From: chance wolf (chance_wolf@shaw.ca)
Date: Fri Dec 12 2003 - 10:34:05 PST
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul A. Thomas" <bluewhale@jaxkneppers.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: [MV] Ebay misrepresentation
> Actually I mind the price.
> As this person seems to be a complete rube or exaggerator I have to wonder
> how nice the truck really is?
> And someone has already bid 6 Grand on it??
>
> Two years ago I could buy a nice M543A2 for that.
> Harumph!!
Unfortunately, quite a few people consider the Ebay potential-consumer along
the same lines as those in the audience of a carnival huckster/snake-oil
salesman, where the sheer power of the presentation carries the day in place
of any qualities the item itself may possess. I've seen many poorly
described gems fail to attract any reasonable bids until they close, where
average condition/availability stuff gets bid up past retail just because
someone tells a nice story following the "Step right up, folks!" My
favourites are:
"My buddy was in a motor pool in 'Nam and remembers this very truck!"
(presumably his x-ray vision made it through the 73 layers of National Guard
camo)
"Used in a combat theatre in Southeast Asia!" (181st Laundry Battalion,
Guam)
"Only 14,000 original miles!" (after peeling off the odo tag which read "add
1,713,312 miles...")
"Can go anywhere!" (and you always hope there's a tow-truck made which can
"go anywhere" plus a bit)
"The windshield had bullet holes when I got it, but I changed it to drive
this beauty!" (previous owner followed a county gravel truck too closely)
"100 % original!" (if you don't count the repro body tub, 327 Chevy, headers
and chrome pipes)
"Totally professionally rebuilt!" (kid next door is taking auto-shop)
"No expense spared!" (the $3 plastic fuel filters from NAPA as opposed to
the $2.36 ones)
"Totally turn-key restoration!" ("Well jeez, it was when I parked it after
my last hunting trip. Help me push...")
I better stop now. Being this cynical this close to Christmas has to be
breaking a Commandment somewhere... ;)
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