why does the dealer need a VIN for a simple purchase like a fuel filter?

[DZink24]

i stopped to a dealer today last minute to pick up a FF for my pump replacement this weekend. i was driving my sister in law's car, and forgot to write down the VIN of my truck. haven't the FF been identical from '89-'07?? i think it is just weird that they need the VIN when it is such a simple part..

 

[The patriot]

Design changes during assembly year etc.etc.

 

[goodguys75]

they look up all parts with that

 

[Tractorat]

ID theft. First they get your name, then your address, and then your VIN number. From there on its "Katy bar the door"

You didnt give to them, did you ? :-laf

 

[mwilson]

i stopped to a dealer today last minute to pick up a FF for my pump replacement this weekend. i was driving my sister in law's car, and forgot to write down the VIN of my truck. haven't the FF been identical from '89-'07?? i think it is just weird that they need the VIN when it is such a simple part..

Fuel filter has changed several times in that time span.

We are well versed in what our RAM trucks require for service items, but your average parts man is not.

VIN driven parts look-up keeps errors to a minimum, anyone with a half a clue can give out the proper parts. Now remove the computer and/or VIN number from the equation and about 90% of the automotive parts help out there are screwed. An old schooler would have grabbed a filter book and cross referenced it backwards to the MOPAR number.

Now in the case of big trucks a VIN is very important as they are still custom vehicles with hundreds of variants. That doesn't mean that my guys can't function without a VIN for a lot of things.
However, there is a standing order of mine that no air filter will be sold without a VIN or a number directly off from the old air filter. We bought an engine one time because the customer gave us the wrong info, did not have his VIN and he got the wrong filter. Dusted the engine and we paid for the repair. Never again.....

Mike.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Fuel filter has changed several times in that time span.

We are well versed in what our RAM trucks require for service items, but your average parts man is not.

VIN driven parts look-up keeps errors to a minimum, anyone with a half a clue can give out the proper parts. Now remove the computer and/or VIN number from the equation and about 90% of the automotive parts help out there are screwed. An old schooler would have grabbed a filter book and cross referenced it backwards to the MOPAR number.

Now in the case of big trucks a VIN is very important as they are still custom vehicles with hundreds of variants. That doesn't mean that my guys can't function without a VIN for a lot of things.
However, there is a standing order of mine that no air filter will be sold without a VIN or a number directly off from the old air filter. We bought an engine one time because the customer gave us the wrong info, did not have his VIN and he got the wrong filter. Dusted the engine and we paid for the repair. Never again.....

Mike.

WOW!! It's amazing how a different brand truck dealership can have so much in common with another truck dealership in another area of the country.

Bill

 

[DZink24]

when i order my filters from Geno's, i don't need a VIN??? and Tractorat, seriously, how did you know my girlfriends name is Katy??

 

[S.Morris]

Get your pummp from Geno's also. The;y have the filter mounted stock pump

 

[CBlack]

Because the dealer is stupid. They can't do anything without the VIN number.

Us: "I need oil for my vehicle."

Them: "What's your VIN?"

Us: "Not sure."

Them: "Can't help you without the VIN."

Us: "I know the MY and engine"

Them: "Can't help you without the VIN."

Us: "@&%#)(*"

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Geno's Garage.

 

[BIGNASTY]

ID theft. First they get your name, then your address, and then your VIN number. From there on its "Katy bar the door"

You didnt give to them, did you ? :-laf

Your alright unless you let them know the brand and style of skivvies you wear, Boxers get one filter and the Superman gets another, commando you don't need a filter!!

 

[mwilson]

Because the dealer is stupid. They can't do anything without the VIN number.

Us: "I need oil for my vehicle."

Them: "What's your VIN?"

Us: "Not sure."

Them: "Can't help you without the VIN."

Us: "I know the MY and engine"

Them: "Can't help you without the VIN."

Us: "@&%#)(*"

Just a few key points in the dealers defense...

When a customer does not provide a VIN then millions of dollars worth of research, record keeping, open recalls and other vital data about that vehicle goes right out of the frigin' window. You have just asked that dealer to ignore all of that documented data and to "fly by night".
A good way to get ones butt in a sling.

That dealer probably sees one CTD customer at the parts counter a week, the balance of the business is cars and gas pick-ups. Of course the parts staff is not going to know what your truck takes for filters right off the top of their heads. They can probably go grab an air filter for a Caravan from memory because they are working with those all of the time. A fuel filter for a CTD, they need a VIN and rightfully so.

If you own a Sterling, Western Star or Freightliner product and come to my parts counter without a VIN and ask for anything much more than a chrome nut cover you will leave empty-handed. I will not expose my company to potential liability because a customer says "They are all the same....."..........

Mike.

 

[CBlack]

Just a few key points in the dealers defense...

When a customer does not provide a VIN then millions of dollars worth of research, record keeping, open recalls and other vital data about that vehicle goes right out of the frigin' window. You have just asked that dealer to ignore all of that documented data and to "fly by night".
A good way to get ones butt in a sling.

That dealer probably sees one CTD customer at the parts counter a week, the balance of the business is cars and gas pick-ups. Of course the parts staff is not going to know what your truck takes for filters right off the top of their heads. They can probably go grab an air filter for a Caravan from memory because they are working with those all of the time. A fuel filter for a CTD, they need a VIN and rightfully so.

