Now I wonder if the winner will "disappear"?
Had to be a stupid bidding war..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
meh, thats peanuts to some folks. I see so many people around the Washington DC beltway in Mercedes, BMW's and Lexus, they all have more money than sense. Some of them may be bidding on ebay.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
And many BMW, Mercedes and Lexus drivers may think model railroaders are silly for spending thousands on little toy trains. It is all about whatever trips your trigger....and it is a bit narrow minded to categorize someone simply by what they drive.
[quote user="oldline1"]Did you guys see the undecorated Proto GP-9 on ebay that sold for $222.50? Lucky seller!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/261047183160?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Wish I could get prices like that on ebay. Yeah, it's MIB but jeeze!! Roger Huber
I've seen some ridiculous prices on Ebay, and I find that certain sellers seem to get consistently high bids and sales while other sellers don't do as well. Reputation and a high feedback score will usually attract top dollar bids.
riogrande5761 meh, thats peanuts to some folks. I see so many people around the Washington DC beltway in Mercedes, BMW's and Lexus, they all have more money than sense. Some of them may be bidding on ebay.
You may want to rethink this "peanuts" thing. You can almost bet that the same people you see driving on the Beltway in those cars also live in multi-million dollar homes. Given the prices of the autos and the homes, I can all but guarantee that the banks actually own more of that stuff than the people do!
Robert H. Shilling II
You don't need THAT much for a fricking Lexus...we bought a 2008 Lexus ES350 for $16,000 just last year...all you got to know is where to look...
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Hi!
Approaching my 7th decade - 6 of which were in the hobby - I've concluded some things about "people and their money"...........
- Everyone has their own priorities of spending. What comes first to my neighbor may be last for me.
- The amount spent is all relative to ones bankroll. To me, buying a $300 BLI loco is a substantial expenditure. To others the amount may be transparent. And to still others it may be the impossible dream.
- As a long term Credit Union officer with a major oil company, I had intimate views on a lot of folks personal finances, and there were extremes. Some folks always dressed well, took fancy vacations, and had new cars and the latest gadgets. Yet, many of these folks were one paycheck away from disaster, maxed out to CC companies and loan institutions.
Still others drove the same cars for years, and never seemed to have much money to spend. Yet, on paper, some of these folks were literally millionaires.
Regarding the subject sale, somebody really wanted that particular loco. They could have gotten the same thing for 1/3 that, although they would have had to strip off the paint. Of course, the deal still has to be completed, and the buyer still has to fork out the bucks.......................
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
P&Slocal riogrande5761: meh, thats peanuts to some folks. I see so many people around the Washington DC beltway in Mercedes, BMW's and Lexus, they all have more money than sense. Some of them may be bidding on ebay. You may want to rethink this "peanuts" thing. You can almost bet that the same people you see driving on the Beltway in those cars also live in multi-million dollar homes. Given the prices of the autos and the homes, I can all but guarantee that the banks actually own more of that stuff than the people do!
riogrande5761: meh, thats peanuts to some folks. I see so many people around the Washington DC beltway in Mercedes, BMW's and Lexus, they all have more money than sense. Some of them may be bidding on ebay.
Having been a shop foreman in a BMW dealership service department, I can tell you that you might be surprised at how many people driving those sorts of cars only live in $500,000 to $1,000,000 homes - which is the low end of the high end in this part of the country.
Some people choose those cars because "driving" is a big part of their life - they want it to be nice. Others buy them for statis, and others buy them becuae like you suggest, the price is easily managable for them.
Some are leased, some are "mortgaged", some are paid for, just like buyers of more modest autos. I learned some years ago the importance of living in a paid for house and driving a paid for car - unless free finanicing lets me keep my money in the bank.
But the brand has only a little to do with price - have you priced a full sized pickup truck recently?
My wife and just bought a new car, a very practical car for our needs, it cost over $45,000 and it says FORD on the front. Our new car is a Ford Flex Limited AWD with eccoboost - as nice as any BMW I ever drove.
As for model trains - and this Ebay listing - MAYBE, two or more of the bidders NEED this loco to complete a loco set and were determined to have it. After all, it is not like they are making any more just like those.
I have a bunch of Proto GP7's - bought undecorated, for much less - but if I needed a few more, would a pay a little extra to have them match - sure.
If a new one with DCC/sound is worth what ATHEARN or WALTHERS is asking these days, then to the right person this price is only a little on the high side. In fact the DC version of the new ATHEARN model is $189.98 and it does not come undecorated - maybe $222 was a steal?
