[v8440]

Hi all,

Up for sale is a 1981 mercedes engine. The pad next to the oil filter canister has the following numbers stamped in it: 617 951 12 009 944

I have seen the engine run, and the turbo did spool. It's been several years, but I don't recall a bunch of oil smoke or any rod knocks. The automatic transmission that's on the engine now is included, and I have a 4 speed manual from behind a 4 cylinder mercedes diesel if you want it for an additional $50. Price of engine and the automatic transmission is $350. Pictures of the engine are available upon request.

You can pick the engine up in Montgomery, AL if you wish. If so, I can assist in loading it with a forklift for no extra charge. If you want it shipped I can send it within the continental US for actual shipping costs plus a $30 handling fee for me to get it to the loading dock.

For payment, I accept cash or paypal. If you use paypal there will be a 3% charge added on to the total of the engine plus shipping and handling due to the fact that paypal charges me 3% to do the transaction.

Note: If you want this engine, you'd better get on the good foot. I'll be listing it on ebay soon in a 7 day auction.

 

[v8440]

Nevermind-it and the transmissions are in the scrapyard now.

 

[454cid]

You gave up after 3 days?

 

[v8440]

Welp, I kinda got to where I needed some money. The thing is, I've been selling stuff off and on for several years now, and I've noticed that it often goes like this: People email you and worry the hell out of you, wanting 40 pictures of every part on whatever it is you're selling. Then they tell you they don't have the money, or their wife won't let them buy it, or whatever. It gets a little worse around Christmas, but only a little. A bunch of people have looked at this ad, and only one has contacted me about it. I wasn't asking a huge amount of money for it. Apparently, these engines, though supposedly the longest lasting car engine on the planet, are worth almost nothing. They aren't rare at all. I decided to sidestep all the retardation that sometimes comes with selling stuff and just take an ass beating on the price. I got a little money, it's the hell out of my way, and I don't have to worry with it anymore. See, this way there is a 0% chance of anything stupid happening. Nobody can possibly worry me to death for 1000 photos of it because it's pimpin' at the junkyard. The older I get, and the more stuff I sell, the more valuable this state of affairs is to me. A pristine back bumper for a 1969 chrysler 300 went today too, along with a previously-undented fender for a mid 70's duster and a fender for a '72 chrysler new yorker. Ten years ago I would never have dreamed of junking that stuff. Ten years ago I didn't have 45 more aggravating experiences under my belt of people wanting something for nothing, or wanting 1000 photos of stuff they have no intention of buying. These rare valuable parts that I'm starting to junk must not be that rare or valuable-otherwise someone would have got to stepping and bought them. Ok, if that's the case, to the scrapper they go. This is my current line of thinking, and it's serving me better than any previous thought process on the matter.

I have gradually had it pounded into my head that trying to sell stuff on a forum full of people interested in that particular type of vehicle generally does not work for me. It's totally counterintuitive, but it seems to be a fact. I have no idea why-even when the price gets crackhead low, it often won't sell. (and no, I don't let a bunch of frustration pour out in the ads to run people off)

Perfect example: I have a bunch of 400 and 440 chrysler big block bare blocks, shortblocks, and a few engines for sale. I think I'm asking $50 or $60 for the blocks, with caps. About that much for the numerous big block 727 transmissions, too. A guy at a&a transmissions may buy the transmissions and some of the motor stuff. I had to call him and ask about it. The places I've put the stuff for sale at have had ZERO replies. As the Wayans brothers said in the movie "Don't be a menace", MESSAGE! If he doesn't get the stuff you will soon be able to find it in a scrapyard in Montgomery, AL.

 

[454cid]

I understand, although, I still would have given it more than three days. I'm sure part of why stuff isn't moving is due to the economy, too......... takes longer for someone to see it that really needs/wants it, and fewer people buying just becasue it's a good deal.

I've got a bunch of non-automotive stuff to get rid of......... it's irritating that most of it isn't worth all that much. I need to try though, since getting any money out of it that I can will help out.

 

[Mark Nixon]

A guy at a&a transmissions may buy the transmissions and some of the motor stuff. I had to call him and ask about it. The places I've put the stuff for sale at have had ZERO replies.

Glad you took my advice and called them.

The way I see it, with scrap over $140 a ton, I'll field so much BS about it, then either use it myself, or beat it with a big sledge 'till it's useless and scrap it.:innocent:

Mark.

 

[BobS]

Thread title edited to show status as scrapped & no longer available.

 

[chevenstein]

v8440 - I respectfully disagree. I too have been selling stuff like this for years and dealt with my share of BS, but I've also benefited a great deal from the availability of old parts for old stuff and had stuff I'd wanted to get rid of end up being something I could trade for something I really wanted.

Sure, the the 1000 picture guys and the ball busters are a pain but they can be dealt with: "Will you send close-ups of the farfignugen mounted on the back of the mcgoitzifreute and remove the canooter valve?" Me: "no, you get what you see at a cheap price. You know what it is, do you want it or not?" "Can I have you meet my mechanic buddy to look at it during the day when you said you had to be at work and couldn't meet me to show it?" Me: "No. I'll show it for your buddy when I'm available. If you want it that bad you'll make this arrangement work." "That diesel tractor engine is too big and greasy to fit in my Honda Accord wagon, can you deliver it?" Me: "Absolutely, for $2 per loaded mile."

Even if the item has to sit under a tarp behind my shop for a long time I'd rather let it do that than go overseas and come back a bunch of cheap junk for us to buy. When it's still something useful there's a chance that someone at some point down the road will do something worth while with it, and I like that. If I absolutely HAVE to HAVE the space I might consign the stuff at a machinery auction. If the scrap man buys it then so be it, but there's a crowd of a few hundred guys who like to wrench that got a change to take it home.

