All those online bottom line price point discount dealers with snappy names like toyota parts deal and TRD.com
Are nothing more then regular neighborhood local toyota dealerships that came up with a buisness models like outlined above
Offer up rock bottom parts price points sometimes below dealer dead nuts cost.
Them pad UP shipping cost to make up for the missing and needed gross profit required to keep any buisness lights on in any practical way as you and and all know needs to be
I find it extreme ODD there is NO way to make a
Live parts order via phone assuming one also
Had there needed toyota part numbers and agreed to NoT request. A return and agreed all sales final
In my final years at the dealership level in the early 2000’s
After 911
Toyota introduced Whats called JUST IN TIME inventory
They built more PDC,s parts distribution centers and instuted a unique Warehouse pulling orders schedule to meet today’s demands
So here is how it works today in 2021 as I currently
Understand it :
Note : if I missed a detail or the like please chime in I no longer work for corporate toyota or a dealership
But have t-ten collage class mates I talk to daily who do I also have a long standing toyota commercial STAR parts program for many years too star = Support To Aftermarket Repair
I interact with the above folk daily and have a personal
Interest in the facts and how they will impact me and what I am now trying to do online in my own unique and very indeed different way to bring to the table what folks need with both care and concern...
Ok :
Here we go ..
8am local time is the dealer ship charter agreement time
For parts to open , 4pm is the earliest closing time
Allowed by toyota to the general public retail parts this includes in person at dealer parts counter and incoming phone live calls too
5pm local time is VOR or special orders via the pdc cut off time NO exceptions to Thai rule it’s computer controlled by toyota owned satellite, yes toyota owns there own satellite
Since 1990,s
How much it’s used now ?
With high speed dsl etc is anybody’s guess
But say a naturals disaster like a hurricane dealers can still fulfill parts orders is the idea
Ok
5pm
Daily stock order and special
Orders transmission is completed To there assigned pdc
There is a huge and dedicated night shift at them my hats off to all who work nights and fulfill my needed parts orders daily
Like serious here !
Rarely is there ever a mis pick or broken part from Mis handling etc infact i state for the record right now I can’t remember one since I left toyota
Period !
That’s huge key point to make very krystal klear in today’s Amazon No packing material in there’re boxes .com I don’t care about my job American attitude so many of us have to deal with daily like for example my local dealer were my star program is based
Simply put they SUCK !
They don’t care
They don’t try
And I have had my hand forced in a way that still make me blink my eyes ?
In order to maintain my current star program
Benefits I have to supply all my own toyota part number via email request forms
Ok , I get it it’s 2021 email is common place and well
Faster for me to I will make clear
Here is where I take issue and the SUCKS factor takes place
Where am I supposed to obtain my own part numbers
From ?
Toyota USA dealers don’t hand out TIS network passwords ?
TiS = toyota information system or systems
Our red neck friends at snap-on tools took the original
Detailed microfiche slides made with all
The concrete details and facts needed to correctly identify and order our needed land cruiser parts
I covet and maintain a original set of final
Revision microfiche slides , but sadly my old dealer projector crapped out ?
If anyone knows of a product like a usb cable equiped microfiche reader please pM me Iv looked With no luck a bit bit but not very hard maybe ?
My solid MUD buddy and mentor Kurt
@cruiseroutfit Cruiser outfitters out in salt lake is the only independent
Non-dealer land cruiser specialty parts and service gig I am
Aware of that maintains a up to date and working old skool microfiche set up
If you want to know why they are one of the best outfits to do needed parts business with .....
Well now you do
It’s all about a positive factory focus point mind set approach and they have it
For example they take live incoming phone orders calls daily M-F buisness hours
I remain a 1 man band and am not there yet , I do
When required and the need exists make time
For live service calls as some of you well know
One day I relish a old skool live phone orders incoming set up business model. I love the interaction and meeting new folks too
But , there is a business trade craft benefit here in my opinion :
- I get all Vehicle facts up front first
- then I can order the correct parts first time
- since most land cruiser parts orders involve NoN 17 digit pre 1981 land cruisers and Toyota trucks of all type
I rely on my past experience but more so on a life time collection of OEM dealership print media cataloger books and print paper media
No too Secret skunks works here !
