25 years: our range

Through purchases of residual stock from dealers, importers and Volkswagen factories all over the world, the product range grew rapidly in the following years. As is well known, popular models, such as the Beetle, T2 Kombi or Mk 1 Golf were built and driven for much longer in Mexico, Brazil or South Africa than in Europe, so that there was also a corresponding spare parts supply for these models for much longer. Probably the most important find of parts was in Paraguay in 2012: the Volkswagen importer DIESA had accumulated numerous air-cooled treasures for the Beetle, T1 and T2 since the 1950s and – fortunately – never disposed of them. After the first visit, our experts immediately understood the importance of these rare finds. This is by no means an everyday occurrence for us, either. The sensational find was consequently awarded the Golden Classic Steering Wheel by the magazine Auto Bild Klassik.

But as exciting and spectacular as the search for such New Old Stock parts is – soon after the founding of the Classic Parts Centre it was clear that taking over remaining stock could only be a beginning. Conversely, the obsolete material at Volkswagen Genuine Parts offered and continues to offer much more sustainable potential for the supply of spare parts for classic Volkswagens. Usually, models are only supplied with spare parts for up to 15 years after the end of production. Volkswagen Classic Parts then takes over a large part of any remaining stock and decides which spare parts are to be kept in stock for a long-term supply of Volkswagen classic cars, modern classics and daily drivers.

As part of this proactive stockpiling, we now even have the opportunity to get involved in the manufacturer's last procurement of spare parts for the regular original parts supply and can order the quantities we need for the classic range. In this way, we can (presumably) have sought-after parts for the classics of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow manufactured and stored today to ensure a long-term supply at fair market prices. This is how it worked, for example, with the bumpers for the Mk 4 Golf R32, with which we were able to make many R32 fans a little happier. 

Old parts reissued: our new productions

Another and very important pillar of our product range are our new productions. What once began with smaller new production projects on old tools at the original suppliers has since gained more and more professionalism and importance. One of our first new productions from the 2000s is still available today: 

For a new production, we sometimes have press tools weighing several tonnes transported across Europe or, occasionally, even build new systems. For us, the technical basis for the new edition of a product is always the latest drawing status from Volkswagen AG. Potential suppliers are sometimes researched and commissioned. And this is precisely the greatest challenge in the new production of "old" spare parts, because, compared to the production of parts for new vehicles, the classic sector involves very small quantities. The manufacturing costs are sometimes so high that we could not offer the products at a reasonable market price. The search for suitable suppliers who can meet our high-quality standards is also becoming increasingly difficult. Some manufacturing processes or materials no longer exist and some ingredients are even banned today.

In order to bring about new production, extensive research through old documents, telephone calls, emails and personal conversations are needed. Sounds simple, but it is often difficult in reality. Nevertheless, new productions in original quality are an important part of our range. For example, together with the original manufacturer in Mexico, we were able to reissue the rear Beetle fenders after extensive repair of the pressing tools and ensure a long-term supply for these sought-after parts. This is one of our largest investments in this area to date. But we were also able to make many other spare parts available again, which are of great importance for our customers' vehicles, as new production in 100% Volkswagen quality: 

We have also always had our finger on the pulse of the times with regard to manufacturing methods and are constantly working on being able to use technical developments and innovations for classic spare parts. For example, we were the first vehicle manufacturer ever to offer a spare part from a 3D printer for a mass-produced vehicle. In 2017, for example, we had an adapter for the window crank for the Corrado produced using 3D printing for the first time. The latest technology for classic spare parts – we make it possible!

Our range has now grown to around 60,000 items and offers a wide variety for all Volkswagen models from the Beetle to the New Beetle, from the T1 Kombi to the T5 Kombi or from the Mk 1 Golf to the Mk 5 Golf. That's how great the contrasts in our range are, but above all comes the passion for the older and younger classics of our brand. From a hub cap from the 1950s to alloy rim from the 2000s, most customer wishes can be fulfilled, as these two parts exemplify. 

Today, we already have thousands of spare parts in stock for Volkswagen models that were not even on the market 25 years ago. And our range continues to grow – for the classics of yesterday, today and tomorrow.