antarmike Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I recently saw a technical folder for the Eager Beaver offered in auction on Ebay. There had been about three bids taking it to about a fiver, I bid and found my oppsition had left an automatic bid. I took it up to £21 or there abouts because I wanted it. I was quickly outbid by the same guy, I bid again and found he had an automatic bid up to just over £40, I bid up to 50+ something , only to find in an hour I had been outbid again. I reasoned that at only 63 pages the most I would go to was 63 quid. I bid and got it, for a few hours then it was off again. Well by now I was fairly determined and reason was out the window, I took it to just over 75 and won, until I logged on again and it was over 80. I though I would have one last try and took it from there to £97, still not able to beat the oppo's automatic bid. I reckoned when I still hadn't got it at £97, his bid must be up over a Hundred. I knew I didn't want it at that price, and for a few moments I concidered pushing the bid higher, not expecting to win, but just to make him have to pay really silly money, for something I wanted. I though it worth asking the seller if he would be prepared to photocopy the Tech Folder before he posted it out to the winning bidder, and yes, he agreed. All I really wanted was the info in the handbook, I didn't really need an original copy. Today the photocopy came, (I paid a few quid over the sellers outlay in copying , post and packing) Has any one else fallen for the Ebay bidding lunacy, and had a similar moment of Clarity . "That felling what the fook am I doing here?" Anyone know who the guy might be who paid £97 for a 63 page manual?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 You also had the satisfaction of knowing that the seller was not bidding it up himself. For if he was doing that then he wouldn't have done the copies for you. The trouble with modern AESPs is that even buying direct from the MOD, they are copies just printed to order. So I think you did alright there, but a bit scary how it can spiral out of control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papav66 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Yes , had that feeling where your stomach turns over whilst bidding, its like your brain says no but somehow your fingers keep on punching the numbers. Doubt the chap who paid 97 would admit to it if he's read you got a copy for very little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 To my thinking the only way to use ebay is to decide your absolute maximum and bid in the last few seconds. That way you don't have time to be outbid and if someone elses maximum out bids you automaticly you don't have time to get into the spiral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) I think I paid £50 for an Original Antar Manual, and 40 for a good bound photocopy of the Matador workshop manual, but these are hundreds of pages, not just 63 pages. A lot of the Eager Beaver technical Handbook where I had hoped to find useful info has not very helpful comments, for example the section on removing and replacing brake shoes and wheel cylinders just says See EMER Wh. Veh. F 172. Section L pages 3-19. I'd have been a bit gutted to found I had paid £97.00 for that useful piece of advice..... Best get me a Bedford RL workshop Manual, Anyone got a spare one?? No, no please don't put it on Ebay!!!! Edited July 30, 2009 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest catweazle (Banned Member) Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Left a bid on a camoflauge manual canadian for a friend,made a mistake put the dot in the wrong place so my max bid was £150 instead of £15.went away for the wk end came back and found i had won it.£97.when i told my mate he wasnt fazed and said it was rare.:shocked::sweat: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean101ryan Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Don't bid late on a Saturday night after too much Aussie Shiraz, it's amazing what you end up with! An Engel expedition fridge that holds at least 48 beer cans was my finest (or stupidest) buy to date. Pretty strict on parts and the like I know the value of though and never get carried away on them. Seen stuff go for silly money that is cheaper even at a main dealer. As a seller though I love it when a bidding war breaks out, sold some Land Rover Experience door stickers a while back for over £60 to a guy in Portugal, expected to get a tenner for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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