Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

[Mark E.]

There's an eBay vendor selling a 1970 Quadrajet "deceleration valve" for $300.

I have three of these thingies because one of the first mods I would make to a car I bought if it had one is remove it. That's because they don't work: It's virtually impossible to achieve a consistent idle speed with them installed, so I'd replace them with a tried and true idle speed screw. And I left them off when I sold the cars because I didn't want the prospective buyer asking why the car idles funny.

Luckily, I kept all of these thingies because if this vendor is correct, they are more valuable than my silver coins, ounce-for-ounce. In fact, these "deceleration valves" (is this the official GM part description?) have out performed my investment portfolio. And this includes my GE and Kodak shares. This is why old car parts have become a component in my portfolio's asset allocation strategy. (Tip for the married guys: This is how I rationalize to my wife all the old car parts squirreled away in the attic which I'll never use. "When I'm gone, just sell them on eBay like this vendor. And don't even ask me to sell them myself before then.")

Joe Lucia also uses this investment strategy to beat Warren Buffet's performance on a consistent basis.

[Mark S.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

Is this what the vendor is asking for the part; or has he sold parts for this price? I have been selling parts on eBay for many years; and in my opinion, prices seem to be going down on vintage Corvette parts. I also believe that the traffic on eBay searching for vintage parts has gone down. eBay has lost a lot of vintage part sellers due to their high price structure; and their focus on the buyers and not on the sellers. It would be interesting to get other eBay seller's perspective!

[Ronald L.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

I agree, that's why they call it flee-bay, it is not even a good place for research anymore.

[Gene M.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

Keep in mind the value of a part is only the cash you have in your hand after the transaction. Before that it is only speculation or here say.

[Daniel S.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

I wouldn't pay much attention to seller's asking crazy money for parts you (and the market) know as being general or common.

I use eBay every day and have found some incredible stuff recently... there are a lot of people who want to cash out of parts since eBay has gotten fairly easy to use (not necessarily the cheapest to use), lots of cool stuff has and will continue to enter the market.

Dan

[Darryl D.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

The people selling parts like the subject part in this thread are just trolling for that guy that either has no idea where to find the part or is down to one of the last things he needs and will suck it up and pay stupid money for something.

Ebay has changed a lot over the last 20 years. I have over 500 transactions there but haven't really used it much for 10 years now. It used to be good for sellers that only had a few items and not worth their time to get a swap meet space and good for buyers to find something that a seller had hanging in their garage for years that they just wanted gone. Today it is mostly just an online store for retailers.

[Rob A.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

I agree with the comments regarding eBay. What has replaced eBay for searching and finding parts?

[Ronald L.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

I had a box full of those same or earlier time period. Never saw350. And not interested in the debate as like you I knew the hands of custody never left my bolt rack in all those years

[Mathew S.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

Mark, I have looked on and off for those and rarely see them show up. If you’re looking at parting with one to a fellow Texas member for reasonable cost, it wouldn’t break my heart.

[Joe L.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

There's an eBay vendor selling a 1970 Quadrajet "deceleration valve" for $300.

I have three of these thingies because one of the first mods I would make to a car I bought if it had one is remove it. That's because they don't work: It's virtually impossible to achieve a consistent idle speed with them installed, so I'd replace them with a tried and true idle speed screw. And I left them off when I sold the cars because I didn't want the prospective buyer asking why the car idles funny.

Luckily, I kept all of these thingies because if this vendor is correct, they are more valuable than my silver coins, ounce-for-ounce. In fact, these "deceleration valves" (is this the official GM part description?) have out performed my investment portfolio. And this includes my GE and Kodak shares. This is why old car parts have become a component in my portfolio's asset allocation strategy. (Tip for the married guys: This is how I rationalize to my wife all the old car parts squirreled away in the attic which I'll never use. "When I'm gone, just sell them on eBay like this vendor. And don't even ask me to sell them myself before then.")

Joe Lucia also uses this investment strategy to beat Warren Buffet's performance on a consistent basis.

Mark------

This is one of the few items that, although I once tried mightily, I was never able to come up with a GM part number or, thus, any GM terminology therefore. I sort of believe that it may be an item that was never available in SERVICE and, perhaps, for good reason.

[Ian G.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

When i search for parts to get "real prices" I hit the filter and click on "completed/sold items". One big driver of eBay giving sellers the shaft is Amazon. They have to compete with Amazon for buyers and Sellers are a dime a dozen there with no rights at all.

[Joe L.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

Is this what the vendor is asking for the part; or has he sold parts for this price? I have been selling parts on eBay for many years; and in my opinion, prices seem to be going down on vintage Corvette parts. I also believe that the traffic on eBay searching for vintage parts has gone down. eBay has lost a lot of vintage part sellers due to their high price structure; and their focus on the buyers and not on the sellers. It would be interesting to get other eBay seller's perspective!

Mark------


Yup. Anybody can ASK anything for a part they have. The real story is what someone is willing to pay. There's often a very wide gulf between asking price and selling price, assuming the item even sells at all.

I've seen "NOS" parts advertised on eBay that are still available from GM and advertised at a price that is 10 times or more the GM LIST price.

If these things sell, then I guess it's just further proof of what P.T. Barnum said: "there's a sucker born every minute..."

[Frank D.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

I bought an NOS steering coupler recently....the seller would not budge off the price and it was about in line with what Gary Ramandi says they're bringing. I wasn't happy about it but sucked it up and paid the piper. Alternate sources of decent ones have dried up (e.g. Long Island)..

[Ronald L.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

Nothing to do with Ebay

Basic demand supply las you learned in economics 101.

I bought an NOS steering coupler recently....the seller would not budge off the price and it was about in line with what Gary Ramandi says they're bringing. I wasn't happy about it but sucked it up and paid the piper. Alternate sources of decent ones have dried up (e.g. Long Island)..

[Frank D.]

Re: Adapting to Crazy eBay Parts Prices

My whole point....some of the "crazy" eBay prices have underlying fundamentals driving the numbers...