Second hand prices. Why do we do it?

[aaddzz123]

So this is just my opinion and something that crosses my mind on a regular basis. This is probably because I'm always skint and yet I don't really spend money on anything apart from car parts (it's true, ask my mrs). Take it with a pinch of salt, it's more food for thought and I don't expect a revolution to happen lol.

Second hand prices for parts within the starlet scene seem to be a lot of the time, a fucking rip off, in comparison with other cars and parts or just when you use common sense. For example, people are willing to pay like £30 for a window motor? £50 for a single driveshaft? Bonnets for about the £70 mark and standard bumpers for near £100 sometimes. You can get all that stuff for similar cars for less than £5-£20. Wind deflectors go for like £60, a used but working AEM wideband goes for £120 when you can get them brand new for £130 in america. I just had to pay £55 for some rear lights, and god forbid you want something like a roll cage because you'll be looking to pay about £500 to £800. I personally think 90% of stuff is overpriced and who do we have to blame? No one but ourselves because we make the prices up!

We're all guilty of being greedy and selling something for more than we probably think it's worth. Well why wouldn't you when think someone will pay that little extra? Someone sells caliper for £80, someone else sees that sale and puts theirs up for £90. Someone else in dire need for one buys it and before you know it calipers are now worth at least £80 each. The sellers made a few more quid than they realistically should have done and in turn the values of breaking starlets goes up again, and there's another expensive part on the list that people dread having to buy.

On one hand, it keeps the 17 year old chavs away because it's all expensive and in turn I suppose it keeps starlets going longer. On the other hand the cars are worth so much in parts that no one bothers keeping them on the road when selling them on because you can make as much as an extra grand or two by splitting them and selling in bits. At the end of it all we all spend a fortune buying stuff and eventually having the car you wanted after 4-5 years of buying stuff, when if parts were just realistically priced and fair, you could have twice the car or have got it where you wanted to in half the time.

What can we do?

We can all reduce our prices.... The same effect as prices going up but in reverse. Someone sells that same caliper at £15, someone else sees and puts theirs up for £20. Sooner or later people will refuse to spend more than £25 on a caliper.... Who wants to go first!? Not me LOL. I can't see this happening.

We haggle more and refuse to pay stupid prices until they reduce... I suppose this could work, but I still think it would be 50/50 and the people who are willing to pay stupid prices will just get the parts. Someone will always need a part just a little more than you do.

We continue to pay stupid prices... This is an option. Hopefully when it comes to selling, stuff is still going for as much as you paid for it. Nothing gained nothing lost apart from the 10 years it took you to build that £30k 1.3 hatchback.

I don't know... I'm sure some others have noticed that the scene is 90% market place and it's obviously for a reason. If I had the money to set up a unit and a few cars I'd be making an easy killer living just from breaking starlets. But as it is I'm scraping by with a mediocre car that needs a lot of work to be where I want it and despite doing everything myself from fitting tyres to spraying the whole thing and fabricating my own parts instead of buying them, I still find that I then have to blow £55 on some lights and can't help but think if I had a saxo I could have got them for a fiver lol.

I'm sure there is so much more to add to this topic. It's just a thought I've had, some stuff is reasonably priced and I too sell stuff for "what it's worth" because I have to pay the same to buy it. Food for thought! Tell me what you think. Theories, ideas, reasons, pros and cons etc. Fire away.

Adam.

[JoJo_228]

Some people it's pure greed.

I have similar views to you, having been after parts myself - not wanting to pay some prices that I've been given. It's a shame, because when I first got my Starlet - I picked up a set of glanza alloys and mint tyres bar one for £80 delivered.. and a few other bits and bobs which I thought was cheap. But recently I've noticed pricing shooting sky high - which is why my Starlet hasn't changed in the past few months.

I'd also like to add..

OFFERS.

This annoys the shite out of me. If you want a price for something - give a price.. You aren't eBay with a button saying 'give offer' - you're a human selling on something you don't need anymore. Give us a price and what not.

Pros are obviously - less people from the chav scene can join in...

Cons - we're running out of monies?

[daniel_g]

Me and most of the starlet owners in my area all sell parts to each other for pretty cheap / free, it all comes back around and we'll return the favour or lend a hand or whatever

[aaddzz123]

Me and most of the starlet owners in my area all sell parts to each other for pretty cheap / free, it all comes back around and we'll return the favour or lend a hand or whatever

And that's how it should be! Doesn't seem to be the case for me what so ever.

[turbo Grant]

That's pretty deep Adam. The parts are going up a bit. But they have always been hight to be fair. And if you go to toyota for some bits, well you might as well rip yourself a new ass hole before you go in. I just keep an eye out for stuff that's cheap. Even if I don't need it I buy it just incase lol

[Bussey]

This annoys me, I could buy so many reebok classics with the money I spend on second hand parts. Sometimes I basically have none of my dole money left

But as long as it keeps the chavs away I'm not too bothered.

