Rowerdink
 

after signing up for chrysler new IRF program, i find out that Rowerdinks is now selling mopar parts and poaching my customers. they are selling for less and are getting their parts earlier in the day then i am.:mad:

Mopargirl - First post - Welcome to the Forum. :wave:

For those of us who are one or two steps removed from the Parts Department, can you tell me what Chrysler's IRF program is?

Concerning Rowderdinks, I'm assuming this is the company you're referring to - Rowderdink.com

If Rowderdink is selling Mopar parts that would be an interesting development. Historically Chrysler's always shielded their dealers from direct competition like GM's Delco program or Ford's Motorcraft program.

Our resident Mopar Parts expert is JoeRocket - Hopefully he'll be able to share some of his insight.

Thanks for registering with the forum and creating this thread. This is an issue that ALL Chrysler dealers may need to be aware of.

IRF=Independent Repair Facilty, it a program for Chrysler dealers to cultivate new wholesale customers. and yes that is the Rowerdink i am refering to

What are they selling ?? I just went to the website and tried to look up some very basic parts for mopars and all they offered was aftermarket.

Thanks for the information - Now I have a better understanding of your frustration.

You sign up for a program with Chrysler and you're committed to developing new wholesale accounts and then you find out you're competing against a company that doesn't have a dealer agreement with Chrysler and they may have pricing and delivery advantages. I'd be frustrated too.

Any idea how long Chrysler's been selling parts to Rowderdink?

I dont think they are buying direct from Chrysler..I'd on the phone in a second if I knew they were.
Chances are they partnered up with some Wholsale Whore that would stab his mother in the back if it meant getting a sale.

That's a great point.

It's like the Mopar Oil Filters at the Walmart stores - they didn't end up on the shelves because Chrysler's selling Mopar parts to Walmart....

Yeah, I took a look at the IRF Mechanical program but decided to pass on it.

As far as Rowdy Di....er....Rowderdink is concerned, I hadn't heard that yet. Not that it would surprise me much.

I spoke with my chrysler rep, and she said it's been happening for a while now. They are going around advertising that are using chrysler catalogs.

Yeah, Back in the day, I personally ran this up the corporate flagpole all the way to Detroit...At first they seemed concerned, then no response for a while :dunno:

Their final answer came at a meeting full of dealers and parts mgrs (ARO MTG)...." I should try to sell Mopar filters to Autozone" :swear:

So your Chrysler rep indicated that Rowerdink has been buying Mopar Parts direct from Chrysler and selling them to mechanical repair facilities?

That would seem to be a big departure from the way Chrysler has done business historically. As we discussed in another thread, the only non-dealers I ever knew that had direct access to Chrysler were the speed-shops that were set-up in the old Direct Connection days.

I wonder if Chrysler's Dealer Council has a position on this issue?

You can bet there was some Business Center Manager who was 1,500% of his Mopar Filter objective who was happy as Hell that a dealer in his BC found a way to sell parts to WalMart. :rolleyes:

In fact, building on that point I'm sure Auburn Hills didn't want to lose the Walmart business either.

Remember, that at that time, wasn't there was an Arkansas connection ( a Female Ex Chrysler exec) who went to work for WallyWorld? :parnoid:

well i just found out from my parts rep that rowerdink is buying part from 2 dealerships.
but if they are sending around flyers that have the chrysler, jeep, dodge, mopar logo on them, isn't that copy right infrigment?

You're thinking of Julie Roehm who left Chrysler to join Walmart.

In my opinion she was a complete disaster at Chrysler and I believe she ended up getting fired at Walmart after it was discovered she was having an affair with an subordinate.

To be clear, I don't even think Julie could spell Mopar. :rolleyes: