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Phoenix

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About Phoenix

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  1. People who won't post to the UK because they think filling out a Customs form and slapping on an airmail sticker is too much like hard work. **** pictures. Reserve auctions. Ppl that rite in der 0wn langwige + xpect evry1 els 2 undastan it lik. On the otherside, I've made some great friends through eBay over the years, 9/10 Germans/Austrians will bend over backwards to help you out (even when you make a pathetic attempt at their language) and Paypal has made transactions so simple. It's a fat, corrupt, messed up corporate pig, granted, but would you want to go down the bank and send a money order for EVERY item you won!?
  2. Did you hit reply to the guys e-mail in Outlook Express/Yahoo/Hotmail/whatever or go through the eBay e-mail system? Reason I ask is some folks don't bother checking their e-mail and rely on eBay to keep them informed. If you just hit reply in your e-mail program, when the seller logs into eBay he'll see nothing. Just a thought as to why you may have received a reply to your first message but none of the subsequent ones.
  3. There be mail in your inbox Alex!
  4. Having bought a few too many Kyosho's over the last couple of weeks, I need to shed a few projects I know I will not finish. Here is a new built Schumacher Shotgun from the early 90's. Good bits New built and never run Has instruction manual Has unused Schumacher motor Shell has not been painted Unused lights and grill decals (no Shotgun ones sadly) Not so good bits 15 year old masking tape remains on the shell. This should come off with some effort. Tyres are beginning to crack but are okay for use. Three bearings are missing. Two are the same. Two for the gearbox and one for the wheel. I borrowed the wheel one to make the gearbox functional! If you understand bearing sizes this probably won't be a problem. I haven't a clue what all the numbers mean which is one reason I'll never finish it. The truck works fine. I wouldn't run it without the bearings but I have got it working. Happy to post worldwide and thanks for looking! As always, there's still room for an Optima if you'd like to trade. £60 More pictures can be found on the tradeboard ad here.
  5. Hey all, I'm looking to home an Optima or two if there's anyone out there contemplating parting with one? Any member of the family (original, Turbo, Custom, Mid, Javelin and so forth). I'd prefer something new and shiny but will consider most conditions. I'll pay a sensible price for something nice. They can come from any corner of the world too. I'm UK based but please don't let distance put you off responding. Many thanks! James
  6. Apologies to put a bit of a spin on this but I'd like to stick up for the independent retailer. I cannot say a positive word for my LHS, a Model Zone that stocks just about everything I'd never want to buy. It's annoying that I cannot pop into town and grab something and I was angry 12 months ago they would not order a spare part for my FF01 Mondeo. But after thinking about it - I can see why. I work in a photographic shop. Photography is a hobby for millions and while I've never worked in the toy industry, I'm fairly confident both share similar business practices and problems. I sell digital cameras and stock memory cards, batteries and cases for the current models. There's no troubles there. The problem arises when a customer comes in with a digital camera that's 2 years old and asks for something. I cannot sell them an 'official' case I cannot sell them a battery off the shelf I cannot get spare parts (cables, instructions, power leads etc.) This, in essence, is me and my Mondeo. It's old, it's yesterdays product and I should be replacing it, not repairing it. I CAN stock the items above. I CAN order them in. But it's generally not worth while for a number of reasons: Demand doesn't warrant the value tied up in stock. The suppliers do not hold stock for this reason, so there's now a chain for ordering. Chain means long lead time. Customer's not prepared to wait. Someone online in HK has it for £20. My cost is £25 before VAT and profit. End result - customer walks out unhappy, either because it's not on the shelf or they saw it on the net cheaper. I think people need to accept that the Internet is now the place to source parts for things. I don't like telling customers I cannot help. It's not good business to send people out the shop without something. The Internet is an opportunity though, not a threat and to combat this I now run an eBay business and an online shop. The online shop allows me to sell things that have little demand, that I don't necessarily stock and I can offer it cheaper since there's less time involved. A lot of people do not see time as money and will not pay for it. You can dispute this or tackle it. I'm doing the latter and so far...so good! People forget we live in a throw away world too. I think we've all bought a broken car off eBay. They're not left broken because you cannot get the spares. They're left broken because the guy/gal got bored and probably bought something better. We should be glad they still make TA01/02 spare parts. There's no logical reason for it. I don't think you can blame indendepent shops for catering to demand, cutting back on slow shifting stock and concentrating on RTR models. Not when HK folk are hacking up prices and everyone can buy from the corner of the globe with a credit card. Rather than moaning, we should appreciate people like Neil (TTM) who take the time to list everything online and let us order from the comfort of our chairs. A backwards step from nipping down the road? Maybe. A stress and hassle free way of getting your car back up and running? Without a doubt.
  7. Quick plug for my Egress remainders! Here is the remainder of my donor car after two successful Egress projects. This would be ideal for a third restoration if you have an Egress in a sorry state. The main parts are: Both carbon fibre decks in excellent condition 90% of the front Rear gear box Most of the titanium screws Motor mount Stabilizers Turnbuckles Everything you see in the pics What I can confirm is NOT included: Shocks, body, wheels, rear gears, rear diff, upper shock mounts. The front shock tower is broken, as are the two rear knuckles. What you see is what you get. You're welcome to ask if certain parts are there but please please specify what the item is and its code (I have a manual so the Egress code is fine). Don't just say 'has it got the 4 40mm screws' as I'll have no idea! Be specific and I'll be glad to help. £80 is the asking price. I'll happily include postage for that to the UK or EU. A little more elsewhere. Feel free to make an offer or trade. Old buggies or original RC10's are my current bug! Thanks for looking! More pics here!
  8. Hey All, Would anyone happen to have: Avante shell NIB Avante 2001 tyres (50271) x4 Surplus to requirements? If so, please please get in contact and help me put two more restored lasses back into the scene! Many thanks, James
  9. This the one that's on eBay right now? Value really depends on whether the shell is any good and if the tyres are worn. Monster Racer chassis' are easy to find - usually fetch between £25-45. Good shell, new tyres and radio gear and you could send the price into 3 figures. What state is the shell in? I've never considered a box that crucial but I know a lot of people do. Find the right bidder and it might add a tenner onto the total price if it's in good shape.
  10. I don't think TC should be held responsible or get involved in a majority of problems that arise. I have sold items via the tradeboard and I consider it my duty as a seller to make sure the person I am dealing with is genuine. I provide my own information in return for theirs (address, phone number, eBay feedback, any additional proof etc.). If someone is not willing to share their info then so be it. I've not lost a sale - I've lost a potential problem. It's a selfish attitude not to trust anyone at first but sadly that's the internet and I've learnt from my mistakes. People should take the time to educate themselves on spotting dodgey traders and not rely solely on others to do the work for them. There are so many tell-tail signs that 95% of the crooks slip up before you have chance to hand over your money. Stock photos, stolen photos, stock descriptions, no eBay account, inability to provide info, untraceable payment methods, constant offerings of freebies/lower price if you have second thoughts...all things that begin to shout "walk away". I'm not sure how it would work but maybe a simpler version of Amazon's feedback system? When a buyer confirms s/he is to buy item X, the seller confirms the username that will be taking it. That member can then leave a star rating (out of 5, 10, what have you). Again, if the seller won't entertain the feedback - walk away. A star rating doesn't have to be negative either. You could earn more the more sales you do. A bit like at primary school when you earned stars for doing good tasks! A simple system that rewards those who do good. In regards to buying feedback removal, you must do it within 60 days of the auction close and the buyer and seller still go through an "agreement period" where the buyer can fight back. It's a more advanced system than eBay's Dispute Console but basically the same. The twice I've done this, both buyers calmed down and we sorted out our issues. I don't believe it undermines the point of feedback as a crook wouldn't cough up the money in the first place. In most cases of a problem, both sides have a story to tell and I don't believe it's fair to drag other TC members or TC admin into the equation. Ebay has a system for that and that's where it belongs. Too many people get emotional about deals too quickly and speak their mind before they've actually thought the situation through. As an honest PowerSeller with 4000+ positive feedback, the only common threat I get is people claiming their packages haven't turned up or that I've stolen them. This is where the naming and shaming all goes to pot because these people, if they were part of a collectors group that allowed name calling, would brand me trouble and a thief. They would tell the world I was bad. Two days later their camera turns up and all is happy. But do they go back and tell everyone "he's alright actually?". No. Bring on a recommendation system. You'll never stop people ripping others off but you can give those who are honest a boost.
  11. As much as I'd like to see it, I can't see Google going for the eBay-style auction platform yet. Google is reliant on eBay for millions in advertising revenue and until the two companies split over differences, they will work together rather than against each other. A challenger for Paypal is far more likely in the short term.
  12. Phoenix

