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