A thought on M codes and spare parts.

[patmor@utu.fi (Patrick Joel Morton)]

I surfed last night to both the T3 and T1/T2 M code sites.  What a mass of
information!  Furthermore, what a mass of parts and options that you never
even think about.  "Louder horn for Italy" - which I can understand,
"Smaller heater boxes for Australia and South Africa", and so on.

I started to think.  If VW made all of these options available to its
customers (through dealerships) in various markets, shouldn't they have
also made the parts to some extent?  And if they made all of these options
(the parts) in some quantity or another, where the hell are all of the
parts?  Still in Wolfsburg, locked up in some warehouse collecting dust?

For every Beetle that I have owned (while sojourning in Europe), I have
always sent mail to VW's Customer Service Department to get any historical
information about my Volkswagen that they can furnish - the TIII info
should be coming soon.  I suppose that they also note the ownership for
their own records.  What would make even more sense in conjunction with
this, "Customer Service Department", would be to supply information about
ordering NOS parts out of their warehouses.  Why not?  What would they want
with it anymore?

I do not know about elsewhere around the globe, but here in Finland, if you
visit the local Volkswagen dealership's part department and mention that
you own a Beetle (or any other old, aircooled VW) and want parts, they do
their best to discourage you from asking.  Whether it be insane prices (ex:
OEM Brazilian muffler for TI = $290.00 -- price from anywhere in the U.S. =
about $40.00) or then an explanation of how the parts are NLA (the fische
is missing or was eaten by the guard dog) or have to come from Germany so
wait seven months ... they do not want your business.  Very uncool.

Getting TIII parts seems to be a real pain.  Too bad VW does not stand by
their product and help make us all a little happier.

Lots of humble opinions.

Patrick & Urs