Re: Home Town Request - Columbus Audi Vendors (kind of long)

[RCARSELLE@aol.com]

Hi Dave :

You're right this is not Quattro country, but I do see them periodically in
the paper being sold by owners not dealers. I have lived in Westerville for 5
years now and I am still tuning my methods in acquiring Audi parts and
expertise. Sorry the 87 5KCSTQ is my father's and he loves it too much or I
would be driving it. I am still trying to talk him into a V8 and I would help
him to find the 87 a home......

I do alot of my own work, and I have a mechanic friend in Covington, KY which
works on BMW, AUDI exclusively so if I get in trouble..... well he bails me
out.

The 2 main dealerships in town are Midwest Auto Group in Dublin, and Capital
Imported Cars in Whitehall (near Airport). MAG is pricey, they do work on
Porsche, BMW, etc. but seem to have a good reputation in town. Capital always
leaves me feeling like they don't want to please me as a customer, and their
part's guys don't know the parts very well, you should always ask them twice.
I only use them as a last resort.

On Westerville Road, International Parts Store is a very good part's store,
they have Bosch parts galore and know Audi's and VW very well. I have always
been treated fair and the prices are always competitive, if they don't carry
a part they will tell you without much delay. This is a good place for plugs,
wire, etc...... non Audi specific Bosch components, lubricants, filters,
etc...... OEM spec parts geared for Euro cars. Mail order selection and
pricing without FED-EX cost.

Passen Motorsports also in Westerville down the road from IPS, seems to
specialize in the upgrades we often read about in the Audi Digest on the
'net. They install and sell Eibach springs and other "racing style" mods for
Euro and Japanese cars. I have not yet used all their talents, but I am soon
going to let them install the Eibach suspension upgrades on my 86 GLI. They
also do exhaust and engine work there. Nice folks. They should advertise in
European Car.

Down on the west side of town there are two foreign salvage yards which
always seem to have an 84-88 Audi carcass or two with parts (everything
except those electric switches which are a hot item) Best Foreign & Foreign
Auto Salvage are two separate yards both with good sourcing of used parts. If
they cross reference a part make sure that it will fit, sometime there are
subtle differences that their system won't account for. In the past I have
found : power antenna's, dash clusters, combination switches, used alloy
wheels, grill pieces etc.... come to think of it I  seem to use them quite a
bit. 

I also order from Shokan - mail order/phone order and VW Part's Place which
carries VW/AUDI, and Wolfsport which carries VW parts but several Audi
choices as well, let me know if you need addresses or numbers. EVANS Auto
repair also does good work, at OK prices they are located on Morse Road.

One more thing . . . Tire Discounter Direct (advertise against Tire Rack in
R&T and Car and Driver, European Car etc.) they have a warehouse in Hilliard.
So mail order tire prices, without the shipping costs. I just bought some
nice Dunlops and Conti's this past year at great prices, and I picked them up
myself (no shipping).

Well sorry about the length of the message, I hope something in here is new
info for you. If I missed a gold mine that you know of please let me know. I
do not claim to have every parts source in the book memorized. I always seem
to learn about new mail order houses on the 'NET about every week.

Have a pleasant evening,

Rob Carselle.