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Customer
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THE
BUS DEPOT STORY... The Bus Depot got its roots a decade
ago, in my driveway among the farms and winding roads of rural Pennsylvania. It
was there that I brought my first VW home - a ‘71 camper, which was a little
“rough” to put it kindly. As I fixed it up, I discovered how hard it was to find
certain parts locally, especially at prices I could afford. So in no time, two
campers were in my driveway - my daily driver, and a “parts” bus salvaged from a
local farm.
The two busses in my driveway attracted other local bus
owners, who would stop in to chat when I was working on them. It seemed that
everyone shared my frustration with many parts being either elusive or
expensive. The VW was meant to be affordable - the "people's car." So why were
some parts prices so high?
It just didn’t make sense to me. I was a
buyer for a retail chain, in a field where the average profit margins are a
fraction of what they are on auto parts. Yet they still made money. How? They
learned to live lean. They saved every dollar they possibly could and passed it
on to the customer, because in their business, they had to. Meanwhile, VW parts
suppliers were raking in 50 or 60 percent markups as if they had no
choice.
I thought I could do it a lot
cheaper. Especially since a relatively new phenomenon, the Internet, made it
possible to do it without spending a fortune on advertising - the one expense
that can drive any retailer's prices up. (Just one color ad in a VW magazine
costs thousands of bucks. If you think you're not paying for that in the price
of the parts you buy, you're kidding yourself.) At the time, VW parts hadn't found
their way on the internet yet to speak of, so this was a novel way to "get the
word out" without running up a high advertising budget. So, I started the Bus Depot in my basement with a home grown
website, a coat closet full of parts, and a few hundred bucks.
Well, it just took off! With the loyal
support of local VW clubs and the growing Internet community, plus a handful of
dedicated VW enthusiasts who climbed on board, we became the world’s first VW
parts "dot-com." Today we import literally hundreds of thousands of parts from
all over the world, and are the leading online VW van parts specialist. And the
reason is still the same: No-nonsense, rock-bottom prices on quality parts - sold
by VW enthusiasts to VW enthusiasts.
So, that's the Bus Depot story. Thanks
to the much-appreciated support of VW owners like you, our Volkswagen hobby has
turned into a real business - saving you money on quality parts and supporting
your Volkswagen hobby!
WHAT'S
NEW AT THE DEPOT?...
Well,
our biggest news is behind the scenes... we've expanded
our facilities in the beautiful metropolis of Perkiomenville!
With double the warehouse space, we can
keep more product in stock for immediate shipment,
and are better equipped to take advantage of large-quantity
buy-outs that save you money. We've also been working
on some website improvements and added thousands
of additional images to our site. Be sure to look for these pages as
you browse the site - click on the 
icons
- as they have lots of additional info such as parts
diagrams, installation details, etc. I think some
of our customers overlook these very useful pages.
Also, don't forget to make full use of our unique Smart
Search, which is
the most advanced VW parts search engine on the
internet (and searches more part numbers than any
otherl). It is
a real time-saver once you understand how to use it to its fullest. If you haven't already, you may want to take a minute or two to read the hints
on navigation here, and right below it here.
Our selection of parts for VW
cars is now the largest on the internet. If you own a Bug, Jetta, etc.,
don't forget to try us for those parts as well.
They're all right here on our website - almost 200,000
parts in all, all at huge savings.
It may be worth mentioning the present situation
with the U.S. Dollar, which is at it's lowest
value in years. This is not good news for VW owners,
as it means price increases on all imported
parts. Many manufacturers had been holding their
prices for a while, hoping for the dollar to strengthen
again, but it's not happening. So they're starting
to institute large wholesale price increases, to
the tune of 20 or 30 percent. Unfortunately this
situation is likely to get worse before it gets
better. What's more, in my experience, once the
manufacturers raise prices, they are very reluctant
to lower them again, even if the dollar strengthens.
So price increases caused by a weak dollar often
end up being permanent. As always, we are doing
our absolute best to hold pricing everywhere we
can, and will always strive give you better prices
than any of our competitors. But I think a
"heads-up" is warranted, because if you
have a large project planned, you might want to
get your parts sooner rather than later and beat
some of these inevitable price increases.
On
the other hand,
the soft economy has netted some really sharp
closeout buys, as a few others in this business
have thrown in the towel and we have purchased
their excess inventory.
Look for the SALE icons
throughout the site for some of these deals, which
are up to 75% off the regular prices. Another new
addition that's been drawing a lot of attention
is our new Ezy-Awning. This thing really
is amazing, and it works on virtually any vehicle.
Also our new VW van themed tableware and cutlery
sets, our floored tents, and our sidewall-reinforced
tires have been very popular new additions.
In closing, I want to take
the opportunity to thank you, our loyal customers, for your ongoing
support. We really appreciate your business!
We remain committed as always to searching worldwide for the parts you
need to keep your VW on the road - reliably and inexpensively, as it was
intended to be. Please don't hesitate to call us or e-mail sales@busdepot.com
with your comments, questions, or suggestions, or if there's anything at all
that we can do to enhance your Bus driving pleasure!
- Ron Salmon
March, 2007 Return to
Table of Contents
ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS
AND PRICES...
