Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 01:49:38 -0300 (ADT)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: smitht@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject: List Vultures/Parts Dealers and the List
At 10:56 PM 7/16/96 -0500, RON SALMON wrote:
>Just picked up my $150.00 '87 Wolfsburg from NYC. Made it home (2
>hrs plus) fine, but near the end the temp light was flashing and I
OK, you paid $150 for this, apparently while a listy wannabusser was trying
to buy it also. You've already sold the interior to a friend, and now you
want some help figuring out what's wrong with the engine, as presumably
you'd like to sell it next? Perhaps it's time a commercial operation like
yourself started PAYING for some of the services it gets via this list,
notably free vehicle locating and free advice. Send say $1000 to Gerry
Skerbitz for beer money today.
It's about time that this list realized that there are a few people making a
tidy profit on dealing parts for vanagons, Ron being but one.
I don't like a commercial operation scooping up vehicles that wannabussers
may find ideal, at $150 startup price most people could buy in. Instead we
have a guy who's already parting it out for a profit. One less bus on the
road, one wannabusser who may have been reading postings for 6 months or a
year waiting for something affordable.
Just a few thoughts to ponder before you next post any more bargains to the
list.
1) A 'normal' listie does not have ready access to a bankroll or open line
of credit, (in this case not really needed), rather we have to think about
money as we are buying into a vehicle and will be responsible for it's
repairs and continued existance, not its immediate and cost free demise.
2) Most people require some time to check out insurance rates and set up
coverage, but anyone with a dealers license has instant coverage available
on a vehicle they purchase.
3) Most people don't have a place to store a vehicle while doing some
repairs, whereas a parts dealer already has a place to strip it down and
store the parts, this is normal business. As we all know an older used
vanagon is worth more in parts than together. And damn few vans end up in
open junkyards, like Porsches they are snatched by specialist yards to hoard
and drive up prices.
4) Finally, if your business is buying and selling car parts then getting
time off work to go pickup a vehicle doesn't even enter into the picture
does it?
There is simply no way an everyday listie can buy a bargain in competition
with a parts dealer and I am disgusted that the list is being preyed on like
this, as I said, vultures!
I am not happy about this situation, but I don't maintain this list. I
wonder how many vehicles have been bought for dismantling or resale by Ron
Salmon alone using this list. Ron. .. want to field that one? We do not
have a disclosure policy in the list requiring commercial ventures to
disclose their nature in each posting. This was mandated in Ontario for all
newspaper classified ads, amazing how many dealers were forced into the
open, selling older trades out their homes under the guise of private sales.
Bottom line... think carefully before you post a forsale here in the
bargain basement range. You may not be helping someone like yourself 10
years ago, you may be helping a parts company fatten it's inventory and
profits. Sorry this list has come to this state, even though 99% of us are
operating under the best of unselfish intentions.
Tim Smith