Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 10:11:35 -0800
Reply-To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Subject: Re: Exciting things happening at Van-Again!
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
RE: ""Here's where things get much more murky, referring. According to their email to Chris, "We contacted our list of buyers and we currently have a buyer at 6,000.00. The money is on file with us at this time." This goes far beyond just finding an excuse to make a low ball offer, which all used car dealers do. This clearly implied that they were not acting as a used car dealer at all - they weren't offering to buy the van themselves for general resale,but rather to broker the transaction for a specific individual who had made a $6000 offer and even given them the money already."
Ron, I would disagree with your assessment of this statement. I know from firsthand experience(20+ years in the auto industry, mostly in dealerships) that automobile sales people often are trained to say that they have a buyer for your vehicle. When they use this line they are referring to their company's used car purchaser. They do not want to admit this to the seller because it may remind them that the dealership is in business to make money and will mark up the price when they sell the vehicle, thus selling it for more than they paid for it. Money that the seller could possibly get if they were to sell the vehicle themselves. As for "why not just say so, instead of going to such extraordinary lengths to imply something else?". They believe that they would take in fewer vehicles if people knew that they were really purchasing for their own resale lot. You and I and most other intelligent people already understand this concept and except the lower price for the conve
nience of a quick sale, but there are still plenty that don't. Obviously they will make alot more money buying and reselling then brokering, especially if they can find someone dumb enough to sell them a Westy Syncro for $6,000.00. A vehicle that they may easily sell for $15-$20,000.00 or more.
Mark in AK
----- Original Message -----
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Date: Thursday, September 15, 2005 8:06 am
Subject: Re: Exciting things happening at Van-Again!
> > Please George prove me wrong, find me a top condition,
> > modified or otherwise, low mileage syncro camper for $6000
> > and I will pay you a $1000 finders fee when I buy it
>
> I'll get in line for that one too, George! :-)
>
> > 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 that any time you try
> > to sell a car to a dealer, he's going to beat you to death.
>
> I agree with George here. What do you know - the used car dealer
> is acting
> like a used car dealer! Yes, they made up an excuse to lowball Chris
> ("nobody wants modified vehicles"), so they could buy his van
> cheap and sell
> it high. And not just Chris. I've seen posts elsewhere from others
> who had
> the same experience - the year, model, etc. is "not what people
> are looking
> for" when they're buying, but suddenly more desirable if they have
> one to
> sell. But why is this a shocker? Used car dealers are not known
> for being
> very straightforward or upfront about what your vehicle is really
> worth on
> the retail market. Of course if they bought cars for what they
> were really
> worth, and sold them for what they would really worth, they'd
> break even. So
> they all play games - some less ethical than others - in order to
> buy below
> market value and sell above it.
>
> > There was no "standing bid" for a $6000 syncro westy!
>
> Here's where things get much more murky, IMO. According to their
> email to
> Chris, "We contacted our list of buyers and we currently have a
> buyer at
> 6,000.00. The money is on file with us at this time." This goes
> far beyond
> just finding an excuse to make a lowball offer, which all used car
> dealersdo. This clearly implied that they were not acting as a
> used car dealer at
> all - they weren't offering to buy the van themselves for general
> resale,but rather to broker the transaction for a specific
> individual who had made
> a $6000 offer and even given them the money already. In fact
> their website
> also implies this, offering Westy owners free market appraisals
> and "free
> listings to our database of customers." Nowhere on their site do they
> actually offer to buy your Westy - just to "help buyers and
> sellers find
> eachother." If this is the case, and they really are finding
> $6000 Syncro
> Westies for lucky buyers, count me in! (Okay, I'll buy one from
> them and
> one from George. :-) On the other hand, if they are actually a
> used car
> dealer that buys Westies, then why not just say so, instead of
> going to such
> extrordinary lengths to imply something else?
>
> I don't know anyone at Poptop Heaven, so my comments are only
> relavent to
> what I have read. But I do know and respect Ken Wilford. I can't
> imaginethat he would allow himself to be a participant in any
> ethicallyquestionable business practices with any party. His
> reputation on the list
> has always been excellent, and deservedly so.
>
> - Ron Salmon
> The Bus Depot, Inc.
> www.busdepot.com
> (215) 234-VWVW
>
> _____________________________________________
> Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
>
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