Bryan this reply isn't aimed at you, but relates to all of the stuff about
suppliers in general that has been "threading" its way around.
This country works because of the free enterprise system. The profit motive
is the reason there are any suppliers at all. MM, M*ss, VB, etc. don't
exsist for one moment because LBC's are cute little fun cars. These
companies exist because there was an un-fulfilled need. Market demand
creates an opportunity for profit, market demand dictates retail prices.
Let's take the tranny scenario. Pretend I run ABC Auto Parts. Over 6
months, I get enough calls, e-mails, etc. asking about a better
transmission. As the owner manager, I go, "Hmm, seems like if I could buy
these trannies at $89 and sell them for about $350, I could pay my
employees, the rent, the phone bill ... and make about $50 bucks net." So I
buy a couple, put em in the flyer and test the market. If they sell, I find
more. If they don't, I have a sale on the ones I can't move. If I can't
make a profit, I go out of business. If I overcharge, nobody buys, I can't
make a profit, and I still go out of business.
Our role in all of this is to tell the suppliers what we want, buy it if we
think the quality and price are a good value, and not to buy it if we don't.
David Riker
74 Midget
78 Midget
63 Falcon
70 Torino
http://personalweb.sunset.net/~davidr
----- Original Message -----
From "Bryan Vandiver" <Bryan.Vandiver at Eng.Sun.COM>
To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 10:30 AM
Subject: $350 for a 210 tranny!! LOL
> I just got the latest sales flyer from my local LBC vendor (Crash you know
who
> I'm talking about!) and they are selling used, 'not inspected', 210
5-speed
> trannies for $350! They pull these from the same Pick & Pull that I got
mine
> from ~$89 plus 20 minutes max to pull. I'm assuming they clean them up a
little
> by degreasing (maybe not?) but talk about trying to make a profit :-(
> In addition, last time I checked, they even want your 'orginal' sprite
4-speed
> as a core in return for the River-gate 5-speed conversion they resell,
which
> they will then rebuild (maybe not) and resell for $995. Talk about getting
you
> coming and going!
> Sorry to rant, but I just had to get it off my chest.
>
> BTW - if you need a 210 tranny, and can't find one locally, I think Crash
will
> sell you one for a very resonable price.
>
> Regards - Bryan
>
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