Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Must be a full moon?

We've discussed this before so I appoligize if this seems redundant. Yesterday was the most interesting day in a while.....sarcastically speaking here. I got three phone calls asking questions about various pumps and wanting values. Normal, as we usually get one call every couple of days. I don't mind the calls if I can help? My problem arose when the first caller asked for a price. I pulled out Jack's book and quoted what I read about the pump. The caller took exception to the number saying that it was incorrect and too low? I told him that it was a referrance and if he'd paid more than it was fine by me. He was not happy but thanked me....... Call number two. Caller was asking about pumps in stock....unrestored prices,condition,etc....next were questions on the restored units and last on the repro units we market thru another manufacturer. The questions were random and without a theme, in my opinion? Finally, he got around to the real question......he was looking for a Harley Davidson Globe and wanted to know if we had any? Told him no and gave him the information about Harley and the licensing issue. He asked if I knew where he could find one??? By this time, I'm becoming short with my answers. Got him off the phone and went back to the restoration of Dave Hathaway's monitor top refridgerator. Last call came at 3P.M. with a guy asking about a certain visible pump and it's rareity? I requested that he be brief and to the point. Didn't happen. After asking questions on what I thought about different pumps, he got around to values, as all calls do. The caller had just gotten a fairly common visible pump, in unrestored condition, and wanted me to give him an estimate. Pulled out Jack's book, again and read the information therein. Boy.....he was not happy either! First blamed me for being uninformed then the book for being wrong......I'm sorry to say that this was too much for me and when he finally stopped ranting, I told him off. I usually am very patient with folks, as I truely want to help promote this hobby, but the last guy pushed all the right buttons. Guess the moon was full?

sounds like a typical day on here.

Oh well. I just tell myself to move on. Today there's probably four of them waiting for you and you will forget about the three yesterday.

By their knowledge (or lack there of) could you tell if they were "Pickers", Collectors, or car guys just wanting to add to the man cave. Anytime I talk with someone I don't know personally I always find this answer out; that lets me know how to best answer their questions and hopefully save me some frustration.

I answer 20 calls a day and many emails. If you put your info out there, this is what you get. For every 30 calls I get, 1 will pay off..

I'm glad that most of the calls I get are from fellow collectors that want to talk about what they just found of if I know where a part is that they need. Richard

Gasman, now you know why I won't give out values to gasoline pumps . if someone wants me to I. D a pump, that's one thing. To place a value on whats it worth, hey, I'm too busy......... Ed Shaver

I've had to deal with it several times with visitors to my place.In a way, I'm with GMC on this one.If I think they are earnest,well-intioned beginners seeking knowledge about the hobby I'll help all I can.Otherwise,I just start saying "i dunno,I dunno,I dunno".They usually get the point.It works for me,but then I'm usually in a face-to-face conversation.

Paul I noticed you didn't add your site at bottom of your post.
You really have had enough,huh!

Guys, just needed to vent. All done and I feel better now. Thanks for the support. I will not be giving values, over the phone, from now on. Lloyd, I'll never get enough of this stuff! LOL! Paul www.severngaspumps.com

I apologize in advance, because i am sure to be one of he calls you will get. Just know that i am a very excited collector. I am very inexsperinced with pumps and would only call for an id and value. This would be prior to my purchase and would never argue about your info. I apreciate all of you guys and your help.

Just buy jacks book?

I agree with you Kyle buy the books and do some homework. Jack has put a lot of time and effort into these books and they will help you espescilly when trying to buy a pump from someone who knows nothing about them, but has watched pickers way to mutch.

I have both of Jack's books, both well worn out too. The prices are a joke . Still, I bought both for doing scale models of every gasoline pump ever manufactured . True , the drawings are sometimes vauge . Still, I can glean a lot of detail and get an overall idea as to what something "Should " look like . That's the pointI would certainly point out . Both of Jack's books will do a LOT to "Educate" a pump collector ! Ed Shaver

DID you buy the book off ebay for $1,000.00? LOL

Re-write prices where you think they should be. Maybe Restored vs Barn finds or w/ & w/o cylinders/visi's/sheet metal.
I do.

...the prices aren't 'a joke' - they are still pretty accurate, relative to one another...

