Date:         Fri, 17 Jan 1997 20:53:26 -0400 (AST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: Thanks (re: profiting...) / BITE ME!

>Just wanted to thank the many listmembers who e-mailed me after that 
>flame-fest over profiting on VW's.  Before I posted my response to the 


Poor Ron, thought the whole list picking on him, but now he feels uplifted.
Took it personally, a sensitive misunderstood guy.
BITE ME! I repeat BITE ME!

I'd like to take a moment to point out that I too get a flurry of emails
every time I nail Ron for his profiteering.  Unfortunately for Ron these
aren't in any way complimentary.  They describe parts he's sold that were
non-functional, damaged stuff that doesn't live up to Rons original
description and ends up costing more to fix up. Several people have met Ron
at swap meets, V@L camping, etc. and the descriptions have been less than
complimentary.  Unfortunately most of these messages begin "just between you
and me..." (ya chicken shits! :) )

I have perhaps the best view and feel of Rons sleaze dealings with V@L
members, due to this abundance of private responses.  You people have just
given Ron the confidence to keep screwing you blind.  That last page long
diatribe about selling Bentleys for $2-8 over cost almost made me sick.
Don't you people know what a loss leader is???  Ron does no one a favour
except himself. Ron was in retail sales before V@L, remember? This last
little palsy 'thanks' almost got me into the bathroom for a real puke.  Ron
had the gall to say he is shocked by how high a markup parts sellers put on
their stuff.  30-60%.  Try 100%-200% for Ron.  Didn't you buy that NYC van
right out from another list member for $150 and then sell the interior alone
for $400, let alone the rest of the van....  Am I missing something here
folks?  Remember, I've got a dozen more like this, and worse.

        I do owe Ron an apology for the '89 Westy post. Consider it so. It
was the wrong van.  BUT... Ron now owns the catch of the day (the saltwater
special I mentioned), he bought it, $6000/OBO was the asking.  Lets see how
long before it reappears as 'something I'd really like to keep because it
runs so well but I'm going to pass along a deal'.

         Let me also ask you if anyone is seriously considering $12.5K for
an '89 Westy from Columbus Ohio less than 10 days after Ron posted a terse
message saying 'anyone got a ph.# for a junkyard in Columbus Ohio with
watercooled vanagons'?  Jeez folks wake up. Ron is snakeoil, the little
folksy posts about favorite vans for sale are as meaningful as any sales
weasels pitch.  Ron claimed to buy things that are already listed for sale
anyhow so he's not using the list to find vehicles......  and how many of
these were turned up because list members spent their time typing in a pile
of classifieds from the papers in their area.  Without asking Ron for a
finders fee. In the province of Ontario Ron would be considered a dealer, 5
or more cars a years does it. 

        Whatever happened to the basic concept that use of list/news groups
for commercial purposes was not done?  You too Kyle!!  Too many people
piling on looking for a buck, and too few saying anything about it?  Maybe
I'm spending too much time on this list, perhaps it's time to reverse Samis
economics and give what I get (financially) from the list, nothing!  Why the
hell am I and a great many others putting anything into the list, take Joels
stats, bet he doesn't make a nickle off them. I see a pathetic situation in
tolerating Rons presence on the list.  What he draws out of the list is one
helluva lot more than anyone else, and it's at the expense of list members
more often than not.  It's not done for love of people or VWs, it's Rons
business and livlihood.  
        
        I'm signing off on the Ron topic from now on, it doesn't pay big
returns.  I will deal with his postings privately in whatever suitable
manner amuses me at the time.  Please, no one bother the list with witless
Ron endorsements anymore, and I'll abstain from my well founded opinions on
his business practices. I love the smell of napalm in the evening, and out.  tim