Date:         Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:36:44 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Low Mileage Syncro Westy for $6,000?
In-Reply-To:  <00a101c58955$0eb7f710$8f6f0a0a@W05560>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> I can't beleive how often and how many times we all have to have this
> conversation about the "value" of our vanagons...
> 
> I'm bothered by the ranting, complaining and outright slandering of Poptop
> Heaven.  I know NOTHING about them, other than having noticed them off the
> freeway one day driving in that area.

They didn't just say that they don't consider accessories and mods to
be value enhancers, they said they consider them value DETRACTORS.
Come on, these are VANAGONS, not 1969 Dodge Hemi Challenger
convertibles with matching numbers! $6000 is a ridiculously lowball
price for ANY Syncro Westy. It sure sounds like he was fibbing when he
said he had a buyer waiting for a $6K Syncro Westy, because no
reasonable reseller would even BOTHER with a lowball buyer like that,
as a $6K Syncro Westy is gonna have PROBLEMS, and guess who will get
the complaints. No, it sounds like they were willing to pay $6K
themselves, but didn't want to sound like typical used car dealers.
Furthermore, on the other end, they won't tell you the price of a
vehicle till they know about how much you want to spend. They aren't
even mechanics-- they're just resellers. Their schtick seems to be
that they'll arrange financing and transportation. Judging by their
accessory prices ($1350 for the same 15" tire/wheel package GoWesty
sells for $999, and GoWesty ain't a discount shop!) their clientelle
consists of the uninformed. It isn't slander to call them what they
look like: used car dealers. Compare the "sales pitch" on their site
to that of GoWesty. Do they REALLY still sound like straight shooters?
They're just too slick about it all, emphasizing easy delivery and
payment, and totally glossing over any technical details.