Is gene berg still in business

I don’t know one way or the other, but if you called today, they’re closed. M-Th only.

They are always updating their ads on The Samba, so they must be in business.  That said, they don’t make it easy to do business with them.  I used to buy  from them  back in the 1980’s and 90’s, but it is always a hassle.

Thanks for the replies.

I think I knew in the past that they are closed on Friday but forgot.

It would be nice if they had a phone message telling people that.  I called the "express order" number.  Maybe their information number has a message.

I called on Monday and was able to order the nuts I wanted.  I wanted nuts with 8mm threads using a 10mm wrench for my exhaust and intake manifolds.

The Berg website shows nuts for a 10mm wrench and nuts for a 3/8" wrench with the same part number.  I was told they really only have the nuts for a 10mm wrench.

I suggested they update the website.  Allistair at Berg called the website "geriatric".  I asked if there was any plan to bring the website into the modern era.  Allistar said they don't expect to be in business long enough to make it worthwhile.

It is kind of sad to contemplate but they have been there for 60 years. Dee is in her 80s.

Gene Berg Enterprises needs to be sold to somebody who wants to make it great again. The loss of what only they have would be a body-blow to the hobby,

@Stan Galat,  I wholeheartedly agree.  That was my first thought.  It is hard to imagine this hobby without Berg.

I foresee a day where GBE gets sold to Empi. Nobody know's the inside story, but it seems like the 3 Berg brothers could have really taken the place to the next level, given all the talent they have shown individually in the VW industry.  From the outside, it looks to me like they were lacking anyone with business leadership skills.

I have wondered why the brothers sort of split away.

@LI-Rick posted:

I foresee a day where GBE gets sold to Empi. Nobody know's the inside story, but it seems like the 3 Berg brothers could have really taken the place to the next level, given all the talent they have shown individually in the VW industry.  From the outside, it looks to me like they were lacking anyone with business leadership skills.

Me too.

EMPI is sucking up everything - Bugpack, DRD Heads, Jaycee Enterprises, etc. With Pat Downs gone from CBP, I wonder how long they will remain independent.

Under the new ownership, EMPI is at least trying to clean up their reputation, but the thing that worries me mightily is what this means for any innovation. When EMPI buys something, even if they allow it to run as a standalone inside the company (Jaycee) - the innovation just stops. What new has come out of Jaycee since Jack sold it? The EMPI head program is just the DRD CNC programs they bought from Darren - meanwhile, Pat has made significant improvements to all of CBPs CNC profiles from top to bottom in the same period of time.

The only new products that have come out in the last 5 years have been as a result of Pat. It's only going to get worse, unless some new blood makes its way into the hobby.

As far as the Berg Family Soap Opera, I have no idea. Even people close to the family just say, "it was a mess" and leave it at that.

Dee Berg deserves better , she is such a nice lady…..

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You don't have to be very good at reading between the lines to understand the state of the Berg business from this impromptu 'shop tour' video made at Dee's 80th birthday party, about 18 months ago. This also helps explain why it can take six months to get parts for a five-speed kit (or anything else for that matter).

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I agree as well.  It's really too bad there was no one to take over after Gene died to keep it going like it was, Dee hasn't been the person to take it into the next century, and I wonder if anyone will want the business in the shape it's in now.  Coming from a family business, I know (from personal experience- I watched ours go for sh*t after our dad died when I was 22) it can be really tough- guys who are good at running things aren't necessarily good at bringing new people (even sons) off the floor or worksite into the office and teaching/letting go, yet you're supposed to know the mechanics of how everything works from the moment you're given new responsibilities, so it can be really tough.  With the older generation too set in their ways understand what's needed and the youngsters not experienced enough to guide both sides through the transition, it's only a matter of time before it all falls apart.

@Mitch- They've run the 5 speed program that way from the first production run (about 1980) and I do get why they do it that way- with VW's numerous transaxle changes/improvements over the years, the target audience isn't anywhere near large enough (and sales not even close to brisk enough) to stock all the pieces necessary to be able to walk in and buy all the parts at once.  There would be some things on the shelf for years _{(and years and...)}. It is what it is.

To see them fade away would be a real tragedy; they have the absolute best parts around. Sure we still have CB Performance in the States and now Vintage Speed in Taiwan and CSP in Germany but it would never be the same. With them you only need to buy their stuff and cry once; it is that good.