Very frustrating

[Bandog]

Hello all. Nice to be here. 

I am nearing the completion of a year long project hybrid series 2a/3 defender 200tdi.

I have never experienced a more awkward and frustrating vehicle to find parts for. Arguably the most famous supplier in the UK has an absolute garbage website, and I have to resort to calling them before I place orders, to avoid ordering the wrong stuff. 

This is where the fun begins. 

Seems like the suppliers staff don't know land rover. 

The only real authority I have known so far is John Richards surplus. 

My local suppliers in Lincolnshire are similar, contrast in the website is over complicated and the phone staff can hardly be bothered. The counter staff are friendly and 100 percent. Just don't call the 'ivory tower' and it's OK if things are in stock. 

Even brittpart themselves don't often know what you ask them. Bearmach in Wales are more knowledgeable. 

This is my second series land rover, I have built modified classics in the past (classic mini) and I have never had so much trouble finding parts and information about parts. 

In the 90s I used dave Smith at epperstone land rover specialists and could get anything. Dave was and still is extremely helpful and knowledgeable and could generally solve 99 percent of all the issues I had, including technical. 

But there obviously not making these people anymore either. 

Sick to death of the all so common response, from so called land rover specialists "computer says no"

[Bowie69]

To be honest when buying parts now for any vehicle my first port of call is any one of the parts catalogues that are online now, they are of course accurate given they are rip offs of the original land rover system.

To be fair, not sure about the series parts books and whether they ever got made to be online, but one would certainly help you in this respect.

Even if you find an old part number you can often find the superceding one, brit-car is very good in this respect.

Agree it is frustrating, but I treat finding part numbers as part of the job nowadays, as no one really knows what they are doing in any parts store, even pukka motor factors, they all just go by computer or book.

[landroversforever]

I'm lucky in that my local parts place know what they're talking about, The more tales I hear from others the more grateful I am for their knowledge.

As Bowie says though, I treat part number finding as part of the job, particularly as its not too difficult with all the parts diagrams around on the internet and then saves them a load of time. 

[Bandog]

Thanks v much men. A very warm response. (unusual) 

I forgot to mention Neil at Cavendish land rover Chesterfield. Another old timer, (who's vehicle of choice for every occasion is a Ford v6 powered lightweight I believe)

Just an example. 

Series hard top small rear windows seals. Puma part number (britpart CGE500450) 12.00 gbp each, no filler strip, series part number 306287 4.00gbp are exactly the same product, with different prices and part numbers. 

Very naughty considering that brittpart (or an unnamed huge dealer) just recon they can rob puma drivers Co's they got more dough scam. 

Another is that the detroit trutrack for dana axles (Salisbury) does fit in the series perfectly well if you are using the 3:5-1 cwp, but brittpart say computer says no. I could go on and on but I won't bore you all. 

Even the arb dana diff cover does not list series, but there's one on mine! 

Fits like a glove, same threads the lot. 

An old Irish fella told me once, "says oxo on London busses, but they don't sell em" true Irish proverb. Thanks again 

[honitonhobbit]

I generally use my local 4x4 specialist. The staff there have experience that accumulates to hundreds of years - and not just on Land Rovers. They have a special book that notes the parts they order for customers for when the work is in house. That way you get good parts form a very varied list of suppliers.

[FridgeFreezer]

2 hours ago, Bandog said:

Another is that the detroit trutrack for dana axles (Salisbury) does fit in the series perfectly well if you are using the 3:5-1 cwp, but brittpart say computer says no.

Not wanting to prick your righteous indignation but how exactly would you record that special case in the parts book? Not exactly a heinous scam that they don't record all possible compatible parts which for various reasons weren't fitted.

I know a 4-bolt PAS box from a Disco will fit straight on to my 127 but LR fitted the expensive 6-bolt Heavy Duty one for a reason and therefore that's what's listed in the parts book. What I can't guarantee is that a 4-bolt one won't twist the sector shaft in half and steer me straight into a tree at an inopportune moment...

I'll bet the scandalously more expensive Puma parts are different or improved in some way over the cheaper Series ones.

Also if you buy anything Britpart then all bets are off anyway.

