I will just leave this here
- Thread starter Bruce
- Start date
Dave in KC
TVWBB Wizard
The best part of the ad is the guy showing
the original receipt. LOLOL!!
Bruce, if you apply that sellers methodology,
you may get over 1K for your 330.
the original receipt. LOLOL!!
Bruce, if you apply that sellers methodology,
you may get over 1K for your 330.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
So, $375 is really not that crazy - for one of your beautifully restored grills. That guy will be staring at his for a long time.
I hear you about inflation, etc. However, I don't think you are taking advantage of anyone - or making any big mint of $ - to charge a notch higher. It is a reward for your workmanship and time & effort.
Ed P
TVWBB Platinum Member
Up until the time that someone sees how much some guy is getting for his rehabs and decides he can do that, too. All the info needed is right here on TVWBB.
Besides, I thought this was a hobby that barely generates enough income to pay for itself. That is true, isn't it, guys? It's not a secondary income stream where you'd need Jon's accounting skills at the end of the year, is it?
Bruce
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
No, it is a hobby and one that is constantly being revised to the point that I am able to rehab a grill and pay myself more than I could make at McDonalds. When I first started, I was lucky to earn $25 for all my time after grinding out the box and end caps, sanding, cleaning painting, disassembling, reassembling, replacing parts, etc..... I took out of pocket losses on some of my grills early on. I have since refined my methods and accumulated enough spare parts and found good sources for other parts that I can rehab a grill to the point I am not only feeding my hobby, but putting a few bucks in the back pocket while also upping my game. My rehabs today are much better than they were three and four years ago. Hence the price increase.
No, I am not a worthy target of Uncle Sam and the IRS, but do have a hobby that pays for itself...unlike golf.
No, I am not a worthy target of Uncle Sam and the IRS, but do have a hobby that pays for itself...unlike golf.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Jon - That Sunbeam in the ad was my first grill I received for a wedding present in 1988 and put together myself. It lasted me 20 years until I found my first Weber on the street. It was still working fine when I gave it away!ANOTHER STROLL DOWN THE SUNBEAM LANE
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No, "The Judge" was a lot of fun, but one stroll down this rabbit hole was enough for me. I think mine is more unusual, but this more common version still brings back memories of my early days of grilling in the 1980s when a Weber was out of reach and I knew essentially NOTHING about how to use a grill!
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Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Ed,
I disagree. I think money talk is a very important part of these rebuild threads. Because of them I am trying to get more money for my refurbished grills. Not sure if I will or not but it is easier to lower the price than go up! I think a lot of the prices and availability are regional. I listed one today for $100 more than I would usually ask and will see what happens. I like to move my grills very quickly as I park my cars in the garage and don't like leaving them outside. If I don't get quality inquiries in a day or two I will drop my price $25 every few days until it sells. I live by the saying "that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". Do you think this will sell at or near this price?
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Ed P
TVWBB Platinum Member
Yep, and if you are successful at getting your price (best wishes BTW, Joe!) then maybe Bruce who is sitting on the fence about his price is going to raise his. Then somebody else raises their price because of what Bruce is getting. How is that beneficial? Why does what Bruce make in WI apply to what you make in VA?
And market forces being what they are, as the price goes up, the demand goes down...but then someone checking out CL or FBM sees what rehabs are selling for these days and sets a higher price on a rehab candidate.
And bless his good heart, but let's say that the guy that runs this board decides that the members are making some pretty good money and they need to help defray the costs. Money, envy, jealousy and greed does funny things to people.
And market forces being what they are, as the price goes up, the demand goes down...but then someone checking out CL or FBM sees what rehabs are selling for these days and sets a higher price on a rehab candidate.
And bless his good heart, but let's say that the guy that runs this board decides that the members are making some pretty good money and they need to help defray the costs. Money, envy, jealousy and greed does funny things to people.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Well, it would be nice if things got that point, Ed. I think if your really hone your plan and work fast you can flip grills at a profit that yields a decent (though not spectacular) per hour rate. Those of us who are more into collecting and dawdle over over-restoring a grill, are lucky to make a little lunch money now and then - and an embarrassingly small return per hour. Anybody that would think this hobby is such a great money maker as to be jealous needs to try it for themselves!
Ed P
TVWBB Platinum Member
Jon, I've never sold anything grill-related, and I likely never will unless it is out of necessity. It's too much work of the sort that I don't enjoy. I am in complete agreement with you on the collecting aspect.
