I understand where you're coming from. Maybe I didn't explain this clearly.

This was an inspection, not a repair estimate. Were there details that would be inexpensive for even a non-mechanic like me to fix? Yeah. But when I'm buying an inspection, I'd want every single one of those details when I went back to the seller to negotiate price. Wouldn't you?

When I wanted advice on buying an MB, I hit the forums. Almost everyone I spoke with mentioned getting a PPI. Ben was recommended by a couple different people for an Austin MB indy.

Ben could have easily suggested I buy this car and pitched me on the idea that if I want a car like this, I need to expect to spend another $5k fixing it up. He could have tried to convince me that if I wanted to, we could do a little at a time and with his help, I'd have a great car.

He didn't. And he didn't try to recommend a car he had or a customer had. He doesn't sell cars. When I mentioned that there was another car I was interested in, he offered to go on a test-drive and give me his opinion without charging me.

Had Ben recommended buying the car but only at a far lower price, I probably would have gotten advice on the forum for each and every item as I'd already done with the problem with the failed clear coat on the hood and the wheels needing refinishing.

As you suggested, there's a BIG difference between what you're seeking and what I'm seeking.

People pay me $175 an hour to write sales copy for them. And they don't even get a printed copy, I email a file to them. Isn't that ridiculous? Don't they know they could buy word processing software for less than $10 on eBay and write it themselves? Does that mean I'm a crook?

Of course not. People are paying for my training and experience.
So, don't discount the value of your own experience and time. I enjoy detailing cars but other than something as simple as changing out an air filter, don't enjoy getting under the hood. Now, taking computers apart and putting them back together again I love. Maybe I should buy a new Mercedes and an 17 year old computer.

Quit worrying about all your friends’ I-told-you-so’s. My experience has been that these sorts are very insecure anyway, and certainly would never take such a chance with such things in life. In general, these sorts rush home every day and lock the doors.

This might be a little off-topic but you brought it up so...

I was in the music biz for 25 years starting at 15 when I was selling vintage guitars to rock stars. Made a bit of money managing British rock bands, quit music when I decided I hated the kind of music that was popular. Sold my house, left the big city and moved to a small town in the Texas Hill country to making my living on the Internet. Two years ago, I married a 25 year old girl from Russia that I met in Germany.

Except for pegging me as one that worries about such people, your 'diagnosis' is right on the money. These people live in fear and the only thing that frightens them more than taking a risk is the idea that someone else might do so and succeed. They'll do anything to stop that from happening.

I eliminate people like that from my life as quickly as possible.

Thanks for all your feedback. I appreciate it.

~Bill