[DeTomaso] Crazy Vette People

[Ian H]

I have a long wacky story for you guys.........

About five years ago I had a set of 10 and 7 inch Campys that were in desperate need of refinishing and I was looking for someone to do the work.  At some point I met a guy at a car show who had a business restoring Corvettes and he was a quarter mile down the street from my office.  So, I asked him if he'd be interested in painting my wheels and he said "Bring them by I'd be happy to".  So  I did and we agreed on a price of  $400 for all four.   He did the work and they turned out great, I had no problems, I brought my car up there and he just loved it, ect.

Fast forward to  few weeks ago. 
 I bought a set of 8's to replace the 7's and naturally I thought I'd take them back to my old friend the Vette restorer.  He said he'd be happy to paint up the new wheels.  We chatted for a while, he asked about my car, how much I paid for the wheels.........  I told him my Pantera was doing just fine and I bought the wheels for around $200.  "Wow!  You got a great deal those wheels are worth about a grand a piece" He said.  I told him they were only worth about $400 tops refinished.  "You'd be suprised" He said.  Ok, whatever.  He also felt my car was worth $80-100,000 by now.  "No, $45 maybe 50 at the outside" I said.  "You'd be suprised"...................Whatever, Pal.

Fast forward to today.
I get an email estimate to paint the two 8's........................ $1100!!!!!!!  WTF!!!!!!  So I ran down there at lunch.  He says, "Let me get you the contract to sign,"  I say, No I am here to pick the wheels up.  So  he gets all pissy and takes me back in the shop and says "Look at these wheels, I have to spend a lot of time fixing all these pits, the price of paint is more since last time, the price of gas is...........Blah, blah, blah!  I can't let you put them on an $80,000 car with those pits, these wheels a worth the effort and expense!"
"Ok, first of all those pits are pretty minor, and as far as campys go these are in real good shape.  Secondly, my car is worth about $45K and the wheels are only worth about $400, so how can I justify spending $1300 on $400 wheels?"  I ask

"Oh, so now you calling me a liar?!" he says.

"No, I'm not, you're just misinformed, they are only worth what I said and I think you are trying to charge me extra based on some wildy inflated value that you came up with.  Shouldn't you be basing your price on the time and cost of materials?

"Oh, so now I am a dishonest businessman?!  Well take you F'ng piece of #$%^ wheels and get the F out of here, AND DON'T EVER COME BACK!"

..............Uh, ok pal, no problem there!!!

On the way back to my office, I called a powder coater who a met through Dana Hansen of Mangusta International fame............................Price to media blast and powdercoat...........$75 per wheel!!!!

So, the only thing I can think of to explain all this is WAY too much exposure to fibergass fumes!!!!!!!

I'm still shocked,

Ian