Pastycrimper Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Moderators...I really didn't know what forum this should go in so please migrate to the correct place or remove if you deem to far O/T. OK this doesn't really apply to Land Rovers but it could as my question and concern relates to internet based 2nd hand parts and "breaker" sites. I'm working offshore and need to re-MOT my Citroen which is parked 300miles from home (where the beloved Landy is resting). The Citroen is fine other than while its been parked on the road at a friends house some idiots have smashed off both wing mirror units (Grrrrrrr!!). I only use this citroen as a cheap "run- around" vehicle for crossing the country to get to airports etc. So I figured I'd try and source 2 second hand wing mirror units of any colour and order them from offshore either via internet or using the ship's satellite phone such that they are delivered to the address where my car is parked so that I can fix it as soon as I arrive back to the UK, then do the MOT and drive back home to Cornwall asap for some much deserved cider and Land Rover maintenance I have planned. So I looked up second hand parts on the internet (e.g. googled Citroen parts) and there are just loads of sites claiming to be specialist "Spares Networks" - you tell them the make and model of your car and they then email you back quotes from "various" unknown breakers - I had 7 different quotes back (some of them very good). However all of these unknown sources are linked by Premium Rate numbers and the email states "Call the supplier now on 0704471**** to find out more and order your part". All of the numbers begin with 0704471 which according to BT is a Premium Rate tarriff. By my calculations if I had rang these suppliers and checked on the details (some were misleading as to whether it was the mirror only, or just the housing) then I would have clocked up A LOT of money in call charges (more than the price of the wing mirror!) I'm not saying this is a pure scam as I guess they are offering a service but I think it's very deceptive especially as they don't tell you the call costs. Or what's to say each of the quotes isn't actually from the same person trying to make you make as many calls as possible. If you type 0703 into google you will see that it is littered with phone scam issues. I have resorted to using the yellow pages and actually finding landline numbers and email address of specific breakers and contact them directly but in this day and age they seem hard to find - I've only found 2 claiming to be French part specialists. Ebay seems like the most useful resource for 2nd hand parts these days. Anyone else know of 2nd hand part suppliers that don't try and charge you huge amounts by calling them up!?? Or indeed where to get two Xsara electric wing mirror units from? Again apolgies for a somewhat off topic post but didn't want anyone else to fall foul of these scams. Had I called them from my mobilephone from this ship in Norway I would have racked up £100s!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 If you are flying from Aberdeen give Overtons http://www.overtongarage.co.uk/ they are only 5 min from the Airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Or slightly closer in Daventry http://www.intapart.com/ (I've not used them just know they exist and have a normal phone number + ebay store) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 This might not work with the numbers you have, it's worth a try. I think any non standard liand line number is a scam. http://www.saynoto0870.com/ For the rest of you that only have a mobile. It might save you some money.; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastycrimper Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 If you are flying from Aberdeen give Overtons http://www.overtongarage.co.uk/ they are only 5 min from the Airport. Cheers depending on where we do the crew change I may well be flying in via Aberdeen so could be highly useful...I've sent them an email. Or slightly closer in Daventry http://www.intapart.com/ (I've not used them just know they exist and have a normal phone number + ebay store) Cheers again....looks like they have Xsara's on their now breaking list. I'm gonna try and call them when I get reception. This might not work with the numbers you have, it's worth a try. I think any non standard liand line number is a scam. http://www.saynoto0870.com/ For the rest of you that only have a mobile. It might save you some money.; Damn interesting and a useful site....sadly didn't work for the numbers in question but I've bookmarked for future usage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Damn interesting and a useful site....sadly didn't work for the numbers in question but I've bookmarked for future usage. If you have an Android phone, download 'noto08', which when you try and phone an 08 number it automatically searches for a 'normal' alternative, to keep you within your minutes allowances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 If you have an Android phone, download 'noto08', which when you try and phone an 08 number it automatically searches for a 'normal' alternative, to keep you within your minutes allowances What's an Android phone ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Android is Google's mobile and tablet operating system, most smartphones nowadays run this. http://www.android.com/about/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Is that what my HTC Desire has ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Is that what my HTC Desire has ? Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 These two are the most useful for 08... numbers that i have found: http://market.android.com/search?q=pname:com.skycomuk.android.o800Wizard http://market.android.com/search?q=pname:com.slackersoft.android.no0870 (remember that most mobile operators charge for freephone numbers too so the top link is useful for those - i think it just routes the number through a landline number so it comes out of your minutes instead). To the OP, the number looks like a scam - i refuse to use anyone that charges you a premium rate to contact them - why should they make money out of your call and the sale of a product?