I feel your pain on the wise guys. People who stand you up are really the only kind that get to me because they've actually wasted my time. If you know how to deal with them I'd love to hear it.

 

[454cid]

"Will you send close-ups of the farfignugen mounted on the back of the mcgoitzifreute and remove the canooter valve?" Me: "no, you get what you see at a cheap price. You know what it is, do you want it or not?"

Hmm, This could be a problem if your pictures aren't any good. I've seen guys projecting this attitude when their pictures were worthless, or not present at all. The sellers seem to think that because they know what they have, that others do to. It doesn't matter how cheap it is, if it's not what I need, it's not a deal. These typically are the guys that rant and rave in the ad, Though, so maybe you're not that guy.

 

[chevenstein]

Hmm, This could be a problem if your pictures aren't any good. I've seen guys projecting this attitude when their pictures were worthless, or not present at all. The sellers seem to think that because they know what they have, that others do to. It doesn't matter how cheap it is, if it's not what I need, it's not a deal. These typically are the guys that rant and rave in the ad, Though, so maybe you're not that guy.

Excellent point. I will actually take close ups if the buyer sounds 'real' and the request is reasonable. For example, someone wanting the intercooler I have for sale wanted a close up of the dent. That's perfectly reasonable and I'm mailing him his pic now.

 

[v8440]

Opinions noted. I will say that there's usually no shortage of people who were just DYING to buy whatever it was 5 minutes after it's gone. When you ask where they were when it was for sale, you then get a firsthand lesson in what crickets farting in Idaho sounds like, because you can hear them.

So, here's my advice on how to prevent this situation: If you see something for sale that you're interested in, get on the good foot. Don't mess around, handle your business. If you ask for 4000 pictures and then fall off the face of the Earth, never to be heard from again, you are helping create the situation. If your wife has your testicles in a jar and won't let you buy it, same result. If you don't want to pay the price, make an offer. If you don't, refer to above. Remember, the ideal situation for the seller is for the item to be gone with no hassle and money to be in their pocket. Sometimes the item being gone with no hassle outweighs the money in their pocket part. That's the situation in which wishywashiness will get the part scrapped. Don't holler about how terrible it is that the most rare and valuable part in the world is now improving the life of the Chinese people-get to steppin BEFORE that happens. If you really need more pictures, then ask for them. Not all picture requests are unreasonable-not even close.

The guy that pulled the carpet up and removed a door panel on a couple of dusters I was selling one time helped create my present state of mind. I was selling BOTH CARS for $900. They weren't rust buckets, and both would have yielded one really solid car with plenty of sellable parts left over. He took literally 1/2 a day looking, left, and said he'd call back. A couple of days later he did-they were too expensive for him. The next week they went to the scrap yard. I got fairly close to what I was asking for them, as scrap was pretty high then. Like a year later, the dumbass called me back and asked me if I still had the cars. It seems he couldn't find dusters in any decent shape for close to as little as I was asking. Let me tell you, I took GREAT JOY in telling him not only that I had scrapped them right after he told me they were too expensive, but also that I had gotten nearly the $900 I tried to sell them to him for. He pissed me off that bad. Other less-severe but similar things had already happened, so I was primed to get mad. My anger may not have been reasonable, but a series of events like that had led up to me being so angry that I would gladly have sent him video footage of them getting crushed if I had been in possession of such a thing. I've calmed way down since, but the lesson of not bending over backwards forever so I can give something away has not been lost on me.

In short, if it's rare or valuable to you, act accordingly. Don't get a sudden case of brain damage and be unable to type or operate a telephone. That will get you the name and location of the junkyard that now has the part, not the part itself.

 

[CMS3900]

I totally understand where your coming from v8440.
One the buying side, I have undercut Ebay many times by showing up at a sellers door with cash and a rollback, usually getting what ever for less than the current bid. The argument that I am here with cash and it will be gone right now wins over seller when they realize that the guy on ebay might not send money or pick it up for 2 mounths.
On the seller side I also understand. Scraps high right now, as it is this time of the year. The chineese container ships are docked in philly right now and will be leaving soon and won't be back for a year. My freinds and I have scrapped out more "good" stuff in the last 3 weeks then I can think of. 1953 Dodge 6 wheel dump truck, 1958 International cab and chassis with a OLD roadranger trans, and a load of other faceless International trucks, heavy equipment and heavy iron. I thought about posting the trucks on binder planet for sale, but $1700 for those two named trucks is worth more to me than someone, like you said, asking for 40K pics. Your right about the fact that its ok to ask for more pics, and I agree with the posters above that you should always post high quaility, well lit pictures., but some people don't get the "The trucks old, has rust, but its not hateful." idea. Right now my buddys thinking of scrapping a 67 IH pickup. 4wd, v8, stick, build sheet, factory optioned Alaskan Camper, it runs and drives its just rusty and I am trying to hold him off. He wants a grand for it and all he's gotten is tire kickers. I tried to sell my sailboat all last year, its clean as hell, tons of new stuff, and a trailer, for 2 grand. no takers. I might scrap it just to get it out of my yard.
It reminds me of my dads old saying "If the dog hadn't stop to s*&* he would have caught the rabbit. You really do have to jump on things when they come up and sometimes risk taking a hit if its not right, in the eventuality that you get something you need cheap.
Oh, and if your still interested in selling Mopar stuff shoot me a PM and I might be able to direct you to a guy who might buy all of it.

 

[benhart16]

I tried to sell my sailboat all last year, its clean as hell, tons of new stuff, and a trailer, for 2 grand. no takers. I might scrap it just to get it out of my yard.

What kind of sailboat?

I might be interested.