What to send (in order of usefulness)
- The part number, if you have it. It is the shortest route: for the filter, the injector, the brake pad. Even from another brand, a good catalog crosses it to its equivalent.
- The engine serial. In diesel it defines the right part better than the truck brand does. It is on the engine plate; a photo of the plate works just as well as the text.
- The full service list. If it is preventive maintenance, send the whole list at once: filters, oils, belts and the rest. Quoting line by line in separate messages only drags the conversation out.
When there is no number or serial
- A photo of the part, when there is no number and no serial: wear rubbed the number off or the part showed up loose. A clear photo with something for scale helps identify it.
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Message us on WhatsApp →What the supplier should send back
- A line-by-line answer: part, price, stock and lead time for every line on your list, not a "yeah we have it, which one do you need?"
- Crosses flagged: if the brand you asked for is out but the documented equivalent is in, the answer should say so with its number.
- Your price: if you have a contract or a fleet price list, the quote should arrive at that price, not at the counter price.
- Speed: in diesel a parked unit loses the load. If the quote takes hours, the value of the answer already left with another supplier.
💡 With a supplier running an AI diesel parts quoting tool, that flow is automatic: you send the serial or the list at any hour and the answer comes back in minutes, with real stock and your contract price.
Mistakes that drag the quote out
- "For a Kenworth" without saying the engine: the chassis does not define the part, the engine does.
- Sending the number as a voice note letter by letter: it gets transcribed wrong. Text or a photo of the number, always.
- Asking for "the filter" without saying which: oil, fuel (primary and secondary), air, hydraulic. A service takes several.
- Not saying the quantity: in a fleet it is almost never one part. Say how many units of the same number.
Frequently asked questions
Which data point matters most when quoting diesel?
The part number if you have it; if not, the engine serial (or a photo of its plate). With either one, a well-documented catalog reaches the right part without guessing.
Can I send the full service list?
Yes, and you should: a full list gets quoted line by line in a single answer. Sending it in pieces multiplies the messages and the mistakes.
What if I have neither a number nor a serial?
Send a clear photo of the part and say which unit it came off. It is the slowest of the three routes, but a catalog with good descriptions usually gets there.
What hours can I ask for a quote?
With an automated supplier, any hour: the answer comes back in minutes at 3 a.m. too, which is when fleets need it most.