Quote from: HipGnosis on Yesterday at 09:05:25 PM

Quote from: chornbe on Yesterday at 08:08:59 PM

Businesses aren't greedy. They're profit centers, and the "nicer" the place - aka dealer vs. mom-n-pop shop in a 70 year old repurposed gas station - the higher the overhead and expenses.

You voted with your wallet.

If everyone does that, then the ford dealer closes up. Then you have to weigh the option of driving x-number of miles/hours further to get to the next one when you do need them. If that's worth it to you, then continue voting the way you did.

But it's not greed. It's not gouging. It's simple economics; perhaps the simplest of all.

The stakes get really crazy once you go public and sell shares. Then the business becomes a money making machine for the shareholders, and they're a demanding lot.

Everyone should own and run their own business at least once in life. Perspectives change.

I understand what you're saying but...
I'm throwing the BS flag!
$720 to do a 30 min job (with their rack and power tools) and $170 of parts is GREED!

I dunno. At my old shop, electricity was like $1300 a month to power the lights, the $3500 air compressor, the two in-ground air/oil power lifts, the one above-ground electric hydraulic lifts, the alignment rack and lasers, the gas forced-air heater to keep the 20-foot ceiling bays warm for the mechanics to be able to work through the Winter, each being paid a living wage, carrying business & damage liability insurance, and then keeping materials like oil, ATF, brake fluid, anti-freeze, brake cleaner, carb cleaner, keeping the SafetKleen tank maintained, keeping the pipe bender maintained and operating, and so on and so on, and so on. OH, and the franchise fees. The owner wasn't greedy. I wasn't greedy managing it. That was ~30 years ago.

I'm not defending the shop you're talking about. But I'm saying people who don't run a business are rarely aware of the actual costs that all stack up, and what it took to equip, and keep it going.

Businesses aren't greedy. They're profit centers, and the "nicer" the place - aka dealer vs. mom-n-pop shop in a 70 year old repurposed gas station - the higher the overhead and expenses.

You voted with your wallet.

If everyone does that, then the ford dealer closes up. Then you have to weigh the option of driving x-number of miles/hours further to get to the next one when you do need them. If that's worth it to you, then continue voting the way you did.

But it's not greed. It's not gouging. It's simple economics; perhaps the simplest of all.

The stakes get really crazy once you go public and sell shares. Then the business becomes a money making machine for the shareholders, and they're a demanding lot.

Everyone should own and run their own business at least once in life. Perspectives change.

Genuine question... like, not trying to be an asshole (that part just happens naturally ) - what's stopping you from opening a biz and doing it more the way you want it to be? Is the market too small for more players? Or locked up by people in it a long time?