I would say go for it. It's a low priced item and you've lost out on others for a lot more money. You are handy with tools and making things work.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have posted in the Diner a couple of times about my USPS problems.
Even though I have publicly complained about the funny ones, like the package that kept on arriving in Florida then going back to New York, still 90% of my packages are arriving in 3 days and undamaged.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I never even bother to look if something can be returned or not on eBay. There's approximately a 0 percent chance I'd actually go through the hassle. Just treat it like the white elephant table at a train show (or, really, most vendors at a train show too).
I only challenged a seller once on eBay and won myself Mel. I won a beer can tank car in an auction and the seller sent me the wrong one. He had a 100% customer satisfaction rating. He ended up sending me the right car, telling me to keep the other one and apologized for the inconvenience, ... That works. After my review he still has 100%.
I also educated a seller how to pack something for shipping. He used to put a small N scale car in a big box four times the size he needed. I told him his shipping was way too expensive and took a picture of a car wrapped in newspaper and put in a small box with bubble wrap. His shipping prices went down and he emailed me and thanked me.
P.S. Voice text
TF
I just went to ebay and looked, it is shipped USPS. And I would have to agree with the both of you, mail service has been really slow. I sent two special offer postcards to MR in Texas a while back. I called customer service because I hadn't received the bill yet. They had just got the one but hadn't received the other. That was over two weeks. I still haven't received the bill and now it's been over three weeks.
Looks like I would be going to the mailbox over and over with all this anticipation and be like the little kid who's present Isn't under the Christmas tree
I'm leaning towards rolling the dice on this thing before someone else snatches it up. I hate when that happens!
Typing while you were posting
Track fiddler RR_Mel Ebay will cover the purchase if it won’t run. Well that just built some confidence Mel. I did save the email that it runs forward and reverse and that it runs smooth from the seller I always wondered how the backed by eBay thing worked. I never had to go there. TF
RR_Mel Ebay will cover the purchase if it won’t run.
Ebay will cover the purchase if it won’t run.
Well that just built some confidence Mel. I did save the email that it runs forward and reverse and that it runs smooth from the seller
I always wondered how the backed by eBay thing worked. I never had to go there.
I’ve challenged eBay sellers for false advertising and won every case. Lithium batteries are the worse. I send them a message telling them if the batteries don’t pass the current capacity test the batteries will be returned for full refund.One seller didn’t pack an Alps MD1000 printer good enough for shipping and it arrived broken, eBay covered it also. I even prepped the seller in how to pack it to prevent breakage. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
While not one for e-bay, it has a place, but not for buying locos (IMHO). Unless you can fix a loco should something happen, I avoid it. I'd prefer to spend more and get from an online place that stands by their product. Perhaps my negative sentiment of not buying something mechanical second-hand occured 20 years ago: when I bought a seven year-old used car. It was the last time I bought used and of that line.
27 bucks?low risk...worse case you put in a new motor.
RR_Mel I have three items that cleared US Customs for over a month and they still haven’t arrived. 6000mi from China in three weeks and 200mi from the San Francisco Import facility.
I have three items that cleared US Customs for over a month and they still haven’t arrived. 6000mi from China in three weeks and 200mi from the San Francisco Import facility.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain One other thing, I recently sold some of my used golf clubs on eBay and shipped each item the day of sale or the next day, via USPS Priority Mail. I sold 10 items and only 3 have been delivered, while the remaining 7 have not been delivered for 6 to 15 days since I dropped them off at my local post office. Not only are they undelivered, there is minimal scanning to indicate where these packages are in the system. The USPS Priority Mail system is broken, and it has reached epidemic proportions across the country. So, if you buy this loco and it is shipped USPS, be prepared for a long wait. Rich
One other thing, I recently sold some of my used golf clubs on eBay and shipped each item the day of sale or the next day, via USPS Priority Mail. I sold 10 items and only 3 have been delivered, while the remaining 7 have not been delivered for 6 to 15 days since I dropped them off at my local post office.
Not only are they undelivered, there is minimal scanning to indicate where these packages are in the system. The USPS Priority Mail system is broken, and it has reached epidemic proportions across the country. So, if you buy this loco and it is shipped USPS, be prepared for a long wait.
I agree with Rich.I have three items that cleared US Customs for over a month and they still haven’t arrived. 6000mi from China in three weeks and 200mi from the San Francisco Import facility. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Good point Rich
I have always had very good luck with sellers of their own train stock, ... Always!
But I do have a couple locomotives that run a little wanky from sellers of an estate. I haven't got to those to see what's wrong with them yet. And honestly I ain't very good at that either.
TF, it is not so much whether seller accepts returns, it is all about whether the seller personally owned and operated the loco that he is selling, or is he selling a loco bought from a 3rd party.
Each year, around December through February, I unload used HO scale stuff on eBay, and I do not accept returns. However, as the original and sole owner, I can and do attest to the condition of the item being sold. In this particular case, I would be wary.
If you have the statement in writing, I asked the seller if it ran in forward and reverse and in their opinion does it run smoothly. Their reply was "yes it does and in my opinion it runs smooth but I am not a train expert" Ebay will cover the purchase if it won’t run.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Oops,
Mel, It's a Bachmann that I had when I was a kid. Same one and that particular Bachmann was a good runner. Different Bachman's varied in running quality back then.
I can get this thing for $27. It's almost too good to be true and from experience it usually is. I've been in three auctions for these things, one bid at 50 one at 60 and one at 80. I lost all 3 times, they are high in demand apparently.
I don't know, .. .I've spent $25 on a case of beer on Friday night and had nothing left Monday morning
I believe in rolling the dice but I've never believed in going against my gut. I haven't bought from a seller that doesn't accept returns before but she does have a good satisfied customer percent rating. I do realize I could end up with a $25 paperweight like the other poster said and that's the whole thing.
In my opinion there are not that many reasons it wouldn't run:
1. Dirty wheels
2. Broken wire to motor
3. Poor contact - 0-4-0s are very light
5. Motor may need some lube
6 bad motor repace motor
If I were in your position I would ask myself how I would feel if I received the item and it didn't run at all. Basically just a paperweight. How would I feel about the value for what I spent?
The seller has already told you they know nothing about the item so ignore their description and instead research the product on model railroad specific sites. If the underlying product is solid then your risk is probably low assuming the product arrives.
You didn’t say the manufacturer, to me that could be the deal breaker. I would go for a Varney if it looked good cosmetically and the price was right whether it ran OK or not. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I have a question for anyone kind enough to give their opinion on this subject.
I have recently found another 0-4-0 Dockside Switcher on eBay. The switcher is in excellent shape cosmetically. It's rating is C-8, like new in the box but did not have a lot other information on it.
I asked the seller if it ran in forward and reverse and in their opinion does it run smoothly. Their reply was "yes it does and in my opinion it runs smooth but I am not a train expert" I don't particularly care for the word "but" in someone's opinion confirming something.
This seller does not accept returns. Would you buy something you really wanted just based on hearsay? Or would you be a little bit leery as I am?
Do any of you have any experiences with this scenario, good or bad?
I would respect and appreciate your opinions and experiences with this helping me to make my decision.
Thanks