Crazy idea, WTB, meet up with members Options

[Dr Evil]

Due to the dearth of transmission cores in my area, my very real need for a lot of them so that I can do my clinics and continue with inexpensive repair work, and the cost to ship transmissions, I am considering buying up piles of them in several locations all over the country and renting a truck to go pick them up in one big run. I can get 7 days off in a row from work, and this will take a bit to organize, but if it could work out I could also swing by and say "Hi" to a lot of you that I havent seen in a while or have not met.

Does this sound feasible? Any input to reduce cost and increase effectiveness is welcome. Also, if you have a hoard of cores, hit me up. I will buy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I wonder if I can time this around events?

PNW, SoCal, Australia - these parts are needed for your clinics! If I cant get more parts, I can still do clinics, but people will need to buy new parts and the cost will be more than double what I charge.

[Dr Evil]

If I pay for the core, then $100 for shipping each one, I am at over $1000 just for shipping if I can get 10. I am looking for more than 10, so the price only goes up incrementally. I already have a few hoards to clear out, 4 in CA, 4 3hrs south of me, and I know of members with substantial hoards that may sell if I show up and do the work. Shipping multiple boxes is a PITA for the best of us. Many area not interested in selling if it is at all an inconvenience. Evidence of that can be seen in the Omma Passu thread with buying and shipping a box to Finland. The seller wanted eye contact and cash in hand. This is becoming the norm. Hershey was a bust this year. Everyone wanted top dollar for shit. All boxes were "rebuilt" which is suspect given a cursory evaluation of the outside of all of them and the aged seals showing. Folks were asking $600+ for cores. They did not sell, needless to say. In 10-20 yrs they can get those prices, maybe, but many looked like they may not be around then. I managed to buy one, 1, uno, single box there and I had to barter to get the price below $300, which I will not pay for a core. I got it for my top price, but I was also able to open it up and look at the guts before purchase so I at least knew that I would break even (not gonna make a dime on that box, likely).

So, a round a bout with a north-west-south-east pattern may be too much. A zig zag pattern is a bit hard, too. If I can trade labor for assistance, I am game for that. My big push is not to make a million on this stuff. I want to improve the boxes function with research, and get as many rebuilt boxes in our cars as I can. That is why my prices are low. However, with the cost and labor of getting cores, I do not know how long I can keep that up. Clinics dry me out on parts. I like doing them and people like going to them.

I may have to settle for fly out drive back and see if I can get most of the hoards warehoused along 40 or some main W-E artery.