I have no problem at all with your approach, especially if you state when you post that you'll offer it here for X time and then it'll go to ebay. That's open, above-board, and honest. Can't ask for more in my book. :beer
Buick Parts From Connecticut I visited Mr.Toller in January and found him to be a fair guy with some parts that I needed at a reasonable price! He has a large collection of parts from cars that he has dismantled and has been doing this for many years. I could not find any fault with his effort to run a side business that certainly helped me out. He was very honest and a good guy to deal with as far as I am concerned.
I second that I have been dealing with him for two years and he helps me out anytime I need it for a resonable price he buys Buick stuff I can't sell at a resonable price and sells me stuff at a resonable price. He is just an average guy trying to make a little money on the side he is a Buick guy all around he has many and drives one as an eveyday car.
I read through all of your guys' threads, and you all have valid points in one way or another. I think in the end what should probably be done is to have him state under his name "like some of you folks have already said", that he is buying and reselling parts for a profit. If this is what he chooses to do then let it be, I think those who do not approve of it or don't like it will speak in the end by not doing any buisness with him. I know if I saw something in that manner listed below his name I would probably not do any buisness, not that he is not a fair guy overall, but when I see that someone could be making a buck on me and they buy and sell a lot of parts it kind of rubs me wrong. Not that there is really anything wrong in the end, but more of a personal pet peave. I guess not just buyer beware these days, but seller likewise.
To Greg H...Heck-I don't think anybody could have a problem with how you operate at all. You, and others of us know these parts and boneyards are RAPIDLY going away, and you are doing a service for many-thanks
Dealt with Paul anumber of times. Most recently was about a month ago. Great guy, no issues, prices were good & I got what I bought. I will be calling him again in the future.
After reading the last few posts, let me clarify something here. I never said that Paul was a bad guy or that I think what he does for the Buick community is an injustice. What I have a problem with, is that he only posts 'wanted' threads here on V8Buick. Go look at his history. He doesn't care about the common good of the Buick community and especially not the "community" of V8Buick. He cares about hoarding good, needed parts that he can mark up and resell. To who? That's right - right back to us that need the part for an increased price. Is it really that difficult for some of you to see? My point in all this is that if you find a Buick (or other car) out there somewhere and decide to part it out for profit, all the more to you! But don't come on this board to offer us nothing from your presence, to use our resources to find rare stuff at a "brotherhood" price, and then simply resell it with never having any intentions of using the stuff yourself. Maybe I'm just taking this personally, but in my opinion, that's not good business practice, thats not representative of an admirable person, and I can't help but say that it really sucks.
If you look though. He posted as many parts for sale as wanted adds. I am sure if someone ask him for a part, he goes looking. The only way I can see a problem is if he is making like 300% on parts. Say a fair bumper core is $100, well he buys em for that and sells them to suckers for $400 each. Then I would have a problem. But if he made a fair commission plus shipping the parts two directions. To him, then the next guys. Its not unreasonable for him to get people what they need and cover his cost.
i sure do wish somebody would come here and take advantage of me by handing me a fist full of dollars so they could gamble on buick futures. bring cash, open 24 hours, 7 days a week. park the truck right here, lay big cash on me in an uncertain market. thats what vendors do, whats the problem with someone making money ? i say dont give someone a brotherhood type price unless you know who you are dealing with. to sell an item and then have sellers remorse is too bad, but a seller has no one to blame but themselves for the price they accept. ii dont understand why people hold it against somone because they buy something & increase the price. its NBD IMO
I don't know if I speak for the majority here, but for some reason I feel like I do. Nobody is saying this is a horrible guy and to cross him off your list of people to buy and sell parts with for good. I think the majority can see that this board is not only a hobby but somewhat of a passion for our automobiles we own and obtaining the information needed to keep them alive. I can honestly say that anyone on this board I have dealt with has not only been very helpful but really pleasant to work with overall. As far as I can see this is a community of not just old and young but rather a group of men (and women) who are sticking their necks out on the line sometimes just to help that other person in getting their car back on the road. That to me alone is loyalty at it's finest. Nowhere have I found folks like this that have so much hospitality towards total strangers, all they know is that you own a buick, so hell that must be something in common. So I would say those who speak up on this topic because they feel some injustice is being done to them or others on this board are doing us all a favor bye letting us know how they run buisness. It is better to know who you are dealing with in the beginning when conducting business rather then to kick your self in the :moonu: later on. I would be in the class of folks that aquires parts as they get the money, and not one that has my pockets lined and can just by at will. I can say probably 75% of the folks on this board are in the same position as me. So when we see someone on this board that might only come here to buy and sell parts, it's not terribly bad, until maybe we see these parts being resold to other members on this board at a higher price. That is the real world I understand that fully, but it doesen't have to work that way on this board, and it starts with people speaking up and saying what they feel is wrong. For him to buy parts or aquire them from someone on this board in whatever manner and resale them at a higher price in this community of Buick people is saying a lot in itself. Buyers remorse on this subject doesn't hold up with me, I think it would fit the bill to say that the remorse is more of feeling that you stuck your neck out to help that person, only to be jacked around in the end by seeing them making a profit off of your kindness. I will tell you though that if I sold a part on this board and the buyer of the part came right back around days or minutes later and resold the part at a higher price I would be :rant: I would feel I just got a fast one pulled on me, there is no list price for most of the parts we trade, buy and sell on here, so we kind of take that into consideration and trust each other to make sure both sides of the transaction are completed fairly. We are all in this together, rich, poor, cute, ugly.... no matter what there should be some boundries layed out to aid in situations like this one, and I feel those boundries have been established when my fellow Buick men(and women) step up and let their voice's be heard on whats right and whats wrong. But truely to finalize this thread I think it would be needed to hear from this guy himself and see what he has to say about all of this, maybe he is innocent, maybe not, but he himself can mend ways on this board with those that feel injustice has been done by bringing his thoughts and feelings public on this thread. Nothing is ever written in stone, people can change and people can forgive.
