What's the deal with selling speakers from a van? [Archive]

View Full Version : What's the deal with selling speakers from a van?

Judge Smails

01-04-2006, 12:04 PM

I'm going to submit this post David Lee Roth style, because I believe it to be the future of the radio medium and human communication in general.Da da da da da dadaWhen I was a younger man I drove around in a red TransAm.  (Let the Guido jokes fly).  I didn't even ask for the car.  My folks got it for me, and who would refuse it in my position?Da da da da da dadaSo, the car proved to be somewhat of a chick magnet, but it also seemed to attract an inordinate amount of greasy, shifty looking guys driving around in vans who would stop and ask me if I was interested in buying some speakers.  I'm not exagerrating when I say it must have happened on at least 20 occassions. I never once engaged these guys in conversation. I always politely told them I wasn't interested and went about my business.  I remember someone once mentioning something about it being a scam of some sort but I never got the particulars.Da da da da da dadaFlash forward about ten years.  I haven't given these guys any more thought. I asumed that it was just an early 90's thing and the guys found some other scam.  Or, maybe it's just because I'm married with two kids now and drive around in an SUV with a car seat in the back that takes me out of their target audience.Da da da da da dadaAnyway, I'm taking down my Christmas lights today when a white van pulls over, honks its horn, and the guy motions me to the curb where he asks me if I'm interested in buying some speakers.  It was like a twilight zone episode.  I was both annoyed and nostaglic at the same time.  Anyone know anything about these type of guys?  Have they still been around all these years and just flying under my radar?  If so, what exactly is the scam?  How much money can these guys possibly make driving around aimlessly through a middle class suburban neighborhood on a Wednesday afternnon?Da da da da da dada 

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b47/alden97/sigpicfrescav.jpg

suggums

01-04-2006, 12:09 PM

Read something a while back that basically likened them to the bag o' sunglasses guys on the streets of NY.  Basically they're cheap knockoffs of whatever speaker company they're claiming to be selling.  Not sure how it's lasted so long, and I'm more curious as to why it's always a white van. 

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mikeyboy

01-04-2006, 12:13 PM

I've run into these types a few times.  Did you get the line that their boss "accidentally" gave them an extra set of speakers, so they would be willing to get rid of the extra set for cheap?

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suggums

01-04-2006, 12:15 PM

<a title="scam" href="http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1" target="_self">http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1</a><a href="http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1">http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1</a>   Too lazy to link.    Your welcome. <img src="http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4237/suggumskilgore5id.jpg" border="0" />

This message was edited by jafter on 1-4-06 @ 8:08 PM

Judge Smails

01-04-2006, 12:29 PM

quote: Did you get the line that their boss "accidentally" gave them an extra set of speakers, so they would be willing to get rid of the extra set for cheap? I remember getting that line back in the day.  Also, I remember the guys being a lot more personable.  This guy today was definitely not a CLOSER.  Either that or he realized that he was way out of his element and that I looked more annoyed than interested.  He gave me a half hearted "Hey, you wanna buy some speakers?"  and as soon as I said no he says OK and drives off.Kids today, bunch of slackers.  In my day a bunco artist wouldn't take NO for an answer so quickly.Oh yeah :  Da da da da da dada 

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b47/alden97/sigpicfrescav.jpg

kevcala

01-04-2006, 12:52 PM

I went to one of those links and it described to a 't' the story a
friend of mine once told me about him buying these awesome speakers
from a truck.  I remember being so jealous thinking, "Why, does he
get all the lucky breaks?".  I just called him to ask about the
speakers and he said, "Don't do it dude." before I even explained why I
was calling. 

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SouthSideJohnny

01-04-2006, 02:24 PM

Someone tried to sell me speakers last week while I was sitting at a light.  They had "a few extra sets 'cause the warehouse screwed up and gave them too many."  This is the first time it happened in a few years, but overall, it's happened to me about 10 times.20/20 or Dateline did a story on this about 7 or 8 years ago.  They staked out the warehouse in the morning, and after these guys had their morning coffee, about 10 or 12 guys came out of the warehouse and got in white mini-vans and hit the road at the same time.  The speakers were the cheapest shit on the market, but they put them in boxes so they look like name brand speakers.

Death Metal Moe

01-04-2006, 02:32 PM

I got it once up on a jobsite in Port Jervis, NY.  They stuck around for a total of 5 minutes tops, but they got the hint.Get the fuck out of here, lowlifes.

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