Can someone recomend a good supplier of parts in the USA? I want to get trim and body parts while the car gets painted. I've been told this is fairly cheap to buy with our dollar being so strong and parts over there being cheaper than here.

buy the items here them you wont get stung

lots of good suppliers here and some even take away the head aches you will get

http://www.piersideparts.net  and http://www.cip1.com  are good for parts from the US but the biggest factor with shipping is size and weight.Large body panels maybe cheaper but you may get screwed on freight because of the physical size. Weight is also an issue where you may be charged excess aswell.You also need to keep purchases under 1000 dollars or you'll be slapped with extra tax.
Then theres the issue with body parts, which made for the US market and US VWs may not match up year to year between the US and Aussie models. I personally would buy in Australia for panels if you can.Im sure there are some members that can chime in with some contacts for you. I have only purchased a rear floor/firewall replacement for my wifes beetle and that was through George at Classic Vee Dub. You could try Vintage Vee Dub?..Im sure someone will post some leads for you after my post!..lol. Good luck.

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com.  there cart calculates shipping as well. Shipping can double your price of the items. But if you live somewhere where you get everything posted to you (Australia or US) It sometimes works out cheaper sometimes not.

99% cheaper

Cant understand why everyone always looks os before looking here

they r st u p id always think thers a bargain

Until something turns up damaged or wrong

some people buy os due to unobtainability of certain parts here and nothing to do with a bargain

Its quire simple why you would look overseas, to see how much money you can save importing it yourself, done it dozens of times with out a problem and always cheaper if you can arrange the freight yourself. if you want to pay a lot more thats fine, every one has a choice.

Why is it every time the question of buying overseas comes up the same people chime in with buy here. When will you disclose your vested interest in promoting the Australian companies here who in the most part buy from overseas the then on sell to us. Many of these shops were on the gravy train for way too long. With some new players entering the business they certainly would have taken a hit in the hip pocket. I think the world has become a very small place due to the internet. Its about time some shops here open up to the fact that it's a world market not just an Australian market. Sometime people on here sound like that bloody old whinging bastard Jerry Harvey. The reality is it is sometimes good to buy here sometime its good to buy overseas. The dollar is great at the moment and sometimes it works out better to cut out the middleman sometimes its doesn't.

No vested interest at all!!!!As someone else on here has said support the people who support our hobbies and interest here.

Jut to add my piece. I normally buy my stuff from Mick Motors. Rohan and the guys are brilliant, helpful over the phone answering questions of the beginner like me and great at shipping stock ASAP. Their prices are competitive too.
But I work with a keen car restorer and he has rebuilt a number of old holdens and currently is working on Camaro. He bought the radiator for it at about half the cost of parts in Oz. Now parts like he needs are better coming from the US but he also has raised issues of bulk and weight in freight should be offset against purchase price. But often he comes out ahead. In his case he saved almost $500.
I'm looking for smaller trim and electrical components that are a little unusual or much cheaper. I agree its good to support local retail and save freight costs and frustrations of part returns but there is some merit in looking online.
But to conclude Mick Motors are really great and its always good talk over the phone about specific parts especially with my car as its a very very early series Superbug. Besides I met Rohan passing through Ballina on his way to Valla 2010 and that re-ignited my love of the Dub after talking to him and seeing his amazing bug. So there is a certain degree of retail goodwill that began being fostered there. And working in retail myself I know how vital goodwill is in securing return business.

None here either! I run a poo plant and have nothing to do with spare parts.

I always recomend our sponsors first as i love this site and nothing better than going to shows and being able to talk to them face to face like you have said Marilyn.

I was also impressed at Valla when i went up and said G'day and shook hands with AL (DAS) and Rod Penrose, both took the time to have a chat to me and answer some of my questions. For me personally that goes a long way in my book and i'll promot people like this whenever possible!

End of the day it's your money spend how you like but check out in our Aussie backyard as well.

^^ that is a non argument Pumba, some torsions bushes fit, some don't, some last and some don't, some make noise and you guessed it, some don't. It's the product knowledge and quality control that is the difference. Very little advice online, sure some descriptions are accurate, but in all honesty, how often do you read a description that has anythink but good comments/descriptions.......hardly worth the time reading them.

^^ fair enough., but as a side note, some WCM parts are actually NOS genuine VW, and hence more exxy than other manufacturers

I mainly buy overseas, not purely because of any savings, generally because of quality or unavailability. I needed to replace an axle boot at valla, I did it on the side of the road and the chinese knock I bought at Valla got me home, but needs replaced as the inside diameter of the tube end is too small and leaks. Little things like this stop me buying here unless I can be assured of the quality and fit. I know even new OE VW parts can be hit and miss, but I found german one piece boots, genuine VAG split boots, elring gasket sets and german rear axle seal kits and they were comparatively cheap in the US. I paid $10 Aus for the chinese knock off and 14 US for the gen VAG, with $12 shipping for two.

On the other hand, Matt is right, these parts don't come with any advice and you need to know exactly what you're doing or it gets tough and expensive sending wrong bits back and forth.

West coast metric parts are a fair price but its the shipping that makes it not worth it.

Yeah, West Coast use fedex or ups exclusively and the shipping prices are up there. There are a whole host of shops out there that do sell quality parts and have a good rep. With the US scene being so large, consistent problems with parts will kill a business over there.
You could go to Steve at Wolfgang, he sells WCM and ships usps. I got a full door seal kit for my 70 cost 65 shipping and it was a full set from WCM for both doors, included chrome outer scaper, felt, 1/4 light seals the lot, even door handle seals

With some parts theres not much difference in price,but some are so different it makes you wonder,thats why i asked about the spring plate rubbers(bushes)just to see what you would expect to pay for WCM ones.

I haven't bought them recently, but I did buy a set around 2 years ago for my split, they cost about $32 for the set and $14 for flat rate shipping.

I totally agree with type_one. It's a global market and the sooner Aussie resellers realise it the better. They will always have a business if they look after their customers but a few of us are just getting a bit tired of being bent over and shafted.
I understand about the costs of running a business and having a REASONABLE profit margin. You have to be pretty thick to pay more than double for some big ticket items when you could land here for less than half the price including postage within a week.

Just a quick example - a vendor at Valla was selling the pictured Kombi mug and coaster. I asked how much? - $7.50. I had just bought four at Kmart for $3 each to keep in my kombi. He cleaned out Kmarts stock and charged not a reasonable mark up, but more than double.
I laughed and walked away. I think this illustrates the point - he still sold all his mugs.