1959scudetto Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Just saw on ebay a Revell 1/25 snapper Peterbilt 359 "pro built" for 75,00 $ !!!Nothing on this model was "pro" - but the asked price: no detail painting (indicators on the fenders were still bare chrome, side indicators on the edges of the fenders were still unpainted, the rubber window seals/surrounds were also not painted, nor were the windshield wipers or the door handles. The whole truck looks unpainted - but I'm not sure) the only decals were some license plates, fleet numbers and Peterbilt logos!My opinion is: the FUN of model building is BUILDING !!! (and painting and detailing, of course)Can someone tell me why anyone should spend 75,00 $ on a (poorly) built model that is available everywhere for about 20,00 $ ???This goes way beyond my fantasy! Some people are really out of this world, I think. - What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vamach1 Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Since there are no listing fees for most auctions they have nothing to lose and figure some sucker may bite. When I sell somthing I set a reasonable price and watch the bids. Sometimes I get my initial asking price and sometimes there are multiple bidders, but I would never price something absurdly high - it is a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC Norton Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Just saw on ebay a Revell 1/25 snapper Peterbilt 359 "pro built" for 75,00 $ !!! Nothing on this model was "pro" - but the asked price: no detail painting (indicators on the fenders were still bare chrome, side indicators on the edges of the fenders were still unpainted, the rubber window seals/surrounds were also not painted, nor were the windshield wipers or the door handles. The whole truck looks unpainted - but I'm not sure) the only decals were some license plates, fleet numbers and Peterbilt logos! My opinion is: the FUN of model building is BUILDING !!! (and painting and detailing, of course) Can someone tell me why anyone should spend 75,00 $ on a (poorly) built model that is available everywhere for about 20,00 $ ??? This goes way beyond my fantasy! Some people are really out of this world, I think. - What do you think? Helmut, I think we all see your point here, however you must realize that many folks in the hobby don't care to build anything,,,they just want to have certain items. not everyone is concerned about that nice, personal achievement factor, only getting a piece to put in the showcase. as far as the PRO BUILT statement in so many ebay listings, as modelers we know the difference, but many people do not. many sellers list that way to grab your attention, whether its worth your attention or not. as far as pricing on builts or other kits,,,,ebay has changed the whole game of price reality since basically it has replaced the concept of travelling to shows and events for many guys. maybe its different in Europe, but there are far less great toy shows and kit sales events like back in the 80s and 90s in the states and Canada here. personally, I don't buy builts in any condition, but I do pay what I feel justified to scoop kits on ebay, because its cheaper than long trips to shows here and there , where there is no assurance you'll come home with what you seek.....just my 2 cents......the Ace..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Buckaroo Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 I always find those listings pure entertaining. I am pretty sure I have seen that persons work before from you accurate description. I think you may have forgotten the seam line separations. The way I look at it if those trucks are "pro built" then that must put my models in the "expertise" level . I have only bought "old built ups" due to needing parts or to restore as the kit is no longer available. But a lot of people do buy built models as well as diecast for displaying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennyg Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 eBay dreamers everywhere trying to sell kits for rediculous money. Glad they're reissuing a lot of the classics I missed as a kid.Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1959scudetto Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 I always find those listings pure entertaining. I am pretty sure I have seen that persons work before from you accurate description. I think you may have forgotten the seam line separations. The way I look at it if those trucks are "pro built" then that must put my models in the "expertise" level . I have only bought "old built ups" due to needing parts or to restore as the kit is no longer available. But a lot of people do buy built models as well as diecast for displaying. I'm with you, Sean, you're right - the mold lines are still visible and have not been adressed to. I can't imagine to pay more than maybe 5,00 $ for such a built kit. For me, it only makes sense if there is no other way to get a rare and old kit (f. i. I bought from a German modeler on ebay an ERTL International Transtar Coe, the forerunner of the Transtar II, for about 25 $ as a built-up - it will be disassembled, repainted and rebuilt; an unbuilt one would have been way out of my budget) Diecasts can be also a solution when there is no kit available (I'v bought several Alfa Romeos in 1/24). Those listings indeed can be entertaining! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 (edited) The thing I don't get is the "Pro Built" statement that many ebay sellers use...I don't believe many build these kits as a profession and get their main income from it so in my opinion it's not "Pro" in any way...and if the model is poorly built it's even more so...especially if it's a snap kit as it was in this case.I prefer to buy my models unbuilt and I think they are more worth than a built model regardless of how good it's built, what's fun about buying a model and just put it on the shelf...not that satisfying at all as the fun part is to build the thing with your own two hands.But sometimes you might have to get a built model to restore as the unbuilt kits are too expensive and hard to find...but I never pay high prices for them. Edited March 27, 2016 by Force Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomZ Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The thing is, some eBay bidders don't do any homework. That has to be what these dream-price sellers are fishing for. It doesn't cost anything to relist the same item indefinitely.A couple of weeks ago a bidding war broke out for two sets of Herb Deeks PE wire wheel sets. The final price was $76 for the pair plus shipping. Quite a price, seeing as that Herb Deeks sells these on eBay for $19 a set with free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 About these "Pro Built" offerings. Note that a lot of model builders aren't exposed to the hobby as we are. They have no idea the quality model cars are built today, and honestly think that the stuff they've built to 1970s Jr High quality is the best anyone ever could do. Then there are the sellers who know the models they are selling stink, but they're hoping to snag people that don't know any better. A few years ago I was at a flea market and saw a poorly built AMT '53 Ford pickup on a vendors table. It had no paint on it and glue all over. A total mess. The vendor saw me looking at it and confidently said $50. I told him I could buy it new in the box for half that! He responded, "Yea but this one's already built!" as if building a model was a chore you'd rather pay someone $25 for, and he no doubt had no idea I would do a significantly better job than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC Norton Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The thing is, some eBay bidders don't do any homework. That has to be what these dream-price sellers are fishing for. It doesn't cost anything to relist the same item indefinitely. A couple of weeks ago a bidding war broke out for two sets of Herb Deeks PE wire wheel sets. The final price was $76 for the pair plus shipping. Quite a price, seeing as that Herb Deeks sells these on eBay for $19 a set with free shipping. ....and Tom, that's the thing about ebay that has always baffled me....few guys even bother to search for what they need, just see one listed, and promise themselves they are buying THAT auction regardless. its truly dazzling, I've seen it so many times yet I'm still always shocked over and over.....the ones I love are the bidders driving up the price on an all week auction, yet there is another one, maybe even more than one,,,, at a much lower buy it now price....the Ace............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogie7046 Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 I have seen prices go way beyond stupid on Ebay, but I think for some it can be an addiction to win that auction at all costs. As for "prebuilt" you ever see what some "professional contractors" try to pass off when doing home renos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogie7046 Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 That should have said "probuilt" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CometMan Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Many dealers/vendors would like you to believe that their item is the only one like it, anywhere, that we should feel privileged that they would be willing to sell it to us for whatever amount they are asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) Even more amazing to me is the incredibly high proportion of REAL cars that come to me after having been "built" or "modified" or "restored" by "professionals" who actually DID get money for the monkey messes they made...in many cases a LOT of money.There's no shortage of ham-handed talent-free and skill-free morons in the world, and no shortage of idiots who have no clue and are willing to pay them.We have a '62 Corvette roadster and a '63 split-window in the shop right now for buildup, both fresh from the body shop, and the front clips on both cars are on crooked. Both of these were very expensive "body-off" jobs, and there's simply NO EXCUSE for this kind of shitt.We also have a Jag S2 E-type roadster just back from another shop, and the front subframe is covered with bondoed-over buckles and snot welds, and 40-grit grinder marks under the paint...on the firewall too.Then there's the little Metropolitan with the Toyota engine swap, and the "professional" chimps that did it have the engine sitting in the car at about a 15-degree angle because they were too stupid to engineer clearance into the front crossmember for the sump...or they just never heard of pinion-angle. Needless to say, the poor little car will vibrate you out of it, and goes through universal joints in about a week.The car owners don't know any better.I swear, if somebody tried to pass that crapp on me...well, let's just say I'd be less than politely forgiving Edited March 28, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneckrigger Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Back in the late 90's when I was running my bodyshop, the worst one we had was a '66 Olds 442 convertible with the 3x2 carb setup that came to us for a paint job. We had the best paint booth in the area at the time, a SprayBake full downdraft baking booth, and this guy had just had the bodywork done for BIG bucks but wanted it painted in our booth. I took one look at it when it was off loaded from the roll back and saw that the right side rear quarter was at least 1 1/2" out of whack. Putting a straight edge down the top accent line proved it even worse at about 2" off in the middle. I told the guy I would not paint it unless he let us fix it. He got totally PO'd at me, and not a word was said about the hack that did the work. After telling him to get it out of the shop, he finally decided to have us fix the job, which required total removal of the quarter and putting a new one on, which about doubled the cost of the paint job. It IS totally amazing at the quality of work foisted off on people by some so called professionals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 The ones that get me the most are trying to sell parts even just one for the price you can go buy the same kit for....do they really think people are that dumb...???...of course someone will take them up on the offer... . I have no problem paying someone a premium