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Webster Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 You may find a call to German Swedish and French or equivalent Euro Car Parts operation is fruitful. You may be surprised that a pattern new mirror may be nearly as cheap as a second hand genuine article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastycrimper Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 You may find a call to German Swedish and French or equivalent Euro Car Parts operation is fruitful. You may be surprised that a pattern new mirror may be nearly as cheap as a second hand genuine article Cheers!!!! I hadn't heard of GSF but they do do them for £50 each which as you say isn't going to be far off a scrapyard.....b*st**d vandals! So glad I didn't drive and leave my Land Rover there!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastycrimper Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 To those interested in this thread I did some more research on these "online brokers" for breakers. IMHO I would stay well clear of them. You only have to do a few websearches to find a list of horrors. One of the comanies i tried was 247spares who essentially take your request and automatically ping it on to hundreds of breakers many of whom sound seriously dodgy. You then receive no-obligation quotes but to find out more you have to ring these 0704 numbers which are 50p/min form a BT land line and LOADS more from a mobile. BEWARE most people think that all 07 numbers are mobiles but 0704 are NOT. These are often used as scam numbers where somone rings you up and pretends not to hear you so you ring back. These numbers are not monitored by authorites. Here the spares company makes you try to ring these numbers. Fair enough maybe but a little deceptive. Unlike various comparetthis and that websites these guys make money from your calls rather than advertisng on your site or re-seller deals. They don't mention anything about call charges. You only have to type 247spares into google to find the complaints (e.g. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=435026) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialbikejames Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I used these online breakers in the past to get parts for my old Alfa 145, did the scrappys not leave a number/email address in their quote? Last time I used them the quotes all had the companies numbers in them, so I phoned them direct and cut out the middle man. When it came to paying I used Paypal and the websites payment system- so I was secure if the transaction went bad. No problems the couple of times I used them, and the prices can be very cheap indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 As you've found, GSF or Euro Car Parts are reasonable for a lot of stuff. eBay is another good place, lots of breakers selling through there these days especially the specialist guys who are more shed-based than scrapyards. To be fair, these online brokers things are as much scamming the scrapyards as they are the customers, your average scrapyard is not very web-savvy so it can seem like an attractive prospect to the un-inititated. I've actually used an online parts search before with reasonable success and no premium-rate numbers. These numbers are not monitored by authorites. I'd question that, although sharp practice often pops up faster than OFCOM can slap it down (especially when people don't report it), anyone running any sort of phone service in the UK is LIABLE to get the book thrown at them if they're breaching the rules. There are more panicky scare-story e-mails etc. out there than actual crooks, often the scare stories claim stuff that just isn't true (EG you cannot actually set up a premium rate line costing more than a certain amount per minute), so yes you need to be on your guard but often the scare-story itself is the scam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastycrimper Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'd question that, although sharp practice often pops up faster than OFCOM can slap it down (especially when people don't report it), anyone running any sort of phone service in the UK is LIABLE to get the book thrown at them if they're breaching the rules. There are more panicky scare-story e-mails etc. out there than actual crooks, often the scare stories claim stuff that just isn't true (EG you cannot actually set up a premium rate line costing more than a certain amount per minute), so yes you need to be on your guard but often the scare-story itself is the scam. Thats's true. The BT site does state clearly the price of the these numers (pn2 tarriff). Certainly 09 premium numbers are OFCOM regulated. My infromation came from money saving expert forum including this quote: "070x numbers are known as personal numbers and therefore would not be barred like 09x numbers would be. Be very aware that calls to this number cost 47.5p per minute from a BT landline with calls from other landline providers and mobiles may (and normally do) cost more. A lot of scam artists have started using high-priced 070x numbers so they can receive a revenue although they are not meant to just that clueless Ofcom haven't closed a loop-hole. These people/companies using 070x numbers so they can earn a revenue without all the hassle and safeguards that using an 09x (premium rate) number would have simply due to the fact that 09x numbers are regulated by ICSTIS whereas 070 personal numbers are not regulated whatsoever. Basically, 070x personal numbers can be used as stealth premium rate numbers due to their high cost and the fact that they are so easily confused as being a mobile number." These two pages cover the 070 issues a lot of people have had http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=253431 & http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=253484 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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