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I will eventually learn. Well, i'm hoping so one of these days anyway.

Three sets, three strikes. All different sellers, two different countries, two separate decades comprising three separate years and once again, its down to the hope of what i bought being what i paid for in round 2, 3, or however many times it might take the seller to get it right. Or thus far, more realistically, till i lose interest in any likelihood they're capable. Today reinforced the fact that getting it right might just be a pipedream.

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Trepidation.

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No apparent cause for concern.

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Well thats handy. Upon reviewing the ad photos, the big red plate is missing there too, so the seller likely didn't know it is meant to be there and absent.

But further along to my joy, theres evidence of kitbashing with the 2 length axles having grooves, 24 teeth gears with only one axle hole, early and late plates, apples that are replaced by a multitude of oranges, and a missing gear.

I expected, nee welcomed the small pieces with bite marks and the odd bit of miscolouration, but gettin tired of outright missing parts.

I'm now waiting on one final used set purchase to arrive and secretly dreading whats going to actually turn up. The 9390 (new) was well packed, arrived promptly and i will be writing to the seller to offer my congratulations and a reference if they choose to use it. Theres one final used set i'm considering and so far the bricklink sellers i've contacted about it seem interested and helpful so heres hoping.

Cross your fingers for me that the final used ebay set purchase thats on its way doesn't also go tits up :)

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Edited by Grosse Kind

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I am sorry to hear that you didn't receive what you paid. I ran into the same problem with my Unimog 8110. There were a few missing pieces and it was very frustrating, and to make matters worse, the seller didn't have them either ... so I had to BL them. Hope you get your missing pieces from the seller, tho !

Good luck !

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As a rule, I never expect used sets to be complete when I buy them from fleabay. Most people who sell Lego sets on there either don't know what they're doing or don't care. I only buy used sets there if it's a really good deal, and I don't assume the lot will include anything I don't specifically see in the picture.

I learned this lesson a couple years ago when I bought a used Chief's Tepee that was advertised as "99% complete." It was missing the horse, one of the minifigures, and about half of the bricks. The minifigures I did get were all wrong legs/torsos, missing hairpieces, etc. I sent the seller a nastigram about it, and he said I shouldn't have expected more than that because he didn't advertise it as complete. I should have filed a complaint through PayPal, but I didn't.

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871B3357-8EAA-4B3B-817F-7EDAFEE2485D_zpsir6l8jxc.png

This is not stating 99%.

Am hopeful the seller is reasonable but never confident. Am willing to believe theres a better way, and hoping to find it.

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9390 is a lovely little set....i to have experienced issues via ebay, items not as described or molds not the same as advertised or different to pics etc.

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This hapend when I got a micro motor: it was advertised as running but when I got it it did not work at all

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We all got burned one time or another on eBay. Once I purchased 2 copies of the old RCX brick, and the vendor assured me they were both working. One had leaked batteries and the acid ate-up the circuit board. It was not worthwhile to ship back the item and get money back. Another time I bought a technic helicopter (recent one) and it was advertised as MISB. When I got it, box was sealed but pretty beaten up. Since it was meant as a gift, I had to return and ended up paying for return shipping as eBay would not do anything about it (Yet they're happy to charge you 10% of the sale). In the end, what you learn is: When you buy off ebay, you're taking risks, and make sure the price you're paying is low enough to 'compensate' for such risks. You can't go after the sellers as many of them know very little about what they're selling, it's just the demographics over there.

Edited by DrJB

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Yeah nah. It just gets better and better. The 8110 i bought two weeks ago has not even been packaged up for posting, let alone arrived yet, with zero word from the seller till i asked if it'd been sent.

Nothing like a "sincerest apology" after the fact. And its still not likely to arrive any time soon. Will "send tomorrow and advise a tracking number" i'm told but thats still yet to happen so i've only the words of someone without much apparent use of them to go off.

Waiting and seeing on ebay: the new hobby best left un-delved.

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Yeah nah. It just gets better and better.

Waiting and seeing on ebay: the new hobby best left un-delved.

I don't get it...you are complaining just to complain? I'm not one to flame up a conversation on here but you just seem to want to rant and I am very much active on both sides of the transaction you are on.