We sell quality parts cheap, not cheap parts. Most are made by
the same companies that supply the parts found on new Volkswagens - original equipment
manufacturers (often abbreviated as "OEM"). When original parts are too expensive or
unavailable, we search worldwide for the best quality alternatives we can find, or have them
custom made to our specs. Our “golden rule” is that we will never sell anything
that we wouldn’t put on our own Volkswagens. (See "About Warranties
& Quality," below.)
You’ll find that overall,
comparing “apples to apples”, our prices are hard to beat. If someone
does seem to have a lower delivered price, odds are they’re not shipping comparable quality parts. But please
feel free to let us know and we'll check it out for you. Perhaps
we are obtaining the part from Volkswagen, while they are shipping
a lower priced aftermarket part. We may be able to provide the same
aftermarket part if you prefer (at a better price), or at least explain
why there is a difference in price.
Finally,
a note that while this website is updated regularly,
the updates are not instantaneous. Therefore it
is possible for there to be a short lag between
when a price or availability changes and when the website
(or the automatically generated order-confirmation
email) updates to reflect that change. In
the unlikely event that a price has changed on something
that you have ordered, a Bus Depot sales rep
will contact you directly to get your approval.
This doesn't happen often, and we do all we can
to avoid it, but with the recent volatility of the
dollar we've had one or two manufacturers spring
a price increase on us without warning.
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ABOUT
WARRANTIES & QUALITY...
Every part we sell has to meet strict
standards for quality and value. We’re picky; if we wouldn’t put it on our
own VW’s, we won’t sell it to you. Our defect rate has been less than 1/20th
of 1%, so overall we think we’re doing pretty well.
Manufacturers’ warranties may range from 90 days to lifetime,
depending on the product. It is the manufacturer's
their warranty, not ours, but we’ll be happy to assist you in handling the details, to get
your VW back on the road as quickly as possible. Usually you'll have a
warranty
replacement pronto, for just the cost of shipping. Feel free to e-mail for
warranty into on specific items. Also, our lawyers have asked us to mention
that
the warranties do not cover labor, towing, lodging, shipping,
consequential
damages, etc.
As odd as this may sound, warranty length has absolutely
nothing to do with product
quality. Most of the best German brands, for example, carry a one-year
warranty. Yet there are a few suppliers that advertise a "lifetime warranty”
even on products that cannot compare to
those top name brands. Why? It's a marketing
ploy. In essence you're buying an "extended
warranty" whether you want it or not; they're
simply building it into the price of the part. For
what this extended warranty cost them, they could
have sold you a better quality part to begin with
and maybe you wouldn't have needed the warranty!
What's more, the the "lifetime warranty”
is of limited value. It doesn't cover normal wear-and-tear (just factory
defects), so if the cheapo part simply
wears
out sooner than the good German brand would have, this is not covered. More
importantly, it doesn't cover your time, cost, and hassle
of having to remove the broken part and mail
it back. Or the risk of the part failing at an inopportune time, leaving
you stranded on the side of the road or worse. Better
than a part with a "lifetime" warranty
is a part that doesn't fail. There is no substitute
for quality.
Finally, it's worth noting that country of origin may vary on different products,
regardless of the "nationality" of the brand name on the box.
This is a result of the increasing globalization of the world market, a
trend that is likely to continue. It is not unusual anymore to see products from
"German" brands such as Bosch, Hella, etc. made elsewhere, as they now
manufacture worldwide. And the country of origin may change frequently even on the
same part. But this does not necessarily mean that quality will vary. The
better manufacturers tend to be very picky about what they attach their name and
reputation to, regardless of where they build the part. And so are
we.
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WHAT
PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT US...
Actual unsolicited comments,
as seen on VW newsgroups, mailing lists, etc.
"I've done business with The Bus Depot on several occasions. Good stuff at
very reasonable prices. Also, you don't hafta worry about Ron being
'overly optimistic'. I've never received the wrong part." - from
Rec.Autos.VW.Watercooled newsgroup
"We had a thread on the Ghia list a while back comparing vendors and their
prices for the Bentley manuals, and the winner was: well, let's just say that I
called Ron and ordered two." - from the Air Cooled Volkswagen
mailing list
"I think you'll be interested in this---before I went to the smog retest,
when he told me I'd be needing the cat. conv., I asked how much he'd charge for
the part. In a German accent: "Oh, I maybe can get you an *aftermarket* one for
maybe $250, 270!" So I went home and checked your website, and went back and
told him, no thanks, I can have one here in a week or less for $99.95 plus
shipping. "Oh, ja, but it has to *fit* -- if it is a little too big or too
small..." Well, does the muffler fit? "Oh, ja, but that's original, it's
perfect." I got it for $75 -- original, like everything on this parts list,
first quality. "Let me see that -- <looks it over, heads for xerox> --
maybe I chust take his number..." - Gail
"I will add to the stories about the EXCELLENT service provided by Ron. He
has always bent over backwards to give great service, even surpassing what is
normally expected. Whenever I need odd stuff, I mail Ron and it's
here!" - from the Type 2 mailing list
"I, too, must praise Ron's support. My mechanic was quoted $100
for a drag link by his supplier. I ordered it from Ron. Total cost, including
shipping: $42.60." - from the Type 2 mailing
list
"Just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for the excellent deal on the
poptop canvas and seal- it's all installed and beautiful!
