Ebay repair panels

[SeanDezart]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DATSUN-NISSAN-240z-floor-panels_W0QQitemZ230167260066QQihZ013QQcategoryZ122159QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Anyone know this fella ? Had any experience with him and the products ?

 

[twoforty]

I spotted those too, look ok. Prices seem reasonable. His feedback looks very good.

 

[SeanDezart]

What's interesting is that he does a good range of parts for a good range of modles - maybe he should be advertising in the mag.........

 

[twoforty]

With discount for members

 

[Mr.F]

Same panels and same manufacturer that we have being supplying for years - made from patterns and measurements supplied by MJP and Z Centre and sold through JDG Panels where John Graham has put in many hours of development and acted as sales agent for the manufacturer. The range has been developed with our expertise over many years. The manufacturer has now decided to try and take all the proceeds for themselves and cut out the business chain.

They are not Z specialists and have no care or passion for the marque.

 

[SeanDezart]

......The manufacturer has now decided to try and take all the proceeds for themselves and cut out the business chain.....

Does that mean that the panels are the same price as JDG Panels as sold by yourself ?

 

[Mr.F]

No - they are selling at manufacturer prices, but won't sell at less to retailers. No appreciation of business process and thus cutting the number of possible outlets to one...

I'm sure as a customer that you will be more than happy with that, but if we applied the same principle to everything a retailer sells, then that retailer can't operate any longer as they will not be earning a living. Raising it to a bigger level - if my Nissan agent decided to do the same thing, I'd be gone and you would be left dealing with Nissan Parts Departments who know very little about the Z range and wouldn't really care if they had you as a customer or not.

On the subject of panels BTW, the pattern panels for sills and wheel arches have diminished (if not disappeared). However, I have sourced some equivalent items in America which look to be better quality for not much more money. Supply may be a bit sporadic, but that problem is overcome, at least for the moment.

 

[SeanDezart]

Mike,

thanks for the candid answer !

Why don't you list what panels are available for 260 2+2s and 280ZXs ? Or send me an email with such info - these are the cars most still on the roads over here and the cars that people buy and look to restore !

 

[ZHead]

As Sean says, thanks for the candid answer - I for one value your expertise and help which is worth more than saving a few quid to me.

Through lack of knowledge and experience of the S30 I would save a few quid and end up with entirley the wrong panels for the wrong year, wrong model and would be a very pi**ed off Hector. I am sure there will be a lot of us who stick with what and who we know ........ business is not just about cash and goods, it is about reliability, help, support and goodwill, which by the way, goes both ways.

 

[Tony 260Z]

Hear hear. I've seen ads before that say "fits 20z/260z" but it's only through chatting to Mike and a couple of others that I'd know that there are floorpan variations etc to take into account and that there's no one-size-fits-all option. It's the knowledge that costs a few quid extra - and it's worth it IMHO.

 

[Mr.F]

Your support, although gratefully received, does not address the problem that a range of bespoke panels is now only available from one source and no longer readily available to me as a retailer. There is no question of getting another manufacturer to tool up to do these as demand is relatively small - 280ZX wheel arch repairs for example; never produced by anyone else in the world to my knowledge...

 

[ZHead]

That route to market decision by the manufacturer sucks

Apart from not being good for you as a retailer, it is not good for us as customers who like the "one stop shop" convenience and who trust the advice given.

 

[Tony 260Z]

Agreed, but I can't think of anything anyone (other than the people in question) can do about it :-(

 

[littlebird1303]

time for the manufacturers responce.
the build up of these panels has been done by one man,granted some panels were sent to take patterns from and others were gained by ourselves.every tool to make these panels was made and is owned by the same feller.
having first worked on repairing these cars in 1976 has gained a lot of measurements and patterns this way over the years.
these panels are priced according to difficulty and material used,we will soon be a trader on the site so keep an eye out for that.the rest i leave up to yourselfs

 

[Arkwright]

It seems to me that littlenbird1303 has the monopoly. Frankly I don't blame him if he's gone to the trouble to produce these items for a niche market why share with others when he doesn't have to.

It would appear from what he says that he has the expertise to offer the correct advice on what to buy. Time will tell but we will have to give the guy the chance. If he's also intent on becoming a trader on the site then the club can only benefit.