Price gougers study

[DeltaV]

If a true story, then this is both gouging and reprehensible. Some people.

Did you know?
Back in the early days of his career, Sylvester Stallone was so broke he ended up homeless and unable to buy food. At his lowest point, he realized he had no option but to sell his beloved dog and best friend, Butkus, whom he simply couldn't afford to feed.
After selling Butkus to a stranger for $25, he walked away crying.
Just two weeks later, Stallone saw a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and Chuck Wepner. It inspired him so much, he wrote the script for Rocky. As he started approaching movie studios, he had one request: he would star in the movie. With offers for as much as $350,000, Stallone still refused until they agreed for him to play the lead.
But the compromise came at a cost, with Stallone instead receiving just $35,000 for his script.
The first thing the actor did when he received the money was return to the liquor store where he had last seen Butkus. After standing there for three days, he saw the man who had purchased his dog approaching and begging to buy his dog back.
It would cost him $15,000, but it was worth every cent to Stallone. Butkus would appear in the film with his owner.
Rocky went on to be the highest-grossing film of 1976 and won three Oscars. It also propelled Stallone to fame.

 

[chargervert]

Stallone once owned a Hemi Superbee,and said he sold it because it broke too many parts.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Shipping is ridiculous. Just today there was a deal on a part, but to get it to me was the same price as the part. Also with a lot of sellers not taking PayPal, even if friends and family, it becomes a long process.

 

[70 GTX-R]

when I see the high pricing, I usually just move on. Definitely makes me more aware of a fare price. The problem I have is when it becomes car specific. An example would be someone looking for there original engine or transmission. There was a 70 gtx hemi engine with starting bid at 150k. Over years price was coming down, but was ridiculous. Complete nice cars were not coming close to the price of that. So if someone uses that as a reference when selling an original part to the car, makes it almost impossible to reunite the 2. I do see there would be a added value, but something that would make sense.

 

[chargervert]

when I see the high pricing, I usually just move on. Definitely makes me more aware of a fare price. The problem I have is when it becomes car specific. An example would be someone looking for there original engine or transmission. There was a 70 gtx hemi engine with starting bid at 150k. Over years price was coming down, but was ridiculous. Complete nice cars were not coming close to the price of that. So if someone uses that as a reference when selling an original part to the car, makes it almost impossible to reunite the 2. I do see there would be a added value, but something that would make sense.

They were trying to extort money from the guy who had the matching numbers car. This tactic is often seen. I can see someone paying more money for their matching numbers engine and transmission, but not $120k over the market value of said engine and transmission.

 

[eldubb440]

The Jersey Jesus!

the wife has obviously been snooping my internet activity and just surprised me with a gift

 

[gkent]

I think the Stalone story is bullshit because he was in movies LONG before Rocky hit the big screen !!

 

[1KoolBee]

It’s all down to value, people will pay what they think is reasonable no matter what the “gougers” ask. If price is beyond what the market supports, it will sit unsold. So if I ask 80 times what I paid for my original paint Super Bee in 1975 am I a “rip-off-artist”??

I too help support my habit by selling un-needed parts

 

[68BabyBlue]

They were trying to extort money from the guy who had the matching numbers car. This tactic is often seen. I can see someone paying more money for their matching numbers engine and transmission, but not $120k over the market value of said engine and transmission.

When a prior owner of my former Hemi GTX found the original engine at Carlisle in 1997, he swapped two Hemi short blocks to get the original back. I guess the price has gone up.

 

[not so famous bob]

look in the jegs and summit catalogs , freaking unbelieveable now no way I`d build one again !

Please be honest with answers, I'm doing a study.
Assuming a couple things.
this is a hobby/passion
A great deal of these cars are drivers not trailer babies.
We work for a living or are retired
Have a budget.
With said assumed criteria who is
1. OK with
2. Accepts
3. Tolerates
4. Ignores
5. Says it's just the way it is with this kind of thing
6. Thinks it's honest
7. Thinks just because it can be done it's ethically OK to do so.
1. Price gougers or people intentionally charging too much for parts used or new or services.
2. People trying to inflate or drive the perceived value of said parts or services up because there is no other option or options when in fact there is.
Likes for those that agree with above
Hand shakes for the people not OK with the above. Will that work as a way to keep count?
Please be honest Thank you.

shipping is deal killler now too , if you have to pay it . I have more than one box of parts that people have backed out on , because of shipping costs...