-
Grady
"Their prices are good and there
are few if any errors. I have actually found that they will go that extra
distance to accommodate the customer." - from the Type 2 mailing
list
Ron at Bus Depot is one
of the aftermarket dealers that supports "the list" and has good prices and
service." - from the Vanagon mailing list
"Since I began my project I have I have ordered 98% of my parts from BUS DEPOT. Ron has provided me with excellent service and fast
shipping! He has given me the type customer service that one likes to expect
from a business....Ron has provided almost every part I needed and at the lowest
price I could find!" - from the Type 2 mailing
list
"Ordered a rebuilt steering rack for my wifes Vanagon from the Bus Depot (for
$249.95) ~ Cheapest place ANYWHERE, Dealer was $2,270 ~ Ron
has excellent prices, excellent service, timely replies. What more could you ask
for?" - from the Type 2 mailing list
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BUS DEPOT
CONTACT INFORMATION...
Customer Service: For
all inquiries other than new orders by part number 1-215-234-VWVW
(8989)
Toll-Free for Orders by Part Number (see below):
1-866-BUS-DEPOT (287-3376) within the U.S.
Fax: 1-215-234-0890
Email: sales@busdepot.com
(same or next working day response to most inquiries)
Address: 4801 Gravel Pike Perkiomenville, PA. 18074
USA (State Rt. 29, just south of Rt. 63)
Hours: Weekdays, 11 am to 7 pm, Eastern time, except major holidays
Note: No calls other
than orders by part number can be handled on the toll-free order line.
This
line is staffed by operators who are only trained to input data. They cannot
handle customer service issues, provide part information or numbers, check
stock, check on orders, or transfer your call to any other departments. The
easiest way to reach us is via Email. It's free, it never closes, you'll never
be put on hold, and we generally respond to
inquiries within one working day.
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CUSTOMER
PARTS PICK-UPS ARE WELCOME...
If
you are near the Philadelphia/Allentown/Reading, Pennsylvania area,
you can pick up your order at our parts counter. We're open 11 to
7 Eastern time, weekdays except for major holidays. However, we
recommend that you call ahead, as some items may take a day or so
to get and if we know you're coming we can have your order ready
for you.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS
BY THE BUS DEPOT...
As a concerned member of the global
community, each year The Bus Depot donates a portion of our
profits to humanitarian and social charities. The amount is
small, but it is growing as we grow. Last year we donated to
the Teaching
Tolerance project of the Southern Poverty
Law
Center, Doctors
Without Borders, and AmeriCares' Darfur relief
fund. Teaching Tolerance
is a
program aimed at reducing prejudice in the
next
generation by helping us teach our children today. Based on the
theory that bigotry is easier to prevent in a child than to reverse
in an adult, they provide free teaching aids and programs
to school teachers interested
in
making those lessons part of their curriculums. Doctors Without
Borders
is a Nobel prize winning, nonsectarian, nonpolitical organization that provides
volunteer humanitarian
and medical relief to civilian victims of armed conflict, epidemics,
and disasters worldwide, based solely on human need rather than politics. Mention
of these organizations is not intended
to
imply their endorsement of The Bus Depot, but rather is
intended
to get the word out on the good work that they and others are doing,
since organizations such as these rely almost entirely on private
donations. Of course these are just a few of many who are working to make
our world a better place. Even the smallest effort
on the part of each individual matters. It's cumulative,
and when added to the whole, can make a world
of difference.
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NEW
FEATURES ON BUSDEPOT.COM
With nearly 200,000
parts, BusDepot.com is now the largest online catalog
of parts for VW's anywhere. This includes
virtually every part currently made for virtually every Volkswagen.
In addition, there are plenty of new features. Among these are:
- A "Want List"
feature that
allows you to create "shopping lists" of the parts you
will need for upcoming projects. You can save them with names like
"brake job," body repair," etc. When you're ready
for that project, just log back in and move the parts from your
"shopping list" to your shopping cart to purchase. Details
here.
- Your Personalized
Account Page
that lets you store information like your name, address, and want
lists,
so you don't have to enter them every time you order. (Don't worry,
our privacy policy hasn't changed. We don't sell this information
to anybody.) Details on this feature here.
- A much more advanced
search engine,
allowing you to search by keyword or part number not within each
category, not just on the site as a whole. Details here.
- A Direct Order
page that
lets you type in orders by part number for immediate transfer to
your shopping cart.
- Easier navigation,
more pictures, more links,
and other things to make your parts shopping easier.
Still, there is a
long way to go. Out of the 175,000+ parts, only 50,000 of them are
categorized by vehicle application and part type so far. It will
take a long time to get them all sorted out. This means that in
some cases, you may not find what you need unless you know the part
number you're looking for. If you need help finding a part, just
email
us. Also,
we plan to add a lot more pictures and parts diagrams over time.
Stay tuned. It will keep getting better.
This is your site
and we want it to be as good as it can be. Please send us any and
all comments, suggestions, ideas, and criticism. Click
here to email
your comments; all are read personally by the owner.. We really
appreciate your patronage and your feedback, as we strive to make
BusDepot.com the best one-stop desitination for your Volkswagen
part needs!
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SITE
NAVIGATION TIPS
Note:
Using Internet Explorer on a Mac? Please click
here.
Because there are
so many parts listed in our web store, a quick tutorial
on how to navigate the site might help you get right
to what you're looking for ...
First, choose
your vehicle type. You will see a list of part types (Brakes
& Wheels, etc.), with
icons next to many of them. Clicking
on will
show you details like parts diagrams, etc. Below the list of part
types will be a list of Sale items
(
) that fit your VW.
