TPS Branches - Which Ones Do or Don't Sell to the Public - A List

[roaddetective]

TPS Kidlington Oxfordshire sell to the public. 

[EdHru]

No more public sales in Shrewsbury TPS branch :(

[trundlenut]

OK, I haven't been around for a while, but I will try and update this thread shortly.

[AMD87]

Glasgow Branch still sell to the public when i went in on thursday

[Socket2000]

Hi

I bought a DPF pressure difference sensor from TPS Park Royal today, I took the part number with me and bought it over the counter. I wasn't asked if I was trade. I mentioned that the price was the same as a main dealer and they took a small amount off, it shows 4% discount on the invoice. The best bit is that they had it in stock whereas none of the local Skoda or VW dealers stocked it and you can never seem to get anyone from parts to answer when you  phone them anyway.

Steve

[jeallen01]

As mentioned in another of my threads, never had a problem buying at the Hayes branch - in fact, a  week or so ago, the (older) guy kindly ordered both possible types of dipstick for the Octy, but I only had to actually buy the correct one when they arrived a couple of days later!

Edited 14 August, 2018 by jeallen01

[VWD]

I know it's an old post resurrected, but  I wanted parts from TPS COVENTRY, to find a notice trade only on the door, and on line now I find the same notice. bit of a problem in this area as I would not trust Skoda dealers to give me the little bits, when they can fleece you for a complete kit. ( For those who think that this is obtuse - I had a return fuel pipe short bit of flexi hose develop a leak close to one main dealer. Went in to parts and asked what I needed. Answer - set of fuel pipes- circa £160. They'd fit them for another £160. SIL brought me out a bit of pipe from one of his old bikes to get me to TPS . Answer- flexi fuel pipe cut to length. They didn't have any ,but I bought at local motor factor. Cost all of £0.5).

Problem is that when you need something like a lower shock bolt you now have pay through the nose at Stalers.

Edited 7 April, 2019 by VWD

[trundlenut]

On 07/04/2019 at 15:32, VWD said:

I know it's an old post resurrected, but  I wanted parts from TPS COVENTRY, to find a notice trade only on the door, and on line now I find the same notice. bit of a problem in this area as I would not trust Skoda dealers to give me the little bits, when they can fleece you for a complete kit. ( For those who think that this is obtuse - I had a return fuel pipe short bit of flexi hose develop a leak close to one main dealer. Went in to parts and asked what I needed. Answer - set of fuel pipes- circa £160. They'd fit them for another £160. SIL brought me out a bit of pipe from one of his old bikes to get me to TPS . Answer- flexi fuel pipe cut to length. They didn't have any ,but I bought at local motor factor. Cost all of £0.5).

Problem is that when you need something like a lower shock bolt you now have pay through the nose at Stalers.

They just buy it from TPS anyway.  Also your local branch may be run by the dealer.  As I understand it they are franchises.

[VWD]

Coventry have moved out of the joint ( Skoda/Seat etc) building into their own premises off site. With a note on the door to say only persons who can prove trade connections will be supplied .

And from TPS site

 " Not a Trade customer? Ask your TPS Centre for recommendations of local garages who can help you find and fit Volkswagen Group Genuine Parts and Quantum Consumables for your vehicle "

However I've found out soon too be grand son in law ( when he marries GD) works for a parts firm .

[jeallen01]

On 12/04/2019 at 12:33, VWD said:

Coventry have moved out of the joint ( Skoda/Seat etc) building into their own premises off site. With a note on the door to say only persons who can prove trade connections will be supplied .

And from TPS site

 

 " Not a Trade customer? Ask your TPS Centre for recommendations of local garages who can help you find and fit Volkswagen Group Genuine Parts and Quantum Consumables for your vehicle "

However I've found out soon too be grand son in law ( when he marries GD) works for a parts firm .

Similar notice now on the door of the Hayes TPS branch!

[softscoop]

Lincoln will also only now supply to the trade.

 

 

[Ratzer]

I went to Slough branch today - sign on the door says TRADE ONLY effective from Feb 2019. Checked with staff, they directed me to Skoda main dealer 😞

 

[J.R.]

