1978 Boler / 17 footer / MINT!

[Dave Baston]

Eagle-eye Dave in Michigan.
Just found another one a couple days ago on Ebay. I thought someone would have posted already! The auction # to type in is 150224369518
Well the interior on this is unreal even with a New Jen-Air stove , New hard wood floors and a whole lot more. The outside looks to be mint too! But I e-mailed the seller and told them to have a starting bid and throw in a reserve. They just ignored me. I tried twice, same response? They are from B.C. Maybe one of you Candians can make them understand. This will SPARK bidding action!!! As the auction stands...they have one price:
$15,000 C
$15,159.17 US

They said they have to get $15,000. I just said start off at $100.00 $250.00 then put your reserve in at your 15K you want. With that said, I said that they would be hard pressed to ever get $15,000, would'nt you agree???????????

Thanks,
Dave

[Gina D.]

Actuall, some one did link to their Kijji ad.. but.. here is the eBay one! It does look nice. 15k?.. ah....

Linky.

[Dave Baston]

Actuall, some one did link to their Kijji ad.. but.. here is the eBay one! It does look nice. 15k?.. ah....

Linky.

Gina,
Do Ya THINK? Unless it has 24K Gold overlay & Diamond dust, they are just dreaming!!!
Dave

[Dave Baston]

I just got an update from the seller. They took my advice and have a starting point of $500 with a reserve unknown for sure for NOW. She is a "REAL Beauty...EH" as you Canadians would say! :

Dave

[Greg A]

Well, they've had 6 bids and are up to a whopping $810. If the reserve is still $15k we'll probably be seeing this one for awhile.

[Lorraine E.]

I agree totally!! In 1988 I bought a 70's-something Trillium in mint condition for $3,000.00 (in Southern California). Several years later I sold it -- in mint condition -- for $2,500.00. I didn't know any better: I just believed that items depreciated!! The seller of the unit is unrealistic (in my humble opinion). -- Lorraine

[Jay Moeller]

The seller posted the following change to the method of payment this morning on EBAY. "Immediately after closing a deposit of $1000.00 dollars must be made by paypal and the balance by bank wire transfer. This is a final sale. Serious bidders only, and no one with less than 10 ebay transactions allowed to bid. I reserve the right to cancel these bidders. The trailer must be picked up in Campbell River Vancouver Island BC Canada after the funds have cleared. All details will be given to the winner of the auction."

Ummm. Either the seller has been burned before, OR the seller is trying to burn someone. Would you wire transfer thousands of dollars to a out-of- country seller before picking up the trailer? Sounds risky to me. Combine this recent change in the payment method with the fact the seller originally wanted $15,000 for the trailer. Buyer Beware? Anyone with EBAY trailer buying expereince want to weigh in on this one?

Jay

[Jay Moeller]

FYI

I emailed the seller at 8:00 this morning to seek clarification about the seller's mandatory "wire transfer" of funds. It is now 7:20 PM and the seller has not responded.

Jay

[Sharon Herman]

HA HA!! I liked the person that asked if they could deliver it "across the border in NY"!!!

[Gina D.]

High dollar transactions are risky for both parties. I have sold 3 trailers on eBay. Fortunately, all three of my buyers were pleasant and just as, if not more, happy to get the rigs as I was when I bought them.

I required non refundable paypal deposits on all three, with balance due at pick up. My first buyer was in New York and he actually wired me cash, sight unseen. It's not unusual, and I think it's reasonable to expect at least a deposit.

Ebay auctions are becoming increasingly expensive to do, and eBays new rules put several more disadvantages on sellers now. (Personally, I have quit selling on eBay, but if I ever did again, I would require the payment by cash as well.)

I do think it IS unreasonable to demand that your buyer pay in full, sight unseen, however. This puts them at the total disadvantage with no recourse. It's a sticky wicket.

