I suspect I know which vendor we mean. I recently saw
tach drive reduction gearboxes or sale in the sales
flyer for a reasonable amount. I called to order and
asked if it was made in Taiwan because a local
machinist who looked at the last Taiwan unit I had
that crapped out could not believe the low quality of
the gears and metal. The guy said "I have no way of
knowing." I suggested he look at the part, which he
claimed to do. "Nope, no markings." So I decided to
chance it. BIG sticker on the baggie it came in -
"MADE IN TAIWAN". BIG sticker on the part - "MADE IN
TAIWAN." So it's not all their fault - they are
illiterate, too.
--- Bryan Vandiver <Bryan.Vandiver@Eng.Sun.COM> wrote:
> David,
>
> I think I'm just to close to this vendor
> (emotionally and phsically). I
> understand people need to make a profit, but 300%
> markup seems a little steep,
> especailly since I know exactly where they got them
> from. I do have a
> 'love/hate' relationship with this vendor, since do
> love the fact that they are
> close by, but over the years, I have bought
> 'several' items that I was told
> would work on my bugeye, but when the time come to
> bolt them on, they were
> either incorrect, or would not fit. For instance,
> the green door seal I bought
> from them, the rubber is so stiff, that I couldn't
> even close the doors on my
> bugeye with it mounted without the bottom of the
> doors sticking out 1/2" from
> the body (not acceptable), even though it looks
> correct. They also had a set of
> rear drums with a built-in 1/8 inch offset that I
> bought on sale, which I was
> told would work, and they wouldn't fit at all with
> the spridget backing plate.
> In any case, I use a lot more caution with this
> vendor now, and do my research
> before buying from them.
> They do after all have a good deal once in a while
> on a part I do need, and
> depending on who's working the front desk, can be
> friendly and relatively easy
> to deal with (although it always takes forever for
> them to 'ring you up' at the
> register.
>
> - Bryan
>
> >To: "Bryan Vandiver" <Bryan.Vandiver@eng.sun.com>,
> <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> >Subject: Re: $350 for a 210 tranny!! LOL
> >X-Priority: 3
> >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE
> V5.00.2919.6600
> >
> >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@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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