YCCMB Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 Mr Betty arrives tomorrow with a part for my elderly but still perfectly serviceable car. At least, it will once more become serviceable once he arrives.After a long and tortuous summer in which my car has spent more time in the garage than I've spent driving it, my garagiste had all but given up hope of finding a second hand part. The new version would, he advised, cost me around €1500, or about twice what the car is probably now worth. The estimate for a second hand part was €2-300. Cost of same part on UK ebay? £14.And the part in question is made in France.This is the second time I've had this happen Last time, a madwoman in a pickup truck overtook me on a country road and passed so close that she removed my wing mirror. After I finally followed her for about 5km and she stopped, she accused me of making her late for work, among other things, and was generally completely irrational but did, at least, exchange details.Her husband later agreed to replace the wing mirror as he reckoned he could get one for a mere €20. If she'd been less of a vache, I would have helped them get the £8 one I'd seen on eBay.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noisette Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Isn't there a selection of casses in your area? That would be the preferred French source of cheap parts I suspect. Depending on whether you have someone to dismantle them and whether the garagiste would fit them :-)Would the E-Bay stuff be genuine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Yes, my garagiste has tried all the autocasses. In fact, it seems from what he said that there's some sort of centralised site for garages to request second hand parts from autocasses across France. No joy. And Yes, he'll fit the part. He'd like his courtesy car back, which I've had for a month! In fact, when I spoke to him and explained we could get the part in the UK, he was more than happy. It was he who had been trying to get a salvaged part in the first place, anyway.Yes, the eBay part is genuine. It's not one of those 99p and free postage from China things. You'd be surprised how many people sell their old car piece by tiny piece on eBay. It's more lucrative than selling it in one piece for scrap. In fact, when mine came to live in France, I got the headlights changed in the UK, kept the old ones and sold them on eBay. Helped fund the change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinBretagne Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 A few years ago I needed a replacement cooling system cap for an ageing Vauxhall. At least two UK scrap yards quoted me £110 for the part. (Price fixing?) I eventually bought one, brand new, from a supplier in Germany for €6. There is no logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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