Ok, to you guys that don't see how I can say what I say about Global West
price gouging. You made me do my home work. Here's the results:
Global West was smart enough not to advertise their prices in magazines,
and I looked through a bunch dating back to at least 2002. So I had to go to
one of their retailers and a regular supplier of our parts.
I found a 2002 catalog for OPG and could not find the Global
West upper A Arms in the catalog. Maybe I missed them?
I could not find a 2003 OPG catalog in my house.
I found a 2004 catalog and here's what they show for a pair of Global
West upper A arms, poly bushings, 68-72: $576.00
I found a 2005 catalog and here's what they show for a pair of Global
West upper A arms, poly bushings, 68-72: $599.95
Tonight a web site check shows the price went down to $479
I have been pricing these for several years now in planning to get some
for my car. If you can find a 2002 or prior price sheet for these, I know I
remember the price for these being below $400 and maybe below $300.
That price drop alone within this year of well over $100 a pair says
a lot.
Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this. Charging what the
market will bear is the American way and the free enterprise system! I would
do it to if I owned the busines. All I'm saying is that the price was higher
than I was willing to pay, given compeition out there with similar quality and
lower prices. What I have a problem with is people still buying these just
because they are the best.....no matter what the price is, and that
keeps the price up for the average Joe!
Ok, to the guy that said that he learned to buy only the best. That's a
very good point! I learned buying cheap tools doesn't pay....the hard way. I
too will buy quality and not based on price alone. But there comes a point
when a craftsman will do for a garage guy, but a HF tool won't, and a Mac or
Snap-on is paying for more than you probably need for a hobbyist. Price vs.
quality vs. need/use.
I know that the cost of business goes up in time, but nothing could
justify the way the price on these skyrocketed sometime before 2004. And the
price coming down well over $100 a pair this year really says it all to me.
Geee I wonder why the price went down that much?
Now, in the grand scheme of things, when you have guys paying outrageous
prices for these cars at auction ....who's to blame the parts people for not
trying to get in on all of those big bucks flying around? Just don't count me
in. I'm still on a budget and haven't cashed in my stock options for millions
or sold a house in California worth millions, or hit the lottery or inhertied
so much that I don't care what the price is on something. I do care!
Steve