At this point you
can choose a parts category by clicking on it, or go directly
to a Smart Search keyword search. (Searching for bearing here
will bring up every bearing that fits your year - wheel bearing,
engine bearing, etc.). See below.
If you click
on a part type (such as Brakes), you will now have the
option to:
1) View all brake parts for
your year (click on View
All Parts)
2)
View only certain types of brake parts, by clicking
on Brake Mechanical, etc.
3) Search within
the entire Brake parts category by using the
Smart Search box on that page. (Please
see this section on how to make the most
of these context-sensitive searches.)
4. Scroll to the
bottom of the page to view our best sellers in that category, including
Sale
items () and
Hot Buys ( ).
To
go back up one level, click on any line of
the part category listing at the top of the page.
For example, if the top of the page says:
Bus,
Type 2 (1972-1979)
Brake Components
Front Wheel
then
clicking on Brake
Components will
move you back up to a listing of all brake
components (not just front wheel brake components),
or clicking on Bus,
Type 2 will
bring you back to the master listing of all parts
for that vehicle.
Be sure to click
on the part to view its Details before purchasing.
The Details page shows more info on the
part,
exactly what models the part fits (i.e. "auto trans only"),
availability, and a picture if available. Note that at the bottom
of the Details page is a detailed listing
of what years, models, and part categories this
part fits. Each is a link, so you can jump right
to that vehicle or part category by clicking on
any of them.
So that's the basic
rundown. There are also plenty of new features, like want lists,
direct order by part number, and more, which are explained elsewhere.
We want this site to be easy to use. Your feedback and
suggestions are greatly appreciated. We have already made many changes
based on the your suggestions, and will certainly make many more.
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USING
"SMART SEARCH" AND "SEARCH BY PART
#"
[Note:
To view the most choices, we recommend that you
first browse our catalog by clicking through
the part categories. Then move on to a search
if you do not find what you need.]
There are two types of searches on our site, a global
search (best used for part number searches) and
our unique context-sensitive "Smart Search"
(best for keyword searches). The "Smart
Search" will take you right to your part ... if
you know how to use it properly.
1. Using
the Bus Depot "Smart Search" box
found on most main (white) pages...
The
Smart Search boxes appear on virtually every
catalog (white) page. These search boxes
are "context sensitive." They search
only within the vehicle and/or
part category that you have already chosen (as
displayed just above the search box on that same page).
So the scope of the search depends on where in the
catalog you are when you search.
For
example, if the top of the catalog page you
are on says:
Bus,
Type 2 (1972-1979)
then the Smart
Search box below it will search among all parts
that fit that vehicle.
However, if the
page says:
Bus,
Type 2 (1972-1979)
Brake Components
then
the same search box will now only search
among Brake parts for your year.
And
if it says:
Bus,
Type 2 (1972-1979)
Brake Components
Front Wheel
then
the search box will only search among brake parts
for the front wheel. And so on.
This
means you can browse as deep into the catalog as
you want, and then search from there. The
search will always cover only the vehicle
and part category that you are currently browsing
(or, if you have not chosen a part category, the entire
vehicle).
Once
you have found your item, click on it to view more
details, a picture if available, and application
specifics (such as auto trans only, 1985-88 only,
etc.). If unsure about fit, please email
us.
If
you do not find the the part, broaden your
search by going up one level (clicking on Brake
Components in
the above example) or two levels (clicking on Bus,
Type 2 in the
example) and then trying your search again. Perhaps
the part you are looking for is categorized as Brake
Components > Brake Mechanical,
and you are searching in Brake
Components > Front Wheel.
Other
tips: Avoid plurals. Searching "brake"
will bring up both "brake" and "brakes,"
but searching "brakes" (plural) will
not bring up "brake." Also try alternate
wording, such as "oil pressure switch"
instead of "oil pressure sender," or just
try "oil pressure" and browse from there.
You can also search by part number in the Smart
Search box, but we recommend using our Part Number
search box (see below) instead for part number
searches, as it searches the full database.
2. Using the
"Search By Part #" box on the Yellow
menu bar (to the left of every page)...
If
you have the part number (from your old part, from
your local dealer, from a competitor, etc.)
this is another way to find the part. This
search box searches the entire Bus Depot
website, regardless of vehicle application,
or even if no vehicle application is listed for
the part. For this reason, it will
find parts that we carry but have not yet been
assigned application data on our site (and
therefore would not come up in a Smart Search).
On the other hand, it may also find parts that
don't fit your model at all, so click on the part
to confirm compatibility (if listed). Do
not enter dashes when searching by part number.
You may enter spaces if you wish but they
are not necessary.
We
don't recommend a part number search unless
you could not find the part by browsing the catalog
or using the Smart Search. Often a part number
is superseded to a new number, which may be better
or cheaper. By searching for one part number
only, you may not find that better part. You
can reduce this risk by eliminating any letters
on the end of the part number. For example, instead
of searching for 211 611 047D, search for 211 611
047 (without the D), and then click on each result
to view its application (if listed). This way, if
047D has been superseded to 047F, you will still
find it. However, if the part number has been superseded
to a different number entirely, it may not come
up, which is why we browsing our catalog or using
the Smart Search first.
You
can also search by keyword in the "Search By
Part #" box. However the results may be difficult
to weed through, as it will display results for
every VW model (whereas keyword searching via the
Smart Search shows only results for your
VW model range).
