Ken Levan
Albuquerque, NM
Will inspect Airstream trailers within 40 miles of Albuquerque on request;
others more distant if it is on the way to somewhere I'm going anyway.
Thanks to John for checking out a trailer 2300 miles away from me.
He did a very professional job!
Thanks again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AYRSTRM2
When do you need it looked at? I might be able to do it on Sunday, I'm going downriver, as we call it, to look at a sailboat. Email me: ssbtdoom at gmail.com
Willing to inspect in SF Bay Area, from San Francisco to Berkeley to as far south as Morgan Hill/Gilroy.. Have digital camera, ice pick and healthy dose of skepticism....
John McG
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Condoluminum
In Theory, there's no difference between Theory and Practice, but in Practice, there is usually a difference...
Yeah mods , I know that this should be posted to the "so you want to buy a trailer trailer 3 states away" thread but I couldn't find that thread at a glance and maybe this thought does not need to be mingled with the numerous posts there.
I have, over time, been asked to do 6 volunteer inspections in my area. I obliged even though some trailers were as much as 80 miles away. 3 of the 6 trailers I inspected were purchased, 2 were not purchased on my recommendation and 1 was a no reply.
The most compensation I received was $20 which didn't even cover my gas expense.
I was of the opinion that this should be a reciprocal idea, i.e. you inspect a trailer for me and I'll do the same for another brother or sister AS nut, but this has not turned out to be the case in my experience.
IMHO, members who utilize this service should be prepared to pay the inspector a price that will at least cover the time and mileage or at very least join the volunteer inspectors list.
I see from personal experience that some folks will take advantage of a free offer which might save them thousands of dollars, and that is really sad here in our Aistream fellowship. I will ask Rich to remove me from the volunteer inspectors list.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
Wow, you get paid for inspections? I thought it was something you did to help a fellow Airstreamer out. I think I'll do it when I retire and supplement my pension.
Mike
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'05 30' Classic rear queen with a patriot blue '01 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel tow vehicle
Wow, you get paid for inspections? I thought it was something you did to help a fellow Airstreamer out. I think I'll do it when I retire and supplement my pension.
Mike
Cheap shot, flynmike. I hope it made you feel good, fellow Airstreamer. My Airstream friends don't take advantage of fellow Airstreamers. Let me know how you feel after you've done a number of these volunteer inspections. You're going to especially love it when you later discover that you did a free inspection for someone who buys and sells Airstream trailers for profit.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
Sorry to hear of the rough deal you have got from other AS fans.
Personally, I have offered to help folks with any 'inspection' assistance I can offer. I have yet to be taken up on the deal.
If perchance I do get asked, I will be sure to cover the 'type' of deal being considered. If there is a commercial vendor that is asking me to assist them with making a sweatheart deal/ or not - then I CERTAINLY expect to be VERY FAIRLY compensated even if the 'deal' goes belly up.
I am offering to help a fellow AS'er out, period. I am NOT doing this for profit and anyone that wants me to assist them with a money making enterprise will likely get an offer/ bill they won't consider.... OK by me.
Afterall, I CAN be bought, but it ain't gonna be cheap...!!!!!
As to the 'true' fellow AS'ers - I really wouldn't expect anything in return but perhaps a lunch where we can share stories, photos and swap flamingo's!
The ever higher gas/diesel costs do make the offer to assist a bit more daunting but hey, is there a price for helping out a friend?
Sorry to hear of the rough deal you have got from other AS fans.
Personally, I have offered to help folks with any 'inspection' assistance I can offer. I have yet to be taken up on the deal.
If perchance I do get asked, I will be sure to cover the 'type' of deal being considered. If there is a commercial vendor that is asking me to assist them with making a sweatheart deal/ or not - then I CERTAINLY expect to be VERY FAIRLY compensated even if the 'deal' goes belly up.
I am offering to help a fellow AS'er out, period. I am NOT doing this for profit and anyone that wants me to assist them with a money making enterprise will likely get an offer/ bill they won't consider.... OK by me.
Afterall, I CAN be bought, but it ain't gonna be cheap...!!!!!
As to the 'true' fellow AS'ers - I really wouldn't expect anything in return but perhaps a lunch where we can share stories, photos and swap flamingo's!
The ever higher gas/diesel costs do make the offer to assist a bit more daunting but hey, is there a price for helping out a friend?
Count me in. "Damn the torpedoes".
Axel
There are lots of good points raised in this thread. In the original thread, I thought Rich had mentioned that at a bare minimum, someone using this service should at least ask to reimburse the inspector for mileage. If mileage is important to you as an inspector, and it isn't offered up, then ask for it in advance. Then, no surprises and everyone is happy.
I have to agree about asking for a mileage charge up front if you want or need the compensation. However, you have to realize that there are lots of folks out there who are not qualified to inspect a trailer, so the idea of returning the favor probably isn't workable. I have inspected a couple of trailers for people, but never thought to ask for gas money. It was kind of an adventure and only about 100 miles away. With gas prices the way they are now, gas money might be a good thing to offer.
With the price of fuel going up by leaps and bounds, it may be a good idea to set a boundary for "absolutely free" inspections, of say, within 10 miles of your home. Anything over that, even (at the time I write this) $.15/mile will help defray the high cost of fuel.
Also, obviously someone took advantage of Roger's free service to make a profit, which is not in the spirit behind volunteer inspections.
I'll see if I can find out who currently has control of the volunteer list, and ask them to remove Roger from it, or at the very least make his "inspection area" a lot smaller.
What do you say Rog, within 10 miles for a private purchaser only, or drop you from the list altogether?
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Terry Important safety tip: Battery acid + baking soda= volcano...
AIR#2611
...............Rog , I couldn't agree more ! If , the trailer is maybe five miles away I'd be willing to pay you a minimum of 50 bucks just to take a look . Why shouldn't an airstreamer who has valuable knowledge be compensated for their time and effort ? Some folks are just cheap and try to turn their nickles into quarters by laying them on the railroad tracks . r66
........ You're going to especially love it when you later discover that you did a free inspection for someone who buys and sells Airstream trailers for profit.
That would burn me up, to the point of asking the mods to ban such a person from the 'forums. I cannot stand dishonesty, in any form. And yes, folks, I realize this is the internet. But this 'forum is anything but your typical internet site. I truely believe that most folks here have a basically decent reason to be here. I said most folks.
Jim
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."