Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 13:08:12 -0500
Reply-To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: A 2009 Heads Up
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
This is a typical "used car lot" spiel, talking down your trade-in, while building up the features and value of the car they want to "sucker" you into.
Proof is, notice how they immediately flipped this supposedly "bad" trade-in for good money (including taking a 5% profit for the privilige) to the next "sucker", with no repairs to correct the "huge" problems that somehow instantly brought the value down **$9000** over what the last guy just paid for it. How can someone talk a vehicle down to a seller, then immediately turn around and talk it up to a buyer, while making big money on the difference?
Easy, it's done every day, by every used car salesman in the business. They rely on people's insecurities to make their money.
GoWesty is not just another used car lot, because of the massive repair/ quality upgrade work that they do, before selling the cars. It's unparalled in the industry. And it's why they sell these specialty vehicles for as much as they do. They provide a quality service to the Vanagon community at-large.
I personally won't *buy* a Vanagon from a company like this. But obviously, enough folks do, so they continue with their special type of business. The main difference between Zoltan and GoWesty is ethical operation. I'd buy parts from them, but I'd do the work myself and save thousands of dollars.
I, personally, operate the way Zoltan apparently does. I'll typically buy a vehicle that needs repairs for a reasonable price, I'll personally perform the repairs, I'll insure, register and drive it around for a while, to check it out thoroughly, then eventually I'll sell it for a reasonable profit, while openly disclosing everything that I've learned about the car in the process. The main difference between us and GoWesty, is the fact that they seem to be "all about the Benjamins", even at the expense of operating an ethical business, by playing on the buyers/ sellers emotions, lack of knowledge and insecurities. Business is business, after all.
I wouldn't do that to get more money out of business transaction. There's no laws against this type of practice, just honorable, common business ethics.
Remember ethics? That's the profit-driven, poor decision-making that caused the banks, car manufacturers, investment firms, etc. to require government bailouts, when the house of cards that they built eventually comes crashing down. Or a Ponzi-scheme that relys solely upon a constant supply of new people coming in at the bottom, to feed the few profiteers at the top of the pyramid. Remember, our beloved Vanagons are a finite resource, and each day we lose a few more through normal attrition. Eventually, GoWesty will not be able to find enough good, unrestored '86 - '91 Vanagons left to stay in business. If they don't realize this hard fact, then they're in for a surprise. Or they could rely upon peoples' lack of knowledge, emotions and insecurities to keep circulating the few vehicles that are left, that somehow fall into their laps. Hey, wait a minute, isn't that kind of what they're doing now? Maybe they've already realized it.
But my Vanagon isn't going into thier driveway, it's staying in mine.
Mike B.
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