Tots is closing up shop

[saltinot]

This comes asa bit of a surprise to me, but Tobias and I have been emailing back and forth this morning. He tells me that he is selling the company, the house, and everything to make a new start.

I'm happy that he is following his heart but at the same time I'm loosing a good source of parts. Some, I'm sure, will say they are glad to see them go because they break rare good running cars, but if it weren't for them it would have.been very difficult for me to collect all the rare items that I needed for my project.

I'll miss flying in to Heidiworld to collect parts and hang out, but hey, everything eventually come to an end.

[rs2coupe]

This comes asa bit of a surprise to me, but Tobias and I have been emailing back and forth this morning. He tells me that he is selling the company, the house, and everything to make a new start.

I'm happy that he is following his heart but at the same time I'm loosing a good source of parts. Some, I'm sure, will say they are glad to see them go because they break rare good running cars, but if it weren't for them it would have.been very difficult for me to collect all the rare items that I needed for my project.

I'll flying in to Heidiworld to collect parts and hang out, but hey, everything eventually come to an end.

H no

When is the trip?

[saltinot]

I not sure ATM Anton. It would need to be soon.

[Ruffiano]

Blow out prices? Sad to see the service going away seems like it was profitable.

[s2driveruk]

wow, thats a huge shame...great guy too. Let me know if you do make a trip Tom, I may be interested in another visit!

[saltinot]

Will do David. Might be on my "revisiting the drainage ditches of Le Sarthe tour"

[aronmatic2]

that is not a surprise. he had a weird selling strategie.
I visited him few times. i never understood how he manage his bussiness.
he is allways working in the garage. no time to answer emails. That was his main problem.

[Carl Avant]

that is not a surprise. he had a weird selling strategie.
I visited him few times. i never understood how he manage his bussiness.
he is allways working in the garage. no time to answer emails. That was his main problem.

He never repled to any of my requests either.
Chocolate teapot.

[Jamo]

Sure he's a nice guy but he never answered a single of my 10 emails since I've joined the forum, decided he was a grade A waster a long time ago

[S2central.net]

Has he considered selling the business as ongoing concern to someone else with the skills to take it on ?
Seems a waste to just have a blow out sale and shut the doors forever - is he retiring to a tropical island somewhere ?
I never had any dealings with them, other than being amazed at the apparent stock pile of items on their website...

[John B]

Tots

Yes ....it does seem a tad bizarre...you would have thought with the interest in classic Audi cars that are only becoming rarer by the minute, he would sell as a going concern.

JB

[s2driveruk]

Will do David. Might be on my "revisiting the drainage ditches of Le Sarthe tour"

looking fwd to it already.

I guess so many people waste time with email that he probably just focussed on other things, like breaking and selling through established links/peeps rather than mounds of specualtive stuff with a low % sale rate.

Seemed a genuine, generous guy when we met him a couple of years back

[saltinot]

I guess so many people waste time with email that he probably just focussed on other things, like breaking and selling through established links/peeps rather than mounds of specualtive stuff with a low % sale rate.

This is exactly what was happening. He told me once that he received around 200 emails per day from people asking questions about parts and "how much to ship". After spending time to research shipping costs and working up a total the potential customer would disappear. He had enough business via local channels and repeat customers to run the business.

Years ago I had similar problems getting a response. It was only when I told him that I would pick up the parts in person that he began to work with me. I will never forget the first trip I made to his shop. He was still in his original garage outside Basel. We had just finished loading up all the junk I bought into my rental Stilo Multiwagon when he asked me why we had come to Switzerland. I told him it was to come get parts and he laughed at my "joke". At that point my mate Eric says "no, Really we came only to see YOU". He then says "yes, I know, I too am crazy about Audi".

We've been friends ever since.

[spink]

has tots closed down already?website seems to be down

[PeterS]

Still seems to be ok http://www.tots-parts.com/audi/