1) You are buying on ebay, it was said before but I need to point out...you are taking a risk. If you want to minimize your risk you are going to pay top dollar (FAIR MARKET VALUE) and that should assure you via pictures, competitive bidding and sellers feedback that you will be OK. Paying any less than bricklink avg price should alert you that the general public doesn't think that this set is as valuable as a guaranteed perfect set. You should trust public opinion in the form of competing bids. The exception to this is of course "buy it now" listings where the seller is just lazy and looking to make a quick buck not realizing their items are worth more if they just let it go to open auction.

2) No seller in this world cares if the parts are the correct "vintage". They don't even know what sort of rabbit hole you're expecting them to dig in. Missing parts is sometimes defensible depending on the part and the inventory method used (bricklink, peeron, physically building, or my favorite..."does it look complete").

3) As a buyer, its your job to hawk the pictures and know what you are buying more than the seller knows what they are selling. Sure, the seller might screw up but you are saving yourself trouble if you buy carefully first.

4) If you want to avoid issues you will have better luck with bricklink. MOST sellers on bricklink are either collectors selling off some sets or more serious ones who view it as a business. In either case you will find bricklink sellers much more accommodating to errors and to knowing their product and the nuances of lego.

Bottom line, educate yourself and choose your purchases wisely.

And if your wondering, the first deal I purchased after my dark ages was the worst I ever did. I paid 500 dollars for a half 8880 and 8480 (was told they were complete) and some other items and figured I couldn't miss (based on my limited knowledge at the time). I have since bought and sold more than anyone could imagine (except maybe blakbird).

You live, you learn.

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i have had very few ebay troubles, but my only 2 used sets, the 9398 was missing a #1 white connector, but it was in otherwise impeccable condition, my 9394 was also in great shape but was missing a 3L pin, if the seller promises 100% complete and it is not, you should ask them to see if they have the missing part or maybe refund a small amount.

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I don't get it...you are complaining just to complain? I'm not one to flame up a conversation on here but you just seem to want to rant and I am very much active on both sides of the transaction you are on.

1) You are buying on ebay, it was said before but I need to point out...you are taking a risk. If you want to minimize your risk you are going to pay top dollar (FAIR MARKET VALUE) and that should assure you via pictures, competitive bidding and sellers feedback that you will be OK. Paying any less than bricklink avg price should alert you that the general public doesn't think that this set is as valuable as a guaranteed perfect set. You should trust public opinion in the form of competing bids. The exception to this is of course "buy it now" listings where the seller is just lazy and looking to make a quick buck not realizing their items are worth more if they just let it go to open auction.

2) No seller in this world cares if the parts are the correct "vintage". They don't even know what sort of rabbit hole you're expecting them to dig in. Missing parts is sometimes defensible depending on the part and the inventory method used (bricklink, peeron, physically building, or my favorite..."does it look complete").

3) As a buyer, its your job to hawk the pictures and know what you are buying more than the seller knows what they are selling. Sure, the seller might screw up but you are saving yourself trouble if you buy carefully first.

4) If you want to avoid issues you will have better luck with bricklink. MOST sellers on bricklink are either collectors selling off some sets or more serious ones who view it as a business. In either case you will find bricklink sellers much more accommodating to errors and to knowing their product and the nuances of lego.

Bottom line, educate yourself and choose your purchases wisely.

And if your wondering, the first deal I purchased after my dark ages was the worst I ever did. I paid 500 dollars for a half 8880 and 8480 (was told they were complete) and some other items and figured I couldn't miss (based on my limited knowledge at the time). I have since bought and sold more than anyone could imagine (except maybe blakbird).

You live, you learn.

Or tl; dr :

You wanted a mint 853, you bought a 'whatever' 853 of ebay = Grosse Kind failed

There's not even a MISB 853 at BL at the moment, but there is a 'correct era' for 170USD

Sets with correct era parts are just about impossible to get unless you buy MISB. Be prepared to fork out 3-4-5-6-800USD

Or do it yourself. A 853 can be done for less than 50USD _if_ you have the patience and use all sources available. I've done that plenty of times ;)

Cheers,

Ole

Yeah nah. It just gets better and better. The 8110 i bought two weeks ago has not even been packaged up for posting, let alone arrived yet, with zero word from the seller till i asked if it'd been sent.

Nothing like a "sincerest apology" after the fact. And its still not likely to arrive any time soon. Will "send tomorrow and advise a tracking number" i'm told but thats still yet to happen so i've only the words of someone without much apparent use of them to go off.

Waiting and seeing on ebay: the new hobby best left un-delved.

