I wanted to cry...

Heh I get gizmology Hans, just most people that have parts kits... well they want like 20$ for a box full of spares.  The biggest problem is the majority of kits are OOOOLLLLDDDD plane kits, or nascar kits.  Armor, figures, scifi, and other odd things (that I like) are alot more rare.

As far as other people I know what you mean, but I go with my parents, we buy and sell stuff on ebay, my dad buys and sells old army men and whatnot and It's gotten to the point that I know what he wants and he knows what I want, so its like having an extra set of eyes. 

We once found a old Marx doll house on someone's table, guy asked 25 when my dad went up, he passed.  we came around I asked, the guy said 20, a few minutes later my mom asked he said 18.  We called my dad away from the table, he came around, and got it for $15  I guess the guy didn't want to hold onto it anymore.

I have bundled before, there was someone that had like 4 Tupperware bins FULL of car kits (non nascar)  I bought a bunch for myself and got a good deal, got some money off on then.  Then my parents came around and we bought almost twice as many as I bought for myself and soldem on ebay and got about twice our money, was a good day that one.

As far as time goes... if I was there by myself sure, but I was there with other people, they wouldn't wait and it would have ended up with me wandering by myself again, which isn't that fun.

Well, ok... I prefer to "Lone Wolf" 'em m'self... Can't think with a buncha other people tellin' me to look at this, that, and the other...

Another haggling tip.. Don't be afraid to bundle some things, or to even flip a coin with 'em over a buck or two. Even those kits that're obviously "parts kits" are worth having around... You never know when an air-cleaner from a 57 Chevy is gonna be needed in a 1/48 ThunderStang for an oil tank.. Gizmology 101, Young Jedi...

Hans first I took none of that as criticism I know exactly what you are talking about.  I have talked quite a few people down in prices on kits, but some people are just to extreme.  I love the people that charge more then retail for kits because they dont know what they have.

As far as time goes... if I was there by myself sure, but I was there with other people, they wouldn't wait and it would have ended up with me wandering by myself again, which isn't that fun.

All in all there was enough bad about what I saw when I opened the box to nix it, I have bought open kits before and gotten good deals and gotten screwed.   I have come to the point where my stash is big enough that passing on it wont end up with me not having a kit to build, so I have time to wait and find it again.

Also, by 'open' I dont mean the box is open I mean the parts are not in bags and pieces are nipped off the sprues and laying on the bottom of the box.  The latter also gives the issue of assembly with having parts not being numbered, at that points its like a jigsaw puzzle

to Karl and Hans.  I dont know how much time you guys spend at the flea market (this is not a criticism) but the kits you find there if they are started you are going to really REALLY have to go over them with a fine tooth come to the point where it becomes an extension of building it (and a not fun part).

I would have had to make sure that not only every part was in there but that the person didn't glue anything together wrong, or didn't mess any parts up sanding/filing, or droped glue on it, didnt just pull a part off the sprue and tear the part as opposed to nipping it off and cleaning off the stub.

I don't think you'll ever mistake me for someone who doesn't watch every penny, young Padawan...

I haunt flea markets, garge sales, estate sales and everything in between on regular basis... One thing they all have in common is that NONE of the people there have any idea what anything is worth to ME..  If they're too high, and they won't come down, I'll walk away...  But none of the prices are carved in stone.. If a guy tells me, "It's priced at 10.00.."  Right then, it's time to do the dance and haggle the guy... Sometimes ya win, sometimes not, but usually, all they wanna do is get rid of it...

The other thing they all have in common is that the "Caveat Emptor" rule is in effect... "Buyer Beware" isn't just a cool Latin phrase... But when you know packages have been resealed, call 'em out on it... Tell them you KNOW it's been opened, and show 'em why you know... It's like, after I look through a kit, I can then say, "Look.. This's been opened, some of the parts are junk, and it ain't worth a ten-dollar bill.." I'll give ya 3.50.", and then it's "Let the games begin!"..   It's YOUR money... Make 'em work for it...

Don't take this the wrong way, it's not a dig, just an observation...But you have this... habit of telling me all the ways and reasons why you CAN'T get this or that, instead of figuring out how you CAN get it.....  Ever heard the old saying of "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're RIGHT.."?

