Date:         Fri, 23 Apr 2004 09:15:23 EDT
Reply-To:     THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: 2.1 hose price deal (this upsets me!)/Poor Baby.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 4/22/04 10:49:45 AM, kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET writes:

<< I am upset by this post for the following reasons:
1. . . .  He has asked for pricing on this kit from me a few times . . .

*** Ken, stop whining.  This is a reality of doing business.  Just thank the
Good Lord that you didn't expend thousands of dollars in preparing a proposal
which the prospective customer (the key word here is prospective) didn't
embrace. ***

2. I am sure that without Van-Again or Bus Depot or Bus Boys coolant
hose chart getting all of the proper hoses for your van from the dealer
would be next to impossible.  . . .    . . .  So you used
our info to buy the hoses somewhere else.  . . .

*** Next to impossible?  Please set aside your arrogance long enough to
realize that some VW parts guys really know how to decipher an exploded parts
diagram.  These coolant schematics were around in one form or another years before
Vanagain was even conceived.  Anyway, and correct me if I'm in error, I think
the part numbers YOU use were originally VW's intellectual property.***

3. . . . VW dealers that you asked for a
discount would tell you to have a nice day.  Yours gives you probably
20% discount . . .  So it wouldn't work for most folks.

*** As I have said many times before, VW parts guys aren't living in a
vacuum.  They know how expensive the list is on Vanagon parts and they also know
that there are thousands of newly born internet enterprises offering cut-rate
parts.  If you show them that you are some kind of human being, you will find one
who will give you the right price.  I get parts discounted at least 35%.  I
know an exiled lister who was put on a jobber account and gets his stuff at 10%
above cost.  Granted, he is a unique individual in all aspects and the parts
guy is sweet on him, but he hasn't had to bend over . . . yet.***

4. (a bunch of minor math)  So you actually saved (if you were honest)
$6.50!

Wow what a savings! . . .

*** Boy, what a great savings is right!!!  Not only do you have enough left
over for a beer, but you can sleep like a baby knowing that you have used the
RIGHT PARTS instead of some dreck from some unverifiable source.  Also, if you
do have a bitch with the goods, you can drive right over to the VW dealer and
wave it in his face in front of all the other customers.  From an
aftermarketeer I once ordered one of the small molded hoses which connect to the
thermostat housing.  When it arrived, it had the correct diameters on the ends and it
had the correct part number stenciled on it (not molded in, of course), but it
was arrow straight.  Can you guess what happens to a hose whenever a hard 90
is bent in it to try to replicate a molded ell?  In my case it gets thrown in
the spares box under the workbench.  That's the risk of buying an unknown
quantity.  But then, the unknown only costs $6.50 more. ***

. . . If folks want to shave a couple of dollars off here and there go for
it.  Just don't expect me to think it is a great deal when it really isn't.

*** The BEST parts at a cheaper price is a GREAT deal.***
Thanks,
Ken Wilford >>

***George***