Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:15:34 +0000
Reply-To: Keith Hughes <keithahughes@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Hughes <keithahughes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: vanagon Digest - 13 Sep 2017 to 14 Sep 2017 (#2017-357)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
I hear you Ken, but I would add a couple of points:
1. Several years ago GoWesty went to a "you get what we tell you" approach to restorations. I.e., they quit restoring customer vans, and started buying them, doing what *they* wanted, then selling them. I think its a hard sell when you're charging $80K for a 30 year old vehicle and telling the customer what work is done, and how it's done. Kind of the Henry Form / Ma Bell approach of yore: You can have anything you want as long as you want Black...
2. People don't buy neat bolt on stuff for dead vehicles. If mundane repair parts become NLA, or mechanically unnecessary, but functionally/aesthetically necessary (window/door/top rubber, popup canvass, etc.) the bolt on business dies along with it, and likely ahead of it. Maybe others will get in the game, maybe not.
Everyone needs to take care of themselves first, obviously, and I'm certainly no different so please don't take this as a criticism. But in niche market like we're in with Vanagons, doesn't take too many folks dropping out of the "mundane" market to make a big dent. It's just sad that, in so many areas these days, providing valuable services - as opposed to selling "trinkets" - just doesn't pay a decent living wage anymore.
Or maybe I'm just old and crotchety.
Keith Hughes
'86 Westy GenV (Marvin)
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Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017
11:54:02 -0400
From: "kenneth wilford
(Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Go Westy no longer selling
restored Vans
Just saw this on the EV list and
thought I would post it here.
I think I know why this has happened.
It is really the same path that we have
been on for the last several
years. Going from a repair
shop/parts store, to a restoration shop/parts
store (where we are now), to an
accessories developer/parts store (they
will probably eventually stop selling
the repair parts at some point and
only supply the accessories/Westy parts
which would be very ironic as that
is how the whole business started back
in the day).
It really just comes down to making the
most money with your time, with the
least headaches. Developing cool
accessories that aren't mission critical
is a great way to make a ton of money
(high mark up) while avoiding the
thing that is the most soul destroying
in the Vanagon world (dealing with
broken down vans on trips). I
had lots of great experiences with doing
repairs for customers over the years,
however one bad experience (with an
unreasonable customer, or someone who
seems to be jinxed for some reason)
overshadows your life until you get it
resolved. Getting a phone message
at 10 o'clock at night on a Saturday
from a customer broken down in the
middle of nowhere and there is nothing
you can do for them until Monday
will wreck your weekend if you actually
care (which I do). Getting away
from that wheel of pain has helped me
enjoy servicing the Vanagon world
again and we are actually making the
same or even a little more money. I
have just dipped my toe into the
restoration and sales world and so far
that is going well. However
eventually, I will use that money to expand
the accessories that we sell, because
that is really where the money is
right now. People just can't get
enough stuff to bolt and strap onto their
vans. I tried to buck the trend
for a while but if you can't beat em, join
em.
Just my thoughts on this.
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
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