In a message dated 12/5/05 1:18:26 PM, lauterba@bellsouth.net writes:
<< If all merchants were as honest and knowledgeable as these gentlemen, the
fraud units in various law enforcement agencies could be assigned to other
duties.

Instead of making less than complimentary remarks about our list vendors, we
need to be working with them on how to source VW only critical parts that we
need to keep our vans running. >>

I can't say that they are honest or knowledgeable, but I can say that they
are masters of saying, "I'm sorry."

I guess this boils down to the definitions of honesty and knowledge.  Is it
honest or knowledgeable to represent merchandise from a certain country and
have the merchandise be from somewhere else?  Is it forthright and upstanding to
take an order for an item which is not in stock and then note it as
backordered on the shipping slip with no promise of a delivery date?  Is it cool to send
a part which, after first checking with the honest and knowledgeable merchant
on one's own dime, proves not to fit the application?  Is it really a service
to us to use this list to advertise a passe electronic trinket which one can
buy directly for far less?  Is it honest to tell a guy AFTER he takes delivery
of an exhaust system from you that he needs an acetylene torch to install it?

I see no reason here to have Diogenes snuff out his lantern.

Honestly, don't deceive yourself, Vanagon parts are everywhere.  If you don't
have an independent VW parts house or a NAPA store in your town, you can get
Vanagon parts from numerous other sources quickly, correctly packaged and
often times over a toll-free phone number with free shipping to boot.

George