eBay advice requested

[TAL2GK]

I'm (attempting) selling my bike (R1100R) on eBay so I can purchase a new '09 or '10 R12R. The eBay auction closes tonight (Monday, October 26th) just after 7pm in the Eastern time zone. The bidding was going well, then slowed down - currently $2k under Kelly Blue Book value and a few hundred under my reserve price.

Given the economy and the time of year, I'm not entirely surprised at the lack of action (although there has been 17 bids). My question is this, to those of you that have done this thing before: Would I be better off just holding onto the bike and putting it back on eBay in the spring (assuming it doesn't sell through the "For Sale" section of this board before then?) Will the time between now and - say - March allow for greater depreciation than the demand of springtime would make up? If so, should I swallow my pride and lower the reserve to make a sale that might be significantly below book value?

On a larger scale - would the benefit of buying a new 2009 right now be less of a benefit than waiting and buying a 2010 in spring?

I know I'm kind of high maintenance on this process, but despite the fact I've been riding for 10 years ... this is my first attempt at selling a bike, as well as my first attempt at purchasing a new one. I'm not sure if buying cars provides a transferable set of information.

As always, thanks for your points of view!

[Northernbiker]

I've never sold anything on eBay so I couldn't comment on how well you can expect to do there. Even if your current bike is around 10 or 11 years old, it's still a quality machine so don't let it go for too much less than you're comfortable getting for it.

Buying a new bike is not like buying a car - basically the price is the price. You have to consider what incentives (if any) BMW is currently offering vs. what they might offer early next year. If you're looking at financing part of the purchase price, they will probably offer a rate lower than their normal one in the next few months to clear out the '09's. I would guess the base price of a 2010 model is not likely to be more than $500 more than a 2009.

In my case, I bought a new 2008 in March of this year. It was the last R1200R allocated to that dealer and it just happened to be exactly what I wanted. At the time BMW was offering a reduced financing rate on remaining 2008 models. Although it was March and there was still snow on the ground, their showroom was full of new bikes and more than half already had Sold signs on them. So the moral of the story is, it's all a bit of a gamble.

[deilenberger]

I expect your bike will reach reserve.

That's based on the bidding patterns that are commonly seen on Ebay.

Initial bids are bottom feeders - people trying silly low bids in the hope that you don't have a reserve or have too low a reserve and they can steal the item.

Then come noobs who are serious. They'll start bidding once they see some action going, until they realize they're getting in a bidding war with someone else - another noob. Then they go on hold until the last hour or so before the end of the auction. They'll then start bidding for serious.

Finally there are the old timers. These are the people who know the value of auction sniping (I use Esnipe) and have placed their bids days ahead - with the auction sniping websites, who will make the bids for them in the last seconds of the bidding. They're the smart ones.. by using a sniping service they've eliminated the tendency to get involved in a bidding war. They've set the max value of the item to them - and can then go away and forgeddaboutit until the end of the auction.

I haven't bid directly on any eBay item in about 4 years... Esnipe is the only way to go..

If you're within a few hundred of reserve - betch'a it passes reserve about an hour before the auction is up, and the winning bid is likely to be a sniped bid (anything in the last 30 seconds is likely a snipe..)

[TAL2GK]

Don - Once again, I am humbled by your wisdom. I had no idea something like esnipe existed, but I'll have to use it to my advantage in the future. I have been following sales of other R-bikes in the past few days and expected the last-minute fury. On those bikes, they never came. Maybe the owners had too high a reserve price or something else ... but they went (apparently) unsold.

So - while I've been watching my number stay at the same amount for the past several days ... it did finally go up at least to the quite low reserve that I recently set. I was prepared to let it go for less than book value, but didn't want to take a $2k hit on it. So at least now it will sell. With two hours left, hopefully there is still time for sniping

[snag]

TAL2GK,

So what heppened? I'm not an EBayer, so I'm just curious.

Don,

What's a noob?

I've never heard of esniping either, what does it cost?

It's hard losing the innocence of youth!

Doug

[mogu83]

Nice going Don now everyone knows.

Doug - Just Google the terms and you'll become an instant expert - don't be a noob
Google knows everything

BTW: I'm a sniper and I can consistently get in manually two seconds before the auction ends.

[TAL2GK]

TAL2GK,

So what heppened? I'm not an EBayer, so I'm just curious.

Well, it sold for EXACTLY what my reserve price was. Odd, because I set an irregular number as my reserve ($3,798) and the winning bidder raised his own bid above the next increment over the previous high bidder so he would be at my reserve price and guaranteed a sale. There must be a way to do that, but I'm unfamiliar with it.

So ... sold for significantly less than I was hoping for (or Kelly Blue Book would suggest) - but also significantly more than the dealer was willing to give me or thought I could get in a private sale.

Interestly, with less than an hour left in the sale I got a question from an ebayer - which I answered quickly. He came back shortly AFTER the sale and said he was surprised it went for so little and to let him know if the winner didn't pan out. Hello?! If he wanted the bike - he should have bid for it. Not sure if he's trying a scam or just upset by missing a good price on a great bike. Either way, the winning bidder has already given me his deposit and we're moving right along.

An interesting process, no doubt. Less money than I was asking for on here or on Craig's List ... but also a lot quicker of a sale (or non-sale, as I'd feared earlier today). I rode the bike for 10 years and lost <$5k between the purchase price and what I sold it for. Not horrible, though I suspect others have done better.

