harphunt

I've seen some good deals here on RCU classifieds and have made some small purchases in the past. I'm looking for any thoughts or opinions on buying used engines via ebay or RCU. Do you think RCU is a more trustworthy source than ebay? Have you bought used with success? Without success? Any way I can help ensure not getting "ripped off?" Any questions I should ask? What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

peace

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

Buying a used engine unseen is always risky. Most engines can be damaged by one lean run some are rendered worthless.

I like to see, smell and at least turn it over by hand. I have had some real bargains this way

I have often heard the phrase used sell it on ebay after a crash, lean run or just having problems so caveat emptor.

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

I would only buy "Used" if I was only looking for better crankcases or missing parts I needed to finish a restoration. Wear parts are just as they are, used with wear and always subject to personal opinion, which never matches between individuals.

As far as "honesty" of the description, I would trust a fellow modeler over an eBay seller with a vague cell phone picture of the engine with a slack description and no return policy.

jeffie8696

I have been buying and selling off the bay for over a year and I must say you are correct it is a crap shoot!! I have made some remarkable bargains ,and I have had total junk. Overall I have made money and I wish they hadn't made so many changes that really screwed up the little guys. [:@]

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

You can join [link=http://www.modelenginecollectors.org/]MECA[/link]. The members are very honest and make it known if someone is ripping people off or exaggerating the condition of engines. I would always feel safe buying used engines from a MECA member.

On the other hand, you can buy ringed engines instead of ABC types. It's cheap and easy to replace rings and bearings; I do it all the time. Usually replacing those parts, along with O-rings and gaskets, will make an engine almost like new.

David

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I look real closely at pictures. The biggest problem i see is where someone has drilled out the engine mounts

Stay away from anything that has the statement "easily fixed" in it. If it was that easy to fix, the owner would have done it himself.

Remember you are buying AS IS

I've never got stung but the guy I fly with has. He bought a 1 gallon Saito 125 that must of had 20 gallons through it and the glow plug hole was stripped out.

elf232

Repair the threads with epoxy putty.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Yea, right!
That's what a guy said on 'bay. That will last until you start it up.

I had a plug blow out one time and hit me on the bridge of my glasses. I never did find it.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I ALWAYS download the photos and fix them in Photoshop to get a better idea of what's being sold.

Here's an image as downloaded from an auction. The second photo is what I see after working on it in Photoshop.

David

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

I have bought used engines from several online sources. Some were good, some were fair and some were a flat out rip-off. Fortunately, out of one hundred or so engines, only one or two were absolute junk with almost no usable parts. That is an acceptable ratio to me. But be warned that you WILL be taken advantage of at some point. Just expect it, grin and bear. Sometimes children sell items on the various online sources and they truly have no idea that they are not providing a fair deal. I've ran into that several times since I first went on the net in 96.

Ed Cregger

Luna_Rendezvous

feepay is a real crapshoot, have had good and bad experiences with 2nd hand motors, some have been total junkers, while others have been real jems, > recently scored a .049 teedee, dispite being well used it easily out performs a couple of brand new ones I bought..? Bottom line is DON"T over pay!

DarZeelon

Of four used engines I have obtained, only one could be described as really good...

The good one was traded with an RCU member for another good engine...


Of the three other engines, bought from 'FleeBay' one was totally junk, another needed extensive (read; expensive) work, to become usable and the third... runs, but does not achieve its expected performance and cannot be disassembled, as if the screws were all welded in place...[>:]


A used engine should either be physically examined before purchased (that pretty much rules out E-purchasing...), be bought from a friend you can trust (that wants you to remain his/her friend...), or assumed to be useless and bid no more than 10% of its original street-price (NOT list price).

If there is anyone that stupidly bids more, just leave! Let this bidder 'enjoy' the results his own stupidity...

Motorboy

Very few seller are honest to tell the used engine are in good contidion, some time they are showing the engine are running in the movie or in the photo.

The problem are how are the parts in contidion in the inside of the engine when you are looking at the outside of the engine are in nice contidion, see the pic of damaged sleeve. [:'(]

My advice: do not buy the used engine if you are not sure the engine are in good contidion or not worth to repair in case the spareparts are not available. And if you are not a model engine builder with knowledge to repair the used engine.