3.
Still can't find it?
Or not sure if you found
the right one?
Just e-mail us at
sales@busdepot.com and we'll see if we
can help.
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CREATING
AND USING "MY WANT LIST"...
Planning a future project on your VW (or two, or three!)?
You can create shopping lists for upcoming projects as you
browse our site, then save them for future reference. When you're
ready for the project, just move your shipping list to the shopping
cart, edit it if desired, and check out. So if you find an item
you really like, but aren't ready to buy it now, put it in a want
list for the future!
To
create a want list:
1) You must be logged in to your account
to create a want list. (See below.)
2) Add items to your shopping cart, just as if
you were making a purchase now.
3) When you're done, click on
the "My Shopping Cart" link. This will display the
contents of your shopping cart.
4) If (and only if) you are logged
in, an option of "Save to want list" will appear
below the shopping cart listings. By choosing that option instead of checking
out, you can save the contents of your
cart to the want list for future retrieval.
5) You can name
the want list anything you'd like, and save multiple want lists,
just by repeating the process.
To
retrieve or modify your want list:
1)
You must be logged in to your account to access your want lists.
(See below.)
2) Click on the "My Want List" link
on the left of any page..
3) Your saved want lists will appear.
Click on the one you want to modify or add back to your shopping
cart.
4) To add items to your want list, click on it and
then move it to your shopping cart. Then add the additional
items to your shopping cart. If you want to save it again, rather
than purchasing the items, simply save the shopping cart as a want
list again under a new name. Your new want list will include
both the previous items plus the items that you added. Note:
the previous version (without the items you added) will still
exist as well, but if you no longer need it you can simply
delete it.
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CREATING
AND USING "MY ACCOUNT"...
You can now create a personal account, and save such information
as your bill-to and ship-to information, your want lists, etc. for
future use. This means you won't have to enter the info every time
you make a purchase. Just enter your password and the information
automatically populates on your checkout form. Save as much or as
little info as you'd like. Whatever you don't save, you can enter
manually each time you make a purchase.
There is also a "personal notes" field on your
account screen. This is for any information that you want to save for your
own reference, like notes, comments, or
numbers. Whenever you go back to your "My Account" screen
you'll be able to read or retrieve them.
Incidentally, any information you give us is only used to
process your orders. We don't sell it.
To create or log on to your account,
click here.
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WHAT
ARE "HOT BUYS?"
Hot Buys are specially featured because of one of the following
reasons:
- They are offered at a particularly good discount
-
They are a new addition to our selection
- They are among our
most popular items.
As a rule, you will get a better value choosing
a Hot Buy than another similar item on our website.
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WHAT
ARE "SALE" ITEMS?
While Hot Buys may
stay that price for a while, Sale prices are temporary,
and are often worth grabbing
quickly before they're gone. We may have taken advantage of an
overstock offer from a distributor, obtained liquidation inventory
or New Old Stock (N.O.S.), or negotiated a special deal for a limited
time. These items are new and first quality unless otherwise noted.
However, in some cases there may be some aging on the packaging
or other similarly insigniificant imperfections simply because
they have been sitting around a while (even though never used).
Further discounts or additional special
offers cannot be applied to Sale items.
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TECH
SUPPORT & ADVICE...
We are a discount mail-order distributor, not a full-service
dealership. While we are Volkswagen enthusiasts ourselves, and many
of us are backyard mechanics, we're not professional auto mechanics.
If you're looking for someone to teach you how to install your new
parts, we can sell you a repair manual (which is a "must"
if you're planning on doing your own repairs), but we can't walk
you through the repair. However, we're more than happy to answer
any technical questions about the parts themselves, to the best
of our ability, if you call or email
us. If we can't answer your question, we'll Also, we have provided a number of technical references and
links on this
page. These will give you access to literally thousands of other
members of the Volkswagen enthusiast community, complete with archived
posts, advice, step-by-steps and more. If you do a bit of research
via the links from this page, It's likely that you'll find your answers
there if we cannot supply them.
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"DATA
DECRYPTION ERROR" USING THE SITE ON A MAC...
If you are seeing
"Security failure. Data decryption
error" when using our
site, you're probably using Internet Explorer on a Macintosh. There
is a known security bug in I.E. For Mac that prevents
it from working with many web servers that use the latest
SSL security libraries (and thus are the most secure). Because Apple no
longer supports Internet Explorer, this bug may never be fixed.
As a result, some websites are directing you to a less secure
page after detecting your browser and operating system, or otherwise
compromising security in order to support your browser.
The best solution
(for your own security when shopping online) is to upgrade to a
safer browser that recognizes the latest security protocols.
Here are some free downloads:
- Safari
for Mac OS X (Apple's own supported internet browser, replacing
I.E.)
- Netscape Communicator for OS
9 or for OS
X
- Mozilla
for OS X (This is the open source version of what used to
be Netscape Navigator.)
- Opera
for Mac (Excellent browser, small and very flexible, but
free version has an ad banner)
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Online, via
Discover,
Master Card, or Visa:
Pay online via our secure
server. We welcome all MasterCard, Visa, or Discover cards. However, Discover
cards, as well as MasterCard or Visa Debit Cards (which debit directly
from your bank account when your make a purchase) costs us less
to process than the other cards. Using these cards will help us
keep our prices as low as possible.
