So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

I read with interest the thread about certain people using ebay as a judging ground to determine prices on rare parts. If that is the case then what about the $1400-$2000 837 alternators people are selling on this and other sites. Obviously after tracking these and other 837 alternator auctions, ebay is NOT the place to get prices for those parts. In my opinion those advertising here know they can't get the ridiculous prices on ebay and someone on here will bite.

Here are a couple of recent alternator auctions. And yes I did bid on both auctions.

Alternator #1 $454

Alternator #2 $660

Now take these two 1970 jack cover auctions. Again ebay is good place to set a value??? I don't think so.

Jack Cover #1

Jack Cover #2

The difference in price range is amazing.

Have a nice day.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Actually Rick, the difference in price range is that amazing at all.

It depends on a number of factors. One, the timing. As you
know, timing is everything. Second, the other bidders. I
have seen far too many auctions go for rediculous prices
because two or three bidders really wanted that particular
item at that particular time. Then, an identical item shows up
on eBay and doesn't command nearly the same price. Why?

I had this situation with some '69 Camaro SS hood drain tubes.
The first set sold for almost $200.00 https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif, then the second set
didn't clear $50.00 - go figure! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Steve,
Timing and wanting the item are why I don't consider ebay a good judging ground. Just because 2-3 people want the same item doesn't set the norm. That just means a couple of egos are going to war over a certain part. It's just a matter of one or two of these people not wanting the other to have it at any cost. In the end it comes down to the cost to get the item, not the value of it.

Just my opinion.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

But isn't that the whole idea of an auction? Sometimes you get great deals...sometimes not.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
But isn't that the whole idea of an auction? Sometimes you get great deals...sometimes not.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is very true but does it set the value? I for one say no.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

It depends on if sellers friend is helping bid the price up. If i see the slightest thing strange in the bidder history, i wil not bid. I go with my gut, you lose some and you win some. Roger

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Sellers watch ebay for items that set new highs. You will often see an increase in supply the following weeks. The high price is usually not met the second time around. If you keep watching. You will find a few good deals on ebay. Earl

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It depends on if sellers friend is helping bid the price up.

[/ QUOTE ] EXACTLY! Another great reason why ebay is NOT the place to set values.

Get your buddys to bid it so it looks like it's worth a ton of money and the undeucated will bite at the end.

A smart buyer will be able to tell right away that things are not on the up and up.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Steve,
Timing and wanting the item are why I don't consider ebay a good judging ground. Just because 2-3 people want the same item doesn't set the norm. That just means a couple of egos are going to war over a certain part. It's just a matter of one or two of these people not wanting the other to have it at any cost. In the end it comes down to the cost to get the item, not the value of it.

Just my opinion.

Rick H.

[/ QUOTE ]

Rick,

You are absolutely correct about the eBay egos getting in the way. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/headbang.gif

We could banter back-and-forth on this forever and it
wouldn't change the fact that it isn't "us" I'm worried
about, it's all the others! Just go to any swap meet
these days ( what's a swap meet? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif ) and see how
the prices mimic eBay. I've had bonehead sellers tell me
that they saw the same item on eBay recently and it sold
for "X" number of dollars, so that is the price they want
as well. When you try to reason with them, you end up
wanting to poke your own eyes out... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

I guess what I am saying is that whether we like it or not,
eBay is setting the prices for the most parts. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smirk.gif

Steve

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've had bonehead sellers tell me
that they saw the same item on eBay recently and it sold
for "X" number of dollars, so that is the price they want
as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's funny I run into these same clowns. Problem is when I go to ebay and look, I can never find the part they are referencing.
Ever notice that it always the ones with 4 or 5 items that are over priced?

You're right the swap meets are getting just as bad.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Since Ebay I stopped dragging stuff to swap meets. Why load it, haul it, sit with it, and maybe bring it home when I can just post pics on Ebay and if it sells I box and ship it ? I might take big stuff that is hard to ship. Most of the stuff at swap meets now is just new repo junk.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

You just have to set your price that you're willing to pay for something. If it doesn't meet the reserve, move on. If you get outbid by the seller's friend then whatever. Don't fall for the games and up your bid. If the item truly sells for much high than you think it's worth, then you might need to adjust your thinking on it. But timing definitely plays a big part as well as the date codes on these parts.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Over on the NCRS site, they broach this topic on a somewhat
regular basis. Seems that bidders routinely pay high dollars
for items listed as NOS or rare. I some of the auctions
highlighted the sad thing is that the items are still available
from GM and at a fraction of the final auction price.

How do you explain this? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

#2 jack cover is missing the flap.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
#2 jack cover is missing the flap.

[/ QUOTE ]

So the flap makes jack cover #1 worth $420 more???? Come on!

When it's on the jack and the tire is on it you can't tell the difference.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I some of the auctions
highlighted the sad thing is that the items are still available
from GM and at a fraction of the final auction price.

How do you explain this?


[/ QUOTE ]

Because they do not do their homework before bidding. Using key words such as rare, NOS, etc.. gets the uneducated to bid. If I see a GM part advertised as rare, NOS or discontinued, I search sites such as gmpartsdirect.com. All you do is punch in the number and if it's available it will show up and give you the cost.

For example I saw an auction for the bowtie center caps for the 1970 and up rally wheels and he stated they were rare and discontinued. He was asking $400.00 for the set. Even though I knew they were still available I punched in the part number he listed (3989479) and not only were they available but they were only $53.22 a piece through gmpartsdirect.

Always best to do your homwwork before hand.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I some of the auctions
highlighted the sad thing is that the items are still available
from GM and at a fraction of the final auction price.

How do you explain this?


