RE: (ET) Re: Parts....

["Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com>]

Let me change the perspective on parts/prices.

I have dealt with Bill Gunn, as well as others.  I have dealt at length 
with
used parts.  The REAL problem in both cases is SHIPPING!  MOST of the parts
are heavy.  Recently, I was pricing a tiller from Bill, and shipping to me
came out at over $200.  That's truck freight, and a good rate for truck
freight; I checked.  It was only a few hundred miles.  The only reason the
original ET, or any other heavy things like it could ever have been 
marketed
as inexpensively as they were was the idea of a dealer network.  The
shipping cost is amortized across many units.  Unfortunately, that is now
pretty much impossible.  I can envision no combination of users able to set
up a routine shipping enterprise, whether on new or used parts.  ET people
know that driving even say, 100 miles to get a particular item is not all
that unusual.  Bill could sell more parts if shipping were lower, because
more people would be able to afford the parts.  That could drive lower
prices.  The real issue is that after Wheel Horse (or perhaps New Idea-- I
don't know which was last), there was no such network.  Unless fuel prices
hit $15/gallon, no lawn company is going to step up and buy all the prints
and tooling from Bill, and start building and shipping again.  In fact, 
most
would start from scratch, at least with the controls because better are
available now.  They would probably also go with a rear-steer deck as those
are more popular because of the tighter turning circle.  The ET is fun but
to be honest, it will never be more than an collectors oddity at this point
in time.  Pity.

Larry Elie