Note: If you are a first time
customer paying by credit card, we must ship to the address that is on file with
your credit card company. This
is done for your protection, to prevent credit card fraud. To
have your order shipped to a different address,
such as your work or your mechanic, you can call your credit card company (at
the number on the back of your card) and
have them add your desired ship-to address as a "shipping address" or
"alternate billing address" on your credit card file. This does not
change where your bill goes. It simply
means that your credit card company will confirm that you have authorized us
to ship to this address when we process your order. The change takes
effect within minutes of when you call, and you can remove the alternate
address at any time by calling again. If you are using
Master Card or Visa Debit Card (where the amount actually comes directly
out of your
checking/savings account), this may not be possible. In that case, please
email us and we can verify the address differently. Again, this policy applies
to your first order only. All subsequent orders can go to any
address that you specify.
Online via Cyber
Check:
Cybercheck is like writing us a check over the internet.
You simply
give
us the numbers on the bottom of one of your checks and we debit your
checking
account when we ship your order. There is no cost to you for this
service, and it works with any U.S. bank or credit union checking account.
(Sorry, not available outside of the U.S.) Both personal check and
Cybercheck payments may delay your order slightly due to time allotted for the
check to clear.
Via Phone or
Fax:
You can use the website to look up parts, create a
shopping list, and then print it out and call or fax us to order. We're
open weekdays, 11 am to 7 pm Eastern time.
- If you have part numbers ready, call
toll free 1-866-BUS-DEPOT (1-866-287-3376) within the U.S.
- If you need part numbers looked up, want to check order status, or have questions,
call
1-215-234-VWVW (8989).
- You may also
fax
your order to 1-215-234-0890.
Note: Operators
at the toll-free number cannot answer product or order questions, or look
up
part numbers.
By Mail:
You can place your order via the website, but choose to mail us a check
or
money order for payment. To mail payment, simply
choose the "I will mail payment" option when checking out online, and then
send
a check or money
order to The
Bus Depot, 4801 Gravel Pike Perkiomenville, PA. 18074.
(Please make sure to include the shipping charge.) Please
print out a copy of the website order page and include it with the check
or money order.
Personal or business checks may delay order processing while the check clears.
Money orders
are treated as cash.
C.O.D.
Unlike most mail order distributors,
we
will gladly ship C.O.D. Simply fill out the order
form
and choose the C.O.D.
option. The UPS driver or mail carrier will collect your payment when
he
or she delivers your order. Please note that C.O.D. shipping costs $8.00
extra, and may take an extra
day. Most C.O.D. orders are
shipped via UPS, who will accept a money
order, certified check, or bank check, etc.,
payable to The Bus Depot, but not cash. C.O.D. orders
sent
via US Mail (to Alaska,
Hawaii, APO/FPO, and territories) are cash or postal money
order
only. Personal checks are not accepted as payment for any C.O.D. In the event that
any part of your C.O.D. order is backordered, if you choose the "ship later" option on
the order form, the C.O.D. will still be for the full amount of the
order, and the backordered items will be sent at no charge when they
come in.
The following items/orders
cannot be
shipped COD: Orders shipping outside of the U.S.; Expedited (next-day, second-day, three-day) orders; Orders containing items that are dropshipped directly from our suppliers
(including most made-to-order items such as engines, transmissions, rebuilt heads, carpet,
seat upholstery, headliners, etc.).
It is illegal to order products C.O.D. and then
refuse delivery when the order arrives. This leaves us stuck for the
shipping charges, which we will turn over to a collections agency along with
a
restocking fee. Please be sure you want what you order.
Other Payment
Methods:
Wire transfer, Western
Union, online payment services, other credit cards, and additional payment methods may be arranged under special circumstances.
However, please note that the website pricing reflects a check/credit-card
discount, so some payment methods not offered on this site
may impact your pricing slightly.
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DELIVERY
TIMES...
Most orders are shipped within 1-3 working days
of when they are placed. But we do ask you to allow 7-10 working days for
delivery (within the U.S.) if you order via Economy shipping
(our standard method).
We don't always take that long, but ask that you allow that long in case we
happen to be particularly busy at the time of your order. Made-to-order items
(upholstery, interior panels, carpet, engines, transmissions, rebuilt cylinder
heads, and
a few other items) can take an additional 5-10 working days to manufacture (in
addition to the delivery time). Also, international orders may take longer,
depending on the shipping method chosen.
In a hurry? Express service is available (including overnight air) on
most items.
Expedited service (Red Label or Blue Label)
can be chosen on the order form, allowing you to receive your order in as
quickly as one day. Expedited service is also available to destinations outside
of the U.S. While we do process web orders every day, if time is critical
you will get the fastest service by placing your order by phone, so we can
process it instantly.
You can also pick up your order at
our parts counter in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania (about an hour from
Philadelphia, Allentown, and Reading). We recommend ordering a day ahead of time
(or more), as there may be items that are not in stock but can be on hand in
about a day if we know you're coming for them.
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SHIPPING
RATES...
Economy
Shipping:
Economy shipping (UPS, Fedex Ground, or U.S. Mail) is calculated
by the website automatically. This includes shipments to Canada, APO/FPO,
U.S.
territories, Alaska, and Hawaii. In some cases (particularly with
destinations
outside of the continental U.S., or unusually heavy/bulky items) actual shipping costs may exceed the amount
calculated by the website. If the difference is relatively small, we'll
absorb
it and stick to the website's quoted shipping rate. If the difference is
big, or if you have requested Expedited Delivery, we may have to contact you and let you know
what the shipping cost will
be.
