65 replies to this topic

[cramman]

No bother, I'm like a dog with a bone.

[CKR]

Excellent news!! Thanks for all your effort with this one, fingers crossed it sounds like you're getting somewhere with this. Chris

[cramman]

Here is the reply from Wipac, "Unfortunately we do not supply the lenses as a spare part - either to dealers or direct the public. We don't sell the lamps direct either I'm afraid - they are only available to the manufacturer." I've asked if they would be willing to supply just the lenses to vauxhall/autovaux but I can't see it. Does anyone know anyone who may be able to help? Ie, a supplier who deals with Wipac, or someone at Vauxhall who could ask the question?

[Mike (Cliffie)]

Here is the reply from Wipac, "Unfortunately we do not supply the lenses as a spare part - either to dealers or direct the public. We don't sell the lamps direct either I'm afraid - they are only available to the manufacturer."

I've asked if they would be willing to supply just the lenses to vauxhall/autovaux but I can't see it.

Does anyone know anyone who may be able to help? Ie, a supplier who deals with Wipac, or someone at Vauxhall who could ask the question?

Ian Matthews (IanRM) works for Thorney and they are a Vauxhall recognised dealer but I wonder if Wipac will only supply Vauxhall direct and Vauxhall dealers have to buy from Vauxhall centrally.

[aron916]

Would there be a minimum qty that vauxhall will have to buy? Im due to visit a dealer today/tomorrow to collect my spare key, so might be worth throwing the question at them!? See if they have to go through vauxhall or if they can go direct and if so would they be willing?!

[cramman]

They won't supply directly to us. But, I have the contact details of a/the "Comercial Executive" if anyone want to contact them. Let me know and I'm pm you her details, I doubt I should post it on here, I'd not be best pleased.

[Mangham54]

They won't supply directly to us. But, I have the contact details of a/the "Comercial Executive" if anyone want to contact them.

Let me know and I'm pm you her details, I doubt I should post it on here, I'd not be best pleased.

Pester power!

[aron916]

Well i have been in contact with the "Comercial Executive" in question, i mentioned that the lenses were 'failing' and there was a high demand for spares, this is the reply:
The lamps in question are sold only to Vauxhall and we are unable to supply them or any parts of them to anyone else. I understand that you have issues regarding the lamps but I'm afraid this is something you need to discuss with your dealer or with Vauxhall direct.
Any requirements or requests that Vauxhall may have would be something they need to contact us to discuss.
I'm sorry but cannot help you directly in this matter.

Therefore it may be possible that if Vauxhall request the lenses become available as a spare part they will look into it, but they will only discuss this with Vauxhall as she mentioned in another email to me. i also asked what their minimum production run would be, but again would not discuss!

So where to go from here, how to persuade Vauxhall there is enough demand for these for them to get involved?!

[slindborg]

a) there wont be enough demand and b.) Vauxhall WILL fist you for the privellage Minimum order quantities are usually in the 000's of units for Tier 1/2/3's, and of course vauxhall wont want anything to do with the vx at a cheap price as they lost out so much on just about every car, so I'd imagine the lenses will be nearly as much as the whole light units I might try making a cast epoxy copy of a lens I have to see if its a viable option for another manufacturer to take up

Edited by slindborg, 11 August 2010 - 10:28 AM.

[aron916]

Thats why i wanted the info on min runs, i wouldnt waste my time if i knew the min would be in the 10's of thousands. Its been mentioned that in theory these would only cost around £10, but like you say, by the time vauxhall get their hands on them and make them available to the customer they wouldnt be viable as a 'spare'!

[smiley]

Has anybody tried to find a chinese copycat, to see wat the numbers add up to? Some sort of investment setup could also be thought of. (x amount of people invest in the 4 or 5k, and get their money back with interest, once they sell) A trustworthy storage and money facility would have to be found, but i'm willing to put a few hundred in this. Or, those investors get the batch devided, and it's up to them to get them distributed. Some price agreement for the first year or so would be prefered.

[autovaux]

Has anybody tried to find a chinese copycat, to see wat the numbers add up to?
Some sort of investment setup could also be thought of.
(x amount of people invest in the 4 or 5k, and get their money back with interest, once they sell)
A trustworthy storage and money facility would have to be found, but i'm willing to put a few hundred in this.