Forget ebay, that is crapstastic place to buy from. Seller needs to pay loads of fees = no good deal for you. Too good deal? = scam

Buy it of BL WITH paypal :

The run from 175EUR and up

And my tip of the day, try contacting a danish seller and ask if he would be willing to cut you a deal as they we're widely available at half retail price (yeah, I bought loads, none left sorry)

Cheers,

Ole

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I just assume anything I buy used off of ebay will be missing a couple of dollars worth of parts and set my limits accordingly. Often I also just buy two cheap used copies of a set, to have one complete one and a bunch of spare parts, because that still is cheaper than alternatives. For example most of the 8285s I see advertised are missing the silver dishes but they have so many beams and other parts for 60-70 euros that I never cared. And I have to say I've never had something not arrive nor have I ever gotten a set with a significant number of missing pieces.

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Nice essay. I'll just address things by point form as you've done if thats ok?

ONE:

"I don't get it...you are complaining just to complain? I'm not one to flame up a conversation on here but"

Are you sure? The word "but", indicates you've made an exception on my account. Ta muchly. Highly appreciative.

TWO:

"1) You are buying on ebay, it was said before but I need to point out...you are taking a risk. If you want to minimize your risk you are going to pay top dollar (FAIR MARKET VALUE) and that should assure you via pictures, competitive bidding and sellers feedback that you will be OK. Paying any less than bricklink avg price should alert you that the general public doesn't think that this set is as valuable as a guaranteed perfect set. You should trust public opinion in the form of competing bids. The exception to this is of course "buy it now" listings where the seller is just lazy and looking to make a quick buck not realizing their items are worth more if they just let it go to open auction."

"2) No seller in this world cares if the parts are the correct "vintage". They don't even know what sort of rabbit hole you're expecting them to dig in. Missing parts is sometimes defensible depending on the part and the inventory method used (bricklink, peeron, physically building, or my favorite..."does it look complete").

3) As a buyer, its your job to hawk the pictures and know what you are buying more than the seller knows what they are selling. Sure, the seller might screw up but you are saving yourself trouble if you buy carefully first."

Why, if as you pointed out that its been covered, would you NEED TO POINT IT OUT? If whats come before you was correct, and also been stated by the original poster, then what was it specifically you hoped to get across? I cited examples in the first post in the thread that there are risks, and that i've pulled my hat out of the ring to avoid them in the future. Just looks like "i haven't spoken on this topic yet, let me reitterate" bandwagoning.

If i take a photo of an omelette, sell it to you as an omelette, then i bring you an egg, is that by your reasoning not your fault?

When one advertises as a 100% complete Vintage Set, would it not be at minimum fair to want to think such an attention grabbing blurb had some semblance of truth/accuracy? I don't care too much for vintage accuracy either as what was badly made when new, is still badly made thirty years after, but you don't buy a mustang hoping that theres three wheels with four lug nuts, one with five, and a drum and a disc on either front corner. Miscolouration is par for the course. But insofar as an singular item being substituted by several separate parts because you wanted to make a sale and slapped something together, doesn't cut it. A mismatched pair of gears/plates is one thing, baking a cake with cement because you ran out of flour is another. Experience shows otherwise, but notwithstanding an affidavit that the obscured three of in the steering, 4 in the transmission, and two 8 tooths in the seat mech's are all there, even when photos were studied, it's missing one. I don't care what fraction of a percentile it, or the 4x10 red plate missing equate to, their exclusion doth not 100% make.

As for the buy it now aspect, the unimog thats not yet been sent IS, a buy it now. Also new in sealed box. I don't expect any problems with this. I also didn't expect the seller to take and hold my payment and then sit on it for two weeks. When they rename the icon BUY IT SOMETIME IN THE DISTANT FUTURE BUT PAY IMMEDIATELY, i'll be more understanding.

My job, as a buyer, is to take reasonably written and photographed ads, read and look to see if its what i want and then bid/pay. In what alternative universe are you suggesting a seller being careless, misleading, and unable to provide what they are offering to sell as it should be, puts the onus on me?

As for missing parts being acceptable, the term COMPLETE negates that. I don't bid on sets that state non complete expecting that it is. Nor should i have to expect the converse if the seller isn't a total prick.

I'm not naive to the risk of dealing with idiots who offer one thing, and evidently plan to deliver another. I don't suspect that all will go to plan. I lack the desire to persevere with said system.

THREE:

"4) If you want to avoid issues you will have better luck with bricklink. MOST sellers on bricklink are either collectors selling off some sets or more serious ones who view it as a business. In either case you will find bricklink sellers much more accommodating to errors and to knowing their product and the nuances of lego."

