Timewaster Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 The whole sector will be gone soon.Like Green grocers and corner shops the car spares shop is a thing of the past now.The golden era for them was the 70s and 80s when every weekend the streets were lined with Cortinas on axle stands and Minis dismantled across the pavement as dads desperately tried to get the thing running in time for work on Monday.customization was all the rage and radio cassettes with big shelf speakers and maybe a graphic equaliser, furry seat covers and a Krooklok were must haves. Back then you needed to stock bits for Ford BL Vauxhall and Rootes and maybe the odd set of points and plugs for those new fangled Datsuns.Some shops even had signs saying "Parts for foreign makes" like it was some sort of novelty. The Max Power trend kept them afloat in the 90s but the yoof have been largely priced off the road and get their kicks from Xbox and porn rather than doing do nuts in Tescos car park. When did you last spend any serious money in a car spares shop?...... Exactly! TRW, Grundig, Tamworthbay and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraWomble Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 When did you last spend any serious money in a car spares shop?...... Exactly!eBay now.Just got myself some alloy bar ends and LED bulbs, delivered to my door for £fuck all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRW Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Back then you needed to stock bits for Ford BL Vauxhall and Rootes and maybe the odd set of points and plugs for those new fangled Datsuns. Some shops even had signs saying "WE STOCK BITZ FUR FORIN CURS" like it was some sort of novelty. The Max Power trend kept them afloat in the 90s but the yoof have been largely priced off the road and get their kicks from Xbox and porn rather than doing do nuts in Tescos car park. Exactly! EFA. Apart from that, This ^^^^^^^^^^ X 10,0000000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren t claim Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The two remaining ones left in Wirral closed a few months ago after many years of trading. One of them used to be a Motorist's Discount Centre back in the very early 80s, as advertised by the undisputed king of light entertainment Noel Edmonds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcars Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The whole sector will be gone soon.Like Green grocers and corner shops the car spares shop is a thing of the past now.The golden era for them was the 70s and 80s when every weekend the streets were lined with Cortinas on axle stands and Minis dismantled across the pavement as dads desperately tried to get the thing running in time for work on Monday.customization was all the rage and radio cassettes with big shelf speakers and maybe a graphic equaliser, furry seat covers and a Krooklok were must haves. Back then you needed to stock bits for Ford BL Vauxhall and Rootes and maybe the odd set of points and plugs for those new fangled Datsuns.Some shops even had signs saying "Parts for foreign makes" like it was some sort of novelty. The Max Power trend kept them afloat in the 90s but the yoof have been largely priced off the road and get their kicks from Xbox and porn rather than doing do nuts in Tescos car park. When did you last spend any serious money in a car spares shop?...... Exactly!I'm not a yoof but i like donuts in Tesco's car park. I got a pack of 4 for only £1 the other week. Banger Kenny and mercrocker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthebeard Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The whole sector will be gone soon.Like Green grocers and corner shops the car spares shop is a thing of the past now.The golden era for them was the 70s and 80s when every weekend the streets were lined with Cortinas on axle stands and Minis dismantled across the pavement as dads desperately tried to get the thing running in time for work on Monday.customization was all the rage and radio cassettes with big shelf speakers and maybe a graphic equaliser, furry seat covers and a Krooklok were must haves.Back then you needed to stock bits for Ford BL Vauxhall and Rootes and maybe the odd set of points and plugs for those new fangled Datsuns.Some shops even had signs saying "Parts for foreign makes" like it was some sort of novelty.The Max Power trend kept them afloat in the 90s but the yoof have been largely priced off the road and get their kicks from Xbox and porn rather than doing do nuts in Tescos car park.When did you last spend any serious money in a car spares shop?......Exactly!An excellent 'old skool' car spares shop in St. Annes. Car Torque. Been there ages. Les, the owner is properly helpful and has, or can get pretty much anything. Has boxes of obscure bits n bobs for old chod. I recently got six dashboard bulb holders and bulbs for the Mercury. £6. Fits wiper blades, bulbs etc free. (Although I always give him a few quid for his trouble, especially PITA headlight bulbs)I go there for spares/bits whenever possible, as he deserves to succeed. Too many of the old style car spares shops have closed as mentioned.Had a couple of batteries from him that were cheaper than Halfords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 HillmanImp, on 09 Feb 2016 - 4:23 PM, said:The one in Shipley closed last year. I didn't notice this until a couple of weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