Why are you all being put off by the notices on the doors, are you not even trying?

 

Seems terribly British to someone who has been living away for 15 years.

 

Today I found the Gatwick/Crawley branch of TPS, same notice on the door and inside saying trade only, no public sales and that it was effective from 1st May 2019, I just ignored it and waited to be served.

 

"How can I help you mate?" was the response, no problem with being served, no questions asked, nothing to justify, the invoices were made out to "Generic Front Counter" and I was not dressed like a mechanic like we had to do at the motor factors decades ago.

 

They want to do business, you can see the wallchart with each persons monthly targets and results, they are just paying lip service to what i think is a planning issue with the building being for industrial and not retail use. They probably will get fed up with Mr Ploppy wanting to buy floor mats and a tartan rug especially if a genuine trade customer is waiting behind them, under those circumstances they will probably use the notice to their advantage but otherwise its business as usual or at least at the Gatwick branch, they will all be under the same financial targets from head office so I reckon they will all continue to deal with non trade customers while making out that they dont.

 

You wont get the same discounts without a formal trade account but I was pretty pleased with the prices i paid today for genuine VAG parts at less than I have paid elsewhere for pattern junk after a lot of negotiating, they had 5l of Quantum Platinum oil on offer for £11.09 + Vat, even cheaper for the 20l pack.

Edited 22 July, 2019 by J.R.

[jeallen01]

@J.R.

 

Thx - good heads up - will try that approach at the local branch next time I need "stuff" !

 

PS: might even be worth a 90 mile round trip to Gatwick if I need a load of expensive "stuff"!

Edited 22 July, 2019 by jeallen01

[shampooefficient]

Teesside TPS are currently not willing to sell to the public, only trade, the last couple of times MrsSE and I have called.

 

I haven't been in branch to try yet, but I will update. It's a shame as they certainly used to be spot on...

[Kamikazekid]

Crayford branch will sell to the public. 

[J.R.]

I have just rebuilt a written off accident damaged Yeti, aside from a reconditioned  dashboard, airbags & seatbelts kit and LHD headlights all the parts came from TPS Crawley right down to the tiny plastic trim rivets, many in stock all the others even the most obscure bits were there by 9am the next day, reasonable discounts as well but will need to cultivate the relationship to do a lot better.

 

Takes me back to the days when I had friends in a Ford parts distributor that supplied all the Ford dealers and independant garages & repairers in the area, its exactly the same set up, with that knowledge you realise why the main dealers either dont have a parts counter at all & if they do there will be no-one there and they will have to call a salesman over who could not identify a cam follower from his testicles. When their workshop needs parts they call TPS, the guys there spend all day looking at parts diagrams and nothing else.

 

So so pleased that I will never again have to go to a main dealers parts counter.

 

Still chuckling at those who read the sign and walk away empty handed , simply phone them up, give them the part number (no floor mats or tartan rugs) and say "OK" when they say "shall I get that in for you tomorrow sir?" The only people ordering or collecting at the counter was myself and lots of asian taxi drivers, TBH walk ins are a real disruption for them.

[J.R.]

I saw on a Skoda Simply Clever Youtube advert for the Yeti quite a nice little rubbish bag holder with lid that clips onto the doorpocket, found the part number and from TPS it was half the price of those sold on the net by SuperSkoda etc and E-bay and that was with only 8% discount, there is a lot more to be had.

[Stuart-h]

Does any one have any up to date lists on which tps centers sell to the public?

Im fairly sure the branch at Blackburn (Lancashire) and Northampton don't.

[kd02]

Just been to Stockton on Tees branch to pick up parts that I ordered over the phone earlier this week'

No problems, didn't need to quote a garage account, great service too.

[mikey362]

Just out of question when they ask about a business do they want the address and everything? I’ve got a friend who runs a garage don’t know the address though 

[valver16]

Worth adding to the list that Carlisle branch will sell to the public no questions asked in my experience - they just put Generic Front Counter Sales or something similar on the invoice.

[OccySport]

Yeovil no longer sells to the public since when they reopened after lockdown.

[Rjg]

Has anyone tried their luck at the Gatwick branch?