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Jul 24, 2014 21:05:48 GMT
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Shame to hear the news today that Unipart (The automotive arm at least) have ceased to trade. I know they were bought out a couple of years ago and they've been outdone by lots of rival cheaper companies over the years but the red, white and blue logo is synonymous for me with being brought up in the 70s & 80s and various parts in the shed / garage. Apologies if this has been posted already. A link ... m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28460270And a photo as 70s as it gets...
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fred
Posted a lot
WTF has happened to all the Vennies?
Posts: 2,957
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Jul 24, 2014 21:11:19 GMT
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I heard this on the radio this afternoon, sad news
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'79 Cossie ran Cortina - Sold
2000 Fozzer 2.0 turbo snow beast
'85 Opel Manta GSI - Sold
03 A class Mercedes
Looking for a FD Ventora - Anyone?
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Jul 24, 2014 21:23:30 GMT
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It's a shame, but all our local ones moved to a "better" location just off the M1 - 6 miles from my house, so havent been since they moved. Think I upset the woman when I phoned up, she said they had moved, my response was - oh.. thats to far away, ill go somewhere else.
If thats what happend all over the UK, it's not surprising - I mean the local shops were all near garages - the single new location wasnt near anything other than the M1 - which is great for deliveries, but not when your car is in bits.
*This was after they were taken over a few years ago. Before that the local one was great, could have a laugh with the guys in there & you could usualy get a discount lol.
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Last Edit: Jul 24, 2014 21:48:17 GMT by joem83
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Jul 24, 2014 21:24:14 GMT
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same as fred, real shame another british company gone, but the internet rules now, if I'm honest i buy everything car related from eurocarparts now good service and always plenty of staff on the counter if you go to your local one, unlike some others who sucked their teeth and laughed at your requirements....most ford parts departments in my experience
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Last Edit: Jul 24, 2014 21:24:56 GMT by Mercdan68
Fraud owners club member 1999 Jaguar s type 1993 ford escort
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Jul 24, 2014 21:32:26 GMT
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Berwick branch isn't one of the 'saved' ones.
That's four more jobs gone in a struggling small town...
*n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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Jul 24, 2014 21:39:28 GMT
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Yep I was made redundant today and with no pay for july , gutted as we were doing ok , well thought we were. I worked in avonmouth branch and we had all sorts of people in for wild and wonderful stuff. going to miss it but life goes on .
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Jul 24, 2014 21:41:58 GMT
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The Edinburgh branch I used to go to was brill, they were next to loads of other garages so they had good knowledge of what you were looking for and what you would be doing with it.
I'm in a workshop share now outside the city and there's an indie, fairly old school motor factors close by. Much better than the internet. Internet sellers don't let you compare the new part with the old.
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Jul 24, 2014 21:57:45 GMT
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Every experience i had with unipart ended up with the wrong part 3 times, and that was only on a mk4 golf. God knows what they would of been like with my mk2. Canr say I'm surprised.
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Jul 24, 2014 23:08:14 GMT
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Mines the same as above only used Unipart when I couldn't get the part else where.
I knew they was going down the pan when I wanted a radiator cap and they wanted a reg number which was useless as I wanted one based on size and pressure not for the vehicle.
When you have to research your own parts you question why you just don't buy them cheaper online and have them delivered to the door.
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Some days you just need to take a grinder to an inanimate object, just to make your day a tiny bit better!!
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,710
Club RR Member Number: 34
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i'll echo the above sentiments- it was hardly surprising and to be honest, no great loss, to me anyway. unhelpful staff, no facility to cross reference or compare parts, more expenive than gsf, euro and mpd, and usually worse quality too. given they were trying to still run their business like it was the '70s, id expect it was the internet that killed them. they were a 'last resort' kind of company, if nowhere else had it but you couldnt wait for mail order, in a market thats really competitive these days thats never going to work.
