Greg -
As I said, it was a "purely biased view".
All car dealers are in the business to make a profit, not to collect data for
a registry. I know that, and it isn't a surprise to me when a dealer doesn't
want or "have time" to support a registry.
What is surprising to me is how many people and companies professionally
involved in buying and selling Healeys are perfectly willing to provide the
identifying details of a car and its history even when they know I'm keeping a
registry and not a customer. There are quite a few of this type around,
thankfully. Personal opinion, but I think it makes a statement about a dealer
as to which camp he puts himself.
This is purely circumstantial evidence, but it's still there: one of those
who is reluctant to provide data to the registry was also the apparent common
point for two cars that now have their identities scrambled. The two cars
were pretty much identical, except that the customer in the foreign country
wanted chrome wires on the car he bought (it didn't have them), while the one
he didn't buy did have chrome wires. Was it easier to remove the screws from
the VIN plate and switch them than it was to install new chrome wires? And
yes, I realize that not everyone who is reluctant to support a registry is
willing to do something shady, but as a Healey enthusiast, it does make me
wonder, sorry.
In the case of the St. Louis dealer, I'm pretty sure that nobody else has
asked, or will ask him for VIN/body/engine numbers off his cars for any
registry except for me, so I don't see providing that data on the BJ8s that
come through his shop is a significant additional workload. It doesn't seem
to be for others.
In summary, my assessment is: you're a Healey/British car enthusiast who
sells cars, or you're merely a dealer in it only for all the profit you can
make.
Just my opinion, you understand.
By the way, the BJ8 registry has a record of prior ownership on the Hyman BJ8
with the Phase 1 console/armrest, so a potential buyer could get in touch to
find out more of the story on that, if he/she wanted to.
Steve Byers
HBJ8L/36666
BJ8 Registry
Havelock, NC
----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Lemon
To: BJ8Healeys ; Healey
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 1:32 PM
Subject: Re: Ebay BJ8
Admittedly my opinion also, but considering many owners don't participate
in
the registry I don't think it is very realistic to expect dealers, whose
ownership and interest in the cars is transitory, to do it.
I have never bought from Hyman, but have been to his shop, he stocks a lot
of stuff, not just big Healeys, but other british sports cars, european and
some american cars, and oddball stuff like microcars. I can understand
why
he would not want to participate in registries for all these vehicles.
I am not crticizing registries or saying it would not be nice for those who
keep and use them if all delaers "took the time" but I don't think it is
realistic to expect, or fair to criticize dealers for not participating.
If
Hyman or whoever advertised as, "exclusively dedicated to the maintenance
and history of the Healey Marque, blah blah blah" and dealt only on Healeys
you might make a stronger argument for participation.
Greg Lemon
54 BN1
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