Jamming

Maybe not in the right forum, But it does apply to gas boating. What bugs me is when people list a ad for a gas boat that says excellent condition and it looks like it's been hammered for years. Are my standards to high for boating. never saw as much in the helicopter sales. To me a boat that is excellent is a boat without any visible damage. ZERO ! a boat in good condition might have a slight mar or scuff or need a overhaul because it's a few years old. But runable. A boat battle tested is what i see claimed to be excellent. A battle tested boat looks chipped and dirty. Sorry just had to vent. Being a perfectionest, i would never call a boat with even one scratch excellent. Would You ! Just curious.

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

No!!!

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

there are many kinds of seller out there with many different interpretations of accuracy and honesty.

I have purchased more than my share of boats online based on pictures. The kicker for me was when a seller used photos that were over a year old in showcasing the "new" boat. Never said so until after I complained. Turned out (Looking at his history) he had purchased the boat recently based on those same pictures and, dissatisfied, relisted it for sale - but rather than himself being honest (and taking new pictures) - he thought he would "pay it forward" and shipped me the same lies he purchased. I have had others who just take the money and not ship anything.

My rule of thumb - if the pictures of a boat are not clear or close up - they are that way for a reason - a boat is rarely better than the pictures of it and usually much much worse.

There are those occasions where I am pleasently surprised - but they are almost equal to those where some disappointment is present.

Jamming

I agree justaddwater, Taking pictures that are more than a few months old and the item has been used since the pictures where taken, Is just dishonest, So if that is the case and i know it i won't purchase. guess i have been lucky. both of my recent purchases have been as described. Every digital camera on the planet, now days has a date stamp. So i normally ask for a date stamped picture if the purchase is over $500. seems to work well for me. If the person refuses date stamping pictures It's a good idea not to buy. unless thay have a very high rating. Maybe i am overly cautious, But i also won't buy from anyone that has even one poor rating. gotta be a reason right. But somtimes a phone call will give me a good feeling and help in knowing a decent person is on the phone. I have purchased thousands of dollars worth of helicopters here on RCU without any problems. But excellent is just that.

Jamming

No !! What ? You wouldn't call a hammered boat excellent, Or no It doesn't bother you.

AndyKunz

I don't think "excellent" means "like new" - if it were "like new" I would advertise it as such. You can have a little hangar rash and still be "excellent" condition.

I've seen "excellent" based on handling and performance, and those boats almost always have a few nicks and dings on them, but hey, they're for racing and that's what happens. A few dings don't detract from the excellence of performance.

It sounds like you got something with a few more dings on it, but without a picture of the "damage" who are we to judge?!?!

Andy

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

It's still buyer beware if you buy it off eBay or from a forum site.
I bought a gas Cat hull from somebody that also ran an R/C boat business out of his house. The shots that he took conveniently didn't show the damage to the bottom of the boat which looked like he had tried to break it in half over his knee. The steps on the hull had chunks missing but was advertised as stress cracks. I paid almost new price for it as it came with some hardware which was some of the most amateurish stuff that I had ever seen.
Needless to say, I posted a nasty little reply to him online and soon after got a phone call from him as some of his buddies and customers saw it and promptly called him. He made almost full restitution and asked me to delete what I post as I could have put a big hurt on his business.
He later relisted it using the same shots as before with a lower price so any prospective buyer got shots that I took of the damage.
If the pictures in an ad don't show all sides then ask for some.

Jamming

I agree to a certain extent, Excellent is to me no visable damage or scratches at all, Like new to me is that it is less than a few months old and the person has all the original packing and paperwork and the boat has never been raced. Good stuff, And it proves to me how there is such a big differnce in opinion on this subject. I have never bought any boat, That had damage that wasn't listed. Mostly wondering what people think about this subject.

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

[/quote]
No !! What ? You wouldn't call a hammered boat excellent, Or no It doesn't bother you.
[/quote]

No !! I would not call it excellent.

Racer21

I agree with Jamming...a phone call will usually give you a good sense of the person on the other end of the line.

It's very difficult to judge quality from pictures, since lighting, etc can alter things. Besides, most will post the 'best' picture they have.

If you aren't sure of the seller, go with your instincts...I'd rather pay a little more and know what I'm getting. That's why I prefer buying from a dealer...at least there's a warranty ...