Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes eBay mentality?

I have been watching eBay pretty steady for the past couple of weeks looking for wheel pants for Mr. Ed. And I have noticed this curious happening. Let's use Cessna hub caps for example? There have been several sets of hubcaps on eBay getting bid way way up in price. While there sat a really nice, like new, set, complete with axle nuts and valve extensions, for $15.00 as "Buy me now." Here people were bidding on "beaten up" hubcaps for twice, three, four times, as much when there was a really nice set just sitting there for the picking at a fraction of the cost??

I sat here shaking my head as this continued for the last week or so.............

Same as the vented fuel caps! I've seen "uninformed" bidders pay upwards of $50 each when they are new from Cessna for about $22-25!!!

-B

I have searched Cessna's web site for a parts number or link and can not find anything. How do you contact Cessna to get parts?

Jim

I've seen it too, Bill! It's gotta be the search criteria they're using. I use "Cessna 150" or "Cessna 152" to find anything with those specific combinations in the heading and body of the ad. But that will miss anything listed under "Cessna commuter" or "Cessna Aerobat", so I need to search for those, too, when they apply. Then there's the mispelllings. I have found a few Cesna and Sessna listings. Searching specifically for "Cessna wheel covers" would miss "Cessna hub caps" or "Cessna cover plates". Searching for "Cessna" alone finds most of these, but who wants to sort through hundreds of listings for 172's, 310's, or whatever, most of which don't apply to what you're looking for? I think you can also turn off the "Buy It Now" listings, as some shoppers would rather bid in open auction. Lots of bargains slip by us all simply because people don't know how to list things properly for sale. "Airplane parts" wouldn't show up in any of the searches above, but might be just what we're looking for! I've found Cessna parts listed in women's clothing, jewelry, and toy categories, among others, so buyers searching only by category would miss these, too.

EBay insanity is more to the point!

Jim,

The easiest way to locate new Cessna parts is www.cessnaparts.com [cessnaparts.com] however, you will need the parts book if you don't know the part number of what you are seeking. This is the website for Hill Aircraft in Georgia, and they have current and discontinued stock. In a pinch you can call them 1-800-998-7832, and they can look up the part number for you.

If you don't have a parts book, you can get a PDF version for only $20 at http://www.mccurtaintg.com/cessna1.htm

Once you know Hill's price and availability, you can look elsewhere for a better deal or salvage etc if you wish, but I have had very good service from Hill over the years.

Bill,

Good observation...

I have seen that time and time again. Something you also really have to watch on E-Bay is the shipping costs....many sellers avert or mitigate the risk of something being sold at too low a price by building in a comfortable "pad" in the shipping - it's unethical. Many times they don't even list the shipping price for this reason hoping to sting you after the sale.

I've negotiated this with sellers more than a few times - and got them to reduce ridiculous prices on shipping.

I'm willing to pay the person for the time, effort and materials of the packaging, to include postage, but when shipping a small part is $25-30, and it does not even include insurance, then I pass or negotiate.

MM

Yes Bill I have seen it also. Just like if you have ever been to a farm or household auction. People get caught up with the bidding and end up paying the same or more for something.

I don't buy too much on eBay. Usually I go for the "Buy it Now" option if it's available. I found replacement rudder pedals this way. Last year I came across a set of rudder pedals on eBay which the seller said had some slight pivot hole wear. I placed my bid and naturally lost out to a higher bidder. Several months later I just happened to check again and found a pair or rudder pedals with no pivot hole wear for about the same price as what I was willing to bid for the previous set. I exercised the "But it Now" option on those and got a near perfect set of used rudder pedals to replace my worn ones with.

I really helps to know what an item is worth and not exceed that when bidding.

Order 0541223-16 FAIRING AY RH
(List Price: $ 1,184.00) Stock Available $ 1,124.80 (EA)
Order 0541223-17 FAIRING AY LH
(List Price: $ 1,184.00) Stock Available $ 1,124.80 (EA)
Order 0543079-17 FAIRING AY NLG
(List Price: $ 1,466.00) Stock Available $ 1,392.70 (EA)
Order 0543079-18 FAIRING AY WHEEL
(List Price: $ 1,112.00) Stock Available $ 1,000.80 (EA)
Order 0543079-19 FAIRING AY WHEEL
(List Price: $ 1,182.00) Stock Available $ 1,063.80 (EA)

And I thought $150 to $200 each for wheel pants was too high a price??

Anybody can have a bad day, but Hill had several in a row with me! I ordered a new firewall, which I paid shipping on, and it came with obvious damage from the factory. I complained and they quickly shipped me another, shipping prepaid. I shipped the damaged one back at my expense (it was more convenient at the time, for some reason) and was promised a reimbursement for shipping charges to my account. It slipped my mind, and by the time I remembered to check it was past 30 days, and I hadn't received the reimbursement. I was then told It was too late to receive a reimbursement, but I would receive shipping credit on my next order!

About that time I found Spectrum Aviation, where I got a bigger discount and free shipping (this was BEFORE I negotiated). I asked Hill to give me a similar deal, and was given a rediculous statement about how much HILL already loses on every sale! I haven't done business with Hill since, and I doubt that I'll ever see the shipping credit. Whomever offers the better deal is who I'll do business with, and that can change on a daily basis. Shop around! It pays!