Sorta previously stated thats where i'll be going. Have a re-read if you wish.

FOUR:

"Bottom line, educate yourself and choose your purchases wisely. "

Was not prior to very recently aware of bricklink. Or anywhere else to buy out of production sets either. Now, as earlier, i've mentioned i'm done with ebay (all purchases were completed over a week ago and are gradually arriving, or not), and will be looking elsewhere of there if something tickles my fancy, and would still consider going by sellers with a history of lego sales and perfect feedback to, if not wise, to have at least been careful with more perusing of what turned out to be "stock footage" photos than was warranted with the previous two.

All before your missive.

Does this make me now enlightened in your mind yoda?

FIVE:.

"And if your wondering, the first deal I purchased after my dark ages was the worst I ever did. I paid 500 dollars for a half 8880 and 8480 (was told they were complete) and some other items and figured I couldn't miss (based on my limited knowledge at the time)."

Wasn't.

Still unlikely to want to know later but by all means as you chose to bring it up in my thread, and as you've labelled this a complaint session, feel free to pile on.

I'll happily PM you the lists of missing parts, excuses, blatant nonsense replies, that don't apply to you as after reading this:

"I am very much active on both sides of the transaction you are on."

I'll just need you to identify which two of the three set purchases in question weren't from you. I really hope you were the english guy as i can't wait to read nonsensical babble as per telling me he must have mixed up two, somewhat different, sets worth of parts when he sent me two types of 8880 steering knuckles (with no towball pins to suit either) and suggested the oddball was probably from 8865. You know, cos 8865 must have had all wheel drive and steering and uses 6540a's too right?

(Yes, that i assume you are responsible for any of my predicaments because you are ACTIVE, on THE transaction I am on is tongue in cheek. Your words, even if rewritten, not mine)

"Waiting and seeing on ebay: the new hobby best left un-delved." Refers to me being done with buying sets off ebay.

So from what i can see, in your mildly condescending tirade, you've simply covered what i'd, and others had already written. Would that be a fair assumption?

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...and it was advertised as MISB. When I got it, box was sealed but pretty beaten up.

The seller probably thought that MISB meant the contents are mint in a sealed but damaged box.

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MISB means exactly that. Does not mean the box is, only the content :wink:

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Hi 1974. Wasn't chasing a mint 853, as much as a complete one. I had bid with the high likelihood of it going out of my pricerange and got it. I've contacted the seller to discuss the situation and will not know anything till i hear back. I'm a play with'er, not a glass cabinet'er so was never chasing mint/pristine/perfect, but complete would be nice, even if just once, hahaha.

My set collection (classics), bar the one still in transit is now complete, and the other (8110 unimog. Not a classic yet but maybe someday) should leave for here tomorrow so no more evilbay anymore :)

Thanks for the suggestions Ole, re denmark. Shall keep it in mind.

Edited by Grosse Kind

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Haha, nice term! Yeah, I'm a play with'er too. Can't stand the glass cabinet types. Of course you're right in expecting a 'complete 853' to actually be, you know complete. But ebay is really not the place for such purchases. It's just a gigantic carboot sale, imho

I hope you get your parts for the 853, it's quite a lovely machine :wub:

Cheers,

Ole

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Set seems pretty cool, and am quite happy with the overall design. Theres a few aspects that i've attended to for the general pleasure of it, and a couple more i might institute but it's still early days.

Fascinated by the gearbox! If you take the rotation direction of the engine of 8860, and 8880 pre the RHD conversion, then 853 has a 9:1 first gear and a 3:1 reverse. Predates the crap out of 8448 really.

Keen to add a little (extra to what i've already done so far) extra bracing on the chassis as a few more pins made a large difference and the front axle seems quite spindly. See how we go i guess. Revised the back end as she kept blowing the pinion support in first. The thing would still have been quite the revelation when new i imagine, just like they all are to me now.

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Easy to add suspension to the rear and if you have other XXX sets I'm sure you've seen the bodywork also :wink:

You could also add valves like on the 858. Maybe even double it up to make a V8!

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Considering altering the crank phasing to achieve a more natural "1 3 4 2" firing order and constructing a third (maybe if adventurous, even a full five) main bearing for it with period parts, and a primitive inlet manifold and carb. Perhaps a fourth stack of fins and attendant blue surrounds to get the pistons protruding less at TDC.