For Fiats Sake Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Nearest motorworld to me is in Huddersfield. Charlie Browns in Halifax is alive and well. I actually bought a fiat panda aerial (fits over the door hinge) from Amazon t'other day, delivered from Italy - unobtanium for reasonable price in this country now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShiteRider Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I've still got the furry dice i bought for my first car from Ormskirk motorworld. I worked in the kwik save next door.Both long gone now. Think the kwickie is a b&m bargains, motorworld a coffee shop.Much wanking was done over peco backboxes as a spotty teen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearoil Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The one in Falkirk closed years ago. It was previously called Car User. Was that a national chain? A.K.A - Car Abuser... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlabamaShrimp Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The Charlie Brown is still going as a garage on Wakefield but the shop shut a few years ago. Was rammed with stuff but never saw anyone going into it. Their prices were mad though. They wanted between £60-80 for a square pin battery (if they could get hold of one) or about £10 for the round to square converters that are dirt chap on ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordperv Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Would it be worth having a sticky of a list of useful old school motorfactors that shiters know of and would benefit others?? Just simply name address and phone number Bamboocarman, lisbon_road and Grundig 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 People can get it so easily online now or from euro car parts, I mean I bought the oil and filter other day through a deal meant it cost me £15 to swap the oil. The local factor couldn't even do it for £25... It's sad but people are price driven more than ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordperv Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Good point it is sad, I buy as little as possible on line parts wise, I have never even bought parts from ECP, my chain goes, local factors, if they can't get it somewhere bigger like gsf or main dealer, then if no joy get it off ebay, a lot of the time the local factors I use is around the price of online maybe a little more expensive, I'd rather pay that little extra as the guys are knowledgeable, friendly, know regular customers by name and have bent over backwards for me in the past getting me harder to get hold of parts in quickly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timewaster Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The staff are 75% of the quality of any spares place.We always paid well and had some really helpful knowledgeable people... and me.New owners paid as little as possible, the smart people left and the place went downhill. The best thing I ever heard... Customer: do you do witworth spanners?Spotty Eidjit : no, we do Draper and Sykes Pickavant.... Bamboocarman and Banger Kenny 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 For those in West Yorks, ASK in Kippax was bloody brilliant at one point. Dunno what it's like now though. Over the years I must have spent a fair bit of wedge with em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiggy Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hmmm....ours was still here last week when I bought some radiator hose for the Minor. Going to have to go and check now, aren't I?.....Oh, its raining. Is that the one in Totton ? The Romsey shop shut about a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yep, Totton still there this morning. I tend to use the local independent but he doesnt always have the same gear that Motorworld keep. Two lengths of heater hose t'other Sunday afternoon just what I needed after finding the ones on the Minor had turned to brandysnaps. Internets no bloody good when you have to get to work in the morning..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colino Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Their closing is just one of many, apparently legal, tax dodging schemes Tetrosyl have done over the years, juggling similar brand names, driving staff and suppliers to the brink and shafting them all and sundry.The only thing of note the bastards have given the motoring world is their Tetrosyl Cutting Oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperCub Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Yep, Totton still there this morning. I tend to use the local independent but he doesnt always have the same gear that Motorworld keep. Two lengths of heater hose t'other Sunday afternoon just what I needed after finding the ones on the Minor had turned to brandysnaps. Internets no bloody good when you have to get to work in the morning.. If that's the one I'm thinking about (just along the road from Asda) - didn't that used to be an 'A1 Superstore' which was another brand before that? Or is it a different one? (Don't go to Totton much now I don't live at Hythe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I think there used to be a Motorworld in Northfield, Birmingham which closed down some years ago. The first time imspotted it I went to go in and have a look but thier store but it was locked up at the time (lights still on, carpark open) I remember it was closed due to falling into administration or other. It later opened up as some Pets store.twas a charlie browns as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 there was nothing better than spending an hour afternoon mooching round Fletchers bought some jenuwine headrests to fit my maestro for about 1/4 of the price from the stealers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 My 'cuff fit' mudflaps, like Saab fit round the sill end, were off the top shelf, covered in dust/old stock in a mankey parts shop by 4 lane ends. Not much € and fitted a treat (slightly trimmed*). *possible reference to BL on packaging. TS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundig Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 I used to pop in my local one often as they usually had deals on screenwash, antifreeze car shampoo etc - it was strange though how it was open one day then shut the next with no prior mention of closing down for good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now