Never been a
problem up here at the Edinburgh branch. Never been asked for any sort of id. I suppose I tend to call things by their right names and (hopefully) come across as knowing what I'm talking about. Of course when working in the workshop you don't yourself get the spares so it's not as if I was a "known face". First time, harbouring similar fears to you, I went in my dirty old overalls! I hate to be embarrassed! but need not have feared, they were fine. There have been a couple of occasions where I've needed their guidance and they were very helpful - For instance the old Cordoba Vario I ran for around 19 years, The last time I decided to change the gearbox oil they supplied me with some very runny watery stuff, unlike the previous time when what went back in looked very much like what came out. I went back in person with the old and new oils and questioned them about it. Thank goodness we have 2 cars as it's a trip right across town. The fellow behind the counter was very helpful and brought the service bulletin (if that's what it was called) to the counter and let me read it. This new fluid - I hesitate to call it oil - was indeed now recommended. I used it, with some trepidation I can tell you, but all was ok. The gear change action was delightfully light compared to before with maybe, maybe? a very slight increase in gear whine, maybe just me being overly sensitive though? It ran like that for another 3 years before we finally (and with considerable regret) parted company.
So I would encourage you to give them a try. After all what's the worst that can happen? I think also that this "trade only" mentality is tending to die out quite a bit now. - very few will turn away ready money these days - In fact up here the only one I know who are quite "sticky" about it are Dingbro. I think some of the other factoring businesses also have a two tier pricing structure where there is one price for trade and another for "Joe", as you call him. I've had experience of that in two of the biggest ones up here when I've overheard telephone conversations. Mind you their "Joe Bloggs" prices are still better by a fair margin that retail and I don't have an issue with the trade getting a wee bit more off - It's all part of their livelihood after all. I've not seen any evidence of this at SRS where I go for quite a bit of my "other makes" stuff though, mind you I am a "weel kent" face there having used them for many years now, ever since my friend's business Edinburgh Motor Factors unfortunately had to close due to his ill health
wondering why they were so cheap. I was looking at the Fitted Quantity section on ecp as it says 4. 
