TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:16 am

21-window wrote: Man I'll never understand that. Professional tells them (right in front of the customer) that it's worth 15k. The pawn dude turns around and offers the customer 7k AND THEY TAKE IT!.. WTF!

ummm, it's a television show. It is made for entertainment. If you think reality shows are real, you are dreaming. they are all scripted and 'made' for you to watch.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:22 am

my65vert wrote: If you think reality shows are real, you are dreaming. .

You mean all this time I've been basing my life on a LIE What am I going to do now. This well this changes everything :?

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:23 am

I guess it could be scripted, but the fact remains, if you want fast cash and pawn something, you'll get about 1/3 of it's value.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:31 am

I guess I've never pawned or sold anything at a pawn shop, but if you take an item in to a pawn shop just to sell it, shouldn't you get a little more then if you were to just pawn it? I don't know as I've never done this.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:35 am

my65vert wrote: 21-window wrote: Man I'll never understand that. Professional tells them (right in front of the customer) that it's worth 15k. The pawn dude turns around and offers the customer 7k AND THEY TAKE IT!.. WTF!

ummm, it's a television show. It is made for entertainment. If you think reality shows are real, you are dreaming. they are all scripted and 'made' for you to watch.

Pawn Stars is so fake. like some dude who's selling his whoknowswhat to a pawn shop is going to wait around all day for an "expert" to show up. they're going to go down the street to the next pawn shop. now, Jersey Shore. that show is real.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:41 am

mousegrey64 wrote: my65vert wrote: 21-window wrote: Man I'll never understand that. Professional tells them (right in front of the customer) that it's worth 15k. The pawn dude turns around and offers the customer 7k AND THEY TAKE IT!.. WTF!

ummm, it's a television show. It is made for entertainment. If you think reality shows are real, you are dreaming. they are all scripted and 'made' for you to watch.

Pawn Stars is so fake. like some dude who's selling his whoknowswhat to a pawn shop is going to wait around all day for an "expert" to show up. they're going to go down the street to the next pawn shop. now, Jersey Shore. that show is real.

Seen it happen plenty of times. I use to buy my guns from a guy that runs a Pawn shop. He's know for buying what others won't. A lot of it has to do with the fact that he's got people he can go to when he's not sure. I've seen some crazy shit go through his store. Plus it goes full circle, people come into his shop cause they know he's got what others don't.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:47 am

They make arrangements to get the expert there, alot of times they come back the next day.
Not everyone at the pawn shop is dying for their next fix.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:01 am

squirmyman wrote: I kind of thought that they were taking advantage of people just because they really didn't know what their stuff was worth. If you saw the beginning of the show, they target the people that don't keep up with the times, no internet, old cars, ratty looking houses and such...you catch my drift, I didn't think that was very nice. I also get a kick out of when they ask what the owner of something thinks it's worth and they laugh at them KNOWING that it's worth WAY more then that.....

Welcome to the world of antiques. Also remember that these guys are making their living off this. How much time and mileage does it take to get one piece. Then how much does it cost to sell it (show fees and milage, advertising, rent/mortage).

Myself I went 390 miles last weekend and got nothing on Saturday and 2 pieces on Sunday and then 6 at an auction Sunday afternoon. There was an article in an antique magazine that was saying that anything under a 200% markup you are losing money, I do not agree with that high of a percentage but it is worth noting.

If the owner died how much of it would just end up in a dump or maybe the family would pay a removal company to "remove" the stuff and then sell it for big bucks (and remember they already got paid to "remove" the stuff). Friends of ours have done house cleanouts and it does cost way more than you would think.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:01 am

the part i didnt like about the pickers show was yes i feel they were taking advantage of people who dont know the value of thier stash, but also when they got the stuff back to the shop they would find out what its worth and post up thier potetial profits on the screen. thats kinda #%$*#% up!

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:07 am

21-window wrote: jeremy57ride wrote:
I will say, I like Pawnstars, if he doesn't know what it's worth he calls in the expert, then he low-balls them right after they hear what it could be worth!!

Man I'll never understand that. Professional tells them (right in front of the customer) that it's worth 15k. The pawn dude turns around and offers the customer 7k AND THEY TAKE IT!.. WTF!

Again what does it cost to sell the piece: rent, employees, electricty,...

Also if you hear what is said with the prices, that is selling on a large based venue, like a specialties auction. I have seen the same type of item sell for $20 in one auction and another auction sell for $200.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:09 am

broozebrothers wrote: the part i didnt like about the pickers show was yes i feel they were taking advantage of people who dont know the value of thier stash, but also when they got the stuff back to the shop they would find out what its worth and post up thier potetial profits on the screen. thats kinda #%$*#% up!

Just caught the show last night- and at first totally agreed. Then I realized I do the same thing. Try to conceal the dollar signs in my eyes. What the show doesn't portray yet are the times their "source" (girl in the office) totally f's up- sending the guys to place where bullets fly and the buy/sell profit ratio is greatly amiss. Stay tuned...

In bus news- In the background of their lair- I think I saw a 3/4(2/3ish) industrial rack sitting on a late 40s American sedan- no?

