$125 dollars for a caboose on Ebay?

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ndbprr

I built a Quality Craft PRR N6b caboose. It took me 17 years to finally finish it. I'd bet the guy has 20-30 hours into that caboose. $125.00 minus the kit cost of say $20 leaves $105 minus paint for easily $5 leaves $100. $100/20 hours is $5 an hour and below minimum wage. This caboose is vastly underpriced for the quality I see in the pictures fuzzy or not.

I agree that "builder's value", when one considers the time and skill put into such a model, might well be $125, $150, or more. However, such a figure can be far off from actual market value. I would not be the least bit surprised to find this same caboose is availalable in brass, with a factory paint job, and offered for the same or even a lesser price. The brass item would quite possibly be more accurate, certainly far more durable and longlasting, plus a better overall model for use on a layout.

Just as our layouts may have cost/be worth many tens of thousands of dollars to the builder, their potential real selling value is, at most, a few thousand dollars. Granted there are always a few fools willing to pay any sum for something they want but that does not set true market value.

CNJ831

[davekelly]

17 years? At least you completed it!! I have one of my dad's LaBelle passenger car kits. I'm guessing it's been about 30 years since it was purchased. Gonna finish it some day!!

[ndbprr]

I built a Quality Craft PRR N6b caboose. It took me 17 years to finally finish it. I'd bet the guy has 20-30 hours into that caboose. $125.00 minus the kit cost of say $20 leaves $105 minus paint for easily $5 leaves $100. $100/20 hours is $5 an hour and below minimum wage. This caboose is vastly underpriced for the quality I see in the pictures fuzzy or not.

[BRAKIE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by modlerbob

If the guy is truly a master model builder and did an outstanding job on what is probably a caboose that can't be duplicated by anything retail RTR it may be worth $125 to someone who really wants "THAT" caboose. It would be a similar investment to getting a brass model. I won't sell anything I build for others for less than $100 because otherwise it isn't worth my time. Anyone who buys from me gets his/her money's worth but I don't make a living at it. If the guy put 40-50 hours of labor in the job then he's selling his talent pretty cheap.

Bob DeWoody

Bob,Here is a B&O I-5 kit for $45.00 plus $12.95 shipping..

http://www.pacificmountain.ca/kits.shtml


Looks like a easy build to me but,I would be willing to pay more if RTR or built by a advanced modeler.[:D]

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

It seems that a few sellers have an unrealistic sense of the quality and value of their assembled models.

Do you have any idea how much time and effort went into that wood caboose kit? Personally, I wouldn't let it go for less than $150. I've built, painted and decalled a few Sunshine resin BOXCARS for people, and don't work for less than $100 (you supply the car)

[Anonymous]

It seems that a few sellers have an unrealistic sense of the quality and value of their assembled models. A while ago I was pointed to an auction for a completed mini scene. The seller had several others. The photos there weren't very good, but he did have a link to a photo site that had maybe a dozen or so photos of the scenes, again mostly out of focus. I looked like the scenes were just plastic models that were heavily and crudely weathered - you could see where the weathering washes were applied and run down and settled out. To read the overblown descriptions, one would think they were museum quality professionally made dioramas rather than slapped together kits.

The auctions started at $250.00! Needless to say they closed without any bids! Looks like those checking out the auction were smarter that the seller.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

That's roughly what a professionally-built conversion/respray job goes for over here - I know as I emailed an advertiser asking about their cab car conversions a while ago and had a bit of a shock. Having now got about 60% through building one myself (bodywork and underframe surgery complete, underframe painted, body still needs yellow cab end and blue bodywork as well as some detailing) I can understand why they charge that much - if you thought in terms of paying yourself a minimum hourly wage it would soon mount up. Materials for this particular one cost me around £20 or so, add in 20hrs work and even if you only considered your skills worth £1/hr (minimum wage for most jobs here is about £4/hr) you'd be up to £40 already. If the workmanship on the caboose is good, then I'd say that's a fair price.

[davekelly]

Bob,

Excellent point. I seem to recall that these kits aren't exactly shake the box and come undecorated/painted.

[Anonymous]

If the guy is truly a master model builder and did an outstanding job on what is probably a caboose that can't be duplicated by anything retail RTR it may be worth $125 to someone who really wants "THAT" caboose. It would be a similar investment to getting a brass model. I won't sell anything I build for others for less than $100 because otherwise it isn't worth my time. Anyone who buys from me gets his/her money's worth but I don't make a living at it. If the guy put 40-50 hours of labor in the job then he's selling his talent pretty cheap.

Bob DeWoody

[Tracklayer]

No way!... The most I've ever paid for a caboose was $33.00 for a MTL WP caboose, and even then I had to grit my teeth and make myself walk up to the counter and pay for it. I could buy a really nice loco for $125.00... I wi***he guy luck because he's going to need it.

Tracklayer

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jimrice4449

Ebay's picture duplication sucks big time. I peddle RTR Westerfield and the images I send to ebay are much better than what appears on the post

IF you use their html option you can have post your own pictures and they can be any resolution and size.

[jimrice4449]

Ebay's picture duplication sucks big time. I peddle RTR Westerfield and the images I send to ebay are much better than what appears on the post

[Anonymous]

SpaceMouse hit it and I agree. The pictures are too out of focus to tell how good a job this guy did. It may be great and as such might be worth $125, but due to the fuzziness of the pictures even if I was interested I'd have to see more before I'd bid

Bob DeWoody

[SpaceMouse]

His pictures are too small and out of focus, if his model is worth his asking price, there's no way to really confirm or deny his workmanship.

On eBay, presentation is everything.

[ereimer]

looks like a nice model , but i'm betting he gets no bids on it . starting at a high price isn't a good way to get people bidding on your stuff . then again i've been wrong about things on ebay before [:)]

EDIT: just checked his other for sale items , 15 items total , only 4 finished kits . only 1 bid and that's on a set of decals

[Anonymous]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kit-Built-Quality-Craft-Models-B-O-I-5-Caboose-RTR_W0QQitemZ6006712548QQcategoryZ484QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Makes me wonder if a similar RTR plastic caboose can be properly "Upgraded" with a few dollars worth of parts for far less than $125?