BackAfter20

My Feedback: (5)

I need to preface the following opinion with the fact that most of the people that I have come across in this hobby have been nice, generous, and genuine. I could write pages about good things. BUT there are a few people that are ruining it.

At last year's Perry GA swap meet, I purchased a plane "ready to fly". The seller assured me that it flew well, and needed nothing. When I got it home, the engine wouldn't run. To make a long story short, the engine turned out to be garbage, which caused the first (repairable) crash. The radio turned out to be garbage, (intermittent failures) which caused the second crash, which totalled the plane. That engine and radio should have been thrown away by the previous owner, but instead, he decided to sell them as "good". By doing so, he not only ripped me off of money and a lot of time, he also endangered peoples' lives. That plane came straight down at full throttle from VERY high up with no radio control. That could have been someone dead.

At this year's Perry swap meet, I purchased (among other things) a cordless starter setup. The man explained how it was his friend's who just bought it and got out of the hobby. The battery pack wasn't hooked up and the starter still had its panel-hookup cables. He said the starter had only been used a couple of times, and the battery was new and had never been used. The battery terminals had scrapes indicating they had been hooked up at one time. When I questioned that, I was assured that it was all new and good. After getting it home, it turns out that the battery is no good - the terminals are open (no voltage, no load). I could post my feelings and a lot of profanity, but I don't need to.

I know there were a lot of honest people at Perry trying to sell good used stuff. I also had sellers tell me things like "That engine runs but is tired." Thank you for your honesty. But the people who lie and deceive are lowering the value of everyone's used stuff because they have raised the "this could be garbage" factor.

If you have something that is garbage, either throw it away or identify it as garbage. Don't try to $crew a fellow modeller, or possibly kill someone, to make a buck.

Crashem

sorry for your loss. But.. Thats exactly why used stuff should never be priced any where near its retail cost. You are buying items as is with no warranty or legal recourse..

I personnally only buy used when the price is so low that having it turn out to be garbage would be worth the risk otherwise its off to the LHS to buy new.

Ebay and sites like this allow the prices of used items to be to easily inflated!! I can't tell you how many times I've seen a used engine go for 10-30 less then new the piece of mind that the warranty alone provides is worth much more then that.

Just my opinion on the purchase of used equipment in general not attempting to imply that the majority of sellers are dishonest..
It only takes one bad apple to spoil the barrel though

Goinstraightup

My Feedback: (26)

Always check over used purchases with the utmost scrutiny. I bought a Sig Kavalier almost flyable for $24 once. There was a lot of things wrong with it as I found out as I installed my gear. Most notably was the rodent nest a few inches away from the tail in the fuselage . Said rodents breakfast was the balsa pushrods and they were down to almost nothing. Glad I didn't fly it without checking the old pushrods, or it would have been a goner!

BackAfter20

My Feedback: (5)

If someone has a used (good) item which you purchase for more than that item costs new, shame on you for not checking prices before you buy. People do it in the "for sale" forums here all the time.

Used stuff has to be priced well below new stuff for me to even consider it. It is used, partially worn out, and has no long-term warranty in case something happens down the road.

BUT if someone posts or advertises that the item is new, like new, or in perfect working order, and the item is garbage, that is deception, and I have an issue with that. That makes used stuff practically valueless IMO.

When someone sells faulty radio equipment, that puts people's lives in danger, and I have an even bigger issue with that.

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

My friend went to the Portland swap meet about 6 years ago and found an older contender kit, knowing I was looking for one he bought it and paid $50 for it. He did open the box and saw the ribs and all for the wing so didn't checkany further. When he got home he took all the wood out just to find that the guy had stuffed a lot of scrap under the ribs to make it look like a complete kit, still gave him his money for it because he was thinking of me and didn't want him to be out the bucks as his heart was in the right place. He has looked for the guy ever since but he never comes to the swap meet anymore, but a ***********

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I buy used stuff on occasion, but things like batteries, servos, recievers, and stuff like that, it isn't worth it any more. I have been hosed a few times so I feel for you. Most are honest as you say, there are a few out there just wanting to unload junk. If you buy something at a swap meet, look it over good and make sure it works. If it isn't hooked up to work there, chances are it doesn't work for a reason. I don't even look at the small stuff anymore used. If you save a couple bucks on it used, it isn't worth it. I would rather pay the couple bucks and get new.

splatt

Old saying goes, you get junk at a junkyard. I avoid swap meets like the plague.

Mettler1

I have never been burned on used RC equipment. I don't buy used. Learned a long time ago there are no free lunches.

Why try to save a few bucks when you're putting $500 or more in the air. That's a pretty big gamble.

ilikeplanes

My rule is that if I can't tell with my eyes, ears, hands, and nose that the part is good or bad, I assume it's bad. That means no electonics or engines. I would buy a used engine if I saw it run, but would never, under any circumstance, buy a used radio.

I did break this rule and bought a kit via RCU. I asked many questions and all the answers were to my liking. I crossed my fingers and sent the check. I now have a beautifully flying airplane. I could have been burned too. I weighed my own judgement with my own personal assumed risk.

Crashem

Even if an item is advertised as new in box I still think it should be priced well below retail. Especially Radios and engines.

rockmon

It's a shame that there are a few people out there that would rip off their grandma if they thought they could get away with it and that spoils it for all. On the other hand I have bought engines and planes over the net and it worked out great, I have picked up a few planes at swap meets that were very good deals and a couple that weren't but that was my fault for not inspecting the plane a little better. I don't think I would try to save money on used radio gear unless it was from someone I know, it's just not worth the savings to loose a thousand dollar airplane to save twenty bucks on a used receiver.