Expedited
Shipping:
The website will not calculate shipping costs if you choose Expedited methods
(Red Label or Blue Label). Instead, we will contact you via phone or email with
a quote, which you must approve before we ship. Therefore it is important
that you give us the best numbers and email address(es) to reach you at when you
enter your order, so that we can get your approval and get the order on its way.
Alternatively you can call us to approve the shipping cost, at 1-215-234-8989.
International
Orders:
International shipping is not as expensive
as
you might think. Standard service is generally quite reasonable, and
Worldwide
Express service (1-2 days) is available if you're in a bind. As with Expedited
shipping, International
shipping rates are not calculated by the website, with the exception of
Canada. Once you place your order, we will email you with a shipping quote
before we ship your order.
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BACKORDERS
&
STOCK-OUTS...
We try to fill your order as completely as possible, and usually we do
pretty
well. But unfortunately, backorders do happen, particularly when dealing with
parts for older vehicles where there may not be a multitude of sources to
choose from.
If we’re out of an item but we expect it in within a few days, we may
wait until then to ship your order, if we think we can still get it to you
within our 7-10 working day timeframe. But if an out of stock item will not
be
in soon, we can either backorder it and ship it separately when it comes in,
or simply
delete it from your order. You can choose which you
want us to do by checking
off your preference on the website order form. Otherwise we’ll just do what we
think makes sense. If the total of all out-of-stock items is under $3.00, we
simply delete them, since the cost of shipping them separately would exceed
their value. Similarly, on international orders we usually delete
backordered
items to keep shipping costs down.
Please note that except for COD shipments, you will not
be charged for any backordered items until they ship, and you may
call and cancel your backorder at any time prior to shipping. The only exception
is made-to-order items, in which case you'll be charged when we give your order
to the manufacturer, and cannot cancel the order once manufacturing has
begun. Unfortunately, time does not allow us to send out individual emails regarding
backordered items, but they will be clearly noted on your included packing
slip/receipt. If you would like to know of any backorders before your order
ships, please call Customer Service at 215-234-VWVW.
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SHIPPING
DAMAGE OR MISSING ITEMS...
All damaged or missing parts
claims must be reported to us (preferably via email) within 3 days of when you
receive the order. Please keep the box and all packing material until we provide
further instructions. Of course we will gladly
replace any missing or damaged parts as quickly as possible.
If something appears to be
missing from your order, please first check the enclosed receipt to see if
the item is listed as having been shipped. It may have been deleted from your
order due to unavailability, backordered, or shipped separately. If the
receipt indicates that the part should be there, then please check the packaging
carefully, as the part may be "hidden" among the packaging, under a
flap in the box, packed with another part inside the box, etc.
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RETURN
POLICY...
New, uninstalled items in original
packaging
can be returned within 30 days for a refund, exchange, or store credit, minus shipping charges. A 10% restocking
fee
is charged on returns, but not on exchanges or store credit. No returns on electrical items, installed parts, special orders, opened
books or software, opened multi-piece seal or gasket kits, or made-to-order items (including but not limited to
upholstery, interior panels, carpet, engines, transmissions, and rebuilt cylinder
heads). If a
part is defective upon receipt, notify us within ten days and we’ll replace it
(or
refund at our option). If the part is confirmed to be defective we will issue a fixed credit toward your next order
(based on standard published UPS or mail rates) to help cover your cost of returning
the
defective part. Always call or e-mail for a return authorization number before sending a
return,
and
remember to enclose a note saying who you are and why you’re returning the
item. Please make sure to return the item(s) via an insured method, such
as insured mail or UPS, and keep your insurance and shipping receipts. Please allow 4-6 weeks for us to process returns. If
you are returning an item, click here
for suggestions on return shipping methods.
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CORE
DEPOSITS...
On some parts (where indicated) we charge
a
core deposit. It’s refunded upon return of your old, rebuildable part, in
the
box that the new one came in. The core must be returned within 90 days of the
original purchase. All cores except for engines, transmissions, and cylinder
heads can be returned to the Bus Depot at the above
address. For your protection we recommend that you
insure your returned package against loss or damage.
Please allow
4-6
weeks for us to process core returns.
Get
extra money toward your next purchase! If
you request that we apply your core refund as a
store credit toward your next order, rather than
refund it, we will credit you 110% of your original
core deposit.
No core return is accepted without an RA number. With
the exception of engines, cylinder heads, and transmissions
(see below), your core's RA number is the letter "C"
followed by the invoice number at the top of the receipt that was included in
your box or emailed to you as an attachment (not the website confirmation number). Please
write that RA number on or near the shipping label
of your core return. If you did not receive a receipt,
please email us and we'll give you both the receipt and its number.
Engine, cylinder head, and transmission cores
must be
sent directly to the rebuilder, not to us, so please call or email for instructions. On
these items, in certain cases where a core
is not found to be fully rebuildable, yet does
have some salvagable components, the rebuilder
may offer you a partial core refund rather
than deny the refund entirely.
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AND
FINALLY...
Please be sure
that
you have correctly identified your vehicle in the space on the order
form
(including any major motor modifications, etc.). While
we try to make sure our database is accurate, we cannot guarantee
it.
