Incoming Mint cars this week....

[randyc]

I'm a bit excited - my buddy I build for just acquired 4 Mint cars for me.   To sell or keep as I see fit.   Danbury 58 Fury, Danbury 57 Chevy convertible, 56 Sunliner, Danbury 55 Ford (black/white).  All of these cars have sold fairly well for me in the past.   I've been able to sell ever 57 chevy I've had for my price just by putting it on BIN and letting it sit.  And we're in these easy enough to sell fairly inexpensively.   Just like a real car guy, gotta clean them up, minor repairs as needed, then shelf or sell.  

 

Photos when they get here.

[57peppershaker]

I keep looking at the 58 Furys, so far managed to avoid the temptation though....

[randyc]

My buddy is always on the lookout and found a deal on these 4 from the same seller.     Fury is supposed to be only missing the antenna masts - I can see the bases in the  photos.   But these are some dirty cars - very fuzzy with dust.   I think I can clean them up presentable.  And like you, I have resisted.  I have a first issue Ertl 1/18 and a 1/64.  Built the plastic Bevedere.  And so on.  But I'll probably sell the Ertl when I get the Mint car if it is in reasonably good shape.  I'm pretty good at avoiding temptation at this point.  But my buddy isn't and he pays me for building plastics for him by buying me more diecast, plastic, basically whatever I point out to him..  So it works for us.

[randyc]

Talk about a sick feeling.  POOR PACKING!   Nothing salvageable except hte 56 Ford, maybe.   Others are nothing but parts at this point.  my buddy did hte ebay deal so they will have to work it out.  Hope seller doesn't want these shipped back and hope he cheerfully refunds my bud's money.   You simply can't roll a Mint car in newspapare and pack 3 across in the USPS box with the TOP against the outside of the box.  Only funny thing about it is that he put the styro bokc and protected the antennae on teh 57 but the windshield is completely busted.   Everyone's cars just went up a little tiny bit.

Some shard of plastic fell out of the 56 (first car) when I opened it, so I started taking photos.   It was rolled in newspaper on top of the other 3 and had more paper around it.  After that I took pics as I unwrapped things.    May end up with some nice wheel sets and engines.

Sad sad sad.

[Gramps46]

That is so sad to see.  I sure hope  an equitable resolution can be worked out between all the parties. I guess I have been very lucky in my mint dealings.  The worst has been a Danbury '66 Corvette that came in its Styrofoam box but the box was not taped shut so the Corvette was loose in the bigger cardboard box.  Fortunately all the pieces were still there and could be reattached.

[randyc]

Yeah I can llive with them coming with a few loose parts if the parts are still in the box and were there to start with.  Not sure how they'll work this out.  It's not on me, not up to me.  I'm just holding them for now.  My buddy didn't even open the box - he put it in a larger box with a couple plastic kits (unharmed) and sent it all to me.  I'll tell him to start opening them from now on before forwarding. 

That wasn't the Corvette I sold you was it?   If so I do apologize.    I don't think I had a 66 or a Danbury though.

I guess the black white car could be put in a falling tree diorama.   OR a farmers insurance commercial, if you've seen those...  or Mayhem?

[Gramps46]

Randy.  No it was not you who sent me the '66.  It was an eBay seller.

[Anglia105E]

Very sad indeed, Randy....... I hate it when stuff arrives damaged. Most Ebay deliveries are fine, but every so often a bad one comes in. I always photograph each unpacking of the box from start to finish, so that as soon as something does not look right, I have the evidence to show the seller. Not always the seller's fault, of course, and quite often it has been the carrier who is at fault. When I see the package that has one corner smashed in badly, my heart sinks before I even open it up. Usually, and as you have found here, the problem is when the seller has not given the model or models sufficient protection with bubble-wrap, packing pellets, pieces of foam and package within a package type precaution. Sometimes, getting the seller to accept that he is at fault, is the first hurdle to get over, and there have been cases where I don't want to return the damaged model car for a full refund, because I would rather repair the car and accept a partial refund.

David

[randyc]

29 minutes ago, Anglia105E said:

Very sad indeed, Randy....... I hate it when stuff arrives damaged. Most Ebay deliveries are fine, but every so often a bad one comes in. I always photograph each unpacking of the box from start to finish, so that as soon as something does not look right, I have the evidence to show the seller. Not always the seller's fault, of course, and quite often it has been the carrier who is at fault. When I see the package that has one corner smashed in badly, my heart sinks before I even open it up. Usually, and as you have found here, the problem is when the seller has not given the model or models sufficient protection with bubble-wrap, packing pellets, pieces of foam and package within a package type precaution. Sometimes, getting the seller to accept that he is at fault, is the first hurdle to get over, and there have been cases where I don't want to return the damaged model car for a full refund, because I would rather repair the car and accept a partial refund.

