Cox engine bidders, a curious lot

rsv1cox Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:38 am

A tale of two bids.

I'm a sucker for Golden Bee's, perhaps because one was my first "serious" Cox engine. So casting around ebay yesterday I found two, both used but nice. I bid $26 on each.

I won the first one last night at $15, $19.11 shipped. I was the only bidder and it was the nicest of the two. The second one is still for sale with something like a dozen bids, one a nibbler, dollar at a time bidder chipping away nine times at my proxy bid until he hit $27. Fine with me, no problem. But why let a better engine go with a single $15 bid. Unless he/she did not do a proper search.

Anyway, I'm happy to have another Golden Bee on the way and I wish the other bidder well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-COX-ENGINE-WITH-PROPELLER-/302520364363?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=7XkbH09zrN0esILu8VrrUFbUhwk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Golden Bee in a bathtub.

Cox engine bidders, a curious lot Cox_gb10

Cox engine bidders, a curious lot Cox_gb11

Edit add - Other engine in case anyone is interested.

Cox engine bidders, a curious lot Gb_eba10

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cox-Golden-Bee-R-C-model-airplane-engine-UNTESTED/332445435855?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1431.l2649

MauricioB Thu Nov 16, 2017 9:33 am

rsv1cox wrote:A tale of two bids.

I'm a sucker for Golden Bee's, perhaps because one was my first "serious" Cox engine. So casting around ebay yesterday I found two, both used but nice. I bid $26 on each.

I won the first one last night at $15, $19.11 shipped. I was the only bidder and it was the nicest of the two. The second one is still for sale with something like a dozen bids, one a nibbler, dollar at a time bidder chipping away nine times at my proxy bid until he hit $27. Fine with me, no problem. But why let a better engine go with a single $15 bid. Unless he/she did not do a proper search.

Anyway, I'm happy to have another Golden Bee on the way and I wish the other bidder well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-COX-ENGINE-WITH-PROPELLER-/302520364363?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=7XkbH09zrN0esILu8VrrUFbUhwk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Golden Bee in a bathtub.

Edit add - Other engine in case anyone is interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cox-Golden-Bee-R-C-model-airplane-engine-UNTESTED/332445435855?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1431.l2649

congratulations for the new acquisition !! ... they are beautiful engines !, maybe it would be good to see them up together! what do you think?? If you like the idea, I hope a video! Very Happy

halfpilot Thu Nov 16, 2017 3:09 pm

My personal eBay rules are decide what you are comfortable paying for something on eBay. Wait until the very last few seconds to place your bid at your predetermined amount. This deprives nibblers of the chance. Sometimes, not often, nibblers are the seller or his pals shill bidding to up the value of the item but I think, given it is engines I see it most on, it's just old dudes who haven't fully understood eBays proxy bidding system. It used to happen a lot on eBay UK engines to the extent that nowadays almost everyone bids on engines at the last second - sniper bidding. It's quite entertaining to watch the eBay shenanigans on a Sunday evening.

rsv1cox Thu Nov 16, 2017 4:42 pm

I agree. Only I tend to bid two or three days into the auction, a one time bid what I'm willing to pay and what I think the item is worth. Helps if I'm sound asleep when the auction ends.

Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting this Golden Bee, feeling that little twinge again as my free time away from the Midget increases. Too chilly now to do any serious body work, I have placed it in hibernation for the winter. But I started it again today, this time with the exhaust system installed. Quieter now. Smile

Cox engine bidders, a curious lot Mg_exh10

BTW, I include myself in that "Cox engine bidders, a curious lot".................

Jason_WI Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:15 pm

My first bid is is usually 3 seconds before the end of the auction. Put in my max and hope for the best. Some times I win sometimes I don't.

Oldenginerod Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:05 am

I bid at my limit early in the auction and then try to forget about it. If I keep watching it for days then I'll only get excited which generally leads to disappoint when I get outbid. Like Bob says, I'd rather be sound asleep when the auction finishes to save the temptation to push beyond my limit. Sometimes it can look like you're in with a chance just an hour before auction end, then you get up in the morning, (or come in after work) and find that it has sold for some ridiculous price. Then there's other times that I put in a bid for the opening price and find that no-one else has shown any interest in it & I got it for a song. That's probably the reason I have so many multiples of some engines that I didn't really need. Generally won for a couple of bucks.

balogh Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:46 am

Unless bidding ends in the middle of the night which is often the case with US auctions staged 6-9 hours time zones away from me, I also bid only in the last 10 seconds and simply do not understand other bidders entering a hot price race already days before the auction ends. Are they the friends of the seller artificially ramping the price up for their own self? I do not think that would be the case...
It is less "sportsmanlike" than repetitive bidding and one may call me a sniper but the primary purpose I am bidding is not just spending money but winning the bid at a good price...I spend enough on int'l shipping and customs afterwards...

rsv1cox Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:45 am

I have bought and sold many items on Gunbroker in the last 25 years (750+ 100% positive feedback) and they have something called the "15 minute rule". If someone makes a bid anytime in the last 15 minutes of an auction the clock automatically resets to 15 minutes until there are no further bids. I love it as a seller, hate it as a buyer.

I have seen my auctions triple and quadruple in value many times as one, two, or three bidders fight it out. Sometimes lasting an hour or two. I thought it great sport, always with a smile on my face.

Then, when I'm a buyer that smile turns into a frown. In those 25 year I have only gotten into a couple of bidding wars on something I just had to have. Not funny.

Bob

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