DMC parts vendors vs. Joe's Auto Parts

["cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxx>]

I'm a firm believer that only nickle-and-dime stuff should be bought 
from "Joe's Auto Parts". 

It's also true that we all have to fabricate some stuff on our own 
because we don't all live in Houston, or Long Island or California.

I do strongly endorse using the vendors whenever possible for 2 main 
reasons.

1) It's just a harsh fact of life that if you own a car like this, 
you'll need professional help sometime. If these guys go out of 
business because we don't buy their stuff, they won't be there when 
we need the really unique stuff that only they carry. 

2) All the vendors I've spoken with have been VERY free with their 
technical advice. These guys are lousy business men. They're actually 
HONEST! :-) I've actually been STOPPED from buying parts because I 
was on the wrong track, about to purchase something that wasn't 
necessary, saving me hundreds of dollars. Plus, vendor parts just 
plain eliminate the question: "Dang, this thing SHOULD work...it 
looks just like the old one!"

I've spent 11 years on nuclear submarines. Vendors are like submarine 
shipyards. We don't NEED more submarines but we build them 1 or so 
per year becuase if we allow the labor and tech pool to disband and 
pursue other work, we won't know HOW to build or fix them when we do.

Support your favorite vendor. (No, I wasn't paid)

Rich
#5335