and call it quits...
Just Vw's was around for like 30 years before Rocco re-tired...Very sad to see him go...I used to help out around there, Rocco, and sidekick Armondo taught me a lot of tricks over the years on how to keep it all going, and going not just good, but better than good...Great people!! Rocco's mother Miss Helen, as we call her, Knew more about parts and NOS stuff than most of us all put together!!! She ran the front counter, and if she didn't like you, she'd let you know...Great place, Broke my heart when they shut the doors...Felt like I lost my home...End of an Era around here, that's for sure!
Next up, Speed Un-limited of Fresno shut it's doors last year...Owner Ron, while not exactly high on his people skills, was a great source for parts and info. (knows it all) I wanna say that they were around for well over 25 years or so...Saving grace is that Dan Bergen (mechanic extraordinaire) opened his own shop again in clovis...Not big like speed was, but Dan is great dude and is always willing to help
A few years before that was Subway Vw...Never got to even really know these guys as they closed shortly after I found them...Locals seemed to really miss them though..
So that doesn't leave very much in Fresno, Burnetts sand center (sandrails and stuff) Sebring West (way, way inflated on prices) and Speed unlimited of clovis (Dan Bergen)
Oh, We also have Eyeball Engineering here...Ol' Bruce Bewarder and friends...Great bunch of guys if you constantly like having your balls busted...In either case, Bruce used to run Precision Motors and has since re-tired from working on the beaters to working on strictly show stuff/ personal friends and club rides...Ridiculous (in a good way) stuff comes out of here at his place....A- arm front ends, v-8 distributors, etc for vw's Definitely trick stuff, and to Bruce's credit, who of us can say that we were VW factory certified multiple times in 1959??? Bruce has forgot more than half of us could even fathom....
Then you have me, JP Kustoms / Fresno James,
While not a real shop per se', I wind up hooking up a lot of the locals around here by ordering parts from out of town and turning friends on to it...I mainly fix and re-store a handful of rides in the area, and have made a pretty good name for myself around here...But again, I am not a full fledged shop, Just trying to make a living at what I do best other than being a musician.... It's hard work...But I'm floatin' for now...
May have missed a shop or 2, So many gone, It's getting hard to remember! |
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