Back to expensive cars for a bit - generally most stereotypes about people and the cars they drive are based in some fact. In my view, a BMW is not enough better to justify its higher price EXCEPT for the "statis" that comes along with it. Equal or nearly equal luxury and performance can be had for a lot less - but it will not say BMW or MB, or Lexis or whatever.
Sheldon
Well, how much is an undecorated Proto GP-9 worth?
The answer is, "To one person, it was worth $222.50"
Something is worth what somebody will pay for it.
Michael
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Photo shows a non-dynamic undecorated shell. I think the non-dynamic is a little rare. Probably exactly what the two high bidders needed to complete a specific model.
Rarity and a bidding war=over $220 for a blue box proto.
Chuck
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Having been a shop foreman in a BMW dealership service department, I can tell you that you might be surprised at how many people driving those sorts of cars only live in $500,000 to $1,000,000 homes - which is the low end of the high end in this part of the country.
It sure feels weird how casual you can drop "Yeah its not bad. I think its listed at $1.2m" around here. I have a pretty nice apartment with a view and walking distance to stuff so its a little more high end, but I drive a Honda Accord. From the 90s. It sure looks weird next to the Mercedes, Jags, and Porsches in my building.
But I'd balk at $222 for anything that's not...like a bicycle or something.
Maybe its the Aston Martin, Mazerati, Tesla crowd around here.
Well, it is out of production so the buyer may have not known where to get another one. If it was something they had to have for the rail road I sort of see it. (Well not really)
I was wanting another set of powered Proto 1000 F3 A&B units. I was looking at them on E-Bay and saw some for $120.00 NIB. I was thinking about it, I knew when they where in production they where only $70.00 a set. But, where else could I get them?
Luckily I went to my LHS to pick up a engine for a friend, looked at the bottom of a display case and saw 12 sets of PK1000's F3's for $69.95.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Now days its getting harder and harder to find undec engines, you almost have to have your name in with your LHS the minite there announced. Or you are SOL.
NittanyLion ATLANTIC CENTRAL: Having been a shop foreman in a BMW dealership service department, I can tell you that you might be surprised at how many people driving those sorts of cars only live in $500,000 to $1,000,000 homes - which is the low end of the high end in this part of the country. It sure feels weird how casual you can drop "Yeah its not bad. I think its listed at $1.2m" around here. I have a pretty nice apartment with a view and walking distance to stuff so its a little more high end, but I drive a Honda Accord. From the 90s. It sure looks weird next to the Mercedes, Jags, and Porsches in my building. But I'd balk at $222 for anything that's not...like a bicycle or something. Maybe its the Aston Martin, Mazerati, Tesla crowd around here.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL: Having been a shop foreman in a BMW dealership service department, I can tell you that you might be surprised at how many people driving those sorts of cars only live in $500,000 to $1,000,000 homes - which is the low end of the high end in this part of the country.
We all put different values on different things. Personally, I would live in a trailer in the woods before I would live in any apratment in any inner city. And I don't have crime phobia or "city fear", I have worked in and aroud Baltimore all my life - I'm just not an "urban" kind of person.
And I live out at the far "edge" of the suburbs in what was once a rural village - and I'm looking to move farther out when we retire and down size. But currently I live in a big, 2-1/2 story, 4000 sq ft, 1901 Queen Anne home sitting on a one acre lot - with a pool and a big detached garage - maybe worth a million, maybe not - but it suits my life style and we will assume I can aford it because it is paid for.
There is nothing wrong with a Honda, they make great cars - but they will never sell me one - they are too small for my needs - except the van - but my Flex is a better vehicle - AWD, better space utilazation, lower CG, more power. All cars/trucks here must be AWD or rear wheel drive - come to think of it one is all wheel drive, the other is 4 wheel drive - it snows in the country and sometimes the plows take a while.
My point about the locos still stands - IF a new ATHEARN GP9 in DC is worth $189.98, than $222 is not really out of line for the undecorated Proto model - are there any other undecorated phase II GP9's without dynamic brakes currently on the market? NO!
Speed cost money - how fast do yo want to go?
The new Athearn model is not "automaticly" better because it is new - my fleet of Protos run great - if ATHEARN released an undecorated version tomorrow I would NOT buy a bunch and replace my already painted and lettered Proto fleet. So on the basis of being that model and being undecorated this loco may easily be that "valuable" to a number of people.
Now then.......how ya feel about those Athearn Genesis $100 cabooses?
$222.50 for a Proto GP9? Some folks is dumber'n'a box of hammers!
