The gems are getting so scarce now, it "pays" to employ a friendly set
of eyes and ears to keep a look out for that which has become a simple
encumbrance to its current owner.
The last Universal Carrier we found is a case in point; it was mired up
to the belly in the remote corner of a farmer's estate... complete with
all armour, a rebuildable engine and useable tracks! (most we find have
had part or all of the armour cut off and a non-stock engine) No one who
didn't know it was there would EVER have found it. It would have been
STILL self-recycling....
but for a local guy who attended a rally. He got to talking and
basically laid the groundwork for us... he didn't want any money, but he
(and his wife!) sure got some attention! You can bet that if he EVER
comes across anything else remotely useful, we'll be the first to get
the call.
And let's face it, there's a lot of 'competition' out there. Bottom line
- be happy to pay if the item + acquisition price + 'finders's fee' is
reasonable; just what are you getting for what you are paying? Remember,
there's no such thing as a 'jeep in a crate'.
Cheers,
Geoff Winnington-Ball
Markham, Ontario, Canada
David C. Decker wrote:
> Concerning 'Finder's Fees.' I do not know of any hard and fast rules,
> I
> doubt that there are any. A couple of questions you might ask
> yourself:
>
> How badly do I want this particular vehicle?
>
> How much will it cost to get it in my driveway?
>
> If you are looking for a rare, odd-ball vehicle and you have to pay a
> finder's fee to get the 'right one,' then the fee has to be included
> in
> the purchase price, just as all other costs like trucking it home,
> insurance, registration, etc. Paying a finder's fee can be the best
> money
> you can spend on the vehicle if you end up with one that can save you
> a
> bunch of work and money in the long run.
>
> I have paid and I do 'ask' for a finder's fee only on certain items
> and
> from certain people. By this I mean, I don't mind at all paying a fee
> if
> I get what I want for the right price. I would charge a fee only if I
> invested time, took photos, surveyed the vehicle, etc. I believe that
> this is fair. Let's say you live somewhere where you can't get to the
> vehicle to view it before purchase. You find out that I am near so I
> go
> out and look the vehicle over, take a roll of photos, interview the
> owner
> and check the paperwork. I have spent time and effort doing this for
> your
> benifit, can I not expect to get paid? (This was a generalization,
> personnally, I like to go look at vehicles for the fun of it!!!) So
> if
> you buy said vehicle, you have a pretty fair estimate of what it is
> when
> you come to pick it up.
> As far as 'professional Bird Dog' fees, I can't really comment except
> to
> review the first two questions.
> I will end with one observation. I have gotten some really good deals
> over the years because friends, neighbors and relatives (not my wife)
> have told me about them. I have always tried to either give them money
>
> outright, take them and the Mrs. to dinner or do something to thank
> them
> besides a handshake. People respond in a positive manner when you take
>
> the time and effort to thank them for their efforts. And they will
> also
> keep their eyes and ears open for more deals on wheels.
> Hope this helps. Good Luck.
>
> Dave in Flagstaff
> M274
> M715
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject: [MV] finder's fees
> Date: 22 Jul 97 20:17:13
> From: "matthew.r.kreutzmann"
> <matthew.r.kreutzmann@ac.com>
> To: mil-veh <mil-veh@skylee.com>
>
> Is there a good "rule of thumb" regarding finder's fees on military
> vehicles?
> Is this sort of thing a flat fee or is it a percentage of the vehicle
> price?
> Do you pay it in advance or when you've purchased a vehicle? I've
> never paid a
> finder's fee, but I've been approached a couple of times in the past
> few months
> with the opportunity to purchase vehicles and there was a finder's fee
>
> involved. I was hoping I could benefit from the collective experience
> on the
> list.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> -mrk
>
> ===
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