I want to share with this list my recent experience in buying a new and
complete MTR2000 Repeater Station.
One of my Personal Rules is that I never pay "sticker price" for cars or
anything else. I digress: Several years ago, when I was shopping for a
sporty car for my wife, I looked at a (then new) 1979 Mazda RX-7 that
actually had a dealer-applied sticker that was $2,000 ABOVE the factory
sticker price! When the salesman came out to try to "sell" me on the
car, I informed him that not only was I NOT going to pay $2,000 above
the sticker price, I was going to pay about $1,200 BELOW the sticker
price. We entered into a lot of haggling, in which the Sales Manager
participated, but I did get my car for about $3,000 below the window
price- but I got a complete set of Mazda service manuals as part of the
deal (a $250 value!)
I bring this anecdote up, because I believe that many individuals and
clubs (apparently) pay whatever the ONE dealer quotes them for
commercial-grade repeaters. I use a different tack. I put together a
specific list of equipment I require, and I ask several dealers to
submit a quote for EXACTLY the equipment I specified, inclusive of all
taxes and shipping charges. There is no room whatsoever for add-ins,
options, and hidden charges.
When I recently sent out an RFQ (Request for Quotation) for a
T5544/T5766 MTR2000 Repeater Station to six different Motorola dealers,
I received quotes ranging from $3923 to $5150. That's a range of
$1,200! One of the dealers had the gall to claim that his quote was
"highly competitive." NOT! His quote was among the highest, and at a
level I consider to be gouging. I have no doubt that some individuals
and clubs will pay this guy whatever he asks, and if these shoppers
don't have the common sense to shop around, they deserve to be gouged.
If and when you or your club decides to purchase a new commercial-grade
repeater, make these dealers fight for your business! I know that the
dealers who do a few million bucks a month in radio sales can afford to
give you a low-margin bid, but any dealer who wants to BUILD his or her
business must seek out low-margin sales in order to achieve that
status. Moreover, don't feel that you have to keep some shyster in
business!
I always include Houston Communications and Delmmar Communications in
any RFQ I issue. Not surprisingly, one or the other of these two
companies get most of my business. DISCLAIMER: I have no financial
connection to either of these companies; I am merely a satisfied
customer of both.
73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY
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