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Thread: Bavarian Autosports Closed

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2002Z3 View Post
    Bavauto’s web site says that ECS will honor gift cards until April 30. Good luck. The info is on the BavAuto site that is still up.
    Thank you!! That is a change in notice on their website I could have missed.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by zellamay View Post
    ECS is honoring Bavauto gift cards through April 30, 2019, per an email they sent me :

    We also decided to assist BavAuto’s customers during the transition by:

    - Honoring all BavAuto gift cards through April 30, 2019.

    - Providing warranty support for Bavarian Autosport branded merchandise

    - Maintaining BavAuto's longstanding support for BMW CCA chapters across the country

    - Continuing to stock Bavarian Autosport branded parts on ECS Tuning.com
    Thank you too, it will be a good birthday after all. I need to replace rattling Bilsteins with Sachs shocks.

  3. #28
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    I'll miss "Otto" and all his handy, and mostly very well done, DIY YouTube videos.

  4. #29
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    Here's one for ya. Sachs shock last listed on BAV Auto $69 vs. ECS $91. I'll prolly pay tax at ECS as well. None at BAV.

  5. #30
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    BUT ECS's website is so easy to use right!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dakar Ole View Post
    Here's one for ya. Sachs shock last listed on BAV Auto $69 vs. ECS $91. I'll prolly pay tax at ECS as well. None at BAV.

  6. #31
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    Ok - to clarify, I don't love ECS. The point of my post wasn't to talk about how great they were, but to highlight ECS's advantage in the marketplace which is their large parts catalogue and aftermarket support. I've made maybe a handful of orders for them over the past years. FCP and Autohaus get 95% of my business.

    I never said ECS was better priced than others. They aren't, that isn't their competitive advantage in the marketplace.
    I also wasn't "hating" on BavAuto - I think you really missed the point of my post. Which was to highlight how they did not have a distinct place in the marketplace. A competitive advantage is a core component of a successful business. What do you offers that others don't? Rockauto has low pricing. ECS has aftermarket stuff and a large catalogue. FCP has a lifetime warranty and a good reputation for only selling quality parts. Autohaus to me is local and thus convenient (also tend to be a good value with pricing). The things that BavAuto offered were not unique enough, nor were they priced competitively enough, to continue to maintain profitability for the business. It is sad but from my perspective it made sense strictly from an objective, business-minded point of view.

    It is of course sad seeing the ECS (who by extentsion also owns Turner and Pelican Parts) swallow another competitor and seeing the marketplace for available parts shrink. But at the same time it is not surprising to me...

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  7. #32
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    BavAuto always seemed overpriced to me. One example: About 10 years ago I had to remove the door panels to lube the window tracks, so I bought some nice plastic pry bars from Harbor Freight for about $5 with a coupon. BavAuto sold the exact same Chinese tools (albeit with their name stamped into them) for something like $25. No thanks. I also bought a semi-useful Peake reset tool for far less than the BavAuto version. Their brake pads were 25 to 50% more costly than other sources. In my experience, there was not one thing they sold that I could not get elsewhere for a lot less.

    Still, I liked that they existed and I used them as a research tool. Not so much in the last 5 years though, since there are more sites out there. Still, from time to time, I would look at their site to see what was “new”, then I would search elsewhere for a better deal. Companies need to recognize that a lot of shoppers act this way. You may have some nice “How To” videos and pleasant staff, but if your prices are much higher than elsewhere, you won’t be selling much. In my opinion, I think they relied too much on BMW owners being rich and careless with their money. They jacked up prices thinking BMW owners are all a bunch or USC alums...

    I see the end of BavAuto as a good thing. Charge too much when the market will not bear it and you go out of business. Hopefully others will heed this tale.
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  8. #33
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    "They jacked up prices thinking BMW owners are all a bunch or USC alums..."

    I take offense at your USC aspersions
    Last edited by Dakar Ole; 03-22-2019 at 12:38 PM.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dakar Ole View Post
    "They jacked up prices thinking BMW owners are all a bunch or USC alums..."

    I take offense at your USC aspersions


    Growing up in So CA, I used to see hundreds of USC license plate frames on 320 BMWs and BiTurbos - not to mention 911SCs. All of their drivers without exception, were jack holes. Of course, that was only my perception. I went to CSULB, so I have that against me... BTW - my first inclination was to type USC lawyers, but I changed it to alums, since this covers more jack holes. Lawyers are too easy a target!

    BTW - take care and I hope you get something nice with your gift card. And I do recognize that not all USC graduates are degenerate ass-bandits. GO BEACH!
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  10. #35
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    Bavarian Autosport Has Closed. Brand Legacy to Live on at ECS Tuning

    Bavarian Autosport logo
    Bavarian Autosport FAQ
    Bavarian Autosport announced on March 8th, 2019 that it has closed its doors and will no longer be conducting business. This ends a highly successful 45-year run as one of the premier BMW parts houses in the world and as a standard bearer for our industry.

    In the interest of looking after their customers and carrying on Bavarian Autosport's proud commitment to BMW and Mini enthusiasts, BavAuto reached out to ECS Tuning to see if we could lend a hand.

    We at ECS have come up with a plan to help maintain BavAuto's legacy and assist BavAuto's customers during the transition by:

    Honoring all BavAuto gift cards through April 30, 2019.
    Providing warranty support for Bavarian Autosport branded merchandise
    Maintaining BavAuto's longstanding support for BMW CCA chapters across the country
    Continuing to stock Bavarian Autosport branded parts on ECS Tuning.com

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  11. #36
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    Haha, ain't ECS grand. Such good sports....
    E36/8 2000 M Coupe Cosmos Black/Black
    Shark, Conforti CAI, B&B Exhaust, H&R, Bilstein, AKG Subframe/Diff, UUC TME Red/Caps, Swapped Front Hats, Ice>Link.
    ================================================== =======================

  12. #37
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    Over 30 yrs of buying parts....

