Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:18:00 -0700
Reply-To: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: power steering rack core
In-Reply-To: <CAN5Ep7SCU+vuMz86DO5G2S3x8zFw2OJYWeUcshbxDep6CUAUcg@mail.gmail.com>
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That's the problem these days that many vendors (including my
employer) have very conservative core deposits, thus not giving much
incentive to return them to the vendor. After being this business for
35 years this coming October, I learned some interesting things about
the core business.
1. Some Vendors have a conservative core charge so they can remain
price competitive to sell the item.
2. Some Vendors have a conservative core charge to reduce the chance
of a customer to return the core, thus the Vendor makes "free dollars"
over and above the selling price markup. This is a very common
strategy, especially for most (but not all) online/mail order outfits.
In both cases above, this is usually because cores are plentiful, so
there's no critical need to get the core back.
Critical Core items usually have a rather high core charge and for
good reason. Stuff like late Vanagon starters have a $45 to $75 core
charge and are worth returning unless you're outside North America and
have to buy one here for your ride laid up in South America or where
ever, then it's not cost effective to ship the core back.
Some items have such a critical core situation that some places won't
sell you the item unless the core is received in advance to insure the
rebuilder (or Vendor) gets a core (some Porsche 911 Alternators are
that way these days)(In otherwords, item is sold on an exch
A $100 or $125 core charge on a Vanagon Power Steering Rack is pretty
much the standard in the industry, but I know from experience that the
cores are not plentiful these days. Personally I think the core
charge should be around $200 to make it worthwhile for the customer to
return the rack core so that the Vendor can get it rebuilt and put
back on the shelf for the next customer that needs one. It can't cost
that much to ship a PS Rack Core from one coast to the other, USPS,
UPS, Fedex, can it?
Recently Ron @ Bus Depot put out a call for good used/core Brake
Servos I guess because he's not getting the cores back from his sales.
I know these are highly critical core items, so stuff like this
shouldn't be tossed in the trash.
--
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
Full Timing Since March 1999
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
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On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 10:27 AM, Zeitgeist <gruengeist@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm in the same boat. I've been sitting on my core 'cause I suspect the
> shipping will be quite expensive. I suppose if it's less than $125 then the
> effort is worth it, but I'm also kinda lazy...
>
> On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 9:53 AM, Richard A Jones <Jones@colorado.edu> wrote:
>
>> I have my old power steering rack ('87 Syncro Westy) to return
>> as a core. Shipping will eat quite a bit of the refund.
>>
>> Anybody along the front range of Colorado interested in a
>> core at a cheaper price?
>>
>> p-mail me.
>>
>> Richard
>> Boulder
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Casey