Hello from Atlanta, Ga.  I have owned my two '81 air cooled vanagons for two
years, and have spent several thousand dollars with various vendors that
contribute to and also advertise on our list.  I have also purchased items
from vendors whose satisfied customers spoke their praises on our list.
From my perspective, the best vendors are those who are legitimate
businesses, have real places of business, and handle business like business
should be handled---with professionalism, courtesy  and honesty.  There can
always be a mistake, as in a wrong/transposed part number, wrong shipping
address, or substandard part.  I have found that every legitimate business
on our list has always made an effort to get things right the first time,
correct errors, make things right, get things straightened out with a
minimum of hassle to me or them.   Why is this?  They are in business and
wish to stay in business!  Hats off to Van Again, BusDepot, AATransaxle,
BusBoys, Rocky Mountain  Mtr. Works and Malahat Auto Salvage in Victoria,
B.C.  They have all been pleasant, professional vendors with whom I will do
repeat business.  Malahat has good quality used parts at good prices,
accurate descriptions of condition and shipping costs, and no double-talk.

Now, what about  Mr. Turner, an obvious omission on my part from the above
list of good vendors?
I have not yet successfully completed any transactions with him, although I
have tried on three separate occasions.  Is he a vendor?  I see his many
almost daily ads on the list for things to sell, some with prices, most
without prices.  After many attempts to buy a set of floor mats from
him--email and phone calls--he informed me that he was not a business, did
not sell parts for a living/profit, and selling parts on the list and at
various VW shows was only a hobby.  Whether the IRS considers him a hobby or
a legitimate for-profit enterprise is not my concern.....

The list gives us all an opportunity to buy and sell Vanagon items.  It
allows us to reach a large audience with our questions, answers, stories of
interest, great van sagas---Phaedra's Mexico, Tierra del Fuego trip, Syncro
reports from Cairo and the Sinai, Wasserboxer tales of horror....

It also allows those amongst us to avoid trips to the salvage yards on our
days off by buying items from
folks who go to salvage yards, pull parts, and resell them on the list.
These "pickers', as they are called in the antique business, are the
backbone of the antique trade.  They find the deals, and sell them to the
shops.  They are very independent by nature, frequently have an abundance of
information about items they have for sale, and usually do not have a
legitimate business set up.  They can be rather temperamental in their
business dealings because they fill an important niche in the "supply food
chain" that gives them a great deal of latitude---things a real business
would not get away with for long before going out of business altogether.

To all those listmembers who have had successful business dealings with
Chris Turner:  Bravo!

Regards,

Michael S. Nichols