It's like those "Time Machine Parts".. Doesn't matter if they're not kit parts, or if they aren't swappable car parts.. Bottom ine is that the whole assembly is just different shapes.. And all those shapes can be found in bags hanging on the Plastuct or Evergreen rack at the LHS... 

One last thing...If you don't have time to even inventory the kits, how the heck you gonna have time to BUILD them?

Columbus is where I go, though Im hesitant to tell other modelers (keep the model horde all for myself!)  I havent gone to the others in ages though.

Smeagol,

What flea market are you checking out.? I used to go to the Tacony flea market when I lived in Philly...is it still open? Used to go to the Pensauken Mart too...think that one closed for good. I keep hearing about a big flea market in Columbus, NJ but haven`t gotten there yet...have you?

Take it easy,

Len

Bgrigg

I like Scooby-Doo, but Scrappy-Doo needed to be run through a meat grinder!

it was meant as a joke, its 2011, how is communist even an insult any more?

Yes, yes it is!

Yes, Fermis. I know. Perception is a funny thing, eh?

 Because it was not percieved that way

Bgrigg

.... Scrappy-Doo needed to be run through a meat grinder!

How is asking if somone's daughter is a communist based on whether or not she like Scooby-Doo, not a personal attack?

I like Scooby-Doo, but Scrappy-Doo needed to be run through a meat grinder!

smeagol the vile

 

 

Edit:  Fermis, your daughter wasn't interested in Scooby doo?!  What is she, a communist?!  How do you not like Scooby?

 It was more a case of not being into building the model. Who on earth coulndn't dig Scooby?

 She'll give me a run for my money on the target range though, she's a he!! of a shot!

Thank you Aaron, first off, I appreciate that.  I have run into it a few times myself and have seen it happen to a few people.

Brown, I accept your apology.

to Karl and Hans.  I dont know how much time you guys spend at the flea market (this is not a criticism) but the kits you find there if they are started you are going to really REALLY have to go over them with a fine tooth come to the point where it becomes an extension of building it (and a not fun part).

I would have had to make sure that not only every part was in there but that the person didn't glue anything together wrong, or didn't mess any parts up sanding/filing, or droped glue on it, didnt just pull a part off the sprue and tear the part as opposed to nipping it off and cleaning off the stub.

At the flea market you dont know who has owned the kit previously and if it has been opened and started there are A LOT of 'what ifs' when it comes to those kits, I have purchased a few and for the most part I regret them, the only two I dont were a Triceratops kit which I need to strip and redo and the Mystery Machine which I almost regretted untill I found one of the piece lodged inside one of the rubber wheels.

I bought one, the guy had opened it, took the back part of the building out, and resealed the bag then put it in the box!  Can you believe that?!

As much as I want that kit it wasn't worth that much work.  I CAN get it on ebay if I want, but it is also the thrill of the hunt.  There is some fun of finding this rare kit that I really want hidden under a pile of stuff on someone's table of junk and to get it for 5$  Buying them online is not the same.  I am sure some of you understand that.

Karl, do you have a picture of that Mystery Machine?  Was it the one that came with Scooby and Shaggy pre-painted or were they kits?  Alot of the ones online, actually, 90% of them havem as figures, the one I found had them as kits.

I have made some amazing buys at the flea market, a PC game pad I am still using from some old guy for a dollar who had no idea what it was, literally, he asked me what it was when I bought it.  Sunday I got a Bob McKenzie Action figure to go with my Doug one (from McFairland toys) for 3$.  I found a 60$ limited edition spiderman and green goblin two in one kit for 15$.  I have found... so many, seriously, so many reference books for such a MINIMAL cost it is amazing.  One guy has a table 'all books 1 dollar' found so many references its nuts.  Its about the hunt man

Edit:  Fermis, your daughter wasn't interested in Scooby doo?!  What is she, a communist?!  How do you not like Scooby?

Hogzilla

 As I have not seen any apologies made to smeagol

Well, allow me to be the first:

Smeagol, I've been bustin' on you pretty hard recently. I took it too far. I apologize.

