Is it me or what am I missing here

Posted by Billy NY on July 04, 2006 at 05:57:47 from (152.163.100.74):

Decided it was time to go through the fuel system on the 850 Ford, it's Propane/LPG powered. Safety valve on the Impco Model J vaporizor is leaking, supply hose old and worn out, so I find what I need locally from a forklift dealer/repair shop. Ok great, he's got all the parts, I did do some checking on e-bay before I went to get the parts, saw some prices and figured I easily had enough money in my pocket when I left.

I get to the forklift place, get what I need, he also had the O.E.M. repair kit for the vaporizor, thinking it can't hurt and that the diapragms may be leaking, causing the hards starts after it's been running, effectively choking it out, OK, I'll take one of those kits too.

Well the safety valve was $31.00, the hose and fittings not worth mentioning, no beef there, but the darn vaporizer repair kit ummmmmm that will be $71.00 please !!!! WTF? Knowing that 2 of these kits just went for $16.58 on e-bay, I questioned the price, he had his office at the main location on the phone, nope that's the price, and I really need to get the mowing done here, it's been dry a few days, need to get it done, I walked in with 164.00 in my pocket, the invoice was $164.03 ! Yeah buddy, you want me to go digging in the ashtray ?

The mechanic was a good sort, he's like you got enough gas to get home ? ( joking ) I'm like, ( No, I was going to use the change from this purchase to get some gas), and I was below a quarter tank, good thing it's a little mercury capri 4 cyl. turbo, that is excellent on fuel economy, still like a truck better, it's saved me some $$ on fuel though. At least I've still got a sense of humor after this !

I am by no means a stickler, penny pinching, haggler type, I do my research usually and do the best I can, call it a day, but this rebuild kit has me irked for some reason. Many times I'll compare prices, I don't buy price, I buy the best quality I can find and or afford, whatever it may be, parts, tools, equipment, as long as it will do the job and I'm comfortable with what I'm getting and I've done some research, never go in blind, no problem, don't take much to make me happy, there's a lot worse things in life out there if you think about it.

2 kits mind you, identical to the O.E.M. one I bought just went for $16.58 on e-bay and an entire vaporizer unit can be had for $79.00 plus shipping on e-bay. Something seems off here, sellers showing O.E.M. shipping aftermarket or what ? I've been subject to highway robbery is what I'm thinking here.

Well, I e-mailed the auctions to the their lead parts guy and questioned their pricing based on them, very nicely, and politely, in a professional manner, and out of curiosity, stating here are some current auctions for the same items, any reason why your prices are so high ? I can't wait to get their response.

Now being the detailed person that I am, might as well get the inner and outer O-rings for the 33lb. forklift size tanks, the forklift guy does not have them, but 2 buildings away in the same industrial park is the welding supply house, who also fills most compressed gasses, including propane, both my propane tanks were supplied by them and I have bought 2 miller trailblazers, another small portable welder that was like $1000, 2 complete oxy acetylene burning rigs and all kinds of other supplies when I was an Ironworker superintendent, somewhere into the $10,000 range including everything in the last few years.

Well I tell this guy at the counter what I need for the tanks, 2 sets of O-rings, and how the forklift place literally cleaned me out, I've got no money and nowhere near an ATM, the regular guy who knows me well is busy with a manager,and I know their boss too ( they don't like him either )LOL

So he calls a guy in the back and he's got them, mind you, they technically own the tanks, but whatever, they fill and maintain them by the truck load, so of course they have spare gasket and o-rings, the guy said he'd give them to me but next time I'd have to pay, as if I was trying to work him over for what you would think is a very low cost item, however, the local autozone nailed me for $8.00 for an assortment box of o-rings of which I only needed one, maybe these flat gaskets and O-rings are not a .25 cent item, but being a long time customer, who steered all his business their way, even his employers business, you'd think when in a bind such as I was ( no cash in hand ) they might be happy to be of help. Well the next time I go in, I'll insist on paying for those and I'll want the manager to price them for me, and I'll insist on them double checking to make sure they got the correct amount for them, the counter guy will enjoy that I'm sure.

I dunno, maybe it's me, or is it that the integrity and character of todays business's as well as the people who run them becoming undermined by greed or some other detriment to the moral fiber of what made our country so great ?

COMPLETE UNIT $79.00
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-FORKLIFT-LPG-MODEL-J-SERIES-IMPCO-CONVERTER_W0QQitemZ110004655963QQihZ001QQcategoryZ56998QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2 Repair Kits - $16.58 - still an auction, but if he can let them go for this, how does my local guy sell them one kit for $71.00 ? I'll keep after them and post their response when I get it.

end of rant

• Impco Model J Vaporizer repair kit

Replies:

• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Glen in TX 11:30:25 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here RusselAZ 09:49:49 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here TimS 06:55:49 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here dr.sportster 06:21:36 07/04/06 (1)
  • Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Billy NY 07:16:25 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Allan In NE 06:14:58 07/04/06 (3)
  • Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Billy NY 06:38:17 07/04/06 (2)
    • Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Allan In NE 06:42:28 07/04/06 (1)
      • Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Billy NY 07:20:51 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Buzzy 06:13:21 07/04/06 (0)
• Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Coloken 06:11:41 07/04/06 (1)
  • Re: Is it me or what am I missing here Billy NY 06:32:01 07/04/06 (0)

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