Ebay Prices

Seems that prices for parts, ESPECIALLY magnetos are getting quite outrageous. How can somebody actually feel like they got a "deal" when spending over $300 for an AB-33 or $200 for an EK??? I would say wait till a swap meet but those prices might get high also!!! Time to take our mags off at night at the shows & lock them in our vehicles!!!

Hi Bob,

I always wonder when I go to a swap or auction some place and I see a pile of mags what ever happened to the engines they came off????

Kindest regards,

Adam

all the parts on ebay are high. i see some people bidding higher that they go new for,,, then they pay shipping, how can that be a bargain,, some times you can get lucky.. i bought a part that cost $155, from paddock,, and $145 from another dealer,,,well i got lucky and won the bid at $71 plus $15 for shipping, $86.. just gotta keep checking back often,, must just get lucky...engine nut

Bob a simple EK cost here in Holland $240-270. There aren't many of them so the price is high and there are not that many parts as in the States, so at this side of the pond we always have to pay lots of $$$. Seeing an item at eBay that's much wanted, then is the temtation great.

"Sixm" John

Ebay is NOT ABOUT deals,its about the old saying " if you need it and really want it you will find it on there" Just happens most people who shop ebay want it right now obviously.And im not just talking engines,I mean most stuff on there.I was bidding on a 15 year old JVC boom box with a graphic equalizer and short wave bands like I bought new around 1988.The bidding started at $5.00,I guess the other 16 people wanted it as bad as me come auctions end as it cost me $61.00!! I was bidding on a a lousy unopened box of Oxydol soap from the 1930's,again,cost me $25.00 when all was said and done.I set a high bid never thinking it would go that high.Snap-on tools,forget it you might as well buy them off the truck its just as expensive and they're new.I think because there is a sense of anonymousy that people spend like crazy on there and their friends wont ridicule them for being that crazy to spend that kind of money for something.If your selling you will make a fortune on there for sure.John.

Remember 1 thing. When you win a bid for something that was way too high, you were probably only $5.00 more stupid than the other person chasing you up that tree. Did you really want it $5.00 more than the other guy, SURE you did. Have fun with your new part. Al

used, prestine, EK mags have been going for around $200 for 2 years now (unless you find a smok'n deal at a swap- and sometimes there too!).

Through the grapevine, I heard of an auction with several engines ( mostly common ) -- nobody was there! Guy bought several engines ( like 50 or so? ) for dirt cheap like $50.00 each! didn't have a trailer to haul them all-- wasn't expecting to buy that many, so he took the mags off and left the engines there! NO, I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ENGINES! DONT EVEN ASK!

Here's my point of view: People ( like us ) will pay more for a dirty/original item than a brand spanking new/shiney item because we want the item to match the patina of our engine. ( when you have an old engine with 90% original paint, missing a muffler, oiler, auto sparker... and you put a brand new one on, it sticks out like a sore thumb ( to me ) -- some people don't care -- I DO! ( but I'm picky )... yea -- people laugh at us, we might pay some outrageous amount for something when we want it original, BUT depends on which side of the fence you're on...I'm sure the guy getting the money is smiling! and I'm smiling when I get my part! The only people laughing are other people, and at that point, it doesn't really matter to me!

Alot of times, due to work loads, we can't make it to shows and swaps so when something comes up for sale, it's easier for us to buy off ebay even if it DOES cost more -- because otherwise we would never have the opportunity to purchase the item! People on the West coast don't have that big of a selection of shows & swaps to attend ( not like us in the Midwest and East coast ) so they resort to ebay...

As far as taking parts off your engine while at a show? -- we've been doing that for years! we remove oilers, mags, auto sparkers, anything "easily removable". (unless we can camp next to our engines) Otherwise we have the chance of losing $700.00+ worth of items overnight - IF YOU CAN EVEN FIND REPLACEMENT PARTS! If you're just-now getting to that point, you've been doing good! ( just my $.02 cents worth -- not worth a penny! )

Yeah, it amazes me when I see people biding higher for something then they can buy it new, or from advertised parts dealers. There is an oiler right now at $900. I wonder if they throw in the engine for free?

Not everything is high. model casting kits are not (finished models are) New steam toys are not (broken antique ones are)Replica cast iron toys are not (those ambiguously worded so the buyer assumes its original are, but I won't play that game)

Many times, till you get done with all the ebay fees, and credit card fees, and oops the scale here says the pacage weighs 2# more than at home extra postage, and the too small to fart around filing an insurance claim, so I'll just replace the part costs, and the chasing after slow or no pay bidders, and . . . . It sure don't SEEM like you made very much money.

I've got Stuart kits up right now that are just sitting there. If they don't sell I'll still have to pay the listing fee. A couple items I've listed at fair value 3 or 4 times and STILL not sold, so what you make on one item often goes to what you lose on another.

We all like to vent, but over and over the strings say "vendor prices are too high", or "ebay prices are too high"...ARE THEY? If you count even half the gas, time, and entry fees, etc that you'd expend searching for some odd part off another exhibitor, then BOTH places are actually cheap. Convenience has its price.

If I sound grouchy, I apologise, its probably because I'm down with the flu, but I still meant what I said. Stumbling off my soapbox in search of chickun soup now...

I watched the AB-33 Bosch mag auction where the final price was $355. It was a good looking magneto, but really now! Of course the 2nd place bidder was at $350 so who's the fool?

I suspect that this is a situation where the 2 high bidders probably bid high so as to not lose out by a penny or two, but that can be a costly tactic, if you don't think it through.

