Wanted to make an announcement about a project I've been working on that many might find useful. This originally started off to suit my own needs, but thought others could benefit from it, and it took off from there. The original shopping tool focused on BMW parts, which has received a lot of positive feedback over the past several months, and I've gotten a lot of requests to expand the project to other makes, Audi being one of them. Hopefully this answers many of the questions about finding reliable vendors, quality parts, and reasonable prices, and helps automate the process of parts shopping.

This comparison tool accepts any Audi part number and returns matching products from over twenty vendors and forum classifieds. Results are returned in a single browser window, each site in its own tab. The "OE Price" feature displays Genuine Audi prices instantly from over fifteen sites, and results can be exported to Excel for easy spreadsheet creation. Compare any part number from any program, save default selections, customize settings, and much more. Audi PNPC runs on Windows machines, works across multiple browsers, and is available for download at www.audipnpc.com. There is no install necessary. Simply download and use.

Benefits & Feature Highlights

Shop sites by simply typing in a part number and selecting your preferred vendors. This can also be done instantly on any highlighted part number by holding either "Ctrl" or "Shift" and right-clicking. For those with Excel spreadsheets or parts lists, this feature is particularly useful. If you're reading through a DIY online that provides part numbers, or researching parts on VagCat or PartsBase, this feature can be beneficial to quickly get an idea of availability, what everything might cost, and the best places to acquire parts. See graphic below and video under "Integrated Search" for a few examples.


Search results are returned in your default browser window (additional browsers may also be specified), each site conveniently in its own tab. Select from over twenty of the most popular and frequently shopped vendors and optionally choose to save those selections as your default for next time.

With this tool, you can even search the Audiworld classifieds for the part number you're looking for. And while not everyone includes the part number in their "for sale" listing, it's a useful feature to have. You can also search VagCat and PartsBase if you're interested in viewing a part diagram or the associated hardware.

Amazon and eBay are included, as well, since they're basic mainstays of shopping. When it comes to quality Audi parts, though, I think many would recommend looking elsewhere first, but if you would like to search Amazon or eBay, the ability is there.

For anyone looking to do a maintenance overhaul, you may have found that some pre-assembled kits include mediocre brands to help keep the cost down or don't include all the parts required to do a thorough job. By searching for each part individually, you can often buy better parts for a similar or cheaper price. Researching any number of parts across multiple vendors can be time consuming and this tool helps cut that time drastically.

Additionally, for those who like to make a list of parts and wait until they hit vendors' free shipping thresholds, this tool better enables you to quickly check prices and adjust orders with multiple vendors accordingly. Mix and match the best priced parts with the best shipping rates.

Special Note: The most recent update now includes an "OE Price" feature for Genuine Audi parts. For now, this feature is simply a convenience, partially as a proof of concept and still in "beta," but it may evolve to encompass other manufacturers over time. Again, this does not include other brands, only the OE Genuine Audi part. If you'd like to see all available parts from your selected vendors, and a true representation of all parts and price differences, please use the "Compare Sites" button. Speed is obviously dependent on your internet connection, number of vendors selected, and how quickly each website responds (I've been averaging less than thirty seconds to run the entire list).

OE Price Export Feature: For easier handling of multiple part numbers and building pricing spreadsheets, OE prices can also optionally be copied to the clipboard (pre-formatted for Excel) after each search. For those looking to run multiple part numbers, the following Excel template calculates the cheapest total cost from a single vendor, as well as the price savings of buying everything individually. The Excel pricing matrix, as seen in the video below, was designed to be used in conjunction with the instant "OE Price" feature, but feel free to modify it to your liking (click here to download).

Compatibility & Ease-of-Use

Audi PNPC runs on Windows 32-bit and 64-bit machines and supports a number of web browsers including Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Opera, as well as other Mozilla variants including Cyberfox, Waterfox, and Pale Moon.

Final Thoughts

Cheaper isn't always better, but more knowledge is. While this is a "part number price comparison" tool, many vendors have different shipping rates, warranty policies, and customer service. Whether you shop with every vendor available, are loyal to a specific two or three, or simply interested in checking availability and finding the best price around, this tool can help streamline your shopping experience and save time and money.

My priority is providing a good user experience and efficient price comparison across some of the most popular Audi parts vendors. If there's additional vendors you'd like added or a feature you think could be useful, please let me know. You can also find the answers to some frequently asked questions by visiting the FAQ section of the site, located here. While this originally started off for BMW parts, I'm excited to make this available for Audi and hope the tool is as helpful for you as it has been for me.

Check out the latest version of Audi PNPC, available for download at www.audipnpc.com.



If you find this tool useful, and if you'd like to show your appreciation for the work that goes into it, would you help support my efforts by making a donation? I'm a big privacy advocate and no personal information is collected whatsoever. I do have some analytics set up on the website to see how many times this tool is downloaded and I'm excited to see how much use it gets. I have a great deal of respect for those willing to share their personal experiences and knowledge and hope this adds to the resource and wealth of knowledge that is the Audi community.