 

[Hey-O]

Spoke with a friend that builds cars, professionally, yesterday about my car and life in general. He's three years out and is sick of flippers bringing him cars he finishes and they turn around and sell for bigger money. He said it's destroying the hobby and they must now sign a contract giving him 50 percent of anything over what he charged if they flip it. It's turned a few away and he's glad. He said if it slows the up tick in prices, it's a plus for everyone.

 

[68BabyBlue]

look in the jegs and summit catalogs , freaking unbelieveable now no way I`d build one again !

shipping is deal killler now too , if you have to pay it . I have more than one box of parts that people have backed out on , because of shipping costs...

Trucking rates have been artificially low for decades for a lot of reasons. When the electronic log mandate was implemented, I knew it would immediately shrink productivity and raise prices. I used it to my advantage - hit my primary shipper with a 60% increase in 2022, and they never blinked. With Yellow going belly up, the major price cutter in the small shipment arena is gone. I don't expect any rate reductions in the near future.

 

[chargervert]

the wife has obviously been snooping my internet activity and just surprised me with a gift

View attachment 1509732

Your welcome!

 

[Rishi]

Spoke with a friend that builds cars, professionally, yesterday about my car and life in general. He's three years out and is sick of flippers bringing him cars he finishes and they turn around and sell for bigger money. He said it's destroying the hobby and they must now sign a contract giving him 50 percent of anything over what he charged if they flip it. It's turned a few away and he's glad. He said if it slows the up tick in prices, it's a plus for everyone.

I don't agree with this policy. If the builder thinks others are profiting too greatly from his work, then he can charge more for his work. Or, give clients a reduced rate if they sign a profit-sharing agreement -- presuming such an agreement is binding by state or federal law.

I restore OEM parts as a side business. I charge what I think my work is worth, not less. I cannot afford to give someone a break, because if I do, I'm paying THEM for work I do. I like what I do, but I need to recoup my expenses and a little for my time.

In turn, the client is free to do whatever they want with the restored part. Some attempt to profit from my work. And some do so charging inappropriate prices.

Does this bother me? Yes it does. But it's their karma, not mine. Live and let live. It feels unhealthy for me to attempt to manipulate or compel others to do what I want them to do.

 

[Hey-O]

"Give clients a reduced rate if they sign a profit-sharing agreement"....... That's what he's doing, if they sell it for more, they get hit with a 50 percent charge. Yes, it's legal and/or binding, you can write whatever you like on paper, if they signed it and it's notarized, it's God's word. Some of his cars go for around 300 thousand, that's another story.

 

[RemCharger]

Spoke with a friend that builds cars, professionally, yesterday about my car and life in general. He's three years out and is sick of flippers bringing him cars he finishes and they turn around and sell for bigger money. He said it's destroying the hobby and they must now sign a contract giving him 50 percent of anything over what he charged if they flip it. It's turned a few away and he's glad. He said if it slows the up tick in prices, it's a plus for everyone.

Couldn't agree more. Any old car work I do is for good people, that I like.
Just have to sniff out the flippy pieces of **** before the toolbox opens up. And if it comes down to doing something for them... crank up the estimate 3X as much to make sure in the end, you're the one that's laughing!!

HA-HA

 

[Cranky]

Stallone once owned a Hemi Superbee,and said he sold it because it broke too many parts.

Man, he must have been hard on the stuff!!

Spoke with a friend that builds cars, professionally, yesterday about my car and life in general. He's three years out and is sick of flippers bringing him cars he finishes and they turn around and sell for bigger money. He said it's destroying the hobby and they must now sign a contract giving him 50 percent of anything over what he charged if they flip it. It's turned a few away and he's glad. He said if it slows the up tick in prices, it's a plus for everyone.