I'm not offended by the public discussion of buying and selling, but it's something that is not done customarily or usually in our society. We don't talk publicly about how much money you make as an accountant, or me with my pension, or the neighbor with her disability check, and why should we? What relevance does the money you make as an accountant in IL have for an accountant in CA? But what happens here is that one guy will raise his price, then another will raise his because of what the other guy is getting a thousand or more miles away, and I don't understand what benefit that has.
I'm not offended by the public discussion of buying and selling, but it's something that is not done customarily or usually in our society. We don't talk publicly about how much money you make as an accountant, or me with my pension, or the neighbor with her disability check, and why should we? What relevance does the money you make as an accountant in IL have for an accountant in CA? But what happens here is that one guy will raise his price, then another will raise his because of what the other guy is getting a thousand or more miles away, and I don't understand what benefit that has.
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Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
I think you may be overthinking this:
#1 It is a dirty disgusting job that not many people want to do. That is why these grills are put at the curb or sold cheap. Most normal (not this group obviously) do not want to clean years of burnt on grease and that goes double for someone else's disgusting burnt on grease.
#2 It is fine with me if more people want to do this as it means there are less grills winding up in the landfill.
#3 A person that does this needs to have a way to move these grills.
#4 As I stated I think after about 45 grills I know my market and am pretty sure I am not gonna be getting much more than I have been for my finished grills. I like them to move quickly and will reduce my price until it sells. I am not very patient and don't want to have a bunch of grills hanging around.
#5 I think you have it backward. As demand goes up, prices go up, not "market forces being what they are, as the price goes up, the demand goes down".
#6 The most important point as I stated earlier "that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it".
I'm with Bruce on this - It is a fun hobby that pays for it self and saves potentially nice grills from the landfill. I try to aim for $20 / hr on my grills and parts aint that cheap. Somebody has to pay for all that Simple Green, scotch pads, steel wool, and trips to Home Depot.
J Grotz
TVWBB Wizard
So you're raising your prices to $2,000 per grill?
Ed P
TVWBB Platinum Member
I've been accused of that before.
Yep, not me. There is a guy near me that advertises his grill restoration services, so that might be something to think about (a service rehabbing someone else's grill).
I don't think there are many vintage Webers that end up there, at least where I live. You ought to set up an arrangement with your local scrap metal guy if it is different in your area. The Curb Alerts go quick around here, but more people means more competition.
You mean like advertise on CL, FBM, OfferUp? Not much exclusivity there (that's where people go to sell their stuff).
Hmmmm...beginning to sound less and less like a hobby to me.
How many are in a bunch?You've never heard of pricing yourself out of the market? So Seller A has a grill for $300, Seller B has one for $375. Who you gonna call first?
I agree with you.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Ed,I've been accused of that before.
Yep, not me. There is a guy near me that advertises his grill restoration services, so that might be something to think about (a service rehabbing someone else's grill).
I don't think there are many vintage Webers that end up there, at least where I live. You ought to set up an arrangement with your local scrap metal guy if it is different in your area. The Curb Alerts go quick around here, but more people means more competition.
You mean like advertise on CL, FBM, OfferUp? Not much exclusivity there (that's where people go to sell their stuff).
Hmmmm...beginning to sound less and less like a hobby to me.
You've never heard of pricing yourself out of the market? So Seller A has a grill for $300, Seller B has one for $375. Who you gonna call first?
I agree with you.
#1 I have toyed with the idea of advertising a grill rehab service. When I run out of sofas and grills and start to get bored I may try that.
#3 No I mean physically move the grills. truck, van etc,
#4 that amount of grills is over 2.5 years and I live in a city, am unemployed, and basically unemployable at 59, and don't want to flip burgers except for family and friends
#5 I will lower prices all else being the same.
Ed P
TVWBB Platinum Member
Joe, I think you might be selling yourself short! I got my last job at age 62 and worked there for nearly 7 years. Companies like to hire old guys...old guys show up, on time, day in and day out and have a strong work ethic!
But again, you rehabbers are underpaid enough as it is, but talking about buying and selling in public is only going to attract more competition for you. If you want to ask Bruce offline what he gets for a grill in WI, and Bruce feels like telling you, why advertise it? You are only inviting competition and potentially cutting your own throat. Most people don't want to know how much money you are making off of them.
But again, you rehabbers are underpaid enough as it is, but talking about buying and selling in public is only going to attract more competition for you. If you want to ask Bruce offline what he gets for a grill in WI, and Bruce feels like telling you, why advertise it? You are only inviting competition and potentially cutting your own throat. Most people don't want to know how much money you are making off of them.