Jack, Kevin, et al;

While I can appreciate that you had no legal obligation to sell Melissa's
vanagon back to her nor to inform her of it's repair/resurection, you did have
a moral obligation.  You just as easily could have called her and told her
that in light of her professed 'love' for the van, you had looked it over
especially carefully prior to dismantling it.  In your inspection you had
found and repaired a relatively minor problem.  You easily could have asked
her to come back with the check and a couple hundred more to 'pay' for the
repair.  In so doing, you would have bought far more good will and, more than
likely, far more business than the quoted $3300 profit would bring in spent in
any other manner.

The end result of your telephone call to Melissa is that there are about 2000
VW owners who will be less likely to patronize your business.  Those folks
will tell their friends, who will tell their friends.  End result...  a
reputation among the close knit VW community that will spread and grow in the
retelling.

Melissa is a college professor?  I guess that you can scratch a portion of
that business too.  Same thing will happen there.  Friends talk.

Will it put you out of business?  Probably not.  Will it 'hurt' your bottom
line?  Maybe not. (The dismantling business can be very flexible.)  Will it
hurt your business growth?  Over time, no.  This year?  I'm sure that your
accountant will let you know.  Any business depends upon the good will of its
customers for long term growth.  Advertising and other methods will achive
rapid short term growth.  A business's reputation among its customer

The internet is a powerful tool. In the business world, it grows more powerful
daily.

Business is business, but in the end, all a man has is his reputation.

Think about it.

James R. Arnott
WetWesties
Union, OR