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
jeffrey-wimberly $222.50 for a Proto GP9? Some folks is dumber'n'a box of hammers!
The value of anything is only determined by how badly one person wants it and how badly the other person wants to be rid of it.
How many of those do you have for sale? I thought so. So who are you to judge what others should or should not pay?
Sure, I get it, you would not pay that. There are likely things you buy I would not pay a red cent for.
Again, if by any standard a new ATHEARN GP9, DC version is worth $189.98 - than to someone who really wants THAT SPECIFIC loco, $222 is not an unreasonable price for a mint Proto2000 GP9 undecorated Phase II with no dynamic brake.
Again, if that's what you want, what are your other choices? EXACTLY - there are none.
I would not give $1 for a model of a UP BigBoy - does that mean others are foolish for buying them?
Ken!
Great find!!
It just goes to show that regardless of how sore your back is, when in your LHS always bend down to see what others have missed!. When my back was bad I was in the Credit Valley Railroad HS and I got down to look at some stuff on the lower shelves. I thought I might have to crawl out the front door because I couldn't get back up!
As far as the thread goes, I used to own a BMW. It was a 2002tii with mechanical fuel injection. I never owned it for status because at the time there wasn't as much attention paid to BMWs. It was well used when I bought it. I only bought it for one reason - it would go through a corner at speeds which used to make my wife complain of splayed toes!!! It was almost as good in corners as my Mini with a Cooper conversion, but then again nothing can compete with a go kart with a body on it - i.e. a Mini!
To this day I couldn't care less what others are driving be they MB, Lexus or whatever (well actually I could care when they are driving true exotics, antiques or older British sports cars). All I know is that both of our vehicles are paid for (that is until the next trip to the dealer for service) and the are nice to drive (but I try not to point the Honda van into a corner quite as fast as I did with the Mini or the BMW)!
OK - now it is time to stop rambling and remembering the old times.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
ATLANTIC CENTRAL The value of anything is only determined by how badly one person wants it and how badly the other person wants to be rid of it. How many of those do you have for sale? I thought so. So who are you to judge what others should or should not pay? Sure, I get it, you would not pay that. There are likely things you buy I would not pay a red cent for.
Absolutely I wouldn't pay that for it. For one it has no dynamic brakes. All mine have dynamics. For another it's undecorated. I don't require that it be undecorated. I could easily locate another model (decorated and with DB of course) and strip it and still come out paying far less. And there have been times in the past when I wanted a model without dynamic brakes and filed them off and filled in any holes. There are alternatives. And who am I to say it? I'm one who frequently builds his own from bits and pieces and modifies as needed. Very rarely do I pay over $100 even for new.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL All cars/trucks here must be AWD or rear wheel drive - come to think of it one is all wheel drive, the other is 4 wheel drive - it snows in the country and sometimes the plows take a while. Sheldon
All cars/trucks here must be AWD or rear wheel drive - come to think of it one is all wheel drive, the other is 4 wheel drive - it snows in the country and sometimes the plows take a while.
Thanks for that - I haven't heard anything that funny in a long time. Needing AWD in MD for snow....lord, how did I ever survive for decades in Vermont and New Hampshire with just two powered wheels...
ps - you do know snow tires are cheaper, and safer, right? AWD does not help you stop faster - good snows will.
I'm trying to model 1956, not live in it.
Sheldon, I am a little disappointed you did not mention your house and lawnmower...it has been almost a week since we last heard about them. Some pics would be nice also.
I need to go add this thread to the list.
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Odie Sheldon, I am a little disappointed you did not mention your house and lawnmower...it has been almost a week since we last heard about them. Some pics would be nice also.
No intention to hijack this thread, but ...
Odie - teasing Sheldon requires a post count of 2,500 minimum
In the roughly over three years since I joined, I have seen many threads similar to this one. They usually end up in the nirvanas of locked or even deleted threads.
There will always be people willing to pay a better(?) or higher price for something they dearly want (but not necessarily need). If they can afford that - well, fine for them.
I still chuckle when I see the level at which folks start to complain about prices. I won´t repeat what I have said many times before, but you folks in the US are stilled spoiled rotten, even if prices have climbed up quite a lot in the last year.