For the model engine builders are the used engine not a problem, they will fix the engine with own made engine parts.
See the pic of the engine with my own made parts and look at the engine in the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jwH6Wc1StY

WhiteRook

My Feedback: (38)

only buy new in box engines

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

morotrboy when will u start selling them?

ProBroJoe

That doesn't always work... One of my early eBay purchases was a "NIB" Mag Pro .25... the auction pictures were cleverly composed to hide the fact that it had been disassembled, tinkered with and the fact that it had been run. When I received the engine, there were bent tools in the box, fuel tubing on the needle valve, a ball link on the throttle arm, notes scribbled on the crankcase with pencil, epoxy in screw holes, and fuel residue in the crankcase...

Luckily when I "called" the seller on it, they refunded my money and told me to keep it.

Then there was the "excellent condition" GMark .12 twin that "only had a broken needle valve" ... but when I received it and disassembled to inspect, I found this: (The seller wasn't as cooperative though.)

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

In the end it sounds better to be safe than S x x x Y.

downunder

Like Dar, I'm very wary of ebay or buying sight unseen so I limit myself only to those that seem to have an honest description with photos that give a fair indication. Luckily in the couple below I haven't been dudded yet.

Motorboy

Do not rely on the seller are telling the engine are "new in box", you will be surprised when you are opening the box with the wrecked engine. [X(]

Best to buy the new engine from hobby dealer and the engine has warranty against factory faults..[sm=thumbup.gif]

Sorry, i am not selling the engine [8D]

jeffie8696

All my past customer know they got a square deal from me. Kinda how I met my good buddy on the forum here. (he is probably regretting that decision now)
Unfortunately I am quitting the high rent online auction site and moving on. It just isn't a fair trade anymore.
I have managed to make thousands of dollars there but it gets harder every day. I was fortunate enough to find some estate lots for cheap and identify and sell individual items. It was great fun too. Quite the education.[8D]

TFF

If it going to be your one and only day to day engine, better to buy new. If you just like engines or wanted one like when you were a kid, get some used.

rcdude7

My Feedback: (264)

I have bought more than one engine on *bay that was described as used and turned out to be new and un-run. That is not the typical outcome of my ebay purchases though. I have bought some engines that were "good" and turn out to be good for a few parts only. I just bought a "new" no box saito 150. Yep, it had been run and needed a replacement rear bearing, of course the seller will not answer a single email about this deal. The engine is actually "low time" and I replaced the bearing myself. It turned out to be a good engine for a fair deal after all.
I just looked at a "good" described OS fs-61 with a mounting lug partialy broken off. Where are you going to find a replacement case for that engine??

Look very close at those pics.

Cavet Empor, expect the worst from *bay and you won't be dissapointed!

The RCU marketplace is a much safer bet for used engines, I have had no really bad dealings here. I buy here with no feeling that I am at risk to be outright scamed.

jeffie8696

There are scams and there are just the unimformed. For example the estate lot I bought for $100.00 and sold for a few thousand. Once in a lifetime , probably never happen again. It was full of unused out of box engines. A gold mine really. But I never invest more than I can afford to give up. It is a gamble ! But it pays better on average than Vegas.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

***********


The problem is, different folks have different ideas of what NIB actually means. Some run the engine several times, clean it up so that it looks new, put it back in the box and call it either NIB or LNIB (Like New In Box) and think that what they say is actually true. The LNIB I can deal with, but doing the same thing and calling it NIB is fraud - period.

Nope, there's not really any way to know for sure what you're buying. Even if you buy it from a hobbyshop or an online dealer. What does a hobbyshop do with engines that have been returned because the buyer "didn't like them"? Ditto online hobbyshops? They have to go somewhere. Ever see a nearly new engine sold as being nearly new from these folks? Yes, it happens occasionally, but not nearly as often as engines are returned.


Ed Cregger

Motorboy

The warranty will follow with the engine if the engine was bought from hobbyshop, the seller in hobbyshop are responible for the engine are in good contidion and as like as a new engine in case the engine was returned by former buyer if he disliked the engine.

Importand to demand the warranty for the engine and take care at receipt from hobbyshop where the engine are bought!