Losing It

[Mike Reller]

Just got off of Ebay after my nightly, just for fun look. As usual there are several items that are probably going to sell for a reasonable price, and maybe even a few actual deals. There are also a few genuine misguided souls out there. Who told the guy with the yard kart that it was worth $1200 ? Or that a GK 1200 that only needs a couple wheels, a tank, and paint, that $1500 was "about right. Maybe the guy with the $2000 Margay. Sure, this is a free market economy. We have the right to ask whatever we want for an item, and others have the right to buy it, or keep looking. The last of the good stuff was made forty or so years ago, and will indeed become more rare, and expensive, but come on.
Would it be kosher to just tell these folks that they are dreaming? Or does this stuff being offered at outrageous prices create a false economy, as has happened in vintage cars, Barret Jackson on Speed being the latest. I'm new to vintage karting, and heard that it was worse at one time. Are we headed down that path again?If so, not much I can do about it. Not sour grapes, just wondering

Mike

[david a luciani]

watch that just for fun look stuff!!!
many parts have found their way to my house that exact way.

anyway trying to help people out that have twisted ideas of value just doesn't work.
at best they sent nasty emails telling you to buzz off or worse.
occasionally i'll contact a guy with a part i want if it's high and offer what's fair after the auction ends with no bids.
sometimes it even works.
the most extreme optomistic pricing is Harms vintage kart shop.
he inventoried everything when prices reflected a strong economy.
now what's left is way too high especially when you figure his 15$ per item shipping.
he's fully aware that his prices are too high but he waits around for an impatient soul to buy his stuff.
his karts especially are way up there.
he refused a ebay bid of something like 4000+ for a kart he wants 5000 for.

and you're right there are a few bad apples trying like heck to get prices really high.
they act like there's not much left, my experience is wait and you'll find what you want for a fair price.

anyway you're not tossing not sour grapes just a fair observation.
dave

[Alan Warn]

My favorite was the Chaparral enduro tanks that spiked to $481 on the last day. I'm sure we will be seeing them again. They are the ones that were up for auction by an 80 year old guy who had them on a kart he used to race back in the day, but didn't remember what kind of kart it was. He also had a little less than 300 feedbacks. Mr. Innocent. On the other hand, everyone wants to get top dollar for their stuff and buy cheap. Can't blame them for that. That's why there is an auction. It was better when you knew who was bidding on the item and how many people had bid on the persons' auctions in the past and how many times. It's a lot easier to cheat now and eBay is fine with that, since they make more money that way. They charge to list, and charge a percentage of the final price. Doesn't matter to them if it actually sells. The $481 tanks cost Mr. Innocent about $29. If it was a legit auction, they will bring about $150 and then if you deduct the $29 and the auction fees for the legit auction, he will gross about $110. It would make sense to just sell them on this web site and gross $150. The $40 difference is a lot of pizza and beer.

[Mike Reller]

I forgot to mention my number one Ebay observation. While I'm not a snob, I refuse to take anybody serious, who can't spell axle.

[Gary Wlodarsky]

I personally like the ones that are ""rare, vintage, collectable", 1990 something...."you just acn'y buy it anymore""

btw... spelling don't count, 'sept for axle!!!!!!

Gary

[david a luciani]

i have to say esteal does s$ck.
but anytime offer something on the forum it seems anybody responding thinks they're the only ones with knowledge of value.
low balling seems to be a hobby for these guys so i rarely offer anything that way anymore.
don't get me wrong i like a deal as much as anyone but the same guy will pay triple on esteal for the same thing.
i know as i sell some things under my buddies site so i don't have to deal with many hassles that way.

and of course we all see the items that go for stupid money listed again the very next week.
these guys don't even bother with a no pay story or anything.
best to just look for good deals set a high price you're willing to pay and just pass on anything that's too much.
as with most of this stuff it'll be on ebay from time to time.
dave

[Dominic Salvato]

I would love to see some of the original company's recognize a market for their product and start producing again, i.e. McCulloch Corporation

[david a luciani]

with mcculloch i'd say no way.
it's unlikely that the molds even exist anymore since they've changed hands so many times.
and to retool would be about $100,000 when it's all said and done.
they would have never even bothered with kart motors at all if it hadn't happened to be a easy change-over from their saw motors.
basically they used the saw powerhead as a base for the kart motor.
also these motors pretty much were assembled by hand which would be stupid money to do today.
even back in the day they bailed because of all the hand work involved in building those engines.

on other companies it's set-up costs.
a great example would be margay.
they have all the dies and could get production up and running after "about 40 hrs meeting with the tool and die shop"
but they need to know that they aren't wasting their time and money beforehand.

recently i posted a thread explaining that exact thing.
the two most iconic parts star wheel 1/2's and the rams horn were offered for a possible presale.
except for one forum there's been nearly no response or parts commitment by anyone.
with that data i'd have to agree with the "interested party" that he'd be once again eating obsolete parts were he to reproduce those parts.

even vintage karters repopping desirable parts have trouble selling their stuff.
i think the mindset is "too much money" i'd rather find someone who doesn't know what they have and get a DEAL.
unless the people who are rebuilding these karts change their attitude there isn't a big enough market to be bothered except by a hobbiest.

dave

[Jeff Campbell]

After watching vintage kart stuff prices on ebay for something like 8 years ... it's obvious that some people listing the stuff don't know what its worth. Some of them start too low (nobody complains about that, especially when its a Buy it Now!) and some start high figuring they will keep coming down if it doesn't sell. Then there are some sellers with simply wacky ideas of the value, or that think if they write a "knowledgeable expert" description, that some poor fool will buy a nice vintage kart for $25,000 (not an exaggeration). On the buyer side I have also seen people knowingly pay too much for something, simply because they needed that part now!

Ebay in general, is a market with prices ranging from Super Deals to Way Overpriced. It's not like a typical retail store where price might only vary a small amount from store to store.

The way I view it, with ebay you have to simply let stuff go that you REALLY want if it is selling for over the price you want to pay ... simply stick to your price, if it is fair, eventually you win with a bid and buy it for that. If you can't be patient, then you will pay the higher prices to get it quickly.

Jeff