Just thought i,d get it off my chest, I,m NOT aiming this at any individual!  but the often used term ebay, "Epay!" i come across people that constantly whine about ebay and the high cost of things! put it in perpesctive and realize that it has opened the doors to acess parts that would never surface in your local papers add section or swap meet, either locally twice a year or one 1000 miles away that you dont go to anyway, so you would still be sitting at home dribbling. I look at it like this, if i REALLY wanted that rare part that would finish my project no matter what it was or where and here it is on ebay! then lookout, i,m not going to miss this chance and hence become one of the bidders and generally the battle has begun and it may appear to the nonplayers that the price is high! but compared to what?  Own the part and complete your dream! or go back to dribbling!

So if some prices seem to end up high its because generally the winner was tired of looking, needed to finish project or just isnt available in his area etc.and kept bidding till he owned it, and i can tell you, the price is quickly forgotten once you are fondling that rare y block part ! The opportunity to acess the amount of parts etc sitting at nite searching for good priced regular stuff that may vary from seller to seller is one thing, you can choose which one has the best shipping, buy it now price etc as the the best deal, but that one hard to get item is going to end up on the high side price wise and hence Epay term unkindly used, but i bet no one complains when they sell something on ebay and get a high price for it!!!

So all this considered, when the opportunity arises on ebay you gotta ask yourself one question! Well punk are you gunna own it? well punk are you?? Ha.Ha.

Merry Xmas To all our y block  community, Best regards. Bill.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

you'll get no argument from me.



The auction selling price helps to set the value on most items.

The bidders set the price.

Unless of course you get those sellers that start out with something "we" think is wrong, by being to high.

Again "we" decide, because "we" don't bid, or often. His item doesn't sell.



As an example I watch what tbird oilpans sell for and try to keep a mental average of what they sell for. That average price they go for is my gauge of what i will have to pay for one someday, +, -. Are they worth that?…YES if you have to have it. It is the demand.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

As one who both buys & sells on ebay, I couldnt AGREE MORE!  Things are worth what someone will pay for it, no more, no less.  I have had things that i sold go for much less than i thought they would (i.e. my load-o-matic dizzy that went to sweden) and Ive bought stuff that went for more than i thought it would.  But at the end of the day, there are very few swap meets around here, and not many people have parts for these cars at the few that are around, so I think its a GREAT method to find the parts i need, and to sell the stuff i dont need but someone else might!

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

I dont feel called out, thou I was the last one to post the term "Epay" in regards to a plug wire set for an amigo to the south.  I share your sentiment, and have restored 2 cars to senior winners status buy searching Ebay almost daily for the past half dozen years.

I personally use the term in deference to the culture of the forum I may be on at the time, be it automotive, petrolania, or whatever, as some sites have spoken and unspoken rules about reference to commercial sites... naming them, in which parts of the forum you can name them, and so on.

Being noobish here, I took the safe route of mis-naming it, much as I would refering to a chebbie... though with less disrespect intended.

Again, I know u werent directly responding to me, so no reflame intended. In fact, the picture in your signature reminds me I need to check a bid.

Cheers...  Brian

Cylinder Index = 84

Current Experiment = `57 Tbird, Grand Rapids, Michigan

What a GREAT post!



I find that people pay WAY more for stuff on ebay than in person sales. I LOVE ebay as a seller. I'm tired of the people who want something for nothing and want the part that I found, removed and cleaned, for peanuts. I have it, if you want it here it is!



Ebay takes care of this, people place bids and hopefully they BID TO WIN! (as I always say)



You can go to a swap meet and look for a part and its like finding a needle in a hay stack, or you can get on ebay and find it, pay by paypal and have it in a few days and instead of wasting a day at the swap meet. Now you can spend more time with your family!

Kevin S in Akron, Ohio

I'd rather dribble....

BOO- YA!!!

I enjoy going to the swap meet (second Sunday of every month) to look for parts but also to enjoy the converse with other car nuts and the environment in general. And part of the fun of our hobby is the hunt for parts (For me anyway). Plus it gives me a excuse to see old friends, make new friends, bench race, to get out of the house, lol. So I think of them more of a social meeting... I don't consider I am "wasting a day at the swap meet".



But, yes, I do peruse EBay and have found pieces that I would never have found otherwise (like the NOS hood latch or NOS center bar for the grill for my '55).




BOB

Good post! If not for Ebay,I would not have been able to build my car.When you work 80-100 hours a week it gets a little tough to go to swap meets and search for that rare part.With Ebay(and Craigslist) I can shop the world over for parts I need and do it in an hour a week.As far as prices being too high,there is a simple way to keep from paying too much.Don't bid and wait for the next one.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

I buy and sell fairly often on ebay.  Nothing out there better for getting or selling relatively obscure parts.  The bay and PP fees have become significant.  Think it runs about 10 percent total. 

Sometimes guys get carried away and I want to jump in there and say whoa!  But it doesnt happen too often. 

The problem with ebay in my mind is the rating system.  Recently I sold an item and in the buyer's written rating he said everything was excellent, and mentioned shipping.  Then went over and gave me all "good" in the specifics.  Knocked down the 5's tp 4.9's.  If that happens very often small sellers really get clobbered.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

I agree 100%. There is that one part out there I am looking for and when it shows up, it WILL be mine.

Wichita,KS