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:14 am

WM971252 wrote: 21-window wrote: jeremy57ride wrote:
I will say, I like Pawnstars, if he doesn't know what it's worth he calls in the expert, then he low-balls them right after they hear what it could be worth!!

Man I'll never understand that. Professional tells them (right in front of the customer) that it's worth 15k. The pawn dude turns around and offers the customer 7k AND THEY TAKE IT!.. WTF!

Again what does it cost to sell the piece: rent, employees, electricty,...

Also if you hear what is said with the prices, that is selling on a large based venue, like a specialties auction. I have seen the same type of item sell for $20 in one auction and another auction sell for $200.

I agree. The price the expert gives is retail. Not private seller.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:16 am

Here is a great example...

I was at a usually big buck local auction and there was an early playground toy we wanted. No One in the place wanted it so I bought it for the only bid 1/2 what I was planning to get it for. I sold it to a dealer for 4 times what I paid at a show but had to bring it back to the show latter in the year. He told me to price it at twice what he paid and if I sold it he would give me a cut. Once he restored it he would make an easy 4 times what he paid.

Then there are the pieces that I have bought and stored ($150 a month for my storage unit plus house filled) for a year or more (I turn stuff quick if I can) and then sell for pennies (sled I paid $55 at an auction and sold for $10)

Sometime you win and sometimes you lose.....

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:25 am

they did a segment/show before called antique archaeology. here's the video about the bus they found http://www.antiquearcheology.com/vwvideo.htm
and here's the thread about it http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359652

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:38 am

So you find a complete 23 in decent shape in a field and asked the owner how much and he said 500 dollars, you'd say I'll give you 10k cause that's what it's worth.
Get real, we're all after the "SCORE" just like the PICKERS and I doubt anyone here would say it's really worth this (20 times what the asking price was) unless they couldn't afford and didn't want the next guy to get a deal.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:44 am

hazetguy wrote: they did a segment/show before called antique archaeology. here's the video about the bus they found http://www.antiquearcheology.com/vwvideo.htm
and here's the thread about it http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359652
yeah thats whats plastered on the side of their van

cool show, but tough to live off

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:53 am

Funny story, that guy got a hold of Chadd and i to come buy the shop and look at a bus we had forsale. He's a cool guy, but one hell of a tire kicker. He tried to hustle Chadd for VW parts and info. You can't hustle a hustler! :D He was telling us about the show and it was on only a few networks in small areas. Now it looks to be nation wide. Good luck on shooting yourself in the foot and not bleeding to death!! :lol:

Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:58 am

splitpile wrote: So you find a complete 23 in decent shape in a field and asked the owner how much and he said 500 dollars, you'd say I'll give you 10k cause that's what it's worth.
Get real, we're all after the "SCORE" just like the PICKERS and I doubt anyone here would say it's really worth this (20 times what the asking price was) unless they couldn't afford and didn't want the next guy to get a deal.

Exactly. I buy parts and sometimes cars a lot and will ask what someone wants for it and if it is a good price I will pay them what they want. I am not there to do their homework. If they ask me for a price I tell them what I am willing to pay, not what it is worth on the market in ideal conditions.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:27 am

hazetguy wrote: they did a segment/show before called antique archaeology. here's the video about the bus they found http://www.antiquearcheology.com/vwvideo.htm
and here's the thread about it http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359652

I thought I recognized the guy. I recall the old timer telling them they could turn the old bus into a pussy wagon.

I watched the show last night. Looked to me like the kind of thing many of us do all the time. It's fun finding a good score. Whether it be at an old junkyard, and antique store, or the local VW show swap meet, it's all the same. If I find a stack of 15" bus wheels at a VW swap and the guy wants five bucks apiece, I'll take them all away without telling him he could get way more for them. That is how the game is played. We spend the time gaining the knowledge on what things are worth, we spend the time hunting and hauling, we spend the resource to purchase and store/restore, and we reap the (sometimes) profit. Capitalism at it's finest.

Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:11 pm

cdennisg wrote: hazetguy wrote: they did a segment/show before called antique archaeology. here's the video about the bus they found http://www.antiquearcheology.com/vwvideo.htm
and here's the thread about it http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359652

I thought I recognized the guy. I recall the old timer telling them they could turn the old bus into a pussy wagon.

I watched the show last night. Looked to me like the kind of thing many of us do all the time. It's fun finding a good score. Whether it be at an old junkyard, and antique store, or the local VW show swap meet, it's all the same. If I find a stack of 15" bus wheels at a VW swap and the guy wants five bucks apiece, I'll take them all away without telling him he could get way more for them. That is how the game is played. We spend the time gaining the knowledge on what things are worth, we spend the time hunting and hauling, we spend the resource to purchase and store/restore, and we reap the (sometimes) profit. Capitalism at it's finest.
=D> Absolutely right. I've been cleaning the garage out lately and I am always glad to entertain any offer at the swaps. They probably thought they were taking me to the cleaners, but I agreed on the said price and was glad not to take parts back home.
I'm pretty tired of auction/samba prices at the swaps. One of the disadvantages to having this huge data base of parts for sale is it's really easy to see what people are "asking" for parts and then excpect to get it at a swap. It's been discussed at length.