Or, those investors get the batch devided, and it's up to them to get them distributed.
Some price agreement for the first year or so would be prefered.

I'm doing some work on this at the moment as one of our reps knows a rep from Wipac from a previous life , just to clarify could someone let me know the following info.

Are the turbo and N/A lenses the same?

Is it fronts or rears or both we're looking at and if it's both is there one that's a more frequent failure?

The complete lamps are definitely a tied part however the contract is with Lotus not GM which partially explains the high pricing as Wipac , Lotus and GM are all wanting a slice. This essentially means Wipac would be in breach of contract to sell anywhere other than Lotus. The lens is a grey area , Lotus may not have tied the component I did get past the initial roadblock when I got this point across and I am now awaiting an answer from the marketing director at Wipac. Fingers crossed

[techieboy]

Think the lenses are identical across the different models. If not, they'd definitely be directly compatible. Probably want front and rear lenses ideally but the headlight lenses are the bigger problem for most (as even if they don't get broken they get stonechipped to hell).

[cramman]

Are the turbo and N/A lenses the same?

Is it fronts or rears or both we're looking at and if it's both is there one that's a more frequent failure?

The complete lamps are definitely a tied part however the contract is with Lotus not GM which partially explains the high pricing as Wipac , Lotus and GM are all wanting a slice. This essentially means Wipac would be in breach of contract to sell anywhere other than Lotus. The lens is a grey area , Lotus may not have tied the component I did get past the initial roadblock when I got this point across and I am now awaiting an answer from the marketing director at Wipac. Fingers crossed

I'm fairly sure Turbo and NA lenses are the same, just the light internals that differ.

Prices for Fronts and Back would be excellent. It seems like the backs have a tendancy to fall off and front suffer from stone chips.

[aron916]

Definitely back ones for me, but as mentioned above, replacement fronts would be a good option to have due to stonechips! Remember, Speedster owners might also bump up the interest!

[autovaux]

Definitely back ones for me, but as mentioned above, replacement fronts would be a good option to have due to stonechips! Remember, Speedster owners might also bump up the interest!

Very quick reply , but probably not the answer we're looking for . The part AND all it's components are completely tied. The agreement is with Lotus however any decision to release the part as seperate item lies with GM. Wipac would not want to release the part as on it's own as they claim their bonding process is exceptionally complex , simply superglueing isn't good enough to prevent water ingress and hence would have warranty issues. Even when Vauxhall discontinue the part Wipac are unable to supply the part and must decommission the tool as part of their agreement. The gent at Wipac said this is standard procedure and would jeopardise any future business they have the VM's ( Vehicle Manufacturers)not to mention lawsuits.

I have fired off an email to Vauxhall however Autovaux is not exactly their biggest buddy. It may be worth bombarding Vauxhall to ask if they will offer a lamp remanufacturing option. They do remans on alternators , starters etc , and I suppose this would be a relatively simple reman if done back at the manufacturer. This would satisfy Wipac's quality concerns and offer a cheaper alternative. Clutching at straws I know .

If anyone has two old / cracked rear lamp lenses they can supply me I am going to Frankfurt in September and nearly every chinese manufacturer will be there. I could show them the samples and get some quotes .

Mark

[cramman]

Ive got a pair of cracked rear lenses in the garage if you need them

let me know

I'll drop rickyroff a pm, see if this offer still stands.

[slindborg]

@ the water ingress warranty worries...... the number of people who have warmed the lights up, removed the lenses and refitted to stop water ingress is emmense

[LMP1]

Is there any update about the lenses? (speedster asking)

[Mangham54]

Very good question Psychopathis... There had been some mootings regarding this in a different thread the other day, but I strongly suspect this has run it's course to a nil conclusion. However pester power may in fact be the order of the day again, though we are not going to be talking significant numbers of whole cluster replacements for vauxhall to see the $'s in their eyes again. Whether Keiron and his guys/gals at AutoVaux made any progress I am unsure.... I'll PM the AutoVaux member and see if he can pop back along with an update. If not does someone want to give them a ring? Or worst case scenario I can call round on Sat 26th and see if I can have a natter with the guys face to face.