I am going to replace my wheel bearings.. and they are asking for the last 6 digits of my VIN number? I've never replaced them before so don't know if this is normal or not... but I've never heard of such a thing. Call me paranoid or something, but I just wanted to ask if someone else had this experience, or if I even need to give them my VIN?

 

if you call to replace your wiper blades the parts goons will want your vin. since they dont know a daym thing about the parts or cars they are paid to work around all day they need to be able to look up your car's exact model which they do by referencing the vin.

 

dealer asked you this?


[Modified by ChargedSi99, 11:36 AM 1/26/2003]

 

yes. so I apparently don't need to provide my VIN? ::scratches head:: I've ordered tons of stuff said dealer before without requiring my VIN.... which is what is throwing me off?!

 

give them your special vin number ;D

 

go to the honda dealer and buy civic wheel bearings

 

Said dealership is my dealership.

I'm a parts goon that don't know **** about cars. I'm sorry. Perhaps you should take over since I'm not doing a good job at it. Jesus, the things you do to help others out and you get flamed...woohoo! Makes me wanna give Honda-Tech people outstanding discounts.

Jim, and the others, there are two separate part numbers and depending on where your vin started there are "VIN BREAKS" for the wheel bearings. If you'd like to recieve the correct one then please provide me with your VIN. Others, if you're not familiar with how Acura sets up their Interactive Network's Parts Catalog, please refrain from the negative comments.

No need to get all hostile or paranoid with it. Just want to get you the correct bearing Jim. I can send you both sets if you'd like.

len

 

never heard of different wheel bearings.
never seen a difference either.

 

With all due respect, you could be 100% correct.

But from a business perspective and trying to satisfy the customer, should I take a chance and pick one and send it to him? The part number are not the same. They could be physically the same and if they were and you can confirm this, then I would gladly send the part without the VIN. By the way the last 6 digits of my VIN is 002515. So any lurking potential theives out there, please feel free to steal my car if you'd like.

len

 

Damn.. I really don't know what to say. Never once did I indicate who or what dealership was it, nor did I even specify online vs. local. Nor, through our IM conversations or through this post did I flame or intend to get "hostile" with you. I'm sorry if for the over 2 years I've been here, and the numerous posts I've read about people changing wheel bearings; I've yet to read anyone say anything about requiring a VIN number for this specific part.

I've bought tons of stuff from you, and you've helped me out with shipping on many occasions. I've referred people to you for parts as many times as I can count, never once giving a bad thought. If you can't understand my hesitation to provide someone a VIN number for a part when I've heard nothing of the sort before, I'm not sure what to tell you.

I'm not an Acura parts guru nor do/did I ever claim to know their/your system... so if you'd rather I go someplace else to buy this stuff or whatever, then so be it. I'm not saying I want to take my business elsewhere, because your prices are very difficult to beat, as you beat acuraautomotiveparts all the time, just trying to understand what you are indicating.

 

Two words: PRODUCTION BREAK

VIN#'s help parts people narrow down the part number so that you get the right part....Not sure about Honda, but BMW's are chock full of production breaks for even the most mundane of parts.

Johnny - Former Parts Guru who loved it when customers think they know everything, then you prove them wrong

 

Some people are wayyy too paraniod


[Modified by Integra Type R, 9:03 PM 1/26/2003]

 

I never claimed to know a thing about this... hence why I asked.

 

Riiiiiiiight. I'm one of the LEAST paranoid about my R. Park it on the road everynight... drive it to the mall, where-ever. Just asked a simple question...

*shrugs* Can some mod please lock this thread. Obviously the answer has been given... thx.

 

I would trust sgT with his advice...try and see if there is a difference. sgT is one of the few people I would take 100% seriously...tried and tested, this guy has done just about anything you can think of....

 

Johnny, according to BustaNutt-616 me and you are idiots.

 

Hey, you are the one that chooses to wear the shirt that says acura on it.

 

I'm not saying there is a difference, could just be manufacturer(OEM supplier) is different or there is a slight change in the part....The guy is just trying to do his job the properly....to give the customer the best service....You should thank him for being so thorough. Don't ask for VIN and there is a screw up you get in **** from your boss....ask for it and customer gives you static...no win situation.

 

It is a win situation.. because *I* as the customer didn't give him "static". Maybe other people, I was merely asking because I never heard it before. And instead of saying "len asked me for my vin is he trying to steal my car".. i just said generically a dealership.. didn't specify online/local nor would I have.

And for the record, I understand what you're saying.

Lets all just drop this and move on... you guys made your point, I got my answer and everybody else wants to point fingers, etc etc... its just a f*ing wheel bearing.

 

Yeah, what he said.

I still rule though.

 

Both of you lay off... Both of you are trying to do the right thing in the wrong way at this point. I have to say that Len's service flat out rocks thus far (my $664 shipped OE parts order should be here in the next couple of days). Len knocked so much off the price I should have paid, that I agreed not to talk about it. I'm very happy. Even when I called back and added some parts the next day, the agreed price shipped did not go up... and was promptly shipped. Now on the flip side, EVERONE here knows how fast ITRs dissappear, and I can see how someone not in the know could be worried about passing out their VIN. Coming here to ask a question makes sense for someone who hasn't been buying parts very long. Truth is though, I couldn't remember a time I went to the Nissan dealer (a while back) and they didn't use the VIN to look up the part. Nissan used to swap suppliers more often than partners were swapped in your favorite SOAP show. So it is not overly uncommon for a dealer to ask for the VIN in order to sort out the proper parts for your car, based on which manufactured number it was.

ps as I recall, Sgt said he hadn't seen a difference in the parts... he didn't say that it couldn't be...

 

I bought new wheel bearsings for my 1995 integra and they did not ask me for any identification ... maybe its standard info they put on a form where you are .. but not at the dealers here in Jacksonville