    Kyosho ZX-R

    Darn Terry - that's information you can use! Thank you ever so much. It's great to know a little more about the buggy. I suspected early 90's on the production from the design and this ones obviously been sitting around for 14 years not doing a lot. I had no idea there was a clutch burried deep inside. Might have to take a look this afternoon. When I purchased the buggy from Professorslot, he sent through an e-mail afterwards that someone else had mailed in: The Lazer you have for sale isn't the early ZX model, it is the much higher specification ZX-R one, which has had a set of Associated teflon coated Team shocks fitted instead of the standard gold ones. Does that effect your diagnosis that this little fella could be a ZX-RR instead? I'm on the case as we speak of trying to purchase a Razer undertray. Yet again, thank you so much for the link. I'd have never stumbled upon their site through Google.
  13. Hiya - you could tempt a Pilot shell away from me. NIB. Drop me a line with an offer if you like.
  14. Don't think there's a great deal of difference in value between the Alfa and Mini. Go with whichever you prefer. Neither are particulary old and I wouldn't say either were that collectable yet. The re-release Delta shell on its own should cost around US $50-60 at tops. I'm not sure if it remains a current model but they're still out there. Certainly wouldn't be a difficult shell to find.
  15. Phoenix

    Kyosho ZX-R

    Hey folks, I'm very fortunate to have just picked up a Kyosho ZX-R (pics here) and I'm curious to know a little more about it. Could anyone shed some light on when it was released, whether it's particulary rare and if parts are available (in particular a shell as I require an undertray)? She's my first proper Kyosho and I'm keen to know if she should sit next to the Egress on the shelf or join the Top Force in ruining the garden...again! Thanks guys, James
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