Trade Parts Specialist (TPS)

Danny-boy

Danny-boy

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Hi all,

I have seen a lot of people say they but bits from TPS, but it looks like they do not serve the general public.

Do people just sign up as a trader?

Thanks
 
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They do serve joe public.. I walked into TPS Colindale last month to buy an O-ring for my in-tank fuel pump... all I did was show up, go to the counter and wait less than 10 minutes while the part was sourced from the warehouse. I'm not registered with them and I did not need a garage to call them on my behalf with a trade card. The receipt even has my name on it so have added it to the service history. Hope that helps.
 
They are really cracking down on this now, I know the one in Birmingham has signs all over the place now saying STRICTLY TRADE ONLY, no general public will be served and not to waste time waiting etc.

However.......its still worth a try as I still get stuff from there from time to time.....have a bit of banter with the guys there as they are pretty chilled anyway and they should look after you.

Alternatively if you have any mates that have a garage get them to get it for you.
 
Technically, they are all trade only and should not be serving the general public walking in off the street, but it depends which branch you go into and if they are in a good mood on that day i suppose.

At the end of the day, any sale is a profit. On the other hand, if general public buy something and then make it a regular thing aswell as telling their friends & family where they buy stuff from, the branch will be rammed with public customers which they are not supposed to trade with.

If you are going legit trade customer with them, you will need to create an account and prove that you are a business trading within the motor trade. If you have a friend who owns a garage, try and order through them is your best bet.

Shaun.
 
I usually use TPS as the first port of call when I need a genuine / VAG only part.
Have been using my local one for the past 5 years.

Up until a few weeks ago I never had an issue - all invoices were just referenced in my name.
I ordered a few bits last week, they seemed reluctant to sell to myself, but explained I had been using them for the past few years, they allowed the sale - when I received the part and invoice they had selected a garage address who obviously had an account with them.
This has happened twice now, both with different addresses on the invoices.
Seems they are cracking down on it now - which is a shame, ill be gutted if I need to start paying full price!

Maybe its worth trying to open my own account?
 
AlexGSi2000 said:
I usually use TPS as the first port of call when I need a genuine / VAG only part.
Have been using my local one for the past 5 years.

Up until a few weeks ago I never had an issue - all invoices were just referenced in my name.
I ordered a few bits last week, they seemed reluctant to sell to myself, but explained I had been using them for the past few years, they allowed the sale - when I received the part and invoice they had selected a garage address who obviously had an account with them.
This has happened twice now, both with different addresses on the invoices.
Seems they are cracking down on it now - which is a shame, ill be gutted if I need to start paying full price!

Maybe its worth trying to open my own account?
Click to expand...
Yea I use the same Tps as you alex and I've noticed the invoice in garages names aswell lately, hope they don't stop selling too us as I always get a decent price.
 
Balls, I need some bits for my a3 but the stealers are way too much for such tiny bits.

my local gsf aren't much help either, go in and tell them what I want, they tell me its not what I want because its not for my car........I know what I want, just sell it to me, lol
 
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I've been to collect a few bits at my local TPS recently and each time I have been, someone has been turned away because they have no proof of trade. They have even put notices up on the counter that proof of trade is required no matter how many times you visit.

I can see where they are coming from to an extent as VAG are losing alot of money from retail customers buying things at trade prices through their trade only suppliers, hence why they are coming down on it very harsh in order to eliminate profit losses from this happening.
 
My local VW club has a trade cash account with TPS,you just need to give them membership number and show membership card when paying to get discount.
 
Munch said:
Balls, I need some bits for my a3 but the stealers are way too much for such tiny bits.

my local gsf aren't much help either, go in and tell them what I want, they tell me its not what I want because its not for my car........I know what I want, just sell it to me, lol
Click to expand...

I used to hate this when they wouldn't sell stuff to me. I had a mk2 escort with Lotus Exige brakes :)) awesome), a Sierra engine and a Jag rear axle. Used to buy most stuff online as computers don't argue.
 
gen.heinz guderian said:
My local VW club has a trade cash account with TPS,you just need to give them membership number and show membership card when paying to get discount.
Click to expand...

i very much like this idea, maybe something that audi-sport can look into....PLEASE
 
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Thats a good Idea.

I was going to say we should we should get a list of all TPS's in the UK that sell to the public
 
audi upgrades
Just called TPS in Bristol no joy despite my charm offensive they weren't interested in selling me and air con compressor
 
TPS in slough dont seem to have a problem with selling to public incase anyone is klocal to there...
 
I'd be a +1 on getting a club trade account.

My local TPS - used to be super friendly and got on well with with most of the sales guys.

Now there are some real jobs worth sales guys who treat you like scum if you don't have an account.

I used to be able to phone up and put a part aside and go pick it up. Not now - I have to go there and pay (with 0% discount) before they'll consider ordering or putting stuff aside.

I can't see how VAG are going to be losing a huge amount of dosh by letting us, a few enthusiasts, buy genuine parts. In fact I probably spend more by going there 'cos they have good prices on those massive bog rolls, latex gloves, brake cleaner etc.

I can see how we could be wasting lots of their time asking for random little bits and bobs. However at least we generally know what we're after.
 
An Audi-Sport trade account would be awesome! - something in which I would be eternally grateful for.
 
We need an Audi sport net trade account. Nottingham tps are asking for trade proof now my mate went in the other day and got refused luckily his uncle owns a local taxi firm which has an account so sorted it eventually.

I think the forums heavy traffic is causing admin problems ATM ......
 
Norwich tps are always fine. Have used them a few times now. I usually just find the part number I need before going to make things easy. Screen wash is great price too.

And now being a member of DubGeneration I also get discount as one of the chaps works there.


I did see on my invoice it was Robinsons Tps which is our local VAG main dealer. So maybe they work like franchises. I can imagine the main dealer would be please with them selling stuff cheaper (I may be wrong just an idea). But as you say a sale is a sale. It's not as if I'd then get the parts from the dealer
 
I have to admit Leicester Tps has been good to me.

Last time I went in for servicing parts and didn't even expect a discount and the friendly chap sorted it out. :)
 
audi upgrades
jojo said:
TPS = discount(usually) OEM parts
ECP = aftermarket Servive and Maintenance parts, some are OEM, and some are the exact same parts minus the VW/Audi logos.
Click to expand...

ECP ... and some are completely the wrong parts and/or of inferior quality!
 
*bump*

Any joy with this... Im assuming cos its been months this isnt happening!?
 
To be honest, TPS have really clamped down on people just turning up to buy things. My mate has a trade account, and only he can use it! So I doubt very much they would agree to an ASN trades account for the masses!
 
audi upgrades
The real problem as far as I am concerned is, up until VAG launched TPS, if you had a valid VAG P/N, you could go into your most convenient VAG outlet and order in the parts, then pick them up a couple of days later, in my case a VW van centre. Then TPS appeared and to make it work well, VAG ignored any requests for parts that a specific VAG marque's parts place would not need to perform their normal day to day work - all VAG outlets could only, from that point on order in "alien VAG" parts via TPS. So it seems that the extra paperwork and maybe reduced price mark up kind of discouraged even normally helpful outlets ordering in these parts for over the counter sales. So, in short, VAG has done none of us any favours by creating TPS. I'm just interested in saving wasted car journeys, as many others will also be, parts pricing is a separate issue - surely this just forces some of us into ECP/GSF outlets which is a loss for VAG.
 
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