chilli Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Its a funny old world out there in robot land. You can either play safe and build up bit by bit, or throw caution to the wind and go for the big gamble and win well or fall on your backside. I bet you can guess what camp I am in!!!! More by luck than skill i think I have won more than I have lost but who would have gambled on buying from a picture as bad as this, and only one photo at that, at this size. I really thought it was not going to turn out well but paid, then he sent me a bunch of photos of other toys and more of this robot, which turns out to be lovely condition and also a fantastic black alpsconcept car which was a reasonable price also, and of which I am now the proud owner. So what has been your biggest gamble, and was it a good result? cheers Chilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian.. Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I'd always take the gamble. Sometimes an item turns up and you have seconds to decide whether it's worth the money. Hesitate and you're lost. I've deliberately forgotten most of my bum deals, but the great buys keep me warm at night. Sadly I can't forget the Portugese Pyrotomic episode. I traded rare pieces for a few of these and each time a batch of 20 appears on Ebay it feels like a knife going in. But if the circumstances repeated themselves I'd do the same again. My wife thinks I'm an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Hey, I am going to have to do some digging in the vaults to find the back ground on this, dont forget I am only the "new" kid on the block. "Hesitate and you're lost." Gets the adrenalin going!!!!! I remember last year when I had just started collecting and a robby studdy was on ebay . I ended my bid 5 times that night , waking up, sweating, until I woke up to find i had won a fantastic item. Scared the hell out of me if i had done the right thing. Might only ever get the same cash back but hell, its nice to push your limits. Partners should always think they have the upper hand (little do they know!!!! err, dont tell mine I said that.) Cheers Chilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Robert Lesser once told me - if you wake up sweating in the middle of the night thinking what have I done - then you did the right thing!!! On the flip side as Ray Rohr would say about the items you passed on - regrets - always regrets!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennetzel Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I've done both. Mostly building little by little...but there have been those BIG purchases. My latest was the Mr. Machine. It cost a pretty penny, but as time went on, buyer's remorse started setting in. I mean it was by no means complete. It was missing the DVD and a few other bits of paperwork. But once it got here, I was thrilled with it. It all depends on the quality of the item you get. If you pay a lot and it's worth it, you do okay. If not...then you want to kick yourself. Hasn't really happened to me yet, thank God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Hi, when I say gamble I was more thinking of the information you base a purchase on rather than the costs. I love blagging an item from a really poor picture, usually from a a non english speaking email banter. Thinking and hoping you are both on the same page, its those results I really enjoy when they come off well. Not quite the same when you pay your money and buy from a well respected seller. That's just commerce, you get, or should get what you pay for. The thrill for me is dabbling in the unknown, hopefully after doing enough homework not to end up with a badly photographed repro!!!! but i have been known to buy a robot with no innards. cheers Chilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 My policy is that if there are possibly some issues with a toy that lurks in an un clarified area (such as a battery box or even a whole side that is neither pictured nor mentioned) I don't bid unless I talk with the seller so it's clear and I understand exactly what to expect. The short version is I don't like to gamble. I take the attitude that if a toy were in great shape or is working well the seller more than likely will go the extra mile to make that clear. I never believe the old "I don't have batteries so I haven't tested it". Plus how many robots have we seen that look great from one angle only to be completely rotted out from another angle? But - I do see a battery op toy that lights up but doesn't move, as a likely easy fix because of a mere gummed up motor. I do gamble on those toys. The luckiest purchase I ever made was probably when I bought an Arliss Bubble gun (my apologies to those of you who have already heard this story). At the time I had only been collecting ray guns for a short while and I wasn't yet aware of how rarely this gun would come up (in any condition) for sale in the 10 years since then. The listing had one dark, blurry picture of a group of guns, all either common or incomplete in some way. The Arliss was missing a piece (the sight) so a lot of the ray gun collectors stayed away from the auction. I won the lot for a little over $100. After I won the seller sent me an email telling me that they had found a plastic piece that they thought went with my lot so they are including it. You guessed it - the piece was the missing sight from the Arliss and I was able to repair the gun nicely for a complete example! Only in the years since have I come to understand what a super rare piece this is (not to mention one of the coolest ray gun designs ever). The gun is owned by another Alphadromer now, but that win was one of my luckiest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 A great piece Don, i know what you mean and I also stay clear if there is any hint from the seller that he cannot be "bothered"to test it. That translates as "dumb ass come and buy me"For sure, they have been tested. But I like the ones ,if you dont mind the hassle, see the above robot, where the translated ad just says "robot tin 50s'" mind you i did then have to go what appears to be a occasional european tradition of some countries when selling robots, of agreeing a price , paying for it then being either told that there was a mistake and can we have more or being sent the money back and it being sold to a higher bidder after the deal.Those people are soon off my christmas card list. Thats where buying direct from members of this forum is probably the best idea of all. I guess its playing the odds if you go for the low price"outsiders" some you win some you loose, dont get too mad when a cheap deal goes wrong but be happy when it goes right. cheers Chilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racerxc70 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 My biggest gamble is this Mr. Hustler, I have lost out to a higher bidder five times but not this time, and the only real risk is that it is on its way from an international seller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Good luck on the delivery Racerxc 70. Mr Hustler is a great bot with a very cool and unique action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morbius Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Amazing 'bot the Mr. Hustler. I picked one up boxed in '83 and he still runs like a trooper, very well made and amazing actions. Congrats, hope it looks great when he shows up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Wow. I don't think I would gamble that big as I normally buy my vintage robots from trusted auctioneers (Morphy's Auctions, etc.) and as a result of their reputation I don't mind paying a little more. The 18-20% buyer's fee can be hard to swallow, but it is worth it on items were there is no direct third party certification (in my opinion). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrarobotman Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Yes! Great addition , R-X , We were watching this one as well ( Ultason tips me off now to all the Horikawas) It DID appear as a gamble but I have a gut feeling it is a good buy. Hope you fair out well. Seems anymore there are only those two options- take a chance or pay a huge price for a certain good buy. I guess there is the 3rd option too, one I have lucked out with, that is the non-working robots that in my case only needed a little work to get running again. Please post some pic when you get him cleaned up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roboto Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 My biggest gamble was when I bought this Robby Space Patrol still sealed in box as being new never opened and having the shipping box also included. I payed around $1,000.00 for him at the time and when he arrived the box was still sealed the the inners never opened. Many times you see an item as still new in box never taken out so hopefully that item from the factory was packaged well and now is being sold to you after all the yrs have gone by since the seller has not opened such box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 That was not gambling Roboto, that was theft!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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