Dealer no longer provides part numbers..

[still_on2_wheels]

After reading the post titled "Will the dealership provide instruction sheets on used accessories?", I felt obligated to post an experience yesterday at a local Phoenix dealership where I inquired about a gasket set, asking about the price and part number. The response?

"We no longer provide part numbers."

That interesting. I have alternatives as well.

Jeff

[JohnC]

I would no longer "provide them" my cash.
__________________
JohnC - Kechi, KS

[HV]

That Dealer will not last long IMHO.... in these hard times you need to go the extra Mile... not tell your customers to basically  Piss Off

[Ratfade]

Was that Superstition HD by any chance?

[vans24]

one of the reasons I avoid giving  the dealer any of my money . I only use them as the last resort, after calling all the other shops in town.. and not to mention  the numbers they would give you are probably wrong anyways..

[Fxstchewy]

Everytime I call or go by my local HD dealer and inquire about a part I need/like they ask ME for a part#   

[ceduby]

I can very well understand this. We have a library ( we are required to have in aviation ) that cost us 8000.00 a year to keep updated. We quit giving out part #'s some time ago. What people were doing was calling asking for a part # and price then buy elsewhere. We now give them the price only. If they want part #'s we would gladly sell them a parts manual. Most do not want to buy the manual. I understand that times are tough, but they're tough for all. What we will do, depending on the customers attitude, is give them a discount off list if we get the part at a decent price. What some don't understand, unless you are in the parts business, is we don't set the price. Most of the parts we sell only have a 10-20% mark up. Less if the part is very expensive to begin with. One thing we do different from the Dealers is we order the parts needed that day or the next. None of this we only order on Thursday stuff. We will also order overnight , 2nd day or what ever the customer wants. Of course in those cases they pay shipping.  This is in the aviation business so we have rules we need to go by. Don't know about the Dealers but each part that comes in needs to be inspected for conformity, documentation and basically and record from birth, repair, overhaul etc.

I don't expect anybody to provide me part numbers unless I purchase the part from them. Every bike, well most,  I've had, I had a parts manual and would shop around for the best price. You wouldn't believe the vast difference in some of the prices.

[mayor]

I kinda understand the dealerships position on this.  If you go into a dealer and ask how much something is, let's just say your looking for TC set of muffler bearings. They look it  up and give you the list price of $118.95.  At this point you say with your best deer in the headlights look,  "wow, I didn't think that muffler bearings were that much,"  :then you say "can I get the part number for those."  Let's just say that the dealer is probably smart enough to know that you are going to use the part number to look for a better deal.  Saying that you need the price and the part number implies that your intentions may not be to buy that item at that shop. 

I now buy most of my parts online, so I bought a parts book for each of my bikes. I would recommend the parts book to go along with the service manual for anyone working on their own bike.  Works great for looking up part numbers, and I can generally make sure I have all the parts I need in advance when working on something specific. 

Occasionally I buy local if I need/want something the same day.  Generally the only time I'll ask for a part number for something from my local shops (if I don't already know it) is if the shop is out of that item.  If a shop doesn't carry that particular part, most of the time they seem to have no issue with giving me the part number.   

[vans24]

I can understand the reluctance , cause  you know why they want the number,  either way , if you don't give part numbers you look like a jerk , the customer will remember this , not to mention some one out there with good  customer service will  give them the  number , and in turn look like a hero , guess what the customer will remember the next time he needs a part.so why take the chance I don't know how it is at the dealer ship . but  one of my first jobs was in  an auto parts store. we didn't pay for parts books. infact  they would give us to many and we would throw them away .. but like I said , it wasn't a dealership so .

[ohio-rider]

Everytime I call or go by my local HD dealer and inquire about a part I need/like they ask ME for a part#   

[hrdtail78]

Bad policy IMHO.  Living in an area with a lot of dealers, I am sure one will give out the p/n.  Besides, with websites like this.  I am sure you could find a p/n for almost anything.  When I get a new to me bike.  I always buy the MM and the IPB.

[ceduby]

The exception to us not giving out a part # would be a hard to find part. If we cannot locate an item reasonably quick, ( within 30 min.) It no longer becomes profitable to spend hours trying to locate it. I guess because we try to support so many different manufacurers and models at times it becomes difficult. Also a lot of aircraft are now 30 + years old. And yes we do still work on them. Unlike H-D for anything over 10.

[Dennis The Menace]

Havent experienced anyone refusing to give out a part number, BUT I did have a shop give me a bogus part number.  I wasnt shopping for cheap price on something (GPS mount), but trying to find a dealer that had one in stock before a road trip.

Guess the guy thought I was going to go online and buy it for MSRP or less (that particular shop adds 10% to MSRP on Parts!!!!), so he gave me a part number for.....a saddlebag lid.  F-er....wont go there or call that shop again.

So, just because they give you a part number, it may not be the right part number you need.  Kind of funny to some, I suppose, but it wasnt to me.

menace

[ceduby]

Another reason to have a IPB is I've noticed lately that some of the parts kids don't have a clue of what your asking for, and mines a 1997. Hate to think what you Shovel guys are going thru.

