Parts switching by vendor

[Rich A]

Twice I've gone to a parts book and ordered a part by number. When the order came (once each from two different vendors)  I got something that would work, but not the OEM part I had ordered. In one case, I ordered a screw that had a larger head than the Ace Hardware variety, but I got the latter for probably 5x more that what I could have bought it for locally plus the postage (I did add some other stuff to fill the order, but nothing I needed right away). In the second case, some rubber trim, the material was different, i.e., plastic instead of rubber, so I'll have to replace both sides or get some rubber trim from another source. Not a big deal in either case and not worth sending the part back, but the vendors should have disclaimers whenever they are going to switch parts like this.

Offrant--Rich A

[RinkRat II]

 So in reality they win. Bu&&$hit I say send 'em back and demand satisfaction. It's your money and when all of us don't speak up it just gets worse and worse.
there are too many people satified with status quo and those aren't the  the values I was raised  on and I hold people and buisnesses  accountable. I do give them the benefit of doubt but make it known that I will escalate the situation to make it right. 99% understand.

    Paul B

[canuguzzi]

More and more places have a policy of substitution if the exact brand isn't available. Might be a good idea to check if they have that policy before getting miffed.

If it is important, specify no substitutions, most vendors will honor the request.

[n3303j]

I've run into this "substitution" thing more with Moto Guzzi far more than I have with the vintage BMWs. And it usually is with the smaller parts that are cheaper to throw away than to return.

BMW has a thing going where they encourage maintaining the old bikes. It seems that there are a fair amount of reproduction parts built to factory drawings. There are also a fair amount of original parts available for the 1960s and up series bikes.

By comparison it looks like Moto Guzzi has dropped support for anything pre 1990. I was told by the dealer up in my neighborhood that they sold off all their pre 1990 parts to Harper's because they lost factory support and didn't want to maintain a dwindling supply that couldn't support complete orders.

So I too get these clutch springs with unfinished ends that don't sit straight enough to assemble to the pressure plate and screws with the wrong heads and rubber boots that don't quite properly fit the connector or the cable and rubber tie down straps that break every two years.

Bothers me, but life goes on and I really do enjoy my '77 850T3-FB.

[voncrump]

Here's an interesting point for n3303j. Many years ago I purchased a new Guzzi and the tank strap and battery strap were both rotten and broken from brand new. Some heavy O rings and we were on the road. The dealer at the time was not at all interested in these trivial 1980s problems.
You may have been unfortunate enough to get genuine old stock.
Cheers, voncrump

[normzone]

This would be amusing if it weren't so sad.

I work with a small ruggedized computer equipment manufacturing outfit that is required to purchase COTS components from a large variety of players, some big and powerful, some mom and pop.

The suppliers ability to provide EXACTLY what we were expecting can be all over the map. The big boys can change what they supply because they're in the mood, and the small shops because they don't have any other choice.

And tiny differences in component performance can be no big deal, or completely screw up a customer of ours who relies on a given feature/function.

It's not going to get any simpler either. The world is becoming increasingly complex. Scary to think that my Bassa is on the edge of the parts support window.

[rocker59]

By comparison it looks like Moto Guzzi has dropped support for anything pre 1990. I was told by the dealer up in my neighborhood that they sold off all their pre 1990 parts to Harper's because they lost factory support and didn't want to maintain a dwindling supply that couldn't support complete orders.
 

Try getting your dealer to order any 1990s parts from Guzzi.  Ain't gonna happen.  If you can get anything from Guzzi that is specific to bikes from 2004 or earlier, I would be shocked.  Piaggio doesn't support the older machines.

  Scary to think that my Bassa is on the edge of the parts support window.

Anything specific to the Bassa has long since left Guzzi inventory.  You can get things that crossover years and models, but that's about it.

Piaggio purged it's parts supply years ago of anything made for machines built before it took over...


They're not the only ones, though.  Most OEMs quit supporting older models at some point.  Many of them support machines longer than required by law, but none of them are going to inventory parts for machines built decades ago.

Try going into your local HD shop and ordering something for a 1980s vintage Evo or Shovel.

[rboe]

Many moons ago when I was the parts manager at a Honda-Suzuki dealer those two manufactures would super-cede  a part number with a new one. Old part was no more, "updated" to the new part number. Later this would be corrected in the microfiche and parts catalog.

Suzuki was the worst at this. The seal that goes around the shift lever went under many numbers and I would order in one for a customer only to get ten more of this new number which was the same part I already had 60 of.  Luckily, you spend so much you are allowed to send so much back. But for that one seal it got ridiculous. Suzuki was the first one to simply stop supplying a part too. Got much past seven years and it was very iffy to get a part. Honda was pretty good (back in the early 80's anyway - but then they had fewer years to support compared to today).

Long story short; it may be the fault of the manufacturer, not the supplier you dealt with.