[/ QUOTE ]

Because they do not do their homework before bidding. Using key words such as rare, NOS, etc.. gets the uneducated to bid. If I see a GM part advertised as rare, NOS or discontinued, I search sites such as gmpartsdirect.com. All you do is punch in the number and if it's available it will show up and give you the cost.

For example I saw an auction for the bowtie center caps for the 1970 and up rally wheels and he stated they were rare and discontinued. He was asking $400.00 for the set. Even though I knew they were still available I punched in the part number he listed (3989479) and not only were they available but they were only $53.22 a piece through gmpartsdirect.

Always best to do your homwwork before hand.

Rick H.

[/ QUOTE ]


Great Advice.........Thanks Rick

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

You need to be careful as to what is presently produced and what is truly NOS. I believe the center caps you are referring to are used on the 70 Z28 and have the raised bowtie symbol, versus the later produced which are flat with the bowtie. Every situation requires intimate knowledge to get the factory correct part. Just because GM presently produces it under the same part# doesn't mean it is identical to what was produced back in the day.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

.........EXACTLY!

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Let's remember that comparing ebay to a swap meet is like comparing apples to oranges.

On ebay, all interested parties get to view the part and then mull over what it's worth to them for a week or more...and this includes folks from all over the globe.

At a swap meet the first fellow who comes along and thinks the asking price for a given part is fair takes it with him and walks. Other interested parties may never know the part was there or they may even end up buying the same part at a markup just a few hours later...or in a few days on ebay.

Ebay always takes the highest offer...a swap meet takes the first reasonable offer. Either you have a big wallet and use ebay, or hit the swap meet early and hope for good luck.

Let's not forget ebay is also enjoyed at all hours from the comfort of your home, and swap meets are enjoyed at 5:00 am hundreds of miles from your home in all sorts of weather. Ebay is free to browse, and lunch is is the fridge...swap meets aren't free to get to or get in, and the meals there aren't either.

Personally I think it's a trade off...you can invest the effort getting yourself to the swap, being the first one through the gates, and having lots of cash in hand....then being fortunate enough to actually locate the part you've been looking for before anyone else does and you find yourself a bargain. Either that or you sit at home on your duff and pay what the market will bear, but do whatever else you want that day too.

At the end of the day, they both have their ups and downs...but I'll agree when swap meet sellers quote ebay prices as justification for sticking to a ridiculous figure...I tell 'em put it on ebay then and stop wasting both of our time. If I wanted to pay ebay prices I'd do it from the comfort of my home...and for that I expect to pay a markup.

I'm just afraid we're soon going to see the day where folks will grow tired of lugging rare parts all over the country to get lowballed by buyers and other vendors looking to find bargains when they can simply flip their items on ebay and never once have to pack or unpack a trailer. The swaps will dry up indefinitely, and everything will be sold to the highest bidder. Let's remember it's not free or easy for swap meet vendors to get their wares there either. Take the good with the bad, both swap meets and ebay are like tools in a box, you just need to know when to use the right one.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Very well said....... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif I'm a die hard swap meet guy, both as a seller and buyer.The same theroy applies to both... "$hit or get off the pot".You only have to pay what you want to pay.It's how bad do you want it?Most of this stuff is worthless to the rest of the world anyway....... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif


Steve https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Well said Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

I've found that the people who complain that "the swap meets are all dried up" are the same people who show up at noon on Saturday at a swap meet that has already been going on for 3 days. The small swaps have ALWAYS been a crap shoot.. sometimes you find something good, sometimes you find nothing. Its been that way since long before ebay came along. The big swap meets still have alot of good stuff, you just gotta get there early, and walk as fast as you can. Sure the prices for parts are higher than they used to be, but so is everything else in this world. I use ebay as much as anyone, but some of the coolest things I've ever found has come from swap meets. Especially if I get there before Steve. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

LOL....When we meet it IS early.......It's like treasure hunting..I enjoy the hunt more than the find sometimes..Besides,I've never gone crosseyed at a swap meet.. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif


Steve https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Unless you are out there with a flashlight it is hard to find good buys these days. No part is worth me slogging around in the dark anymore...You young pups have at it. I'll sit in my armchair and bid...

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

It's not so much the flashlight Charley...It's paying attention to everything.I've found out, most swap meet people are very lazy when it comes to shopping.If it aint't on a table.....forget it! They will never find it...I just bought a whole box of GM china...(plates dishes,ect) that was under a table at the end of the day....$10. The guy next to me was pi$$ed.....He was there first and missed it.Like the Dean said....."Fat drunk and stupid is no way to go thru life"....Same thing applies to swap meets.. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif


Steve

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

I'm so glad I didn't find that China... Then I would have more cool crap that I have no use for....

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif


Steve

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm so glad I didn't find that China... Then I would have more cool crap that I have no use for....

[/ QUOTE ]

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm so glad I didn't find that China... Then I would have more cool crap that I have no use for....

[/ QUOTE ]

Join the club. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smirk.gif

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
You need to be careful as to what is presently produced and what is truly NOS. I believe the center caps you are referring to are used on the 70 Z28 and have the raised bowtie symbol, versus the later produced which are flat with the bowtie.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know after I made my post I knew I had left out that they were the flat newer style caps but thought I would let it go.
The ones he was selling were/are the newer style. The later NOS style are like trying to find hens teeth.

My point is that there are people passing off items as discontinued NOS when in fact they are still being made.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

The best place to find GM parts,is at a Ford swapmeet.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The best place to find GM parts,is at a Ford swapmeet.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's where most restorers get the rare, NOS, GM discontiued, "caution fan" sticker.

Rick H.

Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
 

Shhh..