RR Redneck wrote:Y'all can take your chances on eBay. I have gotten burned on there not once, not twice, but three consecutive times. I am never buyin from there again.
I agree....it's definitely a "last resort" for me. But occasionally they have something that simply isn't available anywhere else. I set price limits for myself as far as how much I am willing to "gamble" on E-Bay. If the bidding exceeds my preset limit, I pass on it. No way will I use PayPal for ANYTHING.Way too many horror stories about that outfit.
Dep
Virginian Railroad
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
Actually, feedback on E-Bay is pretty meaningless for judging a seller...
The biggest flaw of eBay's feedback system is the risk of retaliation. You leave negative or neutral feedback for someone, and they will — without considering the circumstances or who's at fault — do the same for you. That is the fear, and that is the reason why many people simply let problems slide.
Even worse...
The E-bay system protects the major sellers in that if they are given one or two negative feedbacks, it is but a tiny fraction of a percentage of their overall rating. They can still boast a superior rating even though they may be scamming everyone of their buyers.The buyer is indeed threatened with a negative feedback but for the buyer it is a bigger problem. If the buyer only has 10 transactions a negative feedback, which is now 10% of his rating, can put him in the pool of "personas non gratas" in the E-bay community. He is now a pariah. E-bay's system in inherently unfriendly and unfair to the buyers and eventually this will be the undoing of E-bay. Their complete disregard of the customer, or buyer in this case, will create a culture of bad sellers only who know they can get away with anything on E-bay since E-bay will protect them.
1688torpedo wrote:Hello All! Frank- I'm surprised Jim had no 221s. I've seen them plenty of times at the Trading Post. If I see one at a show or shop., I'll let you know. I guess this is Murphy's Law at work. When you look for something you will not find it, If you're not looking then you will see a thousand of them around at different places. Take Care.
was kinda wierd - he didn't much seem interested. While I never mentioned price to him he said I just wanted what everybody else wanted - rare stuff at cheap prices. Gee thanks.
He told me to write him a letter and let him know the stuff I was looking for. I offered to send him an email, he said he didn't do email - write a letter.
All I wanted to do was buy some trains - shame on me, huh?
Frank53 wrote: 1688torpedo wrote:Hello All! Frank- I'm surprised Jim had no 221s. I've seen them plenty of times at the Trading Post. If I see one at a show or shop., I'll let you know. I guess this is Murphy's Law at work. When you look for something you will not find it, If you're not looking then you will see a thousand of them around at different places. Take Care. was kinda wierd - he didn't much seem interested. While I never mentioned price to him he said I just wanted what everybody else wanted - rare stuff at cheap prices. Gee thanks. He told me to write him a letter and let him know the stuff I was looking for. I offered to send him an email, he said he didn't do email - write a letter. All I wanted to do was buy some trains - shame on me, huh?
Hmmm...looks like the Grinch has been turned loose early this Christmas. Heck...I WANT RARE STUFF AT CHEAP PRICES!!! I have yet to hear anyone ask for common stuff at exorbitant prices.
traindaddy1 wrote:I have a Lionel steam 2-6-4 engine #2035 and would like to get another engine to compliment it (same era and type but different enough so that they don't look like twins) Any suggestions, as always, greatly appreciated.
Since the 2035 is based on the PRR K4, perhaps a Williams GG1 (I got new at a train show for $150.) or some other Williams PRR type engine. Lionel also has a PRR RS3 for about $70. retail that looks quite nice "in person" (awful in the catalog), that I also have. Joe
Frank- Sounded like Jim was rude to you there. Next time I go there I'll check & see if he has any 221s around. They are not hard to find around here & I do not understand why Jim would ask you to write him a letter instead when you're on the phone? Maybe he had a hard day or something else happened? Anyway, If I see a 221 somewhere I'll let you know. Take Care.
Well as I expected the bidding wars on E-Bay cranked up on the NYC GP9 I am tracking. They are close to the price of a brand new one at Trainworld. The one on E-Bay is also brand new, but the way the price is climbing you'd think it had solid gold metal parts on it. ACK!!!!
1688torpedo wrote: Frank- Sounded like Jim was rude to you there. Next time I go there I'll check & see if he has any 221s around. They are not hard to find around here & I do not understand why Jim would ask you to write him a letter instead when you're on the phone? Maybe he had a hard day or something else happened? Anyway, If I see a 221 somewhere I'll let you know. Take Care.
not to give teh wrong impression. I called and he was too busy - said to call back in a few hours. Called back and asked about a 221 - he said he had one that had no tender and two others that he wasn't sure if they even ran. I was looking for one with a tender that was runnable.
I then explained to him what I was looking - decent post war material that was in good to very good condition - had all the parts, little or no rust, play wear and scuffs ok, dents and gouges not ok.
So I started running down the list - have any New Haven freight cars. Just one, but it's mint in box, and don't want that - you just want what everybody else want's rare stuff at cheap prices.
Well actually no, seeing as how I never mentioned price, and New Haven freight isn't exactly rare. What I want is some runnable post war trains for which I am more than willing to pay a more than fair price.
I told him I was also interested in New York Central and PRR freight cars, at which point he said the best thing to do was write him a letter - no email - a letter.
I guess this is what I will never understand about a hobby shop owner. HSO has money tied up in stuff collecting dust on his shelves. Buyer calls with money to send to him, and it becomes a contest, or he is annoyed that someone is trying to buy something.
I have a real appetitie for certain post war material, and it is by no means rare. If someone has the type of stuff I am seeking, they could probably thousands of dolars wiorth of the the stuff to me. After all, there isn't going to be a day when I buy a $1000 modern engine. The money I don't spend on the latest and greatest is just sitting and waiting for some reasonably conditioned, fairly (or so) priced post war.
However if you do come across a better than ok 221 with a tender, preferably in gunmetal, but I would settle for black, I would be interested and would owe you at least a favor.
Frank,
Give Dave at Toy Train Heaven a call. His number is: 360-576-1602. Call between 9:00AM-7:00PM West coast time. I bought a 736 berk with a 2671W from him for only $175. He is a nice person to deal with, because he doesn't have that attitude that some store owners and parts dealers sometimes have. His prices are very reasonable also.
Jeez Frank - I saw 2 or 3 at York last Friday since I thought my brother was looking for one (he wasn't - I got mine last spring).
Mine came from here (they just had the one, but it's been awhile):
Potomac Trading Post & Antique
(301) 949-5656
You might also try this place - I got some nice boxed pre-war for an excellent price:
Land Of Toys
And these people are my favorite to deal with:
Carver's-Toyland
I'm more than happy to keep my eye out for you too...
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