I quit building engines for others because they 'knew more than me' when they were listening to their buddies telling them what they should do. Screw that crap. One guy told me that I didn't have any overhead on a rear end I quoted him on and told him to check out what the most local shop charged (20 miles away) and he came back. Just laughed and said 'you had your chance' and told him bye. He started bitchin again and well....you can leave on your own two feet or leave in a whambulance. He left on his own

 

[Hey-O]

Man, he must have been hard on the stuff!!

I quit building engines for others because they 'knew more than me' when they were listening to their buddies telling them what they should do. Screw that crap. One guy told me that I didn't have any overhead on a rear end I quoted him on and told him to check out what the most local shop charged (20 miles away) and he came back. Just laughed and said 'you had your chance' and told him bye. He started bitchin again and well....you can leave on your own two feet or leave in a whambulance. He left on his own

He had his blown chevelle in a trailer, we were both at the front end shop to get work done. Mine might end up needing his help, that's another story. The chevelle has a big block 496, (454 over), that he bought on Facebook. He can't find a good engine builder since covid, they fell to the wayside, never to return. He said in three years he'll be quitting and just building for himself. The business is slowly fading away. There are still people wanting, just fewer vendors and many that are left cut back, parts are getting harder to come by. I always talk about money, as always, money did it again. Vendor can spend big money going out, but how fast or how big are the returns. Like you, it's just not worth it sometimes. I don't like it, but I get it.

 

[Cranky]

He had his blown chevelle in a trailer, we were both at the front end shop to get work done. Mine might end up needing his help, that's another story. The chevelle has a big block 496, (454 over), that he bought on Facebook. He can't find a good engine builder since covid, they fell to the wayside, never to return. He said in three years he'll be quitting and just building for himself. The business is slowly fading away. There are still people wanting, just fewer vendors and many that are left cut back, parts are getting harder to come by. I always talk about money, as always, money did it again. Vendor can spend big money going out, but how fast or how big are the returns. Like you, it's just not worth it sometimes. I don't like it, but I get it.

Been a lot of years since I built an engine for someone else and one of the last ones was for a friend's 72 Challenger. He wanted to help or me help him in my shop lol. That was pretty cool working with him but he wasn't very well educated in how precise things needed to be plus it was like having 'another cook in the kitchen' at the same time and we made a goof. He thought I checked piston to head clearance and I thought he did and it never got checked and it let us know on the track the second he hit the nitrous button. Back to square one. The 'new' engine pushed his pig (3600 lbs) 10.0 off the trailer and he told me recently that it went as quick as 9.26 on a "small shot".

Anyways, at 72 and with a messed up back just picking up a big block head makes me hurt for a good week. Just got done building an 8 3/4 rear and the pig is sitting done on my bench and that's where it's going to stay until the guy comes to pick it up! I'm ready for it to be off my bench....3 weeks ago. He's a truck driver and they've been keeping him busy he said.

 

[chargervert]

Most people aren't complaining about the cost of restoring a part,or parts,or rebuilding driveline components. You know the cost going in,and you either have them do the job,or you don't. My 472 Hemi engine has been stuck in machine shop jail since December 2018. He is turning out other work while I have 20k worth of Hemi engine and parts sitting there. There are two sides to that coin! The thread was more about the price that parts are changing hands for these days. I have seen parts like 18 spline Hemi four speed transmissions,go up in value,when I figured with most people going with overdrive transmissions,I would see the value of original pieces go down,not up. They have gone up dramatically. Dana 60 rear axles have done the same thing,even with brand new aftermarket Dana rear axles available. I understand on some OEM gold type restorations,people want date coded original pieces,but how many people are really restoring their cars to OEM gold level? Fenders and hoods,are crazy expensive even ones that are being reproduced. The scamdemic and supply chain issues have made getting the reproduction parts tough to get in hand,thus driving up the prices of original pieces,as well as the reproduction pieces if someone actually happens to have them in hand to be able to sell to someone. Trunk lids for $1200-$1500 asking prices are becoming common place these days! People asking six grand for air grabber hoods,five grand for a pair of 71 Charger R/T doors! I paid five grand for the whole car! 70 Charger fenders at five grand a pair for fenders that still need work is becoming the new norm! This is what I am seeing. Another factor on the reproduction parts is that the smaller companies have bought out by larger companies,they raised the prices on all that stuff,and those are the prices now,you either pony up,or go without!