Prices. I fight about them with advertisers, with other editors, and with readers.
Advertisers have been known to freak out when our stories include discount prices from Summit Racing or Jeg's and beg us to list "suggested retail" instead, as if that's a relevant number to anyone. Why they think it's to their benefit to show prices significantly higher than what you can buy things for in the real world is somewhat baffling, but it stems from complaints from other dealers who can't offer the same deals. I figure if a manufacturer is scared of Summit pricing, then they shouldn't sell through Summit. The same goes for swap meets, and it's not like eBay Motors is a big secret, either.
Other editors hate me for listing every nut and bolt it takes to really build things, because that makes it tougher for them to put ludicrously cheap labels on their own stories. They hate me for editorially calling them out like I'm doing right now, as if their bogus claims aren't as transparent to the readership as they are to me. If you're not clued in, here are some tips: If you see a story that makes an overall price claim without including an itemized price list, then the total price is nothing but a guess. Likewise, when you read about "540 hp for $4,800" or whatever, ask yourself what they're leaving out. If there is an itemized list, scrutinize it and find out how that engine was able to run without machine work, a timing chain, freeze plugs, or any gaskets. That's crucial stuff that drives up the investment in an engine, but that's pretty easy for an editor to "overlook." Also keep your eyes peeled for the prime sin in magazine budget stories: The "we had it sitting around" factor. I'll never forget being about 15 or 16 and reading in Popular Hot Rodding that they'd built an engine for cheap using some aluminum Brodix heads that "were just sitting around." I felt lied to.
Which brings me to the only complainers that matter: the readers. Many have accused me of spurious pricing because I live in California, land of rust-free sheetmetal, pull-it-yourself junkyards, and monthly swap meets. Yet with the advent of the Internet, all that stuff is available to you nationwide with just a shipping fee. I can sleep at night with the knowledge that my prices are totally legit, and if I do use something I already had, then I reveal that to the readers and assign the widget a fair market value, new or used. I make every effort to include every single penny I needed to spend to complete the project.
But readers still gripe that stuff ends up too expensive, and that argument could be levied against last month's paint story on the Disco Nova and this month's buildup of its powerplant. I know we'll hear from some who claim they've built more power for less cash, and that's certainly not impossible, but my question to them is always the same: Did you really add up every price, or are you just guessing? Are you overlooking the price of the carb you used because you already had it? Which leads me to my own quandary: How many parts should really be included?
By David Freiburger
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