From: Mike Davidsen (mike@aspirationsoftware.com)
Date: Wed Mar 23 2005 - 06:29:20 PST
Sonny Heath wrote:
> I just wonder what GL would say if someone called and asked them why
> they are doing that? I sometimes let it make me raise a bid. I say
> that they are misleading to do something like that, just like they
> misled me a few weeks ago by the description saying that the lube and
> service unit had a gasoline engine and a 26 CFM compressor on it and
> when I picked it up it had neither and they would do nothing about it.
>
Okay, folks, the key words in buying things at auction are "low bid".
Look at the pictures, figure out what the item is worth in parts only,
after CAREFULLY EXAMINING the photos, then bid the parts value. If you
get it, great, you got a steal. If you don't get it, hey another
auction is coming up soon with a better deal. The few times I bought
things from GL that weren't exactly what was listed, is my fault. Why?
Because I didn't inspect the property. Buyer beware.
I know all the bad stories from people who have dealt with GL and then
again, I've heard plenty of good stories too. Before you go and blame
the seller for the items you bought, ask yourself: why did you bid on it
in the first place? Did you expect a steal of a deal on a brand new
item? Ain't gonna happen! The reason it is auctioned off is because 1.
The military didn't need the parts. 2. Couldn't repair it because it
was beyond repair or too costly to repair. 3.No other agency wanted the
pile o crap you bid on. Keep these 3 points in mind, and your auction
bid will stay under control.
One more thing about bidding on military surplus. This is the way it is
set up from now on: GL is a private corporation given the contract by
the government to auction the material off in the most cost-effective
way, earning the most money for the government in the process. The
other option that the government could do, is to stop selling surplus
altogether, drop the surplus in the ocean, burn it, run it over with
Abramses, melt it down, and we get NOTHING. Keep that fact in mind.
Mike
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat May 07 2005 - 20:41:24 PDT