[Dave Baston]

Hi Jay and Gina,
I have been going back and forth with the owner and personally walked her through the add on info and getting a upfront paypal deposit immediately after auctions close. I said I only wanted CASH when trailer was picked up. That gives the buyer some comfort that they won't get "The Shaft" as Jay put it! For the seller, they have that commitment of of the immediate deposit that the buyer is serious and not a joker. As you all know last year my one sale on ebay for my 1st Triliium 4500 I sold to a couple in Toronto, Canada. I insisted on the paypal deposit. He assured me that he was going to pay in full in CASH in a couple days. They drove 10 hours and spent the night and the next morning never showed up. I never got my deposit and I had to re-list my Trillium. That's when I said and also seen alot of others put in PRINT--- "THIS IS A FINAL SALE" This is'nt one of those weekend ads in your local paper. I was ready to sue him, but he turned out to be a real JACK A@#. So that is why the seller is doing this so this doesn't happen to them. By the way, when I re-listed my 1st one sold & my 2nd Trillium last year, I had NO PROBLEMS because I covered myself 100%. Denise has her opinion on ebay. I love ebay I just sold a Bread Maker last night to someone in Washington. Outside of your local paper and/or a garge sale there is'nt a place other than Kijiji and Craigslist to be able to sell almost anything and actually sell in specfic amount of time. I want things to move...not collect DUST. It is awesome Denise! That is of course my opinion!


Dave in Michigan
P.S. These people I think paid almost 15K, that is why they said they want to get what they paid for it. If it does'nt sell, it is'nt a "FIRE SALE". They will just go on using it and keeping for a long time!

[Lizbeth]

JMO but there is no freaking way I would turn over all the money without a trailer and title in hand. And I think for what that trailer will go for 1000.00 deposit is kind of rich. I would really have to trust the seller, and I don't know exactly how that would happen. The buyer has much more to loose than the seller. The ebay fees are advertising fees, and things don't always sell when they are advertised.

There have been too many trailer (and other) scams on ebay to have blind trust as a buyer.

[Ed Harris]

I wonder what exactly the seller puts at risk if they get a hefty deposit at the conclusion of the auction?
Ebay deals are a total risk for the buyer and if the seller has the deposit annd the buyer never shows up,what can the seller lose?

I have sold 2 Eggs so far on Ebay and it can be fairly daunting dealing with the questions from buyers who do not do any homework before bidding.
In both of my deals the buyers wanted to make me an offer and do the deal outside of Ebay and I would stand to lose the listing fees in either case.
I agree the fees are really just advertising and the price of doing business as are the PayPal fees.

I also want to point out to Dave that the seller here has over 500 deals on Ebay under the belt and I suppose has a fair idea of the whole Ebay concept,possibly not appreciating your input?

I can not imagine selling the trailer for the price of a new unit that does have a warranty and a full bathroom but I know there is a deal out there for everyone and a buyer like that too.
You never know.......Well sometimes you do. (Sinefeld)

As we all learn,they are worth whatever someone will pay for them.

[Gina D.]

Keep in mind, that if you put an ad in the paper, you still have the ability to sell to the first one with the money. With eBay, you have to take your item off the market while waiting for the buyer to pay (Or decide not to, as the case may be)

Sellers risk losing their listing fees, final value fees (At least temporarily) and time. A deposit at least guarantees that folks are not screwing around with no intent to purchase. (I agree that this guys deposit is too high, however) This happens more often than you might think, and yes, the honest buyer is taking a huge risk, but don't overlook that honest sellers stand to lose as well.

It is a very time consuming process to file a non paying bidder complaint and go thru the whole dispute thing. This is required by eBay for you to relist your item the second time and get credit for all the eBay fees.

If the buyer uses "Buy it Now" it takes your auction down immediately and leaves you unexposed to folks that REALLY want your item, + all the fees. This is why I require a deposit immediately, or full payment, with buy it now.

Other folks may have had different experiences, but in all my eBay days, I have had trouble with a seller once (who did eventually make it right) but have had several buyers drop off the face of the earth after a BIN, one that returned an item that he claimed was broken, but when I got it back, it was still sealed in the original package with absolutely nothing wrong with it, and various others simply made no contact after a winning bid, and did not seem to care if they got their purchase at all. But I have to give them 7 days to pay, so I am dead in the water while I wait for ... nothing.