I could not do my job without my paper print media parts books , fast movers and catalogers
No way no how !
Where am
I going with all this
I don’t know if any dealer nation wide that keeps a full collection of these books ?
Nor actively promotes or advertises they specialize in older vintage Toyota parts and Vehicles at all ? Parts wise
If I’m wrong here please update and correct me
Bring it on , I’m all ears
Be nice to know somebody at a dealer parts dept still cared ?
So back to the parts daily order and pdc schedule night shift parts pullers fulfilling all our needed and precious land cruiser parts :
6pm -2:30 Am approx is night shift at pdc
After shift is over or at last say hour or the shift 1:30-2:30 am local time all parts for your particular local dealer you ordered are loaded into big pink
Yes pink plastic totes and then loaded into giant wire cage baskets stacked say 5-6 totes high on caster wheels
Loaded into big box trucks or 18 wheelers some
Trucks deliver to multi dealers in my local area
My shop is located in what’s called CAT or Central Atlantic Toyota Region.
The parts in Locked and theft proof giant prison type wire cage baskets are delivered to my dealer anyway and loaded into a large concrete bunker with a rolling metal garage door climate controlled etc ..
Ok , it’s a new day
Most dealers have a poor sap they pay minimum wage get to work at like 4:30-5am who checks in the order and organizes it per each dealers system they have
So by 7am or so when most dealers open or mandated 8am
Parts can be picked up by customers or packed for shipping like Toyota parts deals does daily every day m-f
5 days a week
Your satuday morning delivery too
Don’t let them lie to you and say it’s 5 days a week only
Some dealers claim
Only m-f because of weekend staffing
Let’s face it working weekends sucks !
When I was in my 20,s and 30,s all I wanted and looked forward to on Friday was a paycheck beer and working all weekend on all my various toyota vintage projects SCEW working 6 days a week for ungrateful dealers general manager who wore gold chains and did blow in the men’s rim all week and Saturdays too !
Like serious screw that
I heard of dealers that gave the Saturday’s rotation parts personal a week day off to compensate for the usual once a month or every third or every other dreaded satuday schedule
But I never was lucky
to work for one
That would mean they actually cared about there employees who represent them in person to the public and paying customers too
NoT !
One last topic here few may know :
Pre covid 19 last March approx , a daily will call small qty parts daily M-F needed order was standard here in my CAT region PDC
It was great it was NEVER discussed or promoted really it was reserved for the dealers in-house service department really and designed for a shop
Job in progress that needed another unforeseen part to wrap up a service job or emergency repair if you will
It was only 10 different part #,s unlimited qtys of those numbers so like 10 spark plugs part# 90919-10176 for example but they kept it small and had a skeleton day time will call parts pullers staff for This at my PDC
Will call was always first come first serve CUE , but some days the service dept simply did not need any parts on will call or only a few like 3 say
So I liked to use my down time to explore new and exciting part # ,s like a DECK LAMP Switch sub assy ?
What’s that all about and how can incorporate it into my latest land cruisers in some way or other vintage toyota i had that week or month
I have owned well over at least 15+ first generation 4runners mostly solid axle and 1st and 2nd gen 4wd pickups HiLUX body styles
Comparing there part numbers to my FJ40 ones was a daily adventure and in some cases each had a different part # for same exact part
Like the 85 4runner rear seats center seat belts make and female Buckles straps , I discovered early were exact same
2 parts as a 1/79-1984 Fj40 rear jump seats lap
Belts
I was like hell yea
They cost less and were apples
to apples at the time
I remember taking a load of sets of them
To my local TLCA chapter mtg and the 12/78 and older Fj40 black color metal buckles folks could update and upgrade to the later grey plastic and
Orange buckle belts for a low cost
Back then parts from
Japan were reasonable and NO USA made crap
Out there yet either .....
I hope my ramble on above helps folks understand better how false facts store fronts online like toyota parts deal really operate ....
You get what you pay for
And good service is hard to find these days
I hope to evolve in daily sales volume one day soon to hire a retired old skool toyota parts person man or woman I don’t discriminate. Bring it on !
Where I can take regular incoming needed parts live calls
And achieve what Cruiser Outfitters is able to currently balance in a ballet daily
For now those who know ....
Know I care about there needed parts like nothing else in life
Kindly
Matt