[rwdrev]

i agree with this. there is loads of things that would be nice to have, but due to the prices of things, i either do without, or make my own stuff.

[aaddzz123]

This annoys me, I could buy so many reebok classics with the money I spend on second hand parts. Sometimes I basically have none of my dole money left

But as long as it keeps the chavs away I'm not too bothered.

Lol when I say chavs I basically mean younger ens that don't have a clue or give a shit about maintaining a car, get in it, fuck it, don't give a shit, eventually kill it and scrap it.

[Glanza-Ben]

When I have broke glanza in the past I have done the prices cheap to sell and also when people wanted stuff I had no price for I just accepted there offer to help them out, and also let people pay weekly for parts

[patman]

Whenever I have sold second hand parts always do them cheap I totally agree with this topic lots just rip people off but someone will always pay it, as you say wind deflectors still go for 50 quid used, I got a good pair for 20 quid once, there are a few on here I have brought things off very cheap and they are in fantastic condition and that's how it should be, And as mentioned above especially on Facebook people who put OFFERS that bloody annoys me the most, but it even annoys them more when I say something like a tenner or 20 quid well they did say offers and I gave them an offer 👍

[Gainzy]

Good discussion to be honest looks like my driveshafts gone down in price Adam lol! The parts that are better deals are usually from the people who have loads of cash or more than the normal. I survive well off selling parts and try to make it worth my while as my post office is a bit of a treck I usually put offers when I can or they have been for sale for a while

[fremyjay]

As above local lads help each other out where as a lot of people me are just breaking too make money and that's how the prices go up, in england anyway. You can buy a decent starlet for say £4000 and break it for nearly 6-7 and it not because they are rare as mk1 escort/ fiesta parts are peanuts in comparison. Prices need to realisticly need to come down

[rwdrev]

As above local lads help each other out where as a lot of people me are just breaking too make money and that's how the prices go up, in england anyway. You can buy a decent starlet for say £4000 and break it for nearly 6-7 and it not because they are rare as mk1 escort/ fiesta parts are peanuts in comparison. Prices need to realisticly need to come down

for 4 grand it will buy a decent escort, and i know that if i could get 4k for my starlet, it wouldnt be long before another mk2 escort would be home, lol. i have noticed with the escorts tho, there is that many companies out there producing this stuff, that they are actually fighting for the better deal to get the trade (so actually pricing the stuff lower to get win the trade)

but because they are a rare little car, (tho i dont seem it, theres loads of the things about) there isnt a great size of market out there, so they can price what they want, due to no1 else making the stuff.

[Chops]

I agree completely with aaddzz rant at the top, pisses me off alot when peeps break their cars completely when theyre done with them, cause they know its worth more in parts than complete. it happens to a lot of cars like starlets this age, start getting broken left right and centre for a quick quid till there's precious few left that are suddenly worth a bomb. when cars get to a certain age and rarity ie pretty difficult to obtain parts and things for, ive always felt you should consider yourself more of a custodian than an owner, having fun with it till its time to move on and let someone else have fun with it. thats not to say dont to anything to it, i got bored with stock power after a week even though it was triple my previous cars output, but going mad, then pulling it to complete bits seems like a pretty shit thing to do to me.

[Glanza-Ben]

I agree completely with aaddzz rant at the top, pisses me off alot when peeps break their cars completely when theyre done with them, cause they know its worth more in parts than complete. it happens to a lot of cars like starlets this age, start getting broken left right and centre for a quick quid till there's precious few left that are suddenly worth a bomb. when cars get to a certain age and rarity ie pretty difficult to obtain parts and things for, ive always felt you should consider yourself more of a custodian than an owner, having fun with it till its time to move on and let someone else have fun with it. thats not to say dont to anything to it, i got bored with stock power after a week even though it was triple my previous cars output, but going mad, then pulling it to complete bits seems like a pretty shit thing to do to me.

I had my reasons for breaking mine, one being needed to fund a house as had a baby on the way and I ploughed the money in so needed as much back as possible.

I've never broke a decent one only crashed ones and my own for the above reason, but for people who go around buying them just to break is a piss take but then again it's easy money so if you can make the money then why not?

That could be people's views who break them the money is easy and parts are wanted

[yaristurbo]

No matter what, people will pay what they want no matter what you advertise it at

[aaddzz123]

but then again it's easy money so if you can make the money then why not?

That could be people's views who break them the money is easy and parts are wanted

That is the exact reason, but it's killing the scene for me. As an OWNER and not a scrap yard, I can't keep justifying spending the extra dosh on parts to build a nice EP when I could be spending half the amount and building a nicer car in a different scene... Yeah it may be good for selling, but it's making it harder and so much more expensive to not only modify and make a beast, but even just maintain and look after them.

