From my viewpoint, I do not feel sorry for anyone who does not research before buying. If they want to pay $495.00 to some (fill in the blank here with expletive, adjective, or?) for a five dollar item, too bad. I only wonder how many people turn away from the hobby, when the hard lesson finally sinks into their gray matter. Or worse, when someone who is considering entering sees these outrageous prices, and passes for another type of entertainment. The sad part is if they'd paid just a little attention, we might have gained someone really valuable to this great activity!
Boxcab: I do feel sorry for these people. They are found on Ebay as well as at the model train shows that travel the country. Someone takes their kid to a show, decides to buy them a train and gets 20 year old junk for current new prices...train never runs worth a darn and there are two (father and son) people turned away from the hobby. Everyone was a nubie at some point, the ones who became vets either just toughed it out or got some good advice from someone at some point. One reason I try to pass on advice is to pay the advice given to me over the years back...
There is a guy that is a fixture at train shows in Southern California. He wears a loud shirt. This guy has mostly old junk that he marks up through the roof, then gives a 40 or 50% discount. Final cost is about the same as new Kato locos. I do feel sorry for the newbies he preys on. They get this stuff home, it doesn't run well because it is junk to begin with, and the customer thinks all N Scale is junk. I don't know if he sells on E Bay.
That's why whenever I have someone ask me if Ebay is a good place to find a train, I always tell them that is one of the worst places to start. One, for the reasons mentioned above, and with Ebay you can physically see and handle the items before you purchase them, so you are essentially taking a total crap-shoot. You don't really know if it works or not until you get it. I would usually suggest a train show or train store as you can actually test and handle the item before you buy (In most cases). Pete, I can relate, there is also usually (but not all the time) a guy who does the exact same at the shows here in Denver (The real annoying thing is that every so often he has that one piece you have been looking for, but it is in rather poor shape in overly expensive). Which is why I tell friends when they go to wait and see if they found something they like as they may be able to find it for cheaper and in better condition.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Lot-o...813476?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3380e4d8e4 If only I had $2000 just lying around "so many pictures, ebay won't let me post them all" yikes
Condition: "As described, unless stated." ?!? Delivery between May 4 and 5. Includes more than 30 days handling time. With free "Expedited Shipping"? Even if it was something I wanted, at a reasonable price, I'd pass.
That made no sense to me when I read it. Badly garbled terms of sale, if you'd ask me. A newbie seller with no idea what they are doing.
But if you look really close, you can see a set of that "High speed" SP stuff still in the little cardboard boxes; so you KNOW that it's a quality auction!
So what is a "Coach Glass Ass Inspection Car"? As directed, I looked at the photos to see the details but I don't see what I'm looking for www.ebay.com/itm/N-Scale-Con-Cor-Coach-Glass-Ass-Inspection-Car-Custom-Built-/261194139395
"Glass Ass Inspection Car" means that the ad writer uses the term "ass" as a vernacular term for end or rear. The end of the car is bashed to represent a large viewing window. In the more detailed description, the offering is called a "Very Unique Custom Car". It's nitpicking, but unique is supposed to mean one of a kind, so there are not degrees of unique. It's either unique or not. However, I hope the unique is accurate, but I never want to see one of these again.
"Very unique" and its kind "fairly unique," "pretty unique" et. al. are like nails on a blackboard to my wife, and to me to a lesser extent. (I rank misuse of "it's" and "its" higher on my personal nails on the blackboard scale.)
Pete- There is a guy that is from Portland that I see at shows in the Seattle area too that is the same way. I dont buy anything from him. I do however stop by I have seen the old Atlas/Roco GP7/9s on his table for $75! YIKES!!!! HE preys on people that are new in the hobby, or kids that are there with their parents that want them to buy a choo choo. Take ti home to run and find it out, it nothing more than worn out junk! I feel sorry for these people. And worse yet. It is sellers like him that give our beloved hobby a bad name. Ryan
I think I have seen the guy you mean... I doubt it. His MO wouldn't work there. I wonder if and how he actually makes money.
Yes there is. And personally, if I was planning the show, I would not invite someone like that to be a vendor. The guy that I am referring to takes forever in a day to setup and is always the last person to be done packing up too. One year we were there until almost 11pm during tear down. The show was over at 5pm and pretty much everyone was done by 8, except this one guy. I must say though, people that have over priced worn out junk though, it is comical to see some of the ridiculous prices they are asking for some of the junk. Ryan
Here is one that's not so funny for the seller. The buyer looks like a real piece of work. http://tinyurl.com/cg3f5kg Background: The seller owns a train store in Calgary. They took in a very large collection and have been selling it on E Bay. I don't know who this buyer is, but I blocked him. It will be interesting to see if E Bay lets this feedback stand.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LifeLike-N-...861667?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item564d683223 Kato? Never heard of them.
Wow! That's just a stunning abuse of the Feedback process. All for a measly cracked jewel case cover? This is what the Contact Buyer function is for, not the Feedback function.
Boy,don't get me started today..I had a Harley Sportster triple tree on Ebay,a rare NOS custom piece.Had it on for 150 bucks,guy offers me 125 with free shipping before it goes off.I told him I was gonna relist it,said I'd put a buy it now on it.I did,125 bucks,25 shipping..He buys it,says he offered me 125 & free shipping,wants his 25 bucks back..I told him I never agreed to his terms,just told him I'd relist it with a BIN,YOU SHOULDA READ THE LISTING..He agrees,I send it..Get a nasty E-mail a week later,it doesn't fit his bike,a '72 Sportster.."Guess what bud??"..It says fits Harley Sportsters with 35mm tapered top fork tubes"..If yours is a 72,it has THIRTY THREE mm fork tubes..Once again,you didn't read the listing..Just got a shipping notice,didn't tell him I'd take them back,but I'm getting them whether I want them or not.And oh yeah,he sent them to the wrong address,my house,not my shop.He didn't leave feedback yet,doesn't know who he's jerking around,He's not even getting his trees back until he leaves me AMAZING feedback now.I just may keep what I spent on the shipping..