Thanks Aaron! I have to raise my BS deflectors to maximum power to read some of what is posted on your FSM forum. As I have not seen any apologies made to smeagol I predict this will not be your last warning about  the topic of bulling.  -  Danny

Gents,

None of us knows everything about everyone else's circumstances on these Forum. Let's lighten up on the snide remarks and personal criticisms. This kind of covert bullying has become an increasing problem and concern on the Forums. I find the pile-on effect particularly troubling. As soon as one member says something sideways to another then the cliques rear their ugly heads and it's katy bar the door. I'm tired of it and it is starting to affect the quality of the Forum experience, not only for the people involved, but for other members who come here looking for a shared experience with fellow modelers, only to discover insults and personal attacks. As our quidelines and etiquette state: "Remember the human." There is a person at the other end of the computer and they may not get that you are kidding or may not appreciate your humor even if they do get it. Online communication is not the same as face-to-face and it's easy to be misunderstood. The anonymity of the keyboard also allows posters to say things to others that they probably wouldn't say face-to-face. Think about what you are posting and how it may be interpreted by others.

Let this be a warning to everyone. It stops here. From this point on bullies will receive one warning. Any subsequent offenses will result in account suspension.

Regards, Aaron

Manstein's revenge

the doog:

BTW, I built the Mystery Machine for Jenn last year.

 

What is the Mystery Machine???

Scooby-dooby-doo!!!!!

I got one of them rollin around the stash somewhere.......my daughter wasn't interested.

the doog

BTW, I built the Mystery Machine for Jenn last year.

If you won't pay a measly 15 bucks for it, you don't want it that bad.

BTW, I built the Mystery Machine for Jenn last year.

I'd like to solve

I'd like to buy a vowel, please...

Absolutely!

bbrowniii

 

subfixer:

 

It's DeLoreann, not DeLoRean! 

 

 

Uhh, no, it's not.

D-e-L-o-r-e-a-n, Delorean.

bbrowniii

Are you a Wheel of Fortune fan?

( just wondering  )

subfixer

It's DeLoreann, not DeLoRean! 

Uhh, no, it's not.

D-e-L-o-r-e-a-n, Delorean.

Uh guys, for the record, it's DeLorean.

It was a Holy Grail car for me too, but the real one.  I have never experienced  "love at first sight" with any machine, except with this car.  It sounds funny and stupid, but when I laid eyes on a DeLorean cruising up the street back in 1982 (yes before the movie) I felt like I was staring at the most beautiful girl in the world!  Being that I was in high school with only a paper route for spending money, a $25,000 car (well $18,000 if you could haggle effectively) was way out of my league.  I went through college dreaming of getting one, but the longer I waited, the more unrealistic the dream became.  I almost had a chance to drive one at a car dealership that was trying to unload it, but guess what, the car wouldn't start!  Just like in the movie.  We couldn't get to the battery because the front hood release handle was torn out!  Recently I noticed that someone is selling DeLoreans that have been built on a new stainless steel chassis with a combination of original stock and rebuilt parts, but the asking price is now something like $57,000.  I have no illusions about what the car is and what it can and cannot do, but sigh...  Becoming older has taught me that some things are not meant to be, and the mature thing is to let it go.  So that's why I build sci-fi models instead! 

Smeagol, sorry to invade your thread, but I had to share.  Is everyone asleep, or on another thread yet?  Good.  Shoot me a conversation, and I might be able to help you "live the dream."

bbrowniii

tigerman:

Not trying to be an ***, but you're American right? It's $10 not 10$. Sorry, but it bugs me a bit.

 

Thank you, Tigerman!

By the way, its a DeLoRean, not a DeLoean...

It's DeLoreann, not DeLoRean! 

smeagol the vile

I didn't get the spelling right because the in forum spell checker didn't know either. 

WOW... 

But you are right, Smeagol. We shouldn't be bustin' yer chops over such trivial stuff as grammar and spelling.

So, about that model - I gotta tell ya, if it was one of my 'holy grail' kits, I'da snagged it, even with a chance that it was missing parts. Maybe that kit isn't as important to you as you think it is?

Ah, I didn't realize I was posting to have the placement of my symbols and the spelling of my car names commented on.  I didn't get the spelling right because the in forum spell checker didn't know either.  And ya know, im tired of a select few of you being well.. complete ***holes to me on the majority of the treads I start, you can go to hell for all I care.

tigerman

Not trying to be an ***, but you're American right? It's $10 not 10$. Sorry, but it bugs me a bit.

Thank you, Tigerman!

By the way, its a DeLoRean, not a DeLoean...