[DeTomaso] Vendors

[pantera3641 at azballistics.com]

I have no issue with Pantera specific parts.   But when you take two pieces of old tire, or a piece of rubber, cut it, rivet it to a piece of metal, drill a few holes in it, then say it will cost $60 because it is for a Pantera when you can get the same thing made at any muffler shop by some high school dropout, I say that is B.S.    Then when others find interchangeable parts, they suddenly "drop" their cost.   Show me a Pantera vendor that has tooled up and invested such expense that someone should pay $120 for a pair of hangers.   Why should anyone on this list want to be so loyal to one of these greedy bastards that they will pay any price for the sake of "supporting" our vendors so that they can stay in business?

Right now, at this moment, Wilkinson has the little piece of rubber, just a hunk of rubber for $56.30 EACH!!!  http://www.panterapartsusa.com/images/pi/10012A.jpg  

Jack, that is a piece of rubber.  And we should support these people out of blind allegiance?  I don't think so.

Ron



----- Original Message ----- 
  From: JDeRyke at aol.com 
  To: pantera3641 at azballistics.com ; detomaso at realbig.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 1:06 PM
  Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Vendors


  Re outrageously-high priced parts, is is barely possible that where vendors 
  are getting their stuff is outrageously high-priced to begin with? I've seen 
  parts invoices from DeTomaso (when they were still in business) that would curl 
  your hair....  I also hear stories from the vendors about guys "who want the 
  @$#%&&* part today!!" So it gets shipped overnight express.... and the shipping 
  cost matches the purchase price. Thats also somehow the vendors fault...... 
  With some searching electronically or via shoe-leather, one can almost always 
  find something that works, is cheaper and sometimes is even durable. Our 
  Panteras exhaust hanger rubbers are fabricated from a large strip of EPDM rubber 
  once used as the lining for a Titan solid-fuel booster rocket; should I recommend 
  this as a cheap 'fix'? I'm not a vendor nor do I work for one, but I often 
  make my own parts since no one has exactly what I think I need. But many people 
  don't have the time, tools, willingness or expertise to make their own parts, 
  modify things that almost fit or search out a correct replacement, so they buy 
  parts from a vendor. This has one enormous advantage- IT FITS 'cause someone 
  who knows what they're doing has found a source, tried it and likely bought a 
  quantity to resell. 'Course, it may take decades to recoup their investment, 
  if they guessed right & others really want such a thing. Otherwise, the parts 
  sit on a shelf forever. And vendors have a fairly limited market- best guess 
  today is about 2500 Panteras left in the U.S. & maybe 1000 more in the rest of 
  the world- hardly a good business model to make a living. Finally, if you buy 
  from a vendor, there's a warranty. Mail-order & E-Bay often have zero warranty 
  or outright fraud, as many have sadly found. Good luck- J DeRyke