I will vote for Brit-car, they know their stuff. I use Keith Gott for parts locally as their parts guys know everything.

[Snagger]

In fairness, mail order for a hybrid is a nightmare for suppliers as so many customers don't know what they're talking about or know what they need.  That's even worse if they're second hand hybrids.  That said, the biggest mail order companies have woeful customer service - I have been utterly disgusted by Craddock and LR Series, and fairly unimpressed by some elements of Paddocks (namely their supplying Britpart pattern stuff where genuine was specified, although they always billed accordingly).  PA Blanchard are reliable but eye wateringly expensive.  The only mail order I have been happy with is Dunsfold LR, who have been superb every time I dealt with them.  But like David above, I prefer to buy over the counter at a local supplier.

[landrover598]

My advise is to write your own parts book if your building a bitsa.  I'm so glad i wrote all the part numbers when i build my hybrid all those years ago, ordering replacement parts is so much easier.

[Bandog]

valuable iput thanks men. The trouble is, many of the big players are not interested in helping out series people. If the muppets who wrote the compatibility spec knew there onions, they would include them. Just wondered how many folks have walked away from buying a detroit slip, because it wasnt listed for there vehicle?

World wide I bet its a heck of a chunk. Fridge freezer, those rear seals are EXACTLY the same, or should I say, IDENTICAL.

What is more, John Craddock sell them in meter lengths, with the filler strip for under a fiver each. Derby postcodes must have high rates mmm...

thanks again all

[Snagger]

Bandog, there are actually different spec window seals because the glass thickness was changed at some point.  I don't know when, or which vehicle spec was the change point, but it did change.  I know that because of retrofitting new old-stock alpine lights to my 109.

[Maverik]

Welcome to the forum.

The parts game has always been a bit of a lottery. Having an 86 truck, puts me on the better side of the fence it being the "new" shape, but still a lot of the catalogue parts  for that model hark back to series 3 era.

I'd also recommend Brit-car, they're pretty good generally and can find most parts at a push, I regularly do fleebay searches and pick up manner of new old stock items for peanuts - not ideal if you're mid re-build, but something to think about.

[honitonhobbit]

Having two 200 series Disco's I frequent breakers - one especially - who know I will have switches, trim, seals, glass and all the odd bits no one else wants. What ever I collect that is surplus goes on to the GWAC boys or to the Alan Young Collection, as a way of supporting what is now a relatively rare classic vehicle

[Davo]

Geeeeeez . . . at least you have a choice, and can actually walk into an actual shop and deal with actual people. I'm in a remote town and have to get everything posted, and I'm at the point where I don't even deal with anyone from this side of the country, and rarely from the other side! I get almost everything online from the UK, a slow and ponderous process that not only takes weeks but which also shows up the vast shortcomings of many major parts companies. Living over there and rebuilding a car would be luxurious by comparison! 

[Bandog]

Hearing good things about brit car. Glimmer of hope?  I have noticed that britpart (Chinapart) or di-yung, is often really shonky stuff! 

Snagger, you and I have spoken in another realm. You might guess. 

I have to fit some alpine roof seals to my friends 2a, I know there the correct seals because Bob at Paddock dealt with him, sadly no longer employed at the abysmal dated counter, with one staff member, and no computerised database. Bob was the database!!! 

My friend has had his 2a for so long it's, in his words outlasted two marriages. 

He's 70 and just been told he's very poorly with mylofibrosis. He's like an uncle to me, ex collier, would give you his last quid type. I will really, really miss such a friend. 

Davo,if I had hair, and lived where you are I would have pulled it all out waiting for the land rover parts boat, rather than the Toyota aeroplane :-)

[Davo]

From what I've heard, Toyota is no different when something other than a very common part is needed. It has to come from Japan, (and first, I suspect, from Thailand or somewhere where they make these things), and it doesn't appear that they have any English-speaking independent parts companies there! But then, I don't think I've ever met a Toyota owner who does all their own work . . . and they can be very confused when I talk of rebuilding something. 

[Bandog]

Ha ha ha. Because they don't have to with Japanese stuff most of the time 

[Davo]

You'd be surprised . . .