Parts for sale question

[AggieCPA]

Hi, y'all, I was hoping for some feedback. I am getting out of the Tr3 hobby (sickness). I had a certain restoration guy in Taylorville, IL really screw me over and I've got a sour taste in my mouth.

Anyway, I have parts I've collected over 30 years I'm going to sell. There are a lot of parts that will be hard to price - like windshield stanchions I had re-chromed years ago, carbs rebuilt at Start Your Engines YEARS ago and never installed, etc.

Anyway, my question is about pricing the NOS parts I have, most of which were purchased from The Roadster Factory 20 years ago or more and never installed. I was thinking about a percentage off of new but don't know what would be fair. I'm not trying to stiff anyone, but I don't want to be stoopid either.

Of course, I guess it will vary as some of the parts may not age as well. For example, a hard part like, say, a taillight lens should be good as new, but I doubt that things like, say, a wiring harness or rubber seals aren't.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post, any thoughts? BTW, I'm not trying to back-door promote the parts here, I'm just looking for opinions.

Thanks,

Dirk

 

[kcbugeye1275]

I'd think alot of the stuff might be better than new, because it isn't the cheap repro stuff that is out there. That said, you'll have to look at seals, but stuff for a 3 should always have a value. Sorry about your bad experience, I truly wish it hadn't happened to you. Quite a few of us have great friends we all lean on, including all on the forum.

 

[TR3driver]

In spite of the threads about scams, I still think eBay is the best venue for this kind of stuff. Let the market decide what it's worth.

BTW, sorry to hear about your illness.

 

[Brosky]

I understand that there is a vaccine available for your sickness.

Personally, I wouldn't trust it......

 

[AggieCPA]

In spite of the threads about scams, I still think eBay is the best venue for this kind of stuff. Let the market decide what it's worth.

BTW, sorry to hear about your illness.

Yep, I agree, but the problem with E-bay is that on any given day it could vary greatly. Sometimes things sell for more than new and sometimes bargains go unsold. I was just thinking about reserve prices, Buy it Now, etc.

I looked at the wiring harness tonight and it doesn't seem to have suffered - it's still flexible, the wrap is tight and the Cox & Buckles tag is still attached.

Are there any particularly hard to find parts I should keep an eye out for? Does Lucas still make electrical spares?

Unfortunately, while the Tr3 was the genesis, my affliction has spread to 67-72 Chevy trucks and BMW 2002s as well.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[70herald]

I looked at the wiring harness tonight and it doesn't seem to have suffered - it's still flexible, the wrap is tight and the Cox & Buckles tag is still attached.

I assume that they were the original manufacturer so parts like that should have real value. I would put it on E-bay with a reserve near the the cost of a new one. (however starting bid should be low to get people interested) With parts like these, good photography is extremely important. The better the pictures, more details etc the more likely that higher sale prices will be obtained.

Unfortunately, while the Tr3 was the genesis, my affliction has spread to 67-72 Chevy trucks and BMW 2002s as well.

There is no cure at all for this affliction, and it needs to be fed on a regular basis /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif The wifes threat that I will be sleeping outside in the car however has helped me keep my affliction under control.

 

[Guest]

Cox & Buckles

Wow, Cox and Buckles. That's a name that I haven't heard for a while. You have had these parts for some time.

An easier out would be to find someone that would take the whole sheebang for an agreed upon price. Piecing it all out would bring more $$$ but the hassle factor might be less with a flat-out sale.


Oh, and I guess this would be an inappropriate time for an Aggie joke, eh? Jeez, those things can get out of hand. I remember back in my college days (a long, long time ago) we were all sitting around at a local bistro telling Aggie jokes and getting more drunk by the moment. I was in the process of relating a particularly vile joke when a rather large fella at the next table stood up and addressed me directly. He said, "Look, I'm an Aggie, my daddy's an Aggie and my grandpa's an Aggie and I don't appreciate those jokes at all. Step outside!" Heck, I was drunk and foolish enough to do it. When we reached the door, the first thing that happens is he pulls a razor on me! Whoa!

I would've really been worried had he not been running around looking for a place to plug it in.

 

[AggieCPA]

Cox & Buckles

Wow, Cox and Buckles. That's a name that I haven't heard for a while. You have had these parts for some time.

An easier out would be to find someone that would take the whole sheebang for an agreed upon price. Piecing it all out would bring more $$$ but the hassle factor might be less with a flat-out sale.

Yeah, I have. I think the carbs from Start Your Engines in (Beltsville?) MD are even older. I would try to calculate how many years, but I know it's over ten and that means I'd have to take my shoes and socks off. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Surely you know nobody likes Aggie jokes better than Aggies.

I've thought about inventorying and pricing everything and that might be the way to go. Then again, that would be even harder to price. I'm an accountant and I want something neat and orderly like a percentage off new for NOS parts and a much larger off for used parts.

I've also thought about selling the car, all the parts, the extra frames, etc. in one load, but I don't know. I think I need to do a thorough inventory before I do anything.

It's neat seeing all the old Lucas and British-Leyland packaging but looking at completed E-bay, the prices vary wildly and so do the stories of "rare" items. Funny how they're "rare" and I see several for sale.

Dirk

 

[AggieCPA]

Cox & Buckles

Wow, Cox and Buckles. That's a name that I haven't heard for a while. You have had these parts for some time.

An easier out would be to find someone that would take the whole sheebang for an agreed upon price. Piecing it all out would bring more $$$ but the hassle factor might be less with a flat-out sale.