[fremyjay]

The problem I don't think lies with people in the scene, its the people who don't have an ep and breakers on eBay ect. Who have probably never even driven one that are pushing the prices up, Facebook for example there are so many people on their breaking glanzas and half of them have never even been on the forums and Dont care much for the scene because they drive something elseelse, breakers on eBay also pm them for some prices and you will laugh, I'm trying to get together little bits and pieces things that people would normally just throw away and part from some local lads who have given me bits for free others want £10-£20 for a few bolts or standard vacuum hoses

[aaddzz123]

No matter what, people will pay what they want no matter what you advertise it at

I disagree. I just bought a set of lights as I said for £55 when I think realistically they should be sold at about £20 a pair. Also if my engine blew tomorrow I would either have to buy a new one or use public transport and I don't really fancy public transport... So I'd have no other option than to buy a lump for more than what I think is reasonable seeing as they're all around the 450 500 mark now for some reason which just seems crazy to me when an FE can be bought for £80 from a scrapyard.

[Glanza-Ben]

That is the exact reason, but it's killing the scene for me. As an OWNER and not a scrap yard, I can't keep justifying spending the extra dosh on parts to build a nice EP when I could be spending half the amount and building a nicer car in a different scene... Yeah it may be good for selling, but it's making it harder and so much more expensive to not only modify and make a beast, but even just maintain and look after them.

On every forum I've been on theres always people breaking cars and always will be, then again if these cars were not broke then no one will have parts and then you would have to buy new which will cost a arm or a leg or even worse not available any more or any parts that come up second hand then would be more then now

[aaddzz123]

That's pretty deep Adam.

I like it deep.

[_shaun_]

Its a pretty awkward

things like the aem wideband are pretty generic car parts and not many people use them. I was waiting for a 2nd hand one to appear for sale and none came up for ages so I bought a new one. But when i had one to sell it sold in a few hours.

On the whole i say the aftermarket parts to start with from new are to expensive so when it comes time to sell you don't want to make such a massive loss.

With regards to the oem parts it's just the time and and effort put into getting something. I've been asked a few times for things like window Motors and realalisctly £20 posted I'd say is on the high side for a motor. But once you take out the time to strip down the door to get the motor package it and make your way to the post office pay postage and let PayPal have there fee the amount of time and effort you invested in it for a few quid just doesn't add up.

As Daniel said there's a small group of us over prob a 80mile radius that all help each out. I gave dan a mint wee gt shell because I didn't want to see it scraped and we all give each other stuff either free or heavily discounted and it works out well because we don't rip the piss.

Sadly in life there are people that just take advantage of it. I sold a few parts to a lad couple of months ago and he seemed nice enough and the parts didn't ow me anything so I asked for some beer tokens. So he sent me a tenner for parts that would have cost easily 80+ new. Then he messaged me asking about a a strut brace I had for sale for £50 + postage and said what's your best price I went £40 all in delivered is the lowest I can go. And he came back with 30. Said it was a it low but would be fine. He then sent me £20 and his reason was he had already gave me £10 for the "free parts" so he didn't see why he should pay at this stage I was pretty sick of dealing with the guy so just posted all the parts. Few weeks later and I was looking for a small base plate for a prosport gauge and he messages me saying he had one. Asked what he wanted and he wanted £10+ postage. Said that's abit steep is it not considering the parts and prices I gave you to help you out and his reply was that's your fault for selling stuff to cheap.

[aaddzz123]

On every forum I've been on theres always people breaking cars and always will be, then again if these cars were not broke then no one will have parts and then you would have to buy new which will cost a arm or a leg or even worse not available any more or any parts that come up second hand then would be more then now

Very true and fair point. I don't really even have a problem with people breaking the cars, it's just what prices parts are sold at once they've broken the cars.

The more cars that are broken would technically bring prices down, but it seems loads are being broken yet prices stay sky high... I could probably justify spending a little more on parts if there were only one car broke every month for example.

[Glanza-Ben]

Very true and fair point. I don't really even have a problem with people breaking the cars, it's just what prices parts are sold at once they've broken the cars.

The more cars that are broken would technically bring prices down, but it seems loads are being broken yet prices stay sky high... I could probably justify spending a little more on parts if there were only one car broke every month for example.

The prices are high because they either say optional extra

Or jdm

Scene points cost a price now

Edited September 12, 2014 by Glanza-Ben

[daniel_g]

The starlet scene is quite expensive in comparison to other cars but then again its very cheap compared to other cars aswell. A happy medium id say.

A lot of parts do hold their value really well which is a good thing imo, we all want our parts to be worth something when upgrading and selling them on. Also good standard parts hold their value because its hard to find them in a decent condition now they are 15-20+ years old, rear calipers, window motors, wind deflectors, body panels and not to mention all the optional extras. Then youve got the endless list of aftermarket parts, many not available new anymore and only getting rarer by the day. Its nice to think that your car is an investment whether as a whole car or in parts, not just an endless money pit.

Either way you can build them for pretty cheap if you look out for bargains