David

Yup.  And there's no repairing 3 of these.   Newspaper is NOT a proper wrapping medium for Mint or any other model cars.  The cars I have most received damaged were wrapped in newspaper or paper of some sort.   I bought a 58 Bonnevvile and the whole front end had been torn off in shipping.  Just because that one was NOT packed enough to keep it still in the box.  we agreed to a big partial refund and I kept it and repaired it.  Just don't breathe on it too hard...the whole front may fall off.  Bubble wrap if pulled too tightly can also damage cars.  there has to be a "feel' for what is "just right".  Some folks get it, some don't.  Those who don't are usually flipping from a collection bought at auction and they really aren't used to shipping models.  If seller has more other stuff than models, probably taking your chances.   

I have received more than one car that was wrapped to [US] Football size ( and shape) in bubble wrap, then taped so thoroughly I had to cut the tape apart to figure out where to begin unwrapping.  You'll likely damage it yourself with those if you aren't careful.   Those mint cars are in their original styro as they are for a reason.  Can't beat that if you want a car protected as it ships.  But my range is usually lower than that.

I did have one buyer who was very explicit in his expectations of how cars was to be wrapped for shipment.   I am starting to understand their feelings.  I  am trying to complete another deal on "junkers" that are nice enough to fix or rob.  I may just caution them to please wrap carefully and no newspaper!  

[randyc]

57 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

Randy.  No it was not you who sent me the '66.  It was an eBay seller.

Phew.  glad it wasn't me.   I try do my best when shipping.

[THarrison351]

That's just sad Gary. Of all my Mint diecast to arrive through shipping, only only one was busted up. My Danbury Mint 1927 Stutz Black Hawk had no original container, but did have a collector case. The seller put a few Styrofoam peanuts in the case with the car, wrapped the case in bubble wrap and put it in a cardboard box. Well, you can imagine all the broken  plastic bits once it arrived. The bumpers, mirrors, tail lights, windshield, and hood ornament, all broken off. the case was destroyed too. I did get a refund and was able to repair it more or less. It's a good 5 foot car. Oh yeah, one caveat. I did get another car damaged that was shipped in it's Styrofoam container. My Danbury Mint 1957 Ford Skyliner's rear springs were broken upon arrival. The whole car fit poorly on the plastic pedestal in the bottom.

Edited October 3, 2019 by THarrison351

[randyc]

Well, the seller offered my guy a full refund.   Soooo..... if you see anything that may be usable on these, shoot me a PM and we'll see.   We are watching another Fury that says "ISSUES", so I may need some parts from the Fury?   Or the engine may go in my Revell 29 Ford?   Or maybe a Fury Speedster?   IDK.   The COLOR on the Fury is really an awful shade of white.  Putty?  IDK.  It's pretty awful and I won't put a lot into another one.   

I am going to clean the 56 Ford and see how it looks.   Needs a door handle and something done with the spotlights.   I'm thinking of removing them and plugging the holes as if they were removed intentionally.  

55 wheels may go on my Revell 59?  Then the flippers can go on something else...

I don't know.  Will evaluate it all tonight.  I just put it all back in box yesterday til I knew what to do with it.  

It's a new world opf possibilities.... yeah right.  lol

[Anglia105E]

Good to see that you are trying to look on the bright side of all this, Randy....... which is never easy. Currently, I am waiting for a package to be delivered from USA, which is a '67 Bonneville 4-door Resin Kit from a guy in Chicago...... I am happy that the seller will have packed the kit properly, and I have every reason to believe that the USPS will do a good job of shipping the package across the Atlantic, but it's what happens to it when the UK carrier gets hold of it that worries me. They will take longer to get the package from the point at which it arrived from America than it took to cross the vast ocean, and it is far too common for them to smash the package about between delivery depot's. I just hope this delivery reaches me with no mishaps, because it has cost me a lot of dollars !

David

[randyc]

28 minutes ago, Anglia105E said:

Good to see that you are trying to look on the bright side of all this, Randy....... which is never easy. Currently, I am waiting for a package to be delivered from USA, which is a '67 Bonneville 4-door Resin Kit from a guy in Chicago...... I am happy that the seller will have packed the kit properly, and I have every reason to believe that the USPS will do a good job of shipping the package across the Atlantic, but it's what happens to it when the UK carrier gets hold of it that worries me. They will take longer to get the package from the point at which it arrived from America than it took to cross the vast ocean, and it is far too common for them to smash the package about between delivery depot's. I just hope this delivery reaches me with no mishaps, because it has cost me a lot of dollars !

David

I hope you get it in good nick.   I love that phrase.  Hope I used it correctly.  

[Anglia105E]

3 hours ago, randyc said:

I hope you get it in good nick.   I love that phrase.  Hope I used it correctly.  

Yes, good nick is okay....... I would be happy with it in good nick.

[randyc]

I scored a 53 caddy and a blue Duesenberg that will be in soon.  Caddy will likely give up its wheels to my Jada 58.  Duesy?  Not sure yet. May also be a parts car.