Sometimes second place is the place to be. Furthermore, without examining a magneto in person, plan on having a few suprises. I know from experience that a mag you buy on eBay may have a few faults not disclosed, perhaps from seller ignorance, so you might want to make plans to get a second mag and put two together to get one good one. And don't get me started about shipping damage......

Sometimes its other way 'round and you get an outstanding deal. Another way of looking at it: I bought an AB-33 mag on eBay for $450 ! Oh, but the seller threw in a fine running 3 hp F-M ZA, everything local. Not a deal all would want, but I grabbed it. Starts up everytime, rain or shine.

Happy motoring !!!

A lot of the time bidders dont have a clue what something is worth. They just see some one else has bid on it and raise their bid a little at a time until they outbid the currant bidder. They think well if that fellow bid $100 surely it must be worth $105. I used to loose many auctions that way. There would be 20 bids on somethine and 19 were by the same guy raising there bid a little at a time until they just outbid me or maybe they dont under stand how ebay works and they think they will have to pay whatever their maxt bid is. Either way I am now a firm beleiver in those sniper programs. They have tripled my succes rate and gotten me things much more reasonable.I just decide what Im willing to pay and let them do the work.

And then there is the auctions lost to them &^^%$@#$# with the sniper programs!!! They out bid you with 5 seconds to go !!! Arghhh!!!

Jim

Hi, My Name is Bill, and I'm a rustaholic...

Something to keep in mind on the ebay discussion is that an item might be dime a dozen in your neck of the woods, but may be super rare in another part of the country....and as such brings a premium.

I recently sold an advertising thermometer on Ebay that around here is about a $70 item...on ebay it went for $305....where the buyer is at it is rare.

Then on the other hand...I just spent $90 for a single used envelope....call me an idiot, but in about 7 years of collecting that particular company's stuff...I have never seen this variation of logo....I just could not live without it....so what do you do....pony up and spend the bucks...lets face it guys...we are all hooked on this rusty old stuff one way or the other....I think in the end, ebay/internet has just made it easier to connect with more of the things we all love....and can't live without....Bill In Indiana

I use eBay because I KNOW I can get more money for my stuff there than I can locally. I BUY eBay because I can usually find what I'm looking for--can't always afford it but it shows up eventually. And as far as $355 for a good looking Bosch AB33 (I have to assume it was a working mag)---It costs at least $125 to have a coil put in a Bosch armature because they are such a PITA to replace. Let's face it: If they were so plentiful they wouldn't be bringing that kind of money. I paid $450 for a highbar KW mag because I NEEDED it. Craig

I'm not taking any sides on this but sniping does not outbid the highest bidder it just sneeks a bid in at the last min. so if you want something you have to place the max. bid from the get go and you will get it unless the guy biding with a sniper bid was higher. So bid according to what your willing to pay from the get go.BobRR

My viewpoint on all the crabbing and complaining on prices is many folks get upset if something sells for more than what they would like to see it sell for, not on what the true value is. Mags are a good example. First they put all mags in the same category, as is-hot-rebuilt & guaranteed from a mag service, etc. $300 or so for a guaranteed rebuilt mag is a good buy put into the proper perspective. Old obsolete engine mags are getting scarce and like rare antiques, but still cheap compared to new (easy to come by) mags which can cost at the low end $450.00 and up to $3000.00 for some new oilfield engine mags. Don't knock the collector's that know good value. Ed

yea, it's always frustrating when losing an auction for a mere $2.00 -- BUT whether sniping or proxy bidding, in EITHER CASE -- you are supposed to place your ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM BID.

And, maybe some of you don't know this --A proxy bidder CAN outbid a sniper IF your proxy bid is HIGHER than the snipers bid AND providing you dont run out of time! -(been there, done that)

It comes right down to how much you're willing to pay AND if you're going to bite the bullet and willing to bid your MAX early enough OR if you're gonna putz around $2.00 here and $2.00 there and rely on: your ISP, internet connection, ebay's server, your browser "reload/refresh" button speed, and crappy telephone lines, to get your bid in 3-10 seconds before the auction ends -and hopefully nobody else wants it worse than you do!

Ps. -- Hey Paul, these smileys are kinda fun!

I'm not sure that I agree with your statment:

"...but sniping does not outbid the highest bidder it just sneeks a bid in at the last min..."

At a live auction (different than a ebay auction), the person with last bid always wins. Either when bidding once or many times for that item....

I do practice the process of placing my max bid in the last 10 seconds of as many ebay auctions that I am very interested getting the item. This has worked out in my favor by getting the item for the bid amount higher (or less) than the second place bidder in many ocassions.

There is nothing wrong with placing a bid in the last ten seconds of an auction. Weather you use a service that does it or you do it the manual way. I have used both methods. If I am home, I try to manually bid at the end. If not, I use the service.

When I started on ebay back in 1998, I did not understand the entire process and lost many a auction until I figured it out....Now I win more than I loose when I want to. It doesn't matter when your bid. Just make sure if you you really want the item and have the cash to back it up is to bid what it is worth to you. Please don't get me going on the Worth vs. Value rant again...

Steve...Still In The Fog In Illinois

the person with last bid always wins... Wrong...

The last item I bid on was a Aristocraft #5 toy motor worth about $20.00

I needed it to finish a collection and it was the only one that show up in the last 4 years on E-bay.... I put a $250.00 bid on that item the first day it was on... The last bidders tryed to slam the bid a few times but I got the bid...

The highest bidder wins the auction ... Not the last bidder....

I probley use E-bay more than anyone on this forum... Two years ago I made $30,000 in one year selling just on E-bay...

Ed, your first sentence hit the nail on the head. No one could have said it better.