Dennis,

I completely agree. Every time another A-Body gets written up in a magazine or appears on TV, I feel it raises the cost of pursuing our hobby. I like to read about them and see them on TV, but I know it comes with a price.

And I encourage everyone to buy locally if they can - not only will you make good connections, but you keep your local networks/clubs active and alive. But sometimes for that hard to find part...

Thanks for the lively debate!

RC

Rcolburn writes first this:
Then this:

Then this:
Er...which way d'you want it, Rcolburn? What you've written above is contradictory, unless you don't believe you're a part of (and affected by) the free market.

As for "conspiracy theories"...well, perhaps you've never watched Frank Mitchell pluck parts out of a buyer's hand at a swap meet, shove money at the seller and bolt, but I have. Maybe you've never been sent badly worn, halfässedly-reconditioned used parts when what was advertised and what you paid for was "perfect New Old Stock", but I have. And I'm far from the only one. No "conspiracy" there, no "opinion", and no "jabber" -- just ugly reality.

You say you've had no problems with him, and you're probably telling the truth. After all, even the rapists and thieves in our society often buy things honestly. That's why everyone's so shocked when the guy "who came in every day at 7:30 and bought a newspaper, two doughnuts and a coffee" gets convicted of grand larceny.

If you buy from Frank Mitchell, you are damaging the hobby. Period. Fact. End of debate. If you can live with that, then by all means keep on buying from Frank Mitchell.

If you can't, then don't. But trying to rationlize your decision with platitudes about the free market just isn't on.

SlantSixDan,

I respect your opinion but I do not think that what I said is contradictory.

Me buying a part at one price, even though it may be elevated compared to the same item from another location, does not make that other part more expensive.

The price of any item is related to how many of them there are and how many people want to buy them. Buisnesses thrive on perceived value. Actual value is something entirely different. I think Frank and probably many other parts suppliers play on an item's percieved value.

Finally, I have learned many things from being a member of this board, not the least of which is that the opinions of every member are valuble. From the vehement responses of the other board members, including yourself, about Frank Mitchell, I can not, in good conscience, continue to buy from him. And I appreciate the heads up. This is the free market in action. By collectively deciding to not patronize a business, we are making a statement to that business that their practices in the marketplace are unacceptable. The more people do it, the less likely somebody new to the hobby will be harmed by his behavior.

I didn't mean to confuse the discussion of Frank Mitchell with a more general discussion of basic economics, but it happened. Maybe we all learned something from both threads...

...and I'm on a crusade to educate people into not paying artificially inflated prices for old cars and old car parts on eBay and elsewhere. Educated people using their heads and good common sense can keep the market from going so high that only the rich and famous can afford this obsession, er, uh, hobby.

D/W

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!