Longaly

Hey M.S.

Sorry to hear about the latest buy at Perry. I was there to witness that crash. You are right about it being luck that no one was hurt.

Are you still in PCMA or at another field? I have just finished an OMP Edge profile. What are you flying now?

Sorry I'm off the subject, but I haven't seen you in a while and was wondering.

Richard Long

redrocker

Only used engines, planes, or radios I would consider buying would be from friends I fly with, andI have bought some on that basis and they worked out fine. I have been tempted to buy engines from strangers at a swap meet, but I always factor in the estimated price to send them in for repair to make them run right. So often the asked price + the possible repair price is so far above what it could be bought for new that I just forget it.

Mike Bogh

My Feedback: (14)

NIP or NIB, or new in box does not mean you get a warranty, EVER!
What's a warranty worth to you?
To me, it's worth HALF the price of new. How many times have we purchased things new that were defective? Warranty replaced them, right?
Does the mfg have the right to ask for a receipt to validate your warrany?
Damm skippy they do.
And I get chastized for offering too little or trying to "steal" merchandice that's for sale in the swap shop.

Just my opinion, use it you like,

Mike

4*60

My Feedback: (41)

Do what you like, but I'll be flying a 1/4 scale Cub this Spring that cost $90 US and looks decent. It is definitely sound and flyable and a little cheaper than a kit. It of course does not quite look new, but looks OK to me!

BackAfter20

My Feedback: (5)

Hi Rick! It's good to hear from you. I sent you a PM.


Flyboy, Mettler1, ilikeplanes, Crashem, rockmon, redrocker, and Mike,

We all seem to share a similar opinion. It is nice to know I am not alone.

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

I buy used stuff all the time with no problems at all. I haven't bought a new radio or a new engine in over 10 years!! I buy from modelers who advertise on Ebay and RCUniverse and have yet to get stiffed!

My advice to you is to be sure you get the sellers phone number and address before you buy. Look him in the eye and ask him if it works properly. If he says no or he isn't sure or that it's not his and he is just "selling it for a friend" then watch out. Usually the seller won't tell you it works unless he knows it is OK.

A wise man once told me to "listen to what the seller doesn't say!"

What usually happens is that the prospective buyer finds a "really good deal" and thinks he is "stealing" an item from the seller. The buyer gets so excited about this "great deal" that he forgets to cover his tail with the before mentioned questions. So the hunter becomes the hunted.

You have to be smart and careful if you are going to buy used! Don't give up just be careful.

"No deal is better than a bad deal"!

vtol_guy

i always check anything 2nd hand i buy. If you ask for an engine demo if your wantin to buy it, if he says no then i'd tend not to trust him but if he does then hes pretty much genuine (as long as the engine does run ok)

Cheech

My Feedback: (19)

Maybe so, but this is a REAL PROBLEM for sellers of low time equipment. If I have $1600-1700 in a quarter scale aerobat, I think that offers of a eight hundred bucks after thirty or forty flights are insulting. Did that plane really depreciate that much in a season?

I am MUCH better off parting it out. The $550 engine goes for over $400 used, the $450 airframe will always go for $200-250 and the radio gear can be kept, or sold for 80% of new.

Crashem

Cheech,

Will you warrenty your "low time" equipment in writing for a year or 2 ???? if the answer is no then to me its nothing more then used goods. don't be insulted I have seen too much junk advertised at or near retail to waste my time and money.

Case in point guy was selling used OS FP .25 for 50 bucks each.. Mine cost 25.00 at tower new years ago!!!

spyder0069

I have had both ends of this topic. I have bought tons of stuff via e-bay and 99% was perfect. Bought many receivers, engines, transmitters, servos, ect. In general the only thing I won't put in a plane is used batteries unless they came from my stock. I use peak detection chargers and know that all of mine are treated properly. As far as receiver/transmitter problems that result in a crash...... Should have done a better range check. Besides all the power on adjustments while putting the plane together I also do a wiggle test on the wires to identify problems before I hit the field. I super glue the receiver battery connecter to the switch harness jack so I know it can't get pulled out by a snag and zip tie extra wire length to keep in flight snags from happening. My engines (new or used) get plenty of run-in on the bench or in plane before the wheels ever leave the ground. If I can't run a couple of tanks through without a problem then the plane comes home. I only lost money one time when I purchase a built kit (not covered) that was supposed to come with a os .25FX. The plane arrived and it was built completely wrong (had machine screws instead of glue to hold in bulkheads for gods sake!) and it had a older .25FP. The person was not willing to refund some of my money back. The plane went in the garbage. The engine was rebuilt and is currently on a plane. Probably lost about $50 in that deal. You win some and lose some. I can't stand people who are "selling this for a friend" or "seems to have good compression". If you don't know anything about the item you shouldn't be selling the item and those people who buy that item better be counting on using it for parts only. I suppose there is a big distinction that should be made here though. There are those who are just trying the hobby(failed and are trying to recoup costs) and there are those of us who are in this hobby.

GA_fanatic

Wow, old thread... The thing that really makes me mad is when something is advertised as NIB and when you receive it, it is not. Example, I bought a kit recently off of RCU advertised as NIB. When I received it all the parts had been puched out, some of the stick stock was missing and everything was repacked poorly. I wish people would treat others the way they wish to be treated.

Yup, that's right, you know who you are...