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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Moss UK postage a rip-off!

I went to order a clutch alignment tool from Moss UK this morning and was absolutely horrified by the postage costs. This small plastic item costs £4.91 and only weighs a few grams.
The postage to Germany quoted was £11.84 or £24.99 for express!
It is about time that they get their act together.
Who the hell in their right mind would pay such postage prices? I will send them a very pleasant email.

Regards
Declan
D Burns

I have found them to be the same as other parts people unless bought off ebay & free postage, this in the uk. have you thought of trying their Paris branch for a euro quote on postage ?

http://www.motordream.com/

ok, other people may do less cost for general parts, tools, but for specific mg parts ....
mog

Mog,
The Paris outfit is not much better. They want 19€!
I'll make it myself.

Regards
Declan
D Burns

Nearly 5 pounds for the tool itself is outrageous! When you buy a clutch kit for anything in the US they throw a plastic tool in the box, even for a BMW! I have an assortment left over from various jobs but ended up buying one for my TF; it was only a couple of dollars here.

Turn one from a wooden dowel or buy the adjustable metal one. It has two cones to hold the disc and various sized pilots. I had one and lent it to a guy who moved, taking the tool with him.

Find someone who has an input shaft from an old transmission for the best tool.
JE Carroll

I was going to order new chrome side strips for my bonnet on the TF from B&G along with some other bits. Because the chrome strips were, *Over length*, the postage on them alone would have been over 68 USD. They weigh nothing! Needless to say their still in the UK! PJ
Paul S Jennings

Hi Declan,

there is an other source for Moss parts just 30 KM West of you.
For nearly 25 years, I order all the spares for the TD and the B's from:
H & D Hölscher in 41366 Schwalmtal-Dilkrath, Heidend 17, Tel.02163-889898.

They are dealers for HD bike parts and Moss Triumph spares. They are delivered weekly by Moss UK.
Although they don't carry any MG stocks, delivery of my orders are always here within 7 to 10 days, as long as Moss can deliver from their stocks.
Prices I pay are dealer prices plus German tax. Hölscher just takes his additional dealer discount from Moss as it seems, so in average the parts are 30 to 35% cheaper than from other German vendors.
As I live just 8 KM away from there, I pick them up myself but they also deliver via DHL or Hermes Services.

You can give them a call if interested.
When you tell them you got the address from me (no financial interests), they know what car brand parts you are looking for.

BTW, they should have the clutch tool in stock as it is also used on od TR's.

Ralph
R.S. Ralph Siebenhaar

Thanks Ralph,
I did make up my own but as a matter of interest do you know which TR's?

Regards
Declan
D Burns

Declan,

as far as I know, the TR2 and the MGA1500 shared the same splines on the input shaft as the TD2.

For those, who want to make the tool themselves, here is the way I did it many times:
Take a large bolt and cover the end with masking tape, so that it fits snugly into the spigot bearing.
Mark the position of the clutch drive plate on this bolt and cover it in this position with masking tape too, until the hole for the splints fits exactly on the bolt.
It always worked for me without any problem.

Ralph
R.S. Ralph Siebenhaar

Better always check on the postage from the UK, and especially Australia. Seems everyone is in on the postage scheme. Had a box arrive today from AS. Postage on the flat rate box was $5.25. They charged $9.15.
Larry Brown

With the cost of shipping from the UK there is no way I would order any items from there. In my experiences USA and Canadian shipping charges are much lower to Australia than from the UK.
John...Sydney
John Walton

All you need is one end the dia. of the spigot bushing, and the inner dia. of the clutch plate. You are not driving the clutch plate, just aligning it. I have made a few different ones on my wood lathe. They all work fine.

... CR
C.R. Tyrell

Given that Australia was the second biggest market for T Types after the States (even bigger than England!) it's a mystery why there aren't major outlets here. The mark up on Moss & OS products here is a joke. Albeit a sick one... Shipping is & always has been a major rip off when dealing with OS suppliers. I sympathize Declan. We've been paying through the nose for years. If there was an outlet here selling the Moss AM products that are actually worth buying, the best of AS, Cambridge Motor Parts & B&G, at comparable UK & US prices, they'd clean up! Makes me want to find a window & scream "I'm mad as hell & I'm not gunner take it any more!!"... But I think an Aussie has done that already.. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I sent them a nasty email but as to be expected-no reply.
Regards
Declan
D Burns

I live about 1 good days drive from Moss Motors and I can't figure out why shipping costs are so high. For small purchases, the cost of shipping is sometimes triple the price of the item!

Given that the mode of shipment is all the same, why should there be such a price difference between 2-day air, 1-day air and overnight?
Charles Duffy

Shipping to & from Europe from here in the "colonies" is a real reality check. I purchased a beautiful wood rimmed steering wheel from England, and decided it was more cost effective to buy a used steering wheel from him for around $80, than to send my old one for refurbishing.

As for the clutch alignment tool, I chucked a short steel rod in the lathe and made a few cuts and then welded another short rod on for a handle. It only took a fw minutes, didn't cost anything and I didn't have to wait for it to arrive by mail.
JRN JIM

As my neighborhood postal worker says, "you cannot drive there for that." Just glad I can get the parts to my door. Beats ratting around a salvage yard. Regards, tom
tm peterson

While the vendor does have expenses with shipping (employees, insurance, packaging etc. which is not exactly free), it is mostly the postal service, FedEx or UPS that sets and charges the rates. Behind the scenes shipping greatly different from 2-3 day vs. overnight. The longer the time, more things are collated and batch shipped to a geographic area, with great cost savings to the shipper, etc. BTW, a "days drive" to Moss- figure 8 hours, 400 miles each way, the IRS allows $0.57/mile, and it would cost you over $460 to drive there and back, plus your time.... George
George Butz

Clutch alignment tools are sold in all of the autoparts stores here in the States (AutoZone, PepBoys, etc.). Don't they sell them where you are?
Gene Gillam

This thread was discussed between 02/03/2015 and 03/03/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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