Folks that don't read detail are also problems, such as a couple overseas winning bidders that didn't read that I wouldn't ship overseas.

They win, I have to relist. Small items, it's not so much the money, but the wasting of time. Big items, it's both, so yes, I will charge a reasonable deposit.

[Dave Baston]

Not seriously angry! But the auction closed out at about $3,995. That is just terrible. We all know that 15k was a pie-in-the-sky price to get, but COME-ON!!!!!!!!!!
I talked to the owner. This might be the BEST 17 foot Boler in existence in the condition and upgrades leftin the WORLD! Everyone has to compare this to an Oliver at 22k or a EggCamper at 20k or a Escape at 19k or 20k. This is a slice of Candian History and the only way to compare it is to one of these new ones and the WINNER and no real comparison: THE MINT 17ft BOLER!!!!!!!!!!!! The owner said they may post it on this sight and see what happens. If not, they will just keep this CROWN JEWEL of Canada and make everyone jealous that they owned the Best 17 ft Boler EVER! That's is my 2 Cents!

Dave in Michigan
The Trillium King
P.S. If I didn't get my trillium 1st, I would get that Boler in a HEART BEAT!!!

[Donna D.]

I think most people would see a 30 year old trailer and a $15,000 price tag and think... I can buy a new one (stickie) for that. We know there are lots of trailers in this group that are 30 years old, but it's not old enough to be a classic (in my mind anyway) and for just a few thousand $$ more I can get a brand new molded fiberglass trailer... I'm thinking of the appliances....

[Lizbeth]

Dave, I feel that people were afraid to bid on it. With only four pictures and the way the payment description read it turned people off. I agree with you that it looks like a very nice trailer. If you want to get the big bucks on ebay the ad has to look flashy, enticing, and be very complete. This ad was none of those things even tho the product was nice. Big difference in selling clothing, which is what the seller usually sells, than a trailer.

[Dave Baston]

Dave, I feel that people were afraid to bid on it. With only four pictures and the way the payment description read it turned people off. I agree with you that it looks like a very nice trailer. If you want to get the big bucks on ebay the ad has to look flashy, enticing, and be very complete. This ad was none of those things even tho the product was nice. Big difference in selling clothing, which is what the seller usually sells, than a trailer.

If you read all my messages, you woluld know I was the one on the Caboose with a conductor on a RUN-A-Way Train!!!
It took me 4 e-mails and 3 phone calls to get her to make any changes. To boot, she took to long in between to put the added info and chopped it up at that!!!!!!! I said she needed to answer the questions asked and she didn't. I asked her to put more photos, she didn't. You are right, this is'nt selling a skirt or blouse or a pair of pants. She still has the CROWN JEWEL, and the rest of us can only DREAM a little DREAM!!!!

Dave
The Trillium King

[Dave Baston]

I think most people would see a 30 year old trailer and a $15,000 price tag and think... I can buy a new one (stickie) for that. We know there are lots of trailers in this group that are 30 years old, but it's not old enough to be a classic (in my mind anyway) and for just a few thousand $$ more I can get a brand new molded fiberglass trailer... I'm thinking of the appliances....

Donna,
You and I truely know this for a fact. My point, is if you are going to pay 15K it needs to be justified and compared to a higher power.... A-NEW- Fiberglass-Trailer comparison!
If I had the means and the timing was right, I think maybe 10K would be more fair of a final price. The new Jen-Air stove was BRAND New. That cost a couple pennies alone!

Dave
The Trillium KIng

[Frederick L. Simson]

They said they [b]have to get $15,000.

Unfortunately, you cannot always get what you want. Especially in a softening economy. It's nice to know there's one out there that's been spiffed up that nicely. It gives some of the rest of us hope that we can do as well... but it also should give us pause to realize the economics of it all.