Soarer Central: Time for another one of my rants!

Soarer Central Off-Topic Time for another one of my rants!

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Ben Socratous
Goo Roo
SA
I am the fibreglass/kevlar/carbonfibre king!

Posts: 1988
Reg: 07-2005

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Monday, December 22, 2008 - 11:22 pm, by: Ben Socratous (Socrates)

Guys, I am wondering if someone can please explain to me WTF has happened to everyone here of late in relation to second hand parts?

On one hand it seems that everyone is on their high horse when a younger member complains about not having the financial capability to re-build dead turbos or similar, quite often getting met with comments akin to 'perhaps you should have bought a silvia instead'. Then when it comes to the for sale section, most of us have turned into the biggest bunch of tight arses ever!

First of, I know that global economic situations have caused a bit of a pinch for most of us. I also know that is seems to be human nature to want something for nothing, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. For example (and i'll use round figures here) there seems to be an increasing amount of for sale threads that start out with an asking price of say $1000 + freight, only to be met with offers of around $450 delivered.

In case you hadn't noticed, the exchange rate is rather crap atm (especially with Japan) wich means that new parts have gone up in price quite a lot. Now if the price of new parts has gone through the roof, how do you expect second hand prices to fall? If anything, they should go up as well!

Some of the offers I have received, and have seen receieved by others recently have been plain insulting. I think something else that needs to be taken into account is TIME! If I have only spent $35 on materials for a custom item, but spent 3 weeks on R&D, why shouldn't I sell it for $250? Likewise if I need to run around for 2 days and get quotes on freight to 27 different post codes for every item I try to sell for a potential buyer (that is more than likely going to pike out anyway) why shouldn't I tack a bit more on for myself? I'm fairly sure that you guys get paid by your boss, ie you expect to get paid for your time... seeing similariteis yet?

If I am waaaaaay off the mark, or someone can offer a realistic alternate for my way of thinking, then please feel free to do so!

Steven Nanevski
Goo Roo
New South Wales
My TT is for sale

Posts: 2012
Reg: 07-2005

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Monday, December 22, 2008 - 11:35 pm, by: Steven Nanevski (Imprestik)

Ben, I feel your pain, I too was in this situation a couple of months back parting out parts on my car. You go to all the trouble of organising postage costs, boxing items up ready for delivery when no money comes through, then they go all silent when you shoot them off e-mails asking WTF is going on.....

Mate bottom line is I bit the bullet and whatever I got offered, I pretty much took as I didn't want to loose the sale.

Good thing that ended up was my garage is now nice and tidy, and the account looks a little better than it did......

But as Ben mentioned there are so many people that just offered low ball offers, fcuk at least show a little respect to the seller otherwise like I did, don't be offended as some of you were when I wrote back to go and fcuk yourself with the offer, you know who you are and I see you doing it to alot of other members too....

David Brunt
Tinkerer
W.A.
Soarer TT

Posts: 80
Reg: 08-2008

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Monday, December 22, 2008 - 11:44 pm, by: David Brunt (Dbrun)

I think you're right. Maybe I'm wrong too but i know from my point of view if i was to spend time doing essentially a favour for someone ie. finding out cost of freight etc i would like to think that it wouldn't just become a waste of time. i run my own business and i actually charge more in freight than i pay. i figure that i should get paid for the time it takes to package the jobs i send. most people bill it as postage and "handling".

If you have gone through all the time and effort to find a part, have that part quoted and find the info needed to know if it fits these cars then you should be reimbursed if only slightly. i would gladly pay more if i knew the part was perfectly fitted to my car instead of some salesman "assuring" me. or if at least i knew what mods would have to be made to fit. not to mention all the free info and help that is found on here. people nowadays just try to take too many people for a ride.

Charlie Ters
TryHard
nsw
'Single' biggest mistake :-)

Posts: 454
Reg: 01-2007

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 12:42 am, by: Charlie Ters (Ul05st)

Ben Socratous wrote on Monday, December 22, 2008 - 11:22 pm:
n case you hadn't noticed, the exchange rate is rather crap atm (especially with Japan) wich means that new parts have gone up in price quite a lot. Now if the price of new parts has gone through the roof, how do you expect second hand prices to fall? If anything, they should go up as well!

Spot on!