Kai,
I agree with you wholeheartedly, Kai. I worked at an Import Car-Parts store
(specializing in British) for two years. British Car owners are the cheapest
of the bunch (I will not differentiate between makes because I have seen
extreme cheapness from all makes of owners). I have wasted hours of my time
looking up parts for callers (who don't even bother to find a part number
despite having a Moss catalogue in front of them), just to have them claim
they will "call me back" when I tell them the price.
Just ask me about the time the owner of an XJS huffed-and-puffed when I told
him the price for a set of NOS window switches. He came crawling back a
half-hour later when he found out the price the local Jag dealer wanted for
them.
I have every respect for parts dealers/suppliers/wholesalers who take the
time to compile massive stores of used or new-old-stock parts with the full
knowledge that everyone will try to "lie/cheat/steal" him/her out of the
parts at the cheapest price possible. I know that merely storing parts costs
money as does buying them in bulk at auctions and paying a teen-ager
afflicted with the "B" bug to unload, sort, and enter the parts into stock.
Am I ashamed of my extreme cheapness? Not in the least! I pride myself on
finding bargains at the swapmeets, or being the first into a "mystery box" of
returns at the Moss Festival. Nor will I use the "poor college student"
defense for my cheapness because I know I would be the same if I had a full
time job and could afford a "support vehicle" for my 'B.
I am also not ashamed of paying "full-price" for quality parts or for a job
well done.
Is my car necessary or a luxury? Both. With the money I have spent on my
car, I could have easily afforded a more reliable car of a more recent
vintage, but I would not have gained the knowledge of owning/repairing my MGB
for ten years, the friendship and camaraderie of clubs of like-minded
individuals, or the sense of elation and self-esteem when I have correctly
completed a lengthy repair.
Am I looking for monetary reward of my investment? I began working on my car
with the full knowledge that every dollar spent and every hour toiled would
not be paid back to me in the sale or loss of my beloved B. I am not
investing in my 'B for monetary reward but for the reward of knowledge that I
can repair my car when I need to. I also have the comfort of friends who I
would not have met were it not for our affinity of British Cars and the honor
to contact an inexhaustible living knowledgebase of people more than willing
to go out of their way to assist others in their questions and problems be it
list related or not.
I apologize for the length of this post.
Sincerely,
Steve Sanchez
1977 MGB
Information Resources Technology Services
California State University, Bakersfield
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