View Full Version : Hey kid, wanna buy some speakers?
Jamie Tate
09-11-2003, 01:28 PM
So, I'm filling up my car at a gas station (in a not so desirable part of town) and I see a white van approaching me. Two dudes are in it, both with wide, shifty eyes indicating they had several of your basic juvenile pharmaceuticals going through their systems. One of the guys, the driver, is hanging halfway out the window yelling at me with the enthusiasm of an infomercial. Seriously, he's like Mr. Popeil and pre-bankruptcy Susan Powder all in one overly enthusiastic guy. He stops about three feet away from me and yells, HEY DUDE, DO YOU WANNA BUY SOME SPEAKERS?!?!?! (He was obviously yelling due to hearing loss from listening to the damn things.)
All I said back to him was, "Why are you guys always in white vans?"
He ignored me and asked if I wanted to upgrade my speakers. I told him I was set. He then asked what kind of speakers I have and I told him very expensive ones but he wasn't satisfied and asked what brand they were. I told him I had Tannoys, Genelecs, JBLs, KRKs, Mackies... He looked confused, like someone asked him to spell his name and said, "Nope, never heard of them" and, with the subtlety of three gin and tonics on an empty stomach began right up again... WANNA BUY SOME SPEAKERS?!?!?!
As I got in my car I heard him start to cuss me out, calling me a snob and several things I can't post here.
People like this should be strung up by their go-betweens.
teaser5
09-11-2003, 01:32 PM
So I guess you didn't buy them then....
I believe they come in very large cabinets.
Usually that means they are really good!
;)
Peace-
Norm
AudioEnz
09-11-2003, 01:42 PM
Hey Jamie,
the "white van" speakers strike again!
These guys have been all over Australia, New Zealand, England and the USA for years. I even wrote an article about them way back in around 1998.
Brian Cruz
09-11-2003, 01:57 PM
Hey, these may be the same guys that asked me if I wanted to buy a home entertainment center today. I was near Music Row. I was just walking down the street! May be because I actually dressed up today, had to meet the big whigs.
PMC7027
09-11-2003, 02:15 PM
Why didn't you call the police? There is a chance that somewhere a warehouse was robbed in order to fill that white van.
Brian Cruz
09-11-2003, 02:25 PM
Originally posted by PMC7027
Why didn't you call the police? There is a chance that somewhere a warehouse was robbed in order to fill that white van.
Hmm...that makes too much sense!!
Jamie raises a good point. I've heard this story many, many times and it's always a WHITE van. Why is that?
Brian Cruz
09-11-2003, 02:49 PM
Originally posted by RDK
Jamie raises a good point. I've heard this story many, many times and it's always a WHITE van. Why is that?
Anonymity?
Originally posted by seckels
Anonymity?
Yeah, I would think so...
I wonder how many times a police officer's heard "it was some guy in a white van". What make of van was that sir? "I dunno, a white van"! Now did you happen to get the lincense plate number sir? "No." :sigh: :D
quadanasazilands
09-11-2003, 03:17 PM
These guyz are not thieves in the classic sence but they sell the crappiest 12' 3 ways ever built. This scam is 20 years old now and yes they always seem to have a white van. The group I became aware of was out of Cal. and literally they get losers off the streets and send them every where with these white rental vans full of these speakers. They always remind me of carnies. You will see them at big city swap meets a lot.
BradOlson
09-11-2003, 03:31 PM
It's a shame that you got white vanned , Jamie. Good thing you refused the offer.
Jamie Tate
09-11-2003, 03:40 PM
Weren't the DC snipers falsely reported to have been in a white van? I just assumed they were speaker salesmen that went postal. :D
Ted Bell
09-11-2003, 03:52 PM
I had this happen about 6 months ago in a gas station near my home (not a shabby part of town). I just said "no thanks" and started laughing. They try to make you think they're hot (stolen) high end speakers and you're getting a great deal-in reality, as others have said , they are junky speakers and they will take any price they can get.
Jay
Jeffrey
09-11-2003, 03:53 PM
Hi,
I own a pair of these. What are you guys trying to tell me? :D
-Jeffrey
Ted Bell
09-11-2003, 04:00 PM
Originally posted by Jeffrey
Hi,
I own a pair of these. What are you guys trying to tell me? :D
-Jeffrey
Get yourself a white van and go to gas stations to try to sell them:hurl:
Originally posted by Jeffrey
Hi,
I own a pair of these. What are you guys trying to tell me? :D
-Jeffrey
It's time for a serious upgrade? :D
These white vanners have been around since the 1970's. I remember when I was 13 back in '73 some white vanners hanging around our local Safeway and trying to sell these crappy car and home speakers. Even at that young age these ears knew they were crap. ;)
Claviusb
09-11-2003, 04:04 PM
Jamie Tate
09-11-2003, 04:21 PM
Originally posted by Claviusb
...also... (
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/InPerson/speaker_scams.htm)
From this site...
They always have this bug-eyed shifty look to them
From my post...
Originally posted by Yesman
Two dudes are in it, both with wide, shifty eyes
Must've been the same guys. :laugh: :rolleyes: :D
Claviusb
09-11-2003, 04:45 PM
Either that, or they only hire neurotics with thyroid problems.
JonUrban
09-11-2003, 05:21 PM
I remember this as far back as 1971.
I wonder if there is a yearly convention of these guys?
LAS VEGAS HILTON
*** The White Van Speaker Vendor Convention ***
See the latest models! Hear lectures from expert sellers.
Watch the "Hey Dude, Wanna Buy Some Speakers" How-To Video!
Which vans are best for speaker storage.
How to build your own large box speaker from pulled auto 6x9 Jensens.
Reserve your room today!
Jamie Tate
09-11-2003, 06:13 PM
You gotta love mothers.
I sent this to my mom and here's the email she sent back.
Originally posted by Mom
Do me a favor, Sweetie, and start going to stations that are in the better (and safer) parts of town. PLEASE!!!! You never know how these kind of characters are going to behave.
Promise?????
I LOVE YOU! and I want you to be safe.
Love,
Mom
P.S. I can get those same speakers for cost +3%, honey.
Claviusb
09-11-2003, 07:11 PM
Jamie, your mom is the best!
It's almost like some weird X-Files conspiracy. You know, alien agents working undercover out of white vans in order to corrupt the audio fidelity of today's youth. A version of the Men in Black... ;)
Originally posted by oblio98
Watch the "Hey Dude, Wanna Buy Some Speakers" How-To Video!
http://www.freeadpower.org/~mrsmiles/otn/laughing/yelrotflmao.gif
stereoptic
09-12-2003, 02:47 AM
wrote:It's almost like some weird X-Files conspiracy. You know, alien agents working undercover out of white vans in order to corrupt the audio fidelity of today's youth. A version of the Men in Black...
funny, I was thinking along those lines also.
I can remember the white vans from about the early 1980's here in NY!
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