Yesterday i went to my local dealer (Belgium) and i was shocked by their unability/knowledge to help me…As i was involved in a (small) accident lately i was looking for the front grille surround of my NC 3.5.
The pricing too was beyond imagination as the chrome surround costed 444 eur!!! I found these at 200-225 eur trough other specialists…Anyway, i wanted to buy the black surround (as found on some special editions) which i prefer and at 85 GBP it’s a lot cheaper too and that’s where the “incompetency” part starts…If i would buy the chrome version; no probs as it’s linked to my chassisnumber but when i asked for the black version they told me it’s difficult to know which one that is as there are so many models…i told them there’s just one model for the 3.5 but they persisted and said ; to order it we need an article number i replied that this was exactly the reason why i came to a Mazda dealer in the first place and that finding an OEM-part article number is tricky for a regular customer. No way that they could help me, he said he would contact the distrubution center and call me back which…never happened. So…i bought it at MX-5 parts and will see of the Brexit adventure will make it a good decision (at least MX-5 parts sells to overseas customers without VAT). I was also thinking; is it possible that those limited editions(black grille surround) where not sold in Belgium? That would clarify a part of their “incompetence” but even then they should provide me that information.
Thats how Mazda dealers are everywhere. To enter the EPC, they need a valid VIN that will then list the parts available for that chassis number. The dealer is not incompetant. He’s saddled with the system Mazda corporate give him.
If you buy a part for your car that is not listed against the VIN, and then find its not suitable, you can’t get your money back from the dealer. If you brought, say, a new brake caliper, correct for then vin, but then discover there was nothing wrong with the original part, the dealer will give you a credit on the original boxed part.
Eunos Roadster owners have had 30 years of this. You need to find the VIN of a car with such a grill surround.
Thx, this clears it up a bit and is about what they told me. It means basicly that if you don’t know someone with that specific grille surround (as oem eqt) you will never be able to order one…crazy!!!
But beside the fact that they’re indeed saddled with that system they could at least keep their promise (letting me know after contacting the distribution centre)…and maybe do someting about their pricing.
Well, i gues that all car brands are a bit similar…
Is the part # NP01501T2? Mazda seem to list that only for a relatively restricted VIN range, and its not clear why. You can’t expect the parts guy to risk his job.
Anyhow, 5 minutes of googling yields the full VIN of a totalled US spec car that could have been used, JM1NC2SFXC0223368
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