parts profits? I didn't know what to make of this discussion when I first started following it...turning into a great thread! I haven't been a member of this board long enough to comment on Mr. Toller's habit's here, but when I was in SLC a few years ago, I spotted his ad in Hemmings and made arrangements to purchase a couple hard-to-find items for my GSX. The air cleaner assembly was well packaged, shipped quickly and (obviously) priced fairly. In short, the treatment I received was prompt, courteous, and professional. That's just what's supposed to happen! Didn't give it another thought until I saw this thread... Having been self-employed for 20 years (as of june 1) and buying or selling the odd Buick part here and there, I may have a somewhat biased opinion here. It never occured to me what Mr. Toller had paid for this part, how much (if any) work or time he had invested (which must have been something, because it was nice enough to simply install on the vehicle) or how much (if any) profit he had made. Speaking from a business ethics point of view, I was quite happy with what I got for what I paid, and based on this experience, would have no problem dealing with the man again. So much for Capitalism... The overiding theme (I think) here is that someone who continuously advertises to buy parts from the very community who will undoubtedly wind up purchasing these pieces at marked-up prices is taking advantage of the board (specifically) and the Buick community, (in general). I don't disagree with this sentiment in theory, but the only way to practically enforce it is to (as a community) refuse to sell parts to people who will resell them...and that is totally the individuals choice; (mine included) it's going to be tough to tell potential sellers which buyers should be dealt with to avoid parts being remarketed! As well, I'm certain that many parts are not resold in the condition they were purchased; most of the parts I've sold have required some kind of prep, paint, or detailing. Maybe the key to all this is "turnaround" time, or falsely stated reasons for buying. As several people have said, advertising for a part conveys the impression that you need the part...members of any car community I've been a member of have always been willing to sell a needed part to a fellow enthusiast at less than market price. It would burn bridges to "turnaround" and sell that piece at a profit! People who do this continually can't find parts after a while, or are paying a far higher price than everyone else, hopefully. Now, it's a business. Perhaps that will happen in this case. Hopefully, we're not getting into a "sandbox" argument here, where persons are just riled because someone else is making money off of them, or their parts...if you don't want anyone, anywhere, to ever make one penny off of one of your pieces, don't ever sell it...to anyone...anywhere...ever... Does anyone remember buying NOS 70 GS grilles from GM in '88 for $114? How about $425 in '96 from Originality Plus? I do, 'cause that's what I paid in both cases. (Now I can't afford used ones!) Would buying a dozen of them at either of those time frames, and reselling them now (at current market value) have made me a pirate or an astute (and lucky) businessman? And would your opinion be based (and biased) upon whether you were a Buick enthusiast or an investment analyst? Most of the stuff that I have wound up selling over the years I have simply got tired of tripping over...projects that didn't get finished, or materialize; sometimes you run into a car in a wrecking yard being stripped and salvage a few pieces, (why didn't I get here yesterday?) friends will call about a Buick in a backyard for sale, etc.,and half the time when I decide to sell it I can't remember what I paid for it anyway! Sooner or later it's time to find out if someone else needs it...or someone walks into your shop and says "do you have..." As a final thought, if you think your parts (needed/valuable or not) are being solicited under false pretenses, don't sell them! Most (if not all) of these pieces will wind up on/in cars that we (as individuals and as a community) restore, drive, show, and enjoy...and will eventually sell! That's a topic for another thread... :beer
I've been fortunate to have obtained some items from other Buick guys here for reasonable prices compared to eBay. I couldn't take advantage of this site by asking if anyone has a ______ not because I need it but because I know someone who does and I could mark up the price. I would refer the person who needed the part to the board without looking for a finder's fee or commission. That's just how I was raised I guess.
yea, its kinda like dressing poor and going to the local "homeless shelter pantry" and getting some free canned food ....then dressing nice taking it back to the grocery store for a refund and goin to the "sizzler" and livin large. :laugh: it might not be illiegal .... but that dont make it right. :Brow:
