From: Horrocks, Aaron (ACHb@pge.com)
Date: Wed Apr 14 2004 - 08:25:13 PDT
>From his e-mail:
"This M38A1 was driven into a salvage yard here in Albuquerque sometime in
the 70's. It was parted out over the years."
Maybe he did buy it for $1,500 before it was parted out, and is now trying to recoup it's original purchase price from the yard, or make a profit on that purchase? Perhaps New Mexico is a very expensive place? Maybe this was the service jeep of someone famous? I guess I'm just really hunting for an answer of this price, and likely won't get it.
When I bought my A1 for $500, that price was just about right on. Any A1 that's been sitting around for 30 years, doesn't have an engine, and is in need of a full restoration project; just isn't worth that much. I certainly didn't feel like I screwed the seller. I have some pictures from when I bought it, and most people (non-MV) thought that *I* got screwed for buying a junker jeep at that price. The seller knew what he had, and so did I. Infact the ONLY reason I was lucky, (yes, I consider myself lucky) was because of what I wanted it for. He had already "sold" it over the phone to a guy who was looking for a off-road project jeep. I was looking for a military jeep to restore. Being that the seller preferred that his old jeep (that was sitting at his ranch for 30 years outside) be restored to military specs instead of getting converted and torn up as a beater off-roader, he offered that I come by and pick it up first... and he told me that when the other guy came looking for the jeep, he'd make something up to tell him.
And I've been buying jeep parts ever since. In the last few weeks I've even started to make some of my own parts for those impossible to find items. Maybe I could sell then on e-bay!
Aaron Horrocks
-----Original Message-----
From: m35products [mailto:m35prod@optonline.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 7:45 AM
To: Horrocks, Aaron; Military Vehicles Mailing List
Subject: Re: [MV] M38A1 Parts Jeep on Ebay
Aaron:
A businessman asking three times (in your opinion) what something is worth
is not necessarily attempting to screw anyone. Do you know what he paid for
it? Perhaps he's just made a mistake and is trying to recoup his expense. (I
don't know who he his, and don't care to know.)
If someone buys it at the reserve price, and is happy, what's your beef? If
no-one buys it, maybe the seller will relist it at a lower price. You, the
potential buyer, have no say in the matter, other than to bid, or not.
You bought a better one for $500. Very good! Do you feel that you screwed
the seller, that time, or were you just lucky to find a seller who hadn't
done his homework?
This is still a free market country. I am constantly amazed at prices (both
low and high) and, indeed, the whole concept, of Ebay. What amazes me even
more are the constant comments from people who just don't seem to understand
the concept. It's an auction. It's caveat emptor. It's capitalism. Sit back,
relax, and enjoy the show.
Warmest Regards,
A P Bloom, Capitalist.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Horrocks, Aaron" <ACHb@pge.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 6:48 PM
Subject: [MV] M38A1 Parts Jeep on Ebay
> Another Ebay Auction...
>
> This one gets interesting! So, I find a half-decent parts jeep on e-bay. I
take a good look at it, check out the logistics, what parts are there, and
it looks like a decent source for a few of the parts I need. Even though
every part on this jeep is going to require some major work and investment
to use it on another; hey it's a parts jeep!
>
> So I ask the seller a few questions, and then I place a bid. This '54
M38A1 has a frame, 2 axles (front is incomplete), 3 rims & flats, a front
grill, a body w/windshield, and an artic kit (without glass or doors) That's
it - nothing more. Everything looks in rough shape. No engine, tranny,
seats, fuel tank, any glass, fenders, hood, running gear, not even steering!
>
> After I bid 5 times, I start to wonder how much the reserve is set at. I
got the feeling it was at $400~$500, which is a bit steep for a NO-TITLE
parts jeep that doesn't really have that many parts anyhow. I was blown away
when I found out that the reserve was set at $1,500! That's not a typo: One
Thousand, Five Hundred! Holy Crap! I bought my jeep with a title, in FAR FAR
better condition with almost all the parts there (no engine though) for
$500!
>
> At first I thought that he might be someone who doesn't know what he has
and simply put way too high of a price tag on it. That's not the case. This
guy has a business, and an military surplus site. He claimed that the artic
top kit on this jeep was worth $500 alone, which it's certainly not when
it's beat up and missing glass and doors like this one. I'm the only one to
has bid so far, and I hope no one is foolish enough to pay his asking price
because he's not trying to sell a parts jeep to someone that needs one at a
decent price or even anywhere *near* market value, he's trying to screw a
person over by asking for three times the market price! You couldn't even
break that down into parts and sell those parts to get your money back.
>
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2472523654&category=6737
>
>
> If he sells that thing for $1,500... My pity really goes out to the buyer!
>
> Aaron Horrocks
> 1952 M38A1
>
>
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