[tireater]

Our local stealer will give you a part # if something is out of stock...which is most of the time...They don't like looking things up twice...

[EagleFTE]

I understand dealers are trying to make a buck and survive just like we are trying to save a buck and survive.  The best option for finding part numbers should be a site like this.  But also if you have aftermarket catalogs some of them list OEM part numbers for replacement parts.  I just looked at Dennis Kirks catalog and they list HD OEM part numbers for gasket sets, o-rings, all kinds of stuff.  Just for fun I took the push rod o-ring for 2004-07 part number they listed and went to one of hundreds of on line part number look ups and it worked like a charm.  Proper part for $1.00 on Latus HD dealer site.  I have never had a problem in the past but will keep in mind that I may have to do some home work prior to walking in and asking a dealer to look something up for me.

Also I hate putting too much faith in the pimple faced kids behind some of the counters.  So I usually try to walk in with some good knowledge anyway or I have looked over their shoulder to make sure they are looking up the right thing.  Of course some shops have true parts experts behind the counter.

[truck]

Why do you need a part number when all the part sellers can hook you up through their part lookup/description?

[Flat Dog]

I need the plastic bayonet mount/lamp holder for a 95 evo tach assembly. Without a parts manual, I am probably dead in the water unless the dealer still has that info on computer, or is nice enough to look it up in a book for me. I have to drive 70 miles R/T, and will do so for that kind of help. If it's in stock, I'd crap my pants.

[chris haynes]

I need the plastic bayonet mount/lamp holder for a 95 evo tach assembly. Without a parts manual, I am probably dead in the water unless the dealer still has that info on computer, or is nice enough to look it up in a book for me. I have to drive 70 miles R/T, and will do so for that kind of help. If it's in stock, I'd crap my pants.

You should buy both the parts and service manuals if you plan on doing your own work.

[Flat Dog]

I always buy a service manual for my bikes-thanks. I agree about the parts manual...I am a mechanic by education, but who cares..anyway-

My point is that the few times I will do business with a dealer is when I do need to get a hard to find part that may be obsolete, and my friend at the parts counter helps me out. I'm more than willing to pay some extra $ for decent service, and that particular parts guy understands that. Parts folks like the one the OP encountered will help that dealer close their doors as stated.

[tinkerman]

I deal with a small HD dealer here in rural NE Canada. The young parts fellow is pretty helpful but the manger is not so much. I am assuming it is because I am looking for mechanical parts to keep a 20 year old evo on the move. Maybe it just comes down to $ & cents. I certainly don't hand over so much coin as someone buying or looking for service on a newer bike.

For me, parts and service manuals are a must. It's uncomfortable being treated like a second class citizen when all your doing is pursuing a passion and keeping some older machinery on the road. I like to maintain as much independance from the HD dealer as possible but in many cases I prefer to use stock parts so there is nothing to do but belly up to the parts counter and expect the same service as any other customer. If it isn't forthcoming, then the time may have arrived to clear the air. Haven't gotten there yet, hope I don't; the next nearest dealer is 4 hours away and actually associated with the current operation closest to me.

In my view, a HD or Ford or Maytag service center should be willing to provide part numbers - thats why they are called a service center. If someone else can provide a compatible part at a better deal, thats the breaks. Of course I am looking at this from a consumers perspective, not  a dealership who is watching buisiness walk out the door.

My .02,

Tink

Tink

[Tsani]

The reason I like to get the part number even tho I have the parts book is because 1) I track what I use, yes , I actually record it. 2) Even tho I might have the book, they change the numbers like every other day or so it seems. 3) Having the part number is the only way I can be somewhat sure they are giving me the right part cause as we all know they would never give you the wrong one!

If a dealer doesn't want to give me a part number, I don't have to deal with him. Why should should I trust him either?! Business is a relationship, not a oneway street!

[Ultrashovel]

I think you should get a parts book from the dealer and then you won't have to ask them anymore. I can fully understand why they don't want to give out parts numbers nowadays. The prospective buyer who has no parts book calls up, gets the part number and then goes online for the best price. There's certainly no money in it for the dealer in a situation like that. There's no sense in getting angry at the dealer. They're only trying to stay in business. These are tough times nowadays.....

Get a parts book. You'll be glad you did. 

[Faast Ed]

Amen.  Buying online has become so popular over the last few years, why should you expect them to look up numbers for you, simply so's you can buy elswhere.

The only time I will ask a dealer for a part number, is if I am at the counter and they are out of stock. They had first shot.

I buy a lot online, but I don't go callin' the dealer for the numbers.  That's flat out rude!

[dave629]

I have called the local parts dept., and given them the number when asked if I had it.  As recently as September this happened but when I got to the counter the parts guru said it was out of stock and needed to be ordered.  WTF?  "Didn't I just call and ask you if you had it"?  "Didn't you say - YES" ?  Their website hasn't been updated for January and the current thinking is they are going out.  This is a double-edged sword (if true) as they provide a bulwark to the other stealers in the area selling new H-D's.  As far as the parts situation, it will never get straightened out because the parts counter people play roulette working for the other dealers at the drop of a hat.  One month at X and next month at Y.