Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 07:47:35 -0400
Reply-To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Exciting things happening at Van-Again!
In-Reply-To: <9d.6824aa4e.305a6ee1@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Some clarifications:
On the interior, its not mismatched. I have one seat that I can slide
in, in place of the matching and stock front passenger seat that
doesn't match the interior. I only slide it in when I am carrying or
anticipate I may carry seven passengers (its only happened a handful
of times). I do see how a mis matched.
As for the S&S header exhaust and the wheels, I bought them from Ken
at Vanagain, so clearly east coast PTH will have a resource there if
they need them after the fact. As for my gearing being compromised I
run 215/65-15 tires on my rims, they are the same rolling diameter as
stock so there is no difference in speedometer or gearing from stock.
Brake pads are readily available (I forget the brand but they're
nothing fancy) and I have an extra set of calipers just in place.
Almost ALL of this stuff is available from vendors this list deals
with daily... no one is going to have trouble finding the later.
I have six horns in addition to the stock one (which is still in the
stock location) and if I decided I don't want them they come off they
bolt off as a unit I bet I could get them, the wipers, and bumpers and
put new ones on in a half an hour combined.
My beef with PTH was stated in my e-mail and it still remains, I will
repeat it here verbatim so no one has to hunt:
"Your website says "Click here to determine the value of your vehicle"
and "Click the link above or to the right to get a FREE valuation of
your vehicle!" it does not say click here to get a list of current
bidders. I am not going to start this process by revealing what I
think it is worth... that is not a valuation."
PTH did not provide a valuation, they lowballed me. I say again George
prove me wrong. I will give you $1000 if you can find me any syncro
westy, modified or otherwise I don't care, for $6000. This offer is
not just for George any listee please prove me wrong, prove me wrong
multiple times if possible. You will get the $1000 finders fee each
time. No listee will take me up on this, because they would keep the
van for themselves and make more money flipping it.
My van may not be for you George, I get that. You would not want it
with all those modifications, PTH doesn't want it with all those
modifications. But that is not what the van is WORTH. What something
is worth is what someone will pay for it arms length, given decent
knowledge on both sides of the transaction, and no duress. eBay is a
decent proxy for this because knowledgeable bidders push up prices on
items that are underpriced. So check eBay, I challenge anyone to find
any low mileage, rust free, full camper, syncro westy, modified or
otherwise, located in the USA, that sells for that price or lower by a
seller with half decent feedback. I honestly could be wrong, and I
will happily retract my statement if I am and someone finds a van that
fits the above criteria.
Chris
P.S. George I'm curious you state: "I can only hope to find a bone
stock van which has not been tinkered with." Was that a generic "If I
was looking for a used car I would be thinking..,." or do you not own
a Vanagon?
On 9/15/05, George Goff <THX0001@aol.com> wrote:
> In a message dated 9/15/05 12:34:03 AM, jbange@GMAIL.COM writes:
>
> << but no buyer who knows ANYTHING about Vanagons would think that his
> modifications SUBTRACT from its value. You might find a few odd birds here and there
> who are only willing to purchase a bone-stock low-mileage Vanagon, but most
> of those looking to drop a princely sum on a Syncro Westy certainly aren't
> going to offer LESS because he's got "modifications" like SA brakes and quality
> aftermarket bumpers! These aren't collectors cars-- people buy 'em to USE them.
> Besides, even assuming this "common knowledge" applied to such a utilitarian
> vehicle, there's no WAY a price of $6,000 is anywhere near reasonable for ANY
> syncro westy. >>
>
> Hogwash? Hardly. What is odd, to me, is that someone would pay more for
> such things as S&S headers, brakes for which he cannot walk into a NAPA store and
> get rotors or calipers, gearing compromised by the choice of wheels,
> mismatched upholstery, "quality" after-market bumpers, oversized wipers (please shoot
> me), seven, count them, seven horns and all the other mass added to a car
> which can hardly get out of its own way to begin with.
>
> No, not for me. There are already enough horrors lurking within any used car
> not to add a bunch of dubious modifications to the stew, especially a car
> intended to be a driver. I can only hope to find a bone stock van which has not
> been tinkered with.
>
> As far as the dealer trying to low-ball the guy, that is why God created used
> car dealers in the first place, so, as I said before, what's the beef? It is
> common knowledge (there's that term again) that any time you try to sell a
> car to a dealer, he's going to beat you to death. And, ask a car salesman what
> is the added "value" of DIY modifications to a car.
>
> What does it matter, anyway? In all too short of a period of time, you won't
> be able to give one away.
>
> George
>
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