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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about OE VeeDubClick on a question below, read the answer... you might find information that'll save your fingers (typing an email) or voice (dialing the phone). Of course, if you don't find an answer, contact us.
Why the name OE VeeDub?It stands for Original Equipment VeeDub. We use "VeeDub" because Volkswagen AG owns the copyright on the name Volkswagen (we respect them - and their attorneys!) Original Equipment Manufacturer means 90% of our parts are from the Original Manufacturer to Volkswagen, ie: the same part. Companies like ATE, FAG (hydraulics) and Bosch are the companies who make the part that Volkswagen assemble into your car in the VW factory. Can you list the OEM suppliers you purchase parts from?Sure. Companies like Bosch, ATE, VW America, VW Germany (mostly NOS items), VW Brazil, VW Mexico, FAG, Sachs, Boge, Sebro, Zimmermann, Cohline, Febi, Lemforder, GKN/Lobro, Valeo, Stahl, PEX, Hella and many lesser-name OEM suppliers to Volkswagen who I won't list because are an exclusive supplier. When I place an order on your web site, is my credit card charged right away?Good question. The answer is "no" - we charge your card when we ship the order (the shopping cart simply records the order request). Sometimes the shipping cost on your website looks high - do you charge me the listed amount every time?No. We have a simple shopping cart (we're not a mega company!) which assumes all items are shipped separately in their own box, and that sometimes results in a high estimated shipping cost when you place your order. Remember - the cart does not charge your credit card when you checkout - we adjust the shipping cost to the actual amount and then charge your credit card. (If you pay by Paypal, we refund the difference to your Paypal account.) For example: If you order four wheels with center caps, lugnuts and etc. the website will say the shipping is $165.00. When we pack the wheels into two well-packed boxes the shipping will probably come to around $110.00. We charge the $110.00 to your credit card (plus the price of the wheels, obviously). If you think the shipping cost is high when you're checking out, please call or e-mail for a quote! You can also put a message in the "comments" section at checkout saying "Please charge actual shipping." Do you charge a Shipping and Handling or box fee like those other guys?No. We save on shipping expenses by using recycled packaging and newspaper from shops in our town and the US Post Office. (The only exception is fenders - we have boxes manufactured to ship those.) Why are fenders and hoods so expensive to ship?Though fenders and hoods aren't heavy, the space they take up in a truck (called the "dimensional weight") is very high. Unfortunately, a set of 4 Bug fenders requires 4 boxes (thankfully, a set of 4 Thing fenders fit into one box). Why do window scrapers and some of the light moldings cost so much to ship?These are "dimensional weight" items. They have to be packed very carefully or they will be crushed by other boxes or bent on the conveyor belts used by Fed Ex and UPS. They're light, but they DO take up a lot of space in a truck or airplane. Do you ship worldwide?Yes, we package the items then call shippers for a quote before shipping. This way we usually get a special rate from FedEx or trucking companies. Why are you located in the mountains of Colorado?Because I already lived here, as I worked for Rocky Mountain Motorworks. It benefits you because overhead is low, so our prices can be competitive (and it helps that we're on a US Highway so we have daily collections from UPS and FedEx). Why do you have a website but not a printed catalog?Because last time we produced a catalog it cost $29,000 to print, around $18,000 to mail and it took me personally three months to prepare it. Inevitably, some of that cost would be passed-on to you. Why pay more? Do you attend VW shows?Yes, mostly in Colorado, Arizona and California. But we hope to go East in 2011. How long have you been in the VW parts business, Richard?I've been doing this since 1978, with a break in 1984-1985 to travel overland from Kathmandu, Nepal to London via Nairobi, Kenya. I've been planted here in Lake George, Colorado since 1999. How many people work at OE VeeDub?Four! We're a family company and have no ambitions to become a faceless corporation. Why have your prices mostly increased since 2004?Well, let's face it: Nearly every item on the planet has increased due to inflation and the US dollar has been weak against all world currencies, especially the Euro. Most of our suppliers require payment in Euro. Do you have any items in your inventory manufactured in China?Yes, a few. Our floor pans are made there - but they're true 18 guage and the quality is superb. We priced having these made to the same specifications in Detroit and were quoted $800 per floor pan! Our alloy replica wheels are made in China for the same reason, but fear not as the wheels pass our strict quality control (they pass all DOT (USA) and TUV (Germany) requirements, and are rated to 1,580 lbs each and come with a two year written warranty). Why do you list the Country of Origin of your parts?Because we're honest, and want the customer to see what they're getting. (And we do a good deal of export business where listing the country of origin is a requirement.) Is the Country of Origin always 100% accurate?Probably not - I would say it's around 96% accurate. This is because we sometimes purchase an item in Germany, but find when we receive it that it's made in Spain. An example is Febi Bilstein Vanagon ball joints. Febi moved their plant to Spain; however, the quality is still Febi with German quality control. Recently we had a customer complain because he received a wheel bearing kit that we had purchased in Germany. The seals and outer bearing was made in Germany but the inner bearing was made in Illinois! Some items are German quality, FAG and SKF bearings are often made in Korea or Japan – we think the quality is just as good as German. (note: Beware of Chinese bearings and KMM bearings – in my experience they are junk (we don't sell them)). Are your door seals and rubber parts new or old stock?Our seals are new, made by the OE Manufacturer for VW in Germany. The German manufacturers use the latest EPDM rubber so our seals last 20-30 years; as apposed to Brazilian and other seals which crack after 2 years, or in the Arizona heat 2 months. It's important to remember that the "O" in NOS stands for OLD... old rubber seals deteriorate over time, which is why we don't sell them. Will your seals stain the paintwork on my VW when it rains?No, not even after 20 years. Do you have testimonials?We have plenty of testimoials - have a look on The Samba web site. Do you recommend restoration shops?We can help - call or e-mail us with the name of your restorer, we'll tell you when they last purchased parts from us. Do you have a monthly newsletter?Yep, and it's brand new. You can subscribe here. It lists what is going on at OE VeeDub, has a monthly joke or two and has new items and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers. The newsletter is via e-mail and is free.
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