Never again complain about BMW parts prices

[Duane Ausherman]

I don't post links here because I think that it is tacky to do so. I started selling on eBay some 12-14 years ago and sold off a lot of really good stuff. I did keep some of the most rare items though. Back then I was just getting rid of bulk stuff. Now we are planning to sell and I probably won't have a shop in the next place, so it must go.

When I started with eBay, it was very simple. Now they have many tools to improve things. I haven't bothered learning them. I guess that it is costing me. Getting the money is nice, but isn't my major goal. Many winning bidders have opened the box and found more than they bid on. I want to own less stuff. Freedom!

[PITAPan]

As many of you may remember, I am selling out my old parts. Basically, I am selling out just about everything because we will sell the house in the spring. I gotta get rid of tons of stuff.

I just had a few auctions end with surprising results. The winning bids for a points plate with very good points, a nearly new mechanical /5 advance unit and a good alternator rotor all sold for $9.99 each.

Does this mean that everyone already has a spare rotor for carrying on trips. That would be good news, but I would think that there is still one rider who didn't yet find one.

Has everyone converted out of points and has no use for a really good set with the entire points plate. This one was taken out of service when nearly new and isn't buggered up like the one in your bike.

Nobody is using the old mechanical advance units any more either? Good news.

It is comforting to see that everyone here already has a full stock of spare parts.

OUCH! The rotor, if accompanied by resistance data, is a very good deal at $45- 50, the advance unit @ $50. Points plate maybe not so much. They are repairable but for someone with a really corroded one, $20 is good. It's ain't worth the fees and hassle @ $10 for any of it. But someone who buys at those prices can sure flip the stuff for a profit, even after paying shipping.

I was one of the large exodus from ebay way back when they did the big fee hike. (sometime before they bought PayPal). Now they shove paypal up everyones butt pocketing even more profit. The additional cost of higher initial price and/or a reserve can really eat up what you can make.

As a buyer stuff like shill bidding and bid sniping software made for a scummy game. It's not a real auction. I sell some firearm stuff on real auction sites---it's ain't over until the high bid is in. (AuctionArms) The auction goes into final bidding at a set time, but the sale doesn't end until no more bids have been received in X amount of time.

IBMWR is good too. Free, smaller marketplace but none of the dodgy crap you get on ebay. People are serious and it has more of a community feel. None of the eBay "safegaurds" (If you have to use them you find out they aren't, BTDT) but it's a small world and people look to how they handle themselves. Someone will email me on something, typically I call them and we talk the deal on the phone. They pay, I ship, everybody happy.

For smaller valuable stuff, you can store a lot in a small box and sell it slower. Heck, sent it to me, I have storage space. Sell it off whenever.

[Chuey]

I want to own less stuff. Freedom!

I can help you with that. I'll be up with my truck this weekend!

Duane, I get what you mean when you say it's tacky to "out" your for sale ebay items but it really isn't (tacky).

Chuey

[PITAPan]

I don't post links here because I think that it is tacky to do so. I started selling on eBay some 12-14 years ago and sold off a lot of really good stuff. I did keep some of the most rare items though. Back then I was just getting rid of bulk stuff. Now we are planning to sell and I probably won't have a shop in the next place, so it must go.

When I started with eBay, it was very simple. Now they have many tools to improve things. I haven't bothered learning them. I guess that it is costing me. Getting the money is nice, but isn't my major goal. Many winning bidders have opened the box and found more than they bid on. I want to own less stuff. Freedom!

I hear ya on tacky and that's what I thought you were thinking. Allow me to reframe a little---give your buds first crack!. There is a fleamarket here, and even if people don't buy you might garner comments on a listing (as I offered on that rotor) that might strengthen the ad.

My For Sale page is off line at the moment while I re organize, but a simple web page of pics and descriptions doesn't take any software to make. A simple text editor. I use the same template again and again to save typing. But it's a real simple display page. One tag for the images and none for the text. Delete blocks as things sell and re-upload the page. I'll send you a template if you want to work with it.

[Garnet]

I've bought and sold a bunch of stuff on Ebay, but it was a 3 or 4 years ago. I stopped selling there as the rates where getting a little silly and the $$ I was getting was shrinking. Last spring's house shop cleaning went on IBMWR and was much less painful and every bit as quick.

Just ask a reasonable price (many don't), and the junk valuable parts are gone faster than you can drive down to the post office.

[SteveD]

2valve will be along shortly with a list of stuff from the mid-late '70's.

He's in Oz but I think he'll post to the USA if needed.

Posting to Oz isn't that much harder is it Duane?

[jagarra]

OK, what is IBMWR? How do I check what is for sale?

Duane,

I think it would be a great if you gave the forum buddies a first chance on some of your stuff, at least a heads up of pending items if you don't want to give us a buy it now price.

[Deleted User 62]

The IBMWR is the website of the Internet BMW Riders club. Free classifieds here: http://marketplace.ibmwr.org/

[Deleted User 287]

OK, what is IBMWR? How do I check what is for sale?

There is this really cool thing on the internet called "Google".
I know it is brand new technology, so you may not have heard of it yet.

[Garnet]

OK, what is IBMWR? How do I check what is for sale?

There is this really cool thing on the internet called "Google".
I know it is brand new technology, so you may not have heard of it yet.

Yes, but if your points aren't gaped correctly you'll never find it.