[DeTomaso] California driver Pantera for sale--full review

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/10/08 22 54 12, dakelm at qwest.net writes:


> Well, you're certainly right about MN being the middle of nowhere when it 
> comes to peddling high end cars. AND I also was admittedly lacking in 
> marketing skills! Still, I would hope that most people reading this forum, the PI 
> bulletin board and Chuck's Provamo website would gladly spend the air fare to 
> save $10,000. 
> 
>>>Price a car too cheaply, and it takes on the air of 'too good to be true'.

> After all, the actual buyer flew over here from Sweden, spent three days 
> with me and then had the car shipped to Sweden at considerable expense. Why was 
> he willing to expend all those dollars (kroners) when others wouldn't? 
> 
>>>Because the effort to fly to see you was no greater than the effort to fly 
anywhere else in the USA.   And I'm sure he could smell a fire sale in the 
offing--I could. :<(


> If California buyers are willing to shell out serious money for cars that 
> can be had for much less in other parts of the country with a little leg work, 
> then I guess it truly is the land of fruits and nuts :<D  
> 
>>>Well, it's supply and demand.   For years people criticized me for 
undervaluing cars.   Now some criticize me for overvaluing cars.   But I have a hand 
(directly or indirectly) in quite a few Pantera sales each year and am thus 
able to judge, with reasonable accuracy, what a car *should* sell for based on 
comps (real estate term for items of similar condition in a similar location).  
 I'm far from infallible on this, of course.


> As for PI Motorsports, I have always felt their cars were 25-33% 
> overpriced. I guess I'm just a cheap bastard!
> 
>>>Well, I would argue that you are right on both counts! :>)

PIM has carved themselves a nice niche business of selling cars to people who 
can't be bothered with the expense and effort to travel all over the place to 
look at Panteras for sale.   The convenience of one-stop-shopping comes at a 
hefty price; having said that, all you have to do is fly to visit 2-3 cars, 
and the expenses of time off work, plane tickets, rental cars, hotel bills etc. 
quickly mount up, so one can make a business case of paying substantially too 
much for a given car, vice spending $10K searching for a car and then finally 
buying one (months, years later?) for $10K less.

Mike




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