Ebay - Are the prices for real?

postaltruck31

postaltruck31

Member
I used to sell & buy a lot of Model A stuff on ebay, but have been away from it for a few years. I've just started looking again, and I'm shocked by the starting prices for parts and bodies. Are they actually getting the prices they are asking, or are they just dreaming big dreams of what this stuff is worth? Thanks in advance for your comments!
 
I think there are a lot of dreamers out there.

Like you said, there are big starting or Buy-It-Now prices on just an old body that needs a lot of work.

You can sometimes buy the whole car for the same money.

However, if you watch, sometimes you can buy a good part at a very fair price.

Chris W.
 
I like the "make offer" option
I think I shock and insult a lot of them, hopefully bring some back down to Earth...and their senses.
 
You can get some good deals sometimes on the ads that say Make Offer. One caution, though, if your second offer is rejected, you can't make any more offers on that item.
 
burner31 said:
I like the "make offer" option
I think I shock and insult a lot of them, hopefully bring some back down to Earth...and their senses.
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I made an offer on a car a few years ago and the owner (deceased owner's son) literally laughed at me. Turns out he sold it at auction for exactly what I offered, then had to pay commissions etc. Idiot dreamer!:eek:
 
jfreddie said:
You can get some good deals sometimes on the ads that say Make Offer. One caution, though, if your second offer is rejected, you can't make any more offers on that item.
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That's not a problem, you just get one of your mates to put in an offer on your behalf using his Ebay account.
 
postaltruck31 said:
I used to sell & buy a lot of Model A stuff on ebay, but have been away from it for a few years. I've just started looking again, and I'm shocked by the starting prices for parts and bodies. Are they actually getting the prices they are asking, or are they just dreaming big dreams of what this stuff is worth? Thanks in advance for your comments!
Click to expand...

You can filter your search on Ebay to show you only Sold Items You will be surprised at the variance in prices. I have also witnessed a bidding war where the price has gone thru the roof and at the same time a listing with a buy it now price for an identical item being available at less than half the bidding price.
It's a case of do your homework first and don't get caught up in a bidding war.;)
 
I think eBay does have dreamers for prices plus I haven't seen much in parts for sale that flea markets aren't full of (and lots cheaper, forgetting travel and time).
But I can say the same thing about FB plus the redundancy and "to the top" bump ups, same old vendors; one seller has listed something 117 times!
I am giving up on both.
 
I stopped looking at parts on ebay a year ago. Hands on at swap meet is my favorite. Craigslist is still good, I picked up a load of nice parts yesterday (nothing heavy) for 100 bucks. You still see transmissions for $500.00 and 1 wheel for $125
 
Wick said:
I stopped looking at parts on ebay a year ago. Hands on at swap meet is my favorite. Craigslist is still good, I picked up a load of nice parts yesterday (nothing heavy) for 100 bucks. You still see transmissions for $500.00 and 1 wheel for $125
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What you say makes a lot of sense Wick. I have also quit the EBay. Many are there as a business where Craigslist and Swap meet are hobbyists unloading and will look at a reasonable offer. Wayne
 
You can filter your search on Ebay to show you only Sold Items You will be surprised at the variance in prices. I have also witnessed a bidding war where the price has gone thru the roof and at the same time a listing with a buy it now price for an identical item being available at less than half the bidding price.
It's a case of do your homework first and don't get caught up in a bidding war.
_____________
times 2!

have bought much on ebay and at great prices- fleas are wonderful, if you have nothing but time and gas money................
 
burner31 said:
I like the "make offer" option
I think I shock and insult a lot of them, hopefully bring some back down to Earth...and their senses.
Click to expand...

You can't shock or insult the sellers. Many have it on automatic response to weed out low ballers so that offer below a certain amount is automatically rejected without the owner even seeing it. Wayne
 
FWIW: Take Advantage of a Free Education

1. If someone knows somebody who is contemplating starting a new business, observing Ebay buying and selling is extremely educational for anyone who cares to learn far more about human brain functions, human choices, human judgement, and human behavior in general.

2. If someone knows somebody who is contemplating running for office, studying Ebay people can also help ...... they vote.
 
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Aw, so enters the land of 'pickers and flippers'. Make big bucks easily. Cars, antiques, houses doesn't matter.

I see it on TV so it has to be true. The last guy to the party is the one who will be short.

We're seeing it in the Mustang market. Shelbys and such reached stupid prices years ago. NOW you can buy a new Shelby that outperforms the 60's technology in all manner. No comparison. A 2015 GT350 just sold at Mecum for $132,000, cost $60,000 new. That's going to be the market now. The guy that paid $135,000 for that '69 GT500 five years ago is looking at MAYBE half that price today. Maybe. IF he's lucky. Even at $60,000 he's going to have a hell of a time finding a buyer.
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
Aw, so enters the land of 'pickers and flippers'. Make big bucks easily. Cars, antiques, houses doesn't matter.

I see it on TV so it has to be true.
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agreed, all these picker flipper shows on TV, auto auctions live on tv, online gun auctions and such has ruined many markets. Sure way back before internet and cable tv there was always the only guy in town that thought his stuff was made out of gold but that guy usually got put in his place when noone would buy from him. Now with the internet he can see prices people are buying and he stays firm on prices and sells it online. He doesn't care who buys it as long as he gets his top dollar.

The old saying "Theres a sucker born every minute" is still true...thus there must be someone born every other minute out to scam them haha.
 
I couldn't agree more with SeaSlugs. I guess that is the down side to the Internet and the reality TV garbage, what it has done to the old car hobby.

No wonder the youth have little interest. I would be hard pressed trying to get into this hobby today it has gotten way out of hand, generally. Now and then you'll find a decent antique car at a decent price. But it is getting harder all the time.

Too many other things to spend your money on if you are 20 years old. IF you have any money or a decent job that is a different story we won't go into that.
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
Too many other things to spend your money on if you are 20 years old. IF you have any money or a decent job that is a different story we won't go into that.
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When the average debt at college graduation of 22 year olds (just bachelors degree mind you - thats slowly becoming the new high school diploma)is $29,000 at 4.6-7.8% interest rates they dont have alot of extra money to go around let alone for hobbies...
 
I sold over 6000 parts on ebay over a 5 year period and then switched to vintage watches and accessories. Ebay gave me fits as a seller so sold the watch business off to my partner who know has fits from the seller staff there on ebay. Sellers are always wrong and buyers are always right is ebay's philosophy. I have little to no problems between Model A parts customers but got buried with watch complaints. I will probably do some ebay with fixed prices and maybe make offer of some of the higher valued items. Ebay charges over 15% between their store fees, selling fees, shipping and paypal so free shipping is not free just has to be put in the price. I will look forward to dealing with some of you again as I will continue to list under phonconn which is the user name I had in the past. Anything you need just get in touch direct or here through Fordbarn. I prefer Fordbarn to all others but just too much stuff to sell for just one venue.
 
Sold a couple of antique cars on E-Bay years ago, on an auction format. Went fairly smoothly. I was happy so were the buyers.

But, that was ten years ago. What are they like selling cars today? Anyone have any recent experiences? Sounds like it has changed. Not for the better.

Brother-in-law sold a 1970 Dodge Demon on Craigslist just this past summer. A guy showed up with cash in hand on the first day it was listed and happily drove off. Didn't even try to talk the price down, just glad to have the car. It WAS mint came out of Arizona always garaged!

Maybe CraigsList is the way to go today...............
 
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