[deilenberger]

Well, since you're in NC - I'll send something along that will help you spend your ill-gotten Ebay gains. From the IBMWR Marketplace:

Category: Oilhead R- bikes for sale
2008 R1200R - 4k Miles, ABS, ASC, Heated Grips, Remus Exhaust

2008 BMW R1200R in excellent condition. This 1200R only has 4873 miles
and it shows. It is in great overall condition. It comes with a Remus
Hexacone Exhaust. This is one of the best sounding BMW's I have ever
heard. The valve covers have been painted gloss black to match the
tank and frame. It comes with Continental tires in excellent
condition. It comes with the Premium Package which includes: BMW Low
Seat, ABS, Heated Grips, On Board Computer, White Turn Signals, Center
Stand, Saddlebag Mounts, Tire Pressure Monitor, and ASC (Automatic
Stability Control). This bike has all the creature comforts you expect
from a BMW while offering 109 Horsepower and sport tuned suspension.
This R really excels in all riding situations. It is a canyon carver
at heart while offering surprising sport touring qualities. We
purchased this bike at an insurance auction. The damage was so minimal
it did not get a salvage title. It comes with a CLEAN title. There is
a very very small dent in the right side of the gas tank, scratches on
the right side mirror, bar end and valve cover. The steering damper
was bent so we removed it completely. The damage is so minimal we
decided not to fix any of it. This bike runs and rides excellent. The
dent in the tank is so small most people would not even notice it. It
comes with a CLEAN title so there will be no issues with registration
or insurance. Please call (828)421-5829 for more information. I have a
ton of pictures available upon request.

Price: $9400
Location: Franklin, NC
See more at http://www.cyclecrazy.com/2008-BMW/2008-BMW.htm
Contact Matt Balmer at <[email protected]>
Telephone (828)421-5829

Posted Monday, October 26, 2009 at 10:08:08 (EST)

Not a bad deal. Good option package.

The ASC option is especially desireable IMHO, and I'd love to have factory TPM on mine. It doesn't have bags.. new ones will run about $350 each on Ebay (with locks) - used you can expect to pay a bit less. A new steering damper is $250 list price - Chicago BMW will discount it 20%. So add another $1k to the price. I expect if the dent is accessable from the inside of the tank that a "DentWizard" could take it right out for $100.. then repaint the valve cover and just keep an eye out for used bar-ends and mirrors (enough people replace these with aftermarket that used good should be pretty cheap.)

Since you're in NC - and the bike is in NC - would seem pretty easy to eyeball it up-close-and-personal..

It's also the fastest color - Black mit/white..

[TAL2GK]

Interestingly, CycleCrazy (the place that has the '08 you mention) had a '98 R1100R in an eBay auction that ended earlier today. Probably attracted some of the same bidders as mine, I'd guess, even though their '98 had a shield, heated grips, & bags (mine had none of the three). Somehow I managed to pull $350 more.

Also, my bike was bought by a guy in Maplewood, NJ. Waive at the dolphin blue '99 if you see it go by.

[TAL2GK]

Well, since you're in NC - I'll send something along that will help you spend your ill-gotten Ebay gains. From the IBMWR Marketplace:

Category: Oilhead R- bikes for sale
2008 R1200R - 4k Miles, ABS, ASC, Heated Grips, Remus Exhaust

..

Its up on eBay right now, too. Franklin is in the middle of great riding country ... a couple hours from Charlotte toward the mountains. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-R-Se ... 4a9baf2581

[deilenberger]

Its up on eBay right now, too. Franklin is in the middle of great riding country ... a couple hours from Charlotte toward the mountains. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-R-Se ... 4a9baf2581

Been through Franklin - on my ride this summer between the nationals (I know - it's not exactly "between".. but it was a great riding area.

BTW - in the Ebay auction he shows the tank dent. That one would be very difficult for the paintless guy to get out. It's on a fold in the tank, and it's distorted the metal in the fold. Probably about impossible to "fix"..

[TAL2GK]

Its fun to keep searching, but I took myself off the market for the near future this afternoon. Put a deposit down on a new '09 to take advantage of the free bags, etc. Dealer fees sure are large, but overall I know I'll be happy with the bike. I'll post pics once I pick it up.

Now I need to unsubscribe from my saved eBay search. If there are steals on nearly new ones ... I don't want to know about it.

[8b]

When that bike sold on ebay, the buyer did NOT likely (though possible) bid your exact reserve amount (you said it was an odd amount. He bid higher, maybe hundreds higher but since ONLY HIS bid topped the reserve, he won at reserve. That is how ebay works with a reserve adn one bidder above reserve. It would have gone higher if TWO bidders participated at snipe time, both above reserve. Make sense?

[celticus]

" by using a sniping service they've eliminated the tendency to get involved in a bidding war. They've set the max value of the item to them"
I'm not sure I get this part. if you enter your maximum you are willing to bid on Ebay, will this not happen anyway?

Mark

[hjsbmw]

" by using a sniping service they've eliminated the tendency to get involved in a bidding war. They've set the max value of the item to them"
I'm not sure I get this part. if you enter your maximum you are willing to bid on Ebay, will this not happen anyway?

Mark

The thing with eBay's max value is that it increases your bid immediately when someone else outbids you, regardless whether that's a serious bidder or not. With a sniping service your bid is entered seconds before the auction ends. By bidding late in the auction you will not participate in driving up the price. If the price is over your limit by auction end your sniping bid will not be made.

[celticus]

OK I think I get it.

Thanks.

Mark