for a hard to find part if its worth it. Glad I trade with people here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 The ones that get me the most are trying to sell parts even just one for the price you can go buy the same kit for....do they really think people are that dumb...???...of course someone will take them up on the offer... . I have no problem paying someone a premium for a hard to find part if its worth it. Glad I trade with people here. I agree with you Mark, I know of one seller there I always get a good laugh out of the prices, sometimes $10 dollars for a hood and that part is from a common kit either on the shelves of a LHS or in another listing for sometimes just a few dollars more for the whole kit. As for the "Pro Built" laughs, some of the quality I see in them would mean I've been a "pro" since I was a teenager! Actually, that comment isn't far from the truth, and before the days of eBay, I had an Italeri Freightliner FLC Aerodyne truck with AMT's Freuhauf flatbed trailer in a display that the "truckers" of the local model club I was a member of in my teen years had in conjunction with a 1:1 truck show in our area. It was nothing special, just both box stock with the kit supplied flame decals on the truck and the only addition to the trailer was some jewelry chain added to chain the steel coils to the trailer. At that time in 1992, the truck was $30 or $40 for the Italeri, and the trailer was maybe $15, and I had a driver look it over a couple of times before he asked me if I'd sell it. I wasn't really interested, but I told him $50 if he wanted it and that was just for what I had in the kits. Then of course the attempts to low ball me came, and I told him it was firm, I at least needed what I had in it to buy the kits again! On other side note with that story, that was when I learned to research a little before doing something. The chains I used for the coils were attached wrong, I didn't know at that time the chains were supposed to go from one side, through the "eye" of the coil (I had them loaded "shotgun" with the "eyes" facing the front and rear of the trailer to explain for the non truckers looking in) and go to the opposite side rail. Every flat bedder, including my brother who had hauled steel, made sure they told me I had the chains wrong! The usual comment was "Very nice job, but......you have the chains wrong" and that went to the time the "but......" would come along, I'd reply "I know, the chains aren't right." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10thumbs Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Funny stuff here.I get a kick out of pro built stuff too. Maybe they mean though, "pro" as opposed to "con", like, this is a positive type build, pro humor maybe.Any of us that do our work well, see lots of times what "others" do and we shake our heads and wonder. My work line is teeth. I see and hear what's going on and often wonder at why folks have to pay so much for such a lack of quality. Better yet, the ones doing the work are actually selling it too and getting good cash for it. Pro built is overrated, but still good for a grin on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomZ Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 "Pro-built" means "professionally built," right? And a professional is someone who is paid for their work, right? So if they sell their "pro-built" model on eBay and get paid for it, why then it indeed was "pro-built." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Guys, the eBay bull on models is nothing next to what I see in the collector stamp category! Stamps being described as phenomenally mint perfect with certificates for ten times catalog value... for stamps that routinely sell for face value or 10% of catalog. There are some that stand out, like one stamp that would sell for a dollar in perfect condition on a good day... it's been on eBay for something like FIVE YEARS... it's got an entire corner missing and the seller wants $20! And I have to wade through this muck to find things for my collection from legit dealers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scummy Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Ebay selling is like fishin , wait long enough and a dopey fish will come along . I buy some second hand stuff but only pay second hand parts prices . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I have bought a lot off of Ebay, but truthfully I don't think some of that stuff is really for sale at the prices some are posted at. Some of those high priced items have been on there for months, and some re-appear from time to time. Catch phrases like; "Pro-Built", "Vintage", "Rare", "Hard to Find" and even "Look!!" are just hooks many are using to try and sell their product. I think some sellers don't know any better, but many are simply trying to make a sale. The funny thing to me is how many kits, especially resin stuff, will bid much higher than they can be bought direct. So there are many buyers who don't know any better either.With that said, if someone thinks that their re-released California Hauler frame is worth $29.99, then let them try to get that. However, most builders are familiar with going prices. The best thing to do is to do your homework, and look at the pictures closely and even ask the seller questions if need be. I have gotten some really good deals on Ebay, but it takes some fishing on the buying end as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Buckaroo Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Catch phrases like; "Pro-Built", "Vintage", "Rare", "Hard to Find" and even "Look!!" are just hooks many are using to try and sell their product. I think some sellers don't know any better, but many are simply trying to make a sale. Like the phrase "Sexy" - I have learned that should read "Look away" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I wish more old kits would get issued enough to put that clown PJ Toys out of business on ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I wish more old kits would get issued enough to put that clown PJ Toys out of business on ebay Yup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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