Wrappped that the motor/box is a unitary construction meaning i can just detach it whole and modify/tinker with it fully removed. A real luxury compared to 8860 and moreso for any trans alterations on 8880. See how well 8865 is designed overall after it gets here but find the evolutions damn cool. From a first of 9:1, to 6:1, then 4:1 and at the end 2.25, each model shoves less stress on the geartrain as it goes along.

Love fettling with them all but. Might eat up hours and hours, but has always felt good to do.

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I'll happily PM you the lists of missing parts, excuses, blatant nonsense replies, that don't apply to you as after reading this:

"I am very much active on both sides of the transaction you are on."

I'll just need you to identify which two of the three set purchases in question weren't from you. I really hope you were the english guy as i can't wait to read nonsensical babble as per telling me he must have mixed up two, somewhat different, sets worth of parts when he sent me two types of 8880 steering knuckles (with no towball pins to suit either) and suggested the oddball was probably from 8865. You know, cos 8865 must have had all wheel drive and steering and uses 6540a's too right?

(Yes, that i assume you are responsible for any of my predicaments because you are ACTIVE, on THE transaction I am on is tongue in cheek. Your words, even if rewritten, not mine)

So from what i can see, in your mildly condescending tirade, you've simply covered what i'd, and others had already written. Would that be a fair assumption?

I live in the US, I was not involved with YOUR transactions, I am involved in a general sense as both a large buyer and seller on ebay and bricklink.

Condescension? I don't think as much was intended as you perceived.

And yes, I most certainly did restate what others have said in a bullet pointed, easy to read list so that the next guy who is thinking that buying off ebay is a sure-thing can't say he wasn't warned.

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Hi all,

My (limited) experience of eBay is not so dire.

I have bought two Lego sets through eBay in the UK, firstly 8043 Excavator @ £176 plus shipping, and secondly 8275 Bulldozer @ £200 plus shipping. The first was bought at auction, the second was a "Buy now" offer. Both arrived promptly - within seven days - and shipping charges were reasonable. The Excavator arrived disassembled, in its original box, complete with instructions books, a print- out of the B model instructions and even batteries! Nothing (obvious) missing and all parts in good condition. The second came as the first but fully assembled in a separate box. Again all complete and in good condition, with box, instructions and again with batteries.

I am delighted with the purchases; a good opportunity to acquire a couple of seminal models. Both were great fun to build, the only downside was that it took me the best part of a day to take apart the Bulldozer and sort out the pieces!

John

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I stripped the 853 down to base components too john. Sections of it like the bumpers and seats and a bit of the steering were still partly assembled when i unpacked it and i wanted the full build experience from it. Washed it all colour by colour. in a mild detergent and tepid water solution then rinsed and strained it all before carefully drying and laying it all out.

Was quite exciting and i had been able to get it pretty well together, very precisely. Lined up all the slots, directionalised all the brick logos, equispaced all the crankthrows and generally put it together like its the last time it'll ever be done. Which it is. I buy only to keep, and though i dabble afterwards, i'm not of the strip and rebuild mindset just yet, meaning only partial teardowns to test or implement any modifications.

. If/when the final pieces ever come about, it will be simple enough to fit them, and i'll then consider it built. Though i've started on the alterations front already and am making headway its not done until its complete. Then generally the proper fun starts, with me still making changes on the 8860 that i bought in 2009. As parts or ideas become available over time, little changes here and there are facilitated and thats my thrill fom these things.

Have left 9390 alone since it was built but play with it now and then. If a design is fairly sound i leave it be, but far prefer ironing out bugs of designs that while good can be easily better.

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Just my two cents.

Almost all of the old sets I have I bought on German eBay - due to absurd prices in Poland. And I never had a negative experience, although it is common that the sets often lack a few parts (for example 8480 was missing parts for submarine model). That's no problem for me, as I buy sets cheaply and then count the pieces and if I need, order parts from Bricklink. Also, some sets which were described as probably incomplete, were actually complete and even with a few of some other parts thrown in.

And guess what - both sets I bought on Bricklink, which were advertised as complete, in reality they weren't. Although 8485 was missing only that steering arm in the neck of Dinosaur, 8868 had almost no pneumatic hoses so I couldn't even build it until I bought some hoses for making wine or something, and additionally I waited for over a month for seller to send it to me.

So for me eBay > Bricklink, I prefer to buy relatively cheaply and expect set not to be complete and have nice surprises.

Well, let's hope I didn't jinx my luck for sharing that :)

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