Is it good to buy used rolling stock off the web?


U

UPRRfan

Member
Hello everyone! I was just wondering if it was a good idea to buy used or even new rolling stock off the web from places like Ebay?? And if so what are some tips you would recommend when buying train stuff off the internet? My local hobby store doesn't have a good selection of rolling stock and doesn't have the brand I want so I'm kinda leaning towards buying it off the internet.

Thank you in advance!!
-Andrew
 
Just stick to sellers who have a good, make that a great rating.
Many new items are sold by hobbyshops in ebay stores now.
As for used, buyer beware as always. If the price is right and the seller can be trusted you may do allright.
Search this topic on the forum and you'll find a list of trusted sellers that people here have dealt with.
 
Look at the pictures very carefully and if in doubt ask if there are any broken parts , missing parts, etc.
 
You have to know the retail costs. Price the mail order sellers in magazines. Check past sales or auctions. Set your price. Don't go over it. Take shipping into consideration.
 
Instead of eBay - where you can't really "see" what you are buying, why not check websites like MB Klein, ToyTrainHeaven (Bowser)? Both of them are real stores & distributors. Also check the for sale list on this site! (Personally I stay away from ePay since it became a scammer buyer's paradise for free merchandise - end of rant).
 
On Ebay I look at the 'Buy it now!' items. I've gotten really good deals on 'new, new in box items. Only once I got one that had been marked new and it looked like it had been the puck in a street hockey game. Banged up, scrapes all over it, dust in cracks. It had definitely been out of the box and for a long time. Since then I look closely at the dealers feedback. If it's below 99.2 I don't do business with them now matter how low their prices are. The other day I was looking for a Model Power GP9. The ones on Walthers were out of my price range so I went to Ebay and found a new one for $30. Dealers positive feedback is 99.9%. It's on it's way here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've had pretty good luck on both eBay and on the Yahoo! group HOYARDSALE. I'd second what everyone has said: check seller's rating, do a little research on what you're interested in (such as is it out of production, what is the "normal" price, can you get it on-line for a better price, what are similar items going for, etc.), ask the seller if you have any questions, and ALWAYS take into account the shipping price!!

As for buying from this forum -- I've never had any luck... because I don't check the "For Sale" section often enough -- and when I do see something I'd like, someone else has beaten me to the punch! :( (Oh, well...)

Regards,
Tom Stockton
 
Toytrainheaven and modeltrainstuff.com are great, Brand new undecorated Athearn SW1500's were going for around $80 on evilbay when I was looking, TTH has them listed for 60 bucks, so you just have to compare prices and shop around to score a good deal.
 
Buy from me, I describe everything so you're guaranteed to get what I describe (and I provide photos!) :D

I'm thinning my fleet so I'll have some stuff to get rid either next week or the week after (I have to haul all of it from the club to my house first!)
 
One of the other big key to buying this way is to make sure what your looking at is priced fairly. There are thousands of model railroad items on ebay right now that are priced over what they retail for and what you could get them for if you keep looking. Its very easy to overpay for items. Especially on Ebay. The best thing to do is figure out what you want for your railroad and then start researching how much the market value is or how much it retails for if its a new item.

Also, even if the sellers rating is good. You have peice of mind your dealing with a stand up seller. But that doesnt mean the price your paying is reasonable. Oh, and dont forget.... The cost of shipping also ads to the cost of the model. So if you pay 50 bucks for an item you can get for 50 bucks at a hobby shop, but it costs 10 dollars to ship it. You have now paid 60 dollars for an item you could have gotten for 50 elsewhere.

Dont rule out online dealers like already mentioned. A lot of online places have free shipping.
 
There's a "sticky" thread at the top of the General Discussions header called Best Hobby Shops on the Web. Many of us have posted on both the good hobby shops and the bad ones. It might take a little time to read through, but if you don't already have a favorite on-line shop (or just a few) I think you'll find it worth the time to do so.

Regards,
Tom Stockton
 
Ive looked on eBay for used and new rolling stock, and have yet to find anything worth while except a set on covered wagons I bought. Id look at online shops as suggested already and use eBay as a last resort unless youre willing to possibly get screwed
 
Thanks for all the comments everyone!!! I have another question...again lol but anyways what is a good brand that has lots of detail? Ive gone with a lot of Atlas rolling stock in the past and was wondering what are some other brands out there that are good for the price, Im thinking about Athearn or Walthers but would like some good feedback.
 
Newer Athearn stuff has as much detail as Atlas if not more. Newer Walthers stuff is getting closer to being Atlas level. Athearn is probably the least expensive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top