Jack:No offense, but to a hammer - everything looks like a nail!!
But in truth, no - I really did (still do) believe that a prospective purchaser of a spare part for a car (or for anything else) is entitled to know the part number and is entitled to have confidence that the part number is correct (by access to drawings) at no additional cost!! This system of information restriction by imposing a charging regime that ensures that only professional workshops can afford to have access to this information is wrong () - no offense intended to those here that operate these workshops.
This service isn't like getting access to wiring diagrams, or repair manuals - for which I agree that an appropriate cost should be imposed. The information that is shrouded (incorrectly in my view) with the mantel of restricted IP is a direct requirement of the sale process for spare parts - a process that should be equally accessible to all without the need to pay a standing charge of 240€ per year for the privilege (a charging regime that I suspect bears no resemblance to actual costs and is simply designed to stop Joe-average from accessing the data).
But I suspect that mine is a lone voice in the wilderness and that it will make no difference whatsoever - I guess that I will need to wait for the revolution, comrade
Don