Scarpia ATLANTIC CENTRAL: All cars/trucks here must be AWD or rear wheel drive - come to think of it one is all wheel drive, the other is 4 wheel drive - it snows in the country and sometimes the plows take a while. Sheldon Thanks for that - I haven't heard anything that funny in a long time. Needing AWD in MD for snow....lord, how did I ever survive for decades in Vermont and New Hampshire with just two powered wheels... ps - you do know snow tires are cheaper, and safer, right? AWD does not help you stop faster - good snows will.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL: All cars/trucks here must be AWD or rear wheel drive - come to think of it one is all wheel drive, the other is 4 wheel drive - it snows in the country and sometimes the plows take a while. Sheldon
OK, you caught me, the real reason is I have never liked the feel of front wheel drive, and the wife likes it even less than I do. They stopped building Crown Victorias which we drove for over a decade, so we bought an AWD 2008 Taurus and loved the feel of the AWD - so the new car needed to be AWD as well. As long as there are AWD cars, that's what I'm driving from here on out - unless they start building Checkers again.
The other vehicle - a 2000 F150 4x4 - still runs like new at 180,000 miles.
I drove rear wheel drive cars for decades in the snow here, never even needed snow tires once I had radials. My Checker Marathon and and my 1963 Nova did just fine in the snow.
I find it interesting that so many people think this guy paid way too much yet so many on here are busy buying, or promoting the virtues of, the likes of Broadway Limited, Atlas, and other "high end" stuff.
I got my Proto locos MOSTLY at bargin prices - BUT I know they were bargin prices.
I am a bargin shopper, but I don't criticize those who spend more. And I will admit, that there are times when I pay whatever it takes to get what I want. In fact, some years ago, right before the Walther buy out, Proto rereleased the EMD E8's - I paid just a little under full ist to get a set right away undecorated - I wanted them and that was that.
Odie,
Give me your address and I will send you a video from when the house appeared on the HGTV program Restore America.
You can go to www.mytractorforum.com and see the long running thread on the special work I have done to my tractor that is being duplicated by others for their tractors.
Hi once again,
I just can't get excited about how someone else spends their money - as long as it doesn't affect me or my loved ones. Like I wrote earlier, everyone has their own spending priorities and values.
That being said, I suspect the buyer of that loco - assuming he actually pays for it - had a good reason for his part in the transaction (even if it was to just beat out the other bidders).
Oh, gotta say............ As a Ford man (since my 1957 Fairlane 500 convert with the 312 cu in 4 bbl T-Bird option), I do appreciate Sheldons choice of vehicles.
ENJOY!
jeffrey-wimberly ATLANTIC CENTRAL: The value of anything is only determined by how badly one person wants it and how badly the other person wants to be rid of it. How many of those do you have for sale? I thought so. So who are you to judge what others should or should not pay? Sure, I get it, you would not pay that. There are likely things you buy I would not pay a red cent for. Absolutely I wouldn't pay that for it. For one it has no dynamic brakes. All mine have dynamics. For another it's undecorated. I don't require that it be undecorated. I could easily locate another model (decorated and with DB of course) and strip it and still come out paying far less. And there have been times in the past when I wanted a model without dynamic brakes and filed them off and filled in any holes. There are alternatives. And who am I to say it? I'm one who frequently builds his own from bits and pieces and modifies as needed. Very rarely do I pay over $100 even for new.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL: The value of anything is only determined by how badly one person wants it and how badly the other person wants to be rid of it. How many of those do you have for sale? I thought so. So who are you to judge what others should or should not pay? Sure, I get it, you would not pay that. There are likely things you buy I would not pay a red cent for.
You are welcome to do as you like, personally I'm not stripping the paint off a Proto model or trying to disassemble the details to repaint it properly.
Is any one calling you names for spending the time to strip off paint? But of course it is OK for you to call this guy names because he chose not to do as you would do.
I'm generally a bargin shopper too, I've even posted threads on bargin shopping, but some times you have to pay what you pay to get what you want.
mobilman44 Hi once again, I just can't get excited about how someone else spends their money - as long as it doesn't affect me or my loved ones. Like I wrote earlier, everyone has their own spending priorities and values. That being said, I suspect the buyer of that loco - assuming he actually pays for it - had a good reason for his part in the transaction (even if it was to just beat out the other bidders). Oh, gotta say............ As a Ford man (since my 1957 Fairlane 500 convert with the 312 cu in 4 bbl T-Bird option), I do appreciate Sheldons choice of vehicles. ENJOY! Mobilman44
Those where great cars! And a great engine! I helped a guy restore a 1956 T-Bird years ago.
I drove Checkers and GM cars for years, but in the last two decades its been all Fords and they have been great.
hobo9941 Now then.......how ya feel about those Athearn Genesis $100 cabooses?
I'm indifferent since I don't model the Southern Pacific. If I modeled the SP, and was at that point in my modeling of needing them, I would likely spring for a few.