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Raoul Duke
Part of things
Posts: 990
Club RR Member Number: 117
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Last Edit: Jul 25, 2014 21:45:18 GMT by Raoul Duke
...a redder shade of neck on a whiter shade of trash...
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Jul 25, 2014 15:12:43 GMT
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It is sad that this once great name is going to be going (well maybe not the name itself but most of ts outlets) but judging by what some have said above it's not surprising... If you're not the best at what you do in this world you'll soon come unstuck and that does seem to be the case here. I've never used Unipart but all I can say is is just how sad this is when you think that people have lost their jobs because of it! RIP Unipart...
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***GARAGE CURRENTLY EMPTY***
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Jul 25, 2014 15:35:42 GMT
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Bad news that. I sold many, many Unipart parts when I was a Parts Manager at Kennings (they were part of BL then)
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,409
Club RR Member Number: 52
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Jul 25, 2014 16:33:17 GMT
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Genuinely bad news, I know of at least one other memeber that was an employee. Got most of my parts from the newcastle branch. Quick efficient service, happy to order stuff in and mostly good prices.
Seems I was in the minority with the service I received.
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Copey
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,845
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Jul 25, 2014 18:31:10 GMT
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Its a shame its closing, though wont really make much of a difference to me personally, never had one really local so the only unipart bits i had came off ebay, and they were few and far between, its a shame for you guys who are loosing your local shop though and even more of a shame for those of you who are loosing your jobs because of it
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1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire GLSi with 2.0 Zetec 1985 Ford Capri 3.0 (was a 2.0 Laser originally)
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Jul 25, 2014 18:39:49 GMT
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I work for MPD as an Assistant Manager in the Paignton branch, even though Unipart were a competitor IMO it's sad news. Literally the guys that I knew at the Torquay Unipart depot turned up the work Monday as normal and were told at 9.00 they had lost there jobs and other than a handful of branches the whole company was gone. Everyone knew it had been on the cards for a while but still shocking. I genuinely feel gutted for them. Not to mention the Unipart brand being a long standing figure within the UK automotive industry. Seems I was in the minority with the service I received. With most factors it's often down to individuals in each branch, depending on what experience or level of helpfulness they are willing to give. It's not hard to find some who'll have a harsh word to say about any motor factor (poor service, wrong parts, too expensive, poor quality parts) sometimes you do feel like your stuck between a rock and a hard place. I often find my job challenging and mistake happen. RIP Unipart.
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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Raoul Duke
Part of things
Posts: 990
Club RR Member Number: 117
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Jul 25, 2014 21:43:34 GMT
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Personally, the dozen or so times I went into the Bangor branch I was really impressed with the general attitude and competence of the staff there. If necessary, they'd happily ignore the computer and rummage through their huge stack of 'proper' parts catalogues until they found the right bit for me. Not to mention the time they produced a water pump for a Lada Riva at extremely short notice. As said though, they were part of a dying breed - if you have a modern car and a part number, you'll get the bits far cheaper online with only a day or so to wait. I guess that small independent suppliers can still make a go of over-the-counter sales, but a big chain would stand no chance. Very sad for the ex-employees.
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...a redder shade of neck on a whiter shade of trash...
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Jul 25, 2014 21:47:18 GMT
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Interesting. I didn't know they had stand-alone shops. All the Unipart counters I saw were in British Leyland/Austin Rover/Rover Group dealerships. I assumed the company had disappeared along with Rover!
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eternaloptimist
Posted a lot
Too many projects, not enough time or space...
Posts: 2,578
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Jul 25, 2014 21:49:54 GMT
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I don't think this affects the Unipart manufacturing business based in Oxford? That looks to be a very well run place.
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XC70, VW split screen crew cab, Standard Ten
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Jul 25, 2014 21:54:00 GMT
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Redundancies nasty , ive been through 5 rounds at various places , had twice in a row as i was finishing my apprentceship . Horrible going to work and being told you have no job .
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