If you own a Sterling, Western Star or Freightliner product and come to my parts counter without a VIN and ask for anything much more than a chrome nut cover you will leave empty-handed. I will not expose my company to potential liability because a customer says "They are all the same....."..........

Mike.

I don't think that's a fair comparison. I would think that a Freightliner type dealer would be much more professional than a typical car dealership.

And you can't tell me that looking up a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 w/ 6.7L Cummins engine is that friggin difficult.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I don't go to Dealerships for anything and its seems that REAL parts counter guys are Few and Far between. Go to a Auto Zone or some other CHAIN parts store and the behind the counter guy cant do much without the computer screen in front of them. The day of going in a talking to a friend behind the counter having a cup of coffee and picking up the parts that you asked of WITHOUT the VIN are gone. NOTHING I hate more is going home to work on the truck with parts that DONT FIT!!! and having to go back to get the right ONES, MAYBE!!

 

[mwilson]

No, it is a fair comparison.

A dealer is held to a higher standard than a NAPA store for example. That higher standard is VIN driven.

Operating without a VIN number makes a dealer defenseless when something goes wrong. So Mr. DIY goes to the counter without his VIN and tells the counter person that he wants a fuel filter for a 2007 CTD. At that point it is a crap shoot depending on which engine the truck has, the 5.9L or 6.7L without a VIN. The dealer has no books to play "point to the picture" with.
Mr. DIY comes back after getting the wrong filter yelling how stupid everyone is and now he wants the right filter for free after filling the wrong one full of fuel.

I have seen this scenario many times and still on very rare occasions have to pacify an upset customer who brought the situation on by belittling a parts man into giving out a part without a VIN.

It gets one nowhere.

Mike.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mike this seems true, my Napa guy in town only has a few people to deal with and can remember most of the autos that people have. But like your case you have twice as many in an hour come to your counter than our guy does in a few days. That's one reason I have almost quit working on things they have become so ????? to much

 

[Ram4Sam]

Just a few key points in the dealers defense...

When a customer does not provide a VIN then millions of dollars worth of research, record keeping, open recalls and other vital data about that vehicle goes right out of the frigin' window. You have just asked that dealer to ignore all of that documented data and to "fly by night".
A good way to get ones butt in a sling.

That dealer probably sees one CTD customer at the parts counter a week, the balance of the business is cars and gas pick-ups. Of course the parts staff is not going to know what your truck takes for filters right off the top of their heads. They can probably go grab an air filter for a Caravan from memory because they are working with those all of the time. A fuel filter for a CTD, they need a VIN and rightfully so.

If you own a Sterling, Western Star or Freightliner product and come to my parts counter without a VIN and ask for anything much more than a chrome nut cover you will leave empty-handed. I will not expose my company to potential liability because a customer says "They are all the same....."..........

Mike.

I whole heartily agree with Mike on this one. My work is just like Mike's, instead of trucks, it's equipment and machines. Thirty years ago, it was different, trucks/machines were much simpler, fewer parts fixed more equipment......Everything now days is complicated, finicky and fragile. I have seen a number of expensive pieces of equipment go up in smoke after a tech installed parts that were "were all the same".

Sam

 

[Road Dog]

And you can't tell me that looking up a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 w/ 6.7L Cummins engine is that friggin difficult.

No two trucks are the same because Chrysler might have multiple suppliers for same part. On my Caravan there are at least two different disk brake setups. They're not interchangeable so you need which you have when ordering parts. There's also production run changes where old parts get used up and then changed to a new design.

 

[CBlack]

No, it is a fair comparison.

A dealer is held to a higher standard than a NAPA store for example. That higher standard is VIN driven.

Operating without a VIN number makes a dealer defenseless when something goes wrong. So Mr. DIY goes to the counter without his VIN and tells the counter person that he wants a fuel filter for a 2007 CTD. At that point it is a crap shoot depending on which engine the truck has, the 5.9L or 6.7L without a VIN. The dealer has no books to play "point to the picture" with.
Mr. DIY comes back after getting the wrong filter yelling how stupid everyone is and now he wants the right filter for free after filling the wrong one full of fuel.

I have seen this scenario many times and still on very rare occasions have to pacify an upset customer who brought the situation on by belittling a parts man into giving out a part without a VIN.

It gets one nowhere.

Mike.

You hold the dealer to a higher standard than NAPA? I know that I don't. I'd much rather go to NAPA or Carquest than the stealership. And that brings up another point; Carquest and NAPA don't need a VIN, yet they're good enough to find the part you need anyway.

 

[AH64ID]

You hold the dealer to a higher standard than NAPA? I know that I don't. I'd much rather go to NAPA or Carquest than the stealership. And that brings up another point; Carquest and NAPA don't need a VIN, yet they're good enough to find the part you need anyway.

The dealership is a higher standard, more expensive, and better parts. The filter NAPA sells for the 03-07 doesn't even meet the minimum filtration spec, how is that a higher standard?

I use NAPA for plenty of things, but generally speaking their parts are not OEM quality, not necessarily cheap but not OEM.