If you are not sure if a part will fit your vehicle, please put a note in
the
"comments" section of the order form and we will be happy to
double-check the application before shipping, and substitute the correct
part if
your selection was incorrect. (If the correct part is not within 10%
of
the price of the incorrect one you ordered, we'll check with you before
substituting it.).
If you order via CyberCheck, you hereby
authorize The Bus Depot, Inc. to debit the checking account that you have
specified,
for the total amount of the order, on a one-time basis. You agree to make
immediate payment via credit card or money order if your bank fails to honor
your personal check or CyberCheck for any reason. A $15
"bounced check" fee will apply if your draft is returned for
insufficient funds, or if you place a
C.O.D. order and then refuse delivery when it arrives. In addition, if
unpaid debt extends beyond 60 days from order date, you will be responsible for
all costs incurred in order to collect the debt, including but not limited to a
$50 collection agency processing fee plus court costs in Montgomery County,
Pennsylvania. We actively pursue all unpaid debts and report them to both
collection agencies and credit bureaus.
Privacy Statement: We do not sell our mailing lists or email address lists
to any outside companies. Period.
Entire Contents of this Site © 2006 The Bus Depot, Inc.
The Bus Depot,
BusDepot.com, and "Better Parts, Better Prices" are
registered service marks of The Bus Depot, Inc. and may not be used in any form
without written permission. VeeDub Warehouse is a service
of The Bus Depot, Inc., and all references to The
Bus Depot also apply to BusDepot.com, VeeDub Warehouse,
and VeeDubWarehouse.com. All rights
reserved.
No part of this website may be reproduced in any form,
including
via the internet, without the express written permission of The Bus
Depot,
Inc. Links, application information, reference information, and technical
specifications are provided as a courtesy only and are not guaranteed.
We are not affiliated with and do not endorse any entities that
are linked from our website. VW Line art by Rob Bareiss,
courtesy of Shoreline Vee-Dubs.
The
Bus Depot, Inc. is an independent parts distributor,
and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Volkswagen of America,
Inc., Volkswagen AG, or their authorized dealers and
distributors. Not
all parts sold by The Bus Depot, Inc. are Volkswagen products.
Volkswagen
of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary and exclusive U.S.
importer of cars manufactured by Volkswagen AG "Volkswagen" and Audi
AG. The "VW" logo is a registered trade mark of Volkswagen AG. All
references on this website to the words Volkswagen, VW, or any models of Volkswagen
vehicles are not claimed as
belonging to this site or to its owners. These terms are used for descriptive purposes only.
Any references to part numbers on this
website are are intended solely as informational part
cross-reference data, to communicate a claim by
the manufacturer of a part that it can potentially
be fitted to a specific motor vehicle
and/or replace a specific original part. The
reference to an original part number is in no way intended
to
imply that the part is necessarily manufactured, distributed, or endorsed by Volkswagen
or its affiliates.
Disclaimer: The
Bus Depot, Inc. makes no warranties or
representations, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the
contents of the Site or any Third Party Sites. The Bus Depot, Inc. shall not be
liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or punitive
damages resulting from access to or use of any content of the Site or
Third Party Sites. This site, its entire contents, and all products sold
by The Bus Depot, Inc. are provided "as
is" and without warranties of any kind, either
express or implied. Any warranty on products, should
one exist, is offered solely by the manufacturer
of the product and is not the responsibility of
The Bus Depot, Inc. The Bus Depot, Inc. disclaims
all warranties to the fullest extent permissable
under applicable laws, including without limitation
implied warranties of merchantability and warranties
arising from the course of dealing or performance.
The Bus Depot, Inc. is under no circumstances responsible
for
consequential damages (including but not limited to labor costs, towing,
shipping, legal expenses, or lodging) arising from the use, installation, delivery, application, or failure of
any parts provided by The Bus Depot, Inc.
All products are installed and used at the customer's own risk.
Not all listed parts are available
at all times. All information and pricing is subject
to
change without notice, and may not immediately be reflected on the website as
it does not update "real time.". The
Bus Depot reserves
the right to cancel orders in the event of a typographical
or other error. Some items sold by The Bus
Depot,Inc. may be legal for off-road
use
only, on vehicles which may never be driven on the highway. It is the responsibility
of the user to check and comply with local laws.
Discounts noted are off of dealer pricing or M.S.R.P.,
which may or may not reflect the actual retail prices
of said products.
Indemnification: By using the
Site, you agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless The Bus Depot, Inc., its
successors and assigns, from and against all losses, expenses, damages
and costs, including reasonable attorneys fees, resulting from any
violation of these Terms of Use, or from any activity (including
negligent, wrongful, or criminal conduct) related to your Internet
account whether performed by you or by any person accessing the Site
using your Internet account.
Governing Law: Use of
the Site, including all transactions arising there from, shall be
governed by the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, without regard to its
choice of law provisions. By using the Site you agree that jurisdiction
over and venue in any legal proceedings involving The Bus Depot, Inc. shall be
in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
The Bus Depot, Inc.'s failure to enforce strict compliance with any provisions
of the Terms of Use shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision
or rights. The Terms of Use shall not be modified by either course of
conduct between the parties or trade practice. The Bus Depot, Inc. reserves
the right to change the Terms of Use without
notice, may assign
its rights relative to the Terms of Use to any party at any time
without notice to you.
By ordering, you acknowledge that you
agree
to all
terms of sale listed on this
page.
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