    I oft looked at bavs site and almost always they were more expensive and almost always it wasn’t an ez site to navigate. And almost always I did not buy from them. There were some strange moments when they offered rock bottom prices on parts but that was few and far between

    I did enjoy Otto

    The times are changing. That’s for sure



    I’m a self employed health care provider. It’s tough out there. Many of the “ rules “ have changed
    Last edited by jrkoupe; 04-07-2019 at 12:21 PM.

  13. #38
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    It's a shame to see them go as they were local to me. They knew how to throw a party/car show too.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by ihm96 View Post
    Idk man I notice ECS, Turner, FCP, Pelican, all have many products with no photos listed, wrong compatibilities (e.g. Turner has told me stuff will fit my M52tu car that was totally wrong), and are lacking in search functionality.

    Bavauto was easy to use just like the others for the most part, you put your year model engine etc in and it pulls up the parts available. Maybe if you were searching direct part numbers it wasnt the best, but it was fairly easy to navigate for me.

    Certainly wasn't awful like bimmerworld where all the search functions are for wheel sizes and you have to search to find the parts categories in the one tiny little section

    Yep, ECS tuning just f-ed me on a part that they guarantee the fit. I will be writing a full write up as soon as I get part of my money back.

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by tistan View Post
    Yep, ECS tuning just f-ed me on a part that they guarantee the fit. I will be writing a full write up as soon as I get part of my money back.
    Your fault for not using the last seven of your VIN in www.realoem.com to validate part numbers before shopping on-line. BMWs ‘rolling’ introductions cause part ordering head aches all the time.
    My 1999 E36 M3 does not exist on many vendor website ‘drill down’ vehicle part search selection lists.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  16. #41
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    I'm sorry, but if you select your vehicle and then it tells you a part is a guaranteed fit for your year make and model then thats on them for having a tool that "guarantees" the fit that is inaccurate. In your case where you can't select the vehicle its different because its not guaranteeing you anything, whereas in this case they gave him a part they guarantee and the guarantee was wrong

    Quote Originally Posted by bluptgm3 View Post
    Your fault for not using the last seven of your VIN in www.realoem.com to validate part numbers before shopping on-line. BMWs ‘rolling’ introductions cause part ordering head aches all the time.
    My 1999 E36 M3 does not exist on many vendor website ‘drill down’ vehicle part search selection lists.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by ihm96 View Post
    I'm sorry, but if you select your vehicle and then it tells you a part is a guaranteed fit for your year make and model then thats on them for having a tool that "guarantees" the fit that is inaccurate. In your case where you can't select the vehicle its different because its not guaranteeing you anything, whereas in this case they gave him a part they guarantee and the guarantee was wrong
    guar·an·tee
    /ˌɡerənˈtē/
    noun
    noun: guarantee; plural noun: guarantees; noun: guaranty; plural noun: guaranties

    1. a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled, especially that a product will be repaired or replaced if not of a specified quality and durability.

    Are they saying you can't return the part? If not, then I don't follow your statement.
    2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.

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  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluptgm3 View Post
    Your fault for not using the last seven of your VIN in www.realoem.com to validate part numbers before shopping on-line. BMWs ‘rolling’ introductions cause part ordering head aches all the time.
    My 1999 E36 M3 does not exist on many vendor website ‘drill down’ vehicle part search selection lists.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    You'll understand why when I do my write up. There is a major part that is no longer available from BMW. I think I secured the last one off ebay, I'm just waiting for it to arrive before I write my post, just in case I need to source another. The one I sourced cost me a small fortune. ECS tuning didn't actually list the part number they supplied, they listed the bmw part number for it. After I realized the part was wrong, I pulled the bag the part came in out and found different numbers. When I ran those numbers, I then knew for sure the part was wrong because it came up as fitting z3 and 3 series bmws.
    Last edited by tistan; 04-16-2019 at 09:09 PM.

  19. #44
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    I’m still getting a pop up ad for Bavarian Autosports on my ipad.

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by tistan View Post
    Yep, ECS tuning just f-ed me on a part that they guarantee the fit. I will be writing a full write up as soon as I get part of my money back.
    Join the facebook "why I hate ECS" group and join the echo chamber

  21. #46
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    I usually go by what part number does the part have stamped/printed on it that I took out of the car, or I go on realoem. ECS Tuning and other websites' fitment guides are very often wrong.

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by me77 View Post
    I usually go by what part number does the part have stamped/printed on it that I took out of the car, or I go on realoem. ECS Tuning and other websites' fitment guides are very often wrong.
    that oft does not work 4 me, as by the time the part has been removed I want the new part in my hand and ready to go on!..lol

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Join the facebook "why I hate ECS" group and join the echo chamber
    First, I would have to join Facebook and that’s not gonna happen.

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by tistan View Post
    You'll understand why when I do my write up. There is a major part that is no longer available from BMW. I think I secured the last one off ebay, I'm just waiting for it to arrive before I write my post, just in case I need to source another. The one I sourced cost me a small fortune. ECS tuning didn't actually list the part number they supplied, they listed the bmw part number for it. After I realized the part was wrong, I pulled the bag the part came in out and found different numbers. When I ran those numbers, I then knew for sure the part was wrong because it came up as fitting z3 and 3 series bmws.
    on pins and needles to know what type of part it was

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