Oh, and I guess this would be an inappropriate time for an Aggie joke, eh? Jeez, those things can get out of hand. I remember back in my college days (a long, long time ago) we were all sitting around at a local bistro telling Aggie jokes and getting more drunk by the moment. I was in the process of relating a particularly vile joke when a rather large fella at the next table stood up and addressed me directly. He said, "Look, I'm an Aggie, my daddy's an Aggie and my grandpa's an Aggie and I don't appreciate those jokes at all. Step outside!" Heck, I was drunk and foolish enough to do it. When we reached the door, the first thing that happens is he pulls a razor on me! Whoa!

I would've really been worried had he not been running around looking for a place to plug it in.

 

[kcbugeye1275]

Maybe you'll have a relapse and get back with the restoration. You didn't have the forum then, you've done a lot of the work in acquiring the parts, maybe the bug will bite again. Need to think it through, before you start selling everything you've gotten. At the car shows, stories like yours are great. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...I think the carbs from Start Your Engines in (Beltsville?) MD are even older...

Indeed. My recollection is that Start Your Engines departed in the late 80s (became Moss East I think).

If you want max $$$ for your stuff with minimal headache I would (as suggested by some) open a PayPal account and put the stuff on eBay. Set the reserves at a reasonable level and know that some folks will get pretty good deals and some will pay a premium.

Since you have a lot I think you will find it advantageous to run several listings at one time (perhaps 20 auctions at a shot) so you go thru cycles of photographing -- composing --listing -- answering questions -- selling -- shipping, rather than have all those activities overlapping.

Also a good idea (my opinion) to have something distinctive in your listings so people get to know 'Hey, it's that guy with the good old stuff again'.

One fellow (with a seemingly bottomless supply of NOS stuff) poses an Orange (yes the fruit) with his items shot with a red background. Corny perhaps but when I see that I know its his stuff and worth a look even if only out of curiosity.

Selling everything in one go would be quick but I think you'd be getting pennies on the dollar for the parts.

 

[AggieCPA]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] The wifes threat that I will be sleeping outside in the car however has helped me keep my affliction under control.

You must have a prettier wife. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[AggieCPA]

Geo Hahn, that all sounds reasonable. I hadn't thought of the "identifier."

 

[roger_abbott]

Just a thought - make a list of your parts with asking price and post it as an image in a classified ad on BCF. The people most likely to buy your parts are the members of BCF. They won't even need pictures to know what they are getting.

I suffer from the same affliction. I caught it many years ago. It only gets worse with age and lasts a lifetime, with any luck.

 

[Guest]

I'm lost by the whole post. If you were collecting TR3 parts for 30 years, weren't you doing your own restoration?

 

[TR3driver]

Well, it made perfect sense to me ... I've got parts I bought 30 years ago and never installed. The overdrive I took out in 1976 (for a broken bellhousing) didn't make it back into a car until 1999 or so; and the remainder of that gearbox is still in the parts bin.

 

[TR3driver]

but the problem with E-bay is that on any given day it could vary greatly. Sometimes things sell for more than new and sometimes bargains go unsold.

That's true, but it seems to me the average is pretty good. Most of the "bargains" I've seen have some substantial flaw (otherwise I'd probably buy them myself).<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] I was just thinking about reserve prices, Buy it Now, etc.[/QUOTE]Just my opinion, but I wouldn't worry about any of that fancy stuff. Just list as an ordinary 7-day auction, with the starting bid at the absolute minimum you're willing to take for the part. Honestly, I usually refuse to bid on auctions with reserves ... just like I won't buy from a seller that refuses to name a price.

One other eBay tip (worth everything it costs /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif ), it's best to have your auction end at a convenient time, like 4 PM Sunday afternoon (maybe 6 PM Eastern time). Lots of auctions get run way up in the last few minutes of bidding, and if the bidding ends at 3 AM, you'll have a smaller crowd competing.

 

[BOXoROCKS]

Aggie, ebay works,but be prepared.It is not the optimum selling venue,it is the expedient venue. Someone mentioned listing it for sale here,thats a very good idea. Personalitys can change when they get on ebay.I don't know why,but it happens.Most of the people on this forum are quite nice,I have even sent stuff to members before I even got their check and have never been dissapointed yet. And I don't know them except from here.I did lose one package in the mail to a member,but it certanly was no fault of his.

I am doing ebay myself right now,WAAAY to much stuff to go, to list it here. But I would think this and other forums might be your best bet.

 

[Adrio]

Just my two cents worth here. I sold off all the left over bits from my parts cars (TR3 and TR4) and most of it went via ebay just because it was easy. I can say that every piece sold for more then I thought they were worth and some of them sold for several times the price of a new replacement.

As some have said, for 'valuable' items set a reserve but for all items set the starting bid extremely low to attract bids. The important thing is to get bids (and a bidding war) going. The other thing I did was tell myself 'this stuff is worth nothing to me sitting here taking up space so anything I get is more then I have now.' This worked, I got loads of space, my wife was happy and I spent the money on my next affliction within the year and the space was used up again with that.

 

[AggieCPA]

I'm lost by the whole post. If you were collecting TR3 parts for 30 years, weren't you doing your own restoration?

Yes, for the most part, but life gets in the way and next thing you know, 10 years have gone by.

The guy that screwed me did so several years ago and I just didn't do anything about the parts for a long time. I bought a Tr3 project car last year but just haven't had what it takes to get started all over again.