Just saw an e-bay listing that I thought was really good - a John Deere caboose with an “accurate” and “authentic” paint job. [(-D]
I’m not going to post the URL, because it’s a reputable seller with a good feedback record. Besides, it’s an online store as well, and I don’t want this to turn into a seller-bashing thread and potentially mess with someone’s livelyhood. But it looks like he’s using stock verbiage, and assuming Athearn paint jobs are always accurate. And how many fictional paint jobs did Athearn apply to the SDP40 over the years? [swg]
So what’s your favorite e-bay story. And no URL’s or buyers names, please - let’s keep it light.
A while ago I saw a listing that over-promoted Life-Like’s standard line. It was for an HO F40PH with the 4-wheel pancake drive. The guy was going on and on about how excellent the quality was and how that drive seems to out-perform Kato drives by so much. That seemed kind of interesting to me.[:D]
Sometimes, I see a listing that’s almost over that’s been having a bidding war, and they sometimes go way over the retail price, and they’re also still in production.[:O]
One seller in particular has had a string of listings that leaves me dead in the floor every time I see the listing…and the weathering. The weathering is very bad, and the seller knows it. (Different forum…we tried to help, but he just used us for advertising.) However, he continues to pu***hat the weathering is “very realistic, and just like the real thing!” (Same difference [xx(])
Blurry pictures are another thing. Usually, the seller’s hiding something if the picture is blurry, but the description is 15 pages long.
I’m guessing that so-called collectors series sell very well despite their authenticity, The John Deere line for instance sells pretty well at farm machinery dealers out here in ID and WA. Theres also the candy bar commemoratives, the beer commemoratives,the pewter collectbles and the list goes on and on. And my point is? Don’t get caught up in auction fever and research your puchases before you bid.
I always get a kick out of the photos on ebay. I think someone should have a website dedicated to bad photos from ebay. And I don’t mean the ones that are out of focus, I mean the ones where you see a tube of toothpaste beside the boxcar, evidently because the bathroom counter is the only white surface in the house. Or the person who laid the engine on its side on the floor and you can see a big gnarly toenail right beside it! Then there are the pictures taken in the driveway, deck, patio, etc., of HO scale trains! I could go on and on!
That reminds me of the old Saturday Night Live skit where a couple of guys got their thrills by buying stuff then running off without taking the merchandise they bought.
Just think of how much GAS it took to build the TRAIN TABLE. Was there anything on it?
On the car side a Jaguar XJS 1984 was advertised with a FACTORY CHEVY V8! Then a repost was changed to “AN ORIGINAL FACTORY V8” final version was a “JAGURA FACTORY V8” All nice BUT the car had a V12 from Jaguar who NEVER made a V8 in those days. Some DO DO bought it for arouund $10K when a real one was worth about $6K. A fool and their money!
Take Care
George P.
Mantua 0-4-0T HO diecast tank engine and a couple of plastic freight cars. Seller claimed they were one of a kind from an operating layout displayed at the 1939-40 NY Worlds Fair.
In reality, this engine was not introduced by Mantua until the mid 1950’s, the plastic cars similarly dating from that same period. As a set, they were first advertised in MR in 1959. Actual street value perhaps $25. However, the final, winning, bid was very close to $300! Suckers and jerks simply abound on eBay! If it’s listed as rare, unique, or historically significant…pass it by.