...I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you're thinking of spending more than $100 on a gas pump, buy the $@&%* books...at least TRY to do some research before asking a million questions, that would be easily answered by doing the research in the first place...

I'd rather have a seller/farmer see book w/ a LOW Inaccurate price on pumps than current Barret Jackson/Auction Results.

gulfiend, when did you start paying more than $10ea?
ROTF,LMAO

IF ya can't rib ur friends, it's cause ya have none, they all died.

Jack has said that the pricing was the publishers idea to sell the book...the same occurs on pest control books. I have books that still recommend DDT but the backround information is still great which is why I keep them.

I have Jack's recent pump book and I think as Gulfiend said the prices are still good relative to each other to see which pumps may be more scace than others and therfor be worth more. You can use that scale to put current prices on pumps, allowing for regional scarity, fads, etc. So in that regard Jack listing prices is helpful.

And if I were buying pumps I would, in pencil make notes about average current prices and would update each year, for any pump I would research. I think awhile back a certain Mr. X (unnamed so he won't be bugged by newbies) gave the list a tutorial on how he figures prices by showing us his crib sheets, tho I don't remember what the cribsheet items were...

Paul, maybe you should tell them you'd be happy to talk to them about an item you have in stock, but don't like discussing pumps you haven't seen up close and in person...

Dave Hathaway's monitor top restoration? I have one in my kitchen that I restored years ago and is still in good working order for an 80+ year old frig. Dave needs that frig. back quick to put all that chicken in that he is going to bring to Dixie. Home Cookin !! Dave

Paul, I am very familiar with what you have outlined in your post and share your fustrations.

Between balancing family & business committments, going out finding new items, restoring cars, restoring gas pumps, building signs, day to day chores of running a business. Time is a pretty rare comodity (shop rate $45.00 an hour)....if there were 48 hrs in a day; I still wouldn't get everything done that I set out to do every morning. Simply put...not enough hours in a day.

I give potential customers about 5 minutes of my time before I tell them that I have to go. Sometimes, I am forced to be blunt with people and tell them that fielding their calls does not pay my bills. They are keeping me away from paying customers and that I would rather be answering questions for people that support my business. i.e. come and spend some money and I'll answer a few questions.

People have a false sense of entitlement. They expect me to waste my time telling them what an item is worth so that they can go buy it from someone else. Waste my time, but line someone elses pockets with money....How does that benefit me, or at the end of the month pay my bills??? If they have the right to ask, then I have a right to not answer.

Haven't you guys seen the new TV commercial where the kid ask a question & guy behind counter/desk ask for his Credit Card?
I need your Credit Card before I can answer that question. Kid throws up his hands & walks out!
LOL

I think the skillful part of running your own business is extricating yourself out of situations that are not profitable vs. complaining about them.

I reckon business interuptions to deal with people that aren't going to buy from you has always been a part of self employment. I remember when owning a service station, elbow deep into fixing a car, having to take time out to give an estimate on tires that I knew the guy was never going to buy. Or the part store guys giving a price quote for a waterpump only to have the potential customer go elsewhere.

Regarding giving free pump appraisals over the phone, instead of looking it up, there's no harm in saying "I don't know, let me encourage you to buy Jack's pump book or check auction results online" What did that take...20 seconds?

I too get a ton of phone calls and emails. I made a great mistake when I wrote the books, I put my email address in both books and my phone number in the Air Meter book.

Since the only thing I sell is ECO parts, I try to keep the gas pump related calls to a minimum, and when it come to values, I just tell them I cannot put a value on anything I cannot see. Some tell me they will send pictures, I tell them not to bother, I have to see the pump in person.

I really agree with Dave Gill, time is money, if it is obvious that you are not making a money talking on the phone, it is time go get off the phone. My best excuse is "My wife just called me to (breakfast, lunch or dinner) or My wife just walked in the door with some hot food."

Jack Sim

Dick, I've thought about the credit card angle. I'll try Jack's theory about only giving opinions if I can see it in person. End of story. Thanks guys for all the help. I got a really pleasant phone call yesterday, from an Oldgasser. We talked for twenty minutes and laughted about the stupidity of all the problems in the world. Mine are nothing. Paul www.severngaspumps.com