Do you buy spares at breakers yards?

[CourierJim]

I've totally given up on trying to obtain spares from vehicle breakers yards. I've lost count of the hours and miles I've wasted driving around yards, trying to obtain parts cheaply; only to be forced to buy new from a Citroen dealer, at only a slightly higher price than I was expecting to pay at the breakers! The surly, bored, often aggressive attitude you are met with at these yards, is offputting. If you ask for small inexpensive plastic trim buttons or the like, they say "No" instantly, (because they can't be arsed to look!). I once asked a breaker for a Berlingo wheel nut spanner, and although he had one, but he would not sell it without the rusty jack! I bet he's still got them both,10 years on!

I'm even wary of buying parts from independent motor factors now; having been supplied with the wrong parts on occasions. I was even quoted £8 for a Berlingo B9 Exhaust gasket from a motor factor, which I obtained from Citroen for £3.50!

I'm convinced that new genuine Citroen parts are worth the bit extra you may have to pay (except perhaps for consumables like filters).

[polar]

Some parts are defo better if you buy genuine or say from GSF. i have also noticed that main dealers can be cheaper that paten parts.

As for breakers like you say not worth the hassle!

[CourierJim]

Thanks Polar. I have never tried GSF for parts before, and might give them a try. I ordered a pair of front coil springs from Euro Car Parts (ECP) once and they sent the wrong ones, which added a day to my van being off the road, with consequent loss of earnings. People should know that when you order parts from ECP online, you can get a refund for wrong parts from a local ECP depot, but, you are not refunded the postage and packing involved (£14 in the case of my springs!). Because my van was off the road, my local Citroen dealer kindly delivered the correct (coloured coded) springs direct to my house with their own van.

[CourierJim]

Hi doofer, ECP despatch online purchases from a depot in Wembley, but when you call them to arrange return/refund of the parts, they just email you a "Returns note with a code number". You are then expected to go to your local ECP depot for a refund, where I was told that they don't refund the P&P! This was only last November, so I don't know if they have changed the policy now. I will never buy car parts online ever again, .... once bitten etc.