Jeff, that very well may be as I have never even met Ed, I have talked with Dan and I do find him to be about the hobby first and the money second. I dont know enough about all of Ed's practices to make a personal defense on this issue, but I will defend the fact that a person should not be classified as Greedy because he took a lot of time to do his homework. As for what he charges and who he charges, that was not the issue or the point of the other conversation, the point was that Ed was being criticized for being the first to buy the car because he was the best informed to do so based on the wealth of information he has compiled over the years through his research. While I am sure some in the hobby had voluntairily produced documents for him that aided in his ability to make a quick decision, it is also true that those complaining because they didnt get the car due to the fact they didnt have access to the same info were not working side by side with Ed over the years putting together his files of information. Ed has made his years of work into a business, not just a hobby, and no one is being forced to use his services. Based on that line of thinking that it may be wrong to charge for his consultation, I guess that would also make it wrong for Joel Rosen to charge for his services also. I am quite sure Ed didnt compile his data overnight, it took time and dedication, so let those complaining spend the same amount of time compiling the same data themselves. It would seem to me that if he had enough foresight to compile this data over a long period of time that it certainly is his to do with as he chooses. All the years of work and research he put into gaining that info has givin him the ability to document the COPO cars, be it through old documentation or through general knowledge of what he has learned over the years. Nothing in life is free, if the late comers to the information game want to give away what they learned well my hats off to them as that is a noble thing to do, as well as their choice to do so, just as it is Ed's choice to get compensated for the time and effort he put in, which could have been spent in other ways, such as spending it with his family. The complainers here who didnt have the necessary information to make a snap decision on the car are just ruffled that they didnt get it first. Welcome to the hardships of any competitive business or hobby. He is known as one of the best informed in the business, so making a comparison if you take the top flight stock brokers and consultants, I am quite sure you wont find them providing their services or info based on years of dedicated education for free. For anyone who didnt get the car first from a lack of information, get over it and go do some hard research so maybe next time they will be better informed to make a quick judgment call. No matter who got the car, there no doubt would have been somone unhappy that they didnt get it and blaming it on someone else. Spend less time finger pointing and complaining and more time doing research and being on the hunt. IMO.
Motown
