I need your input boys!

[why_fly_high]

My experience is that a partially built plane sells for less than what the kit costs. People worry about the workmanship and why you are selling it, (Did you screww something up?) I have a nearly framed 35% Carden Edge I would like to sell but don't want to take the bath on it. I figure that if I could find the time to put 20 more hours in it I could at least get the kit cost out of it. ARF's are a lot of the issue too. JTEC and AVIATION MODELS sel ARFS for 1500 to 1700.

Another problem is that people that want to build don't mind starting from the beginning and the work you have done probably doesn't mean anything to them. When they look for their next project they also see that Carden has 2 "newer hot rides" available, 260 and Yak.

I would say take it to swap meets, big bird fly-ins and Imac contests. People will be much more likely to buy it if they can see the workmanship and talk to you in person.

Not trying to discourage you just don't give up and be patient.

Dan

[JPrc]

I have to agree with Vtail, be prepared to take a loss. I had a 40% TOC yak with all the hardware, switches, sekio servo and battery, extension, and a bunch of other stuff that had a total of 3 flights on it that I sold and took a big hit on. If the plane is not what you want then you have to get out of it what you can and put into something else which was a Dalton 260 for me.

[TheTank]

Honestly, I think if you were willing to ship the item, you would have no problem selling it. I know its a PITA, but Cardens are usually easy to sell, and hold their value rather well. 1500 is more than reasonable. instead of cutting your cost, work out what the shipping cost would be.

[mndbndr3d]

Well, Thank you all for your advise. I know I will be loosing alot on this and this is why I'm considering all offers. I've also edited my post and willing to crate and ship the airframe.

Dan (Why_fly_high), I understand where your coming from with workmanship. Even I would be hesitant to purchase something that has been stated and not finished. However just for the record, I have been building airplanes from kits since I was 15 years old (15 years ago). I never have purchased any ARF since I've started flying RC. The only thing that I came close to an ARF is from RC helicopters. I probably have build more than 50 kits since then.

By the way, I did not screw up on anything. Infact, I made sure I pay attention to details on this project and miticulously put together everything in place, No compromise. This is the most time I've spent on building a plane.

I will take all of your advise and take it to a local Fly-ins/Imac competition. Maybe I will have a better luck there.


Harold H.

[BOATNIK]

I believe that the market for 40% anything is very small and you especially limit that
market if you are not willing to ship. I fly pretty much only 40% planes and I am the
only person out of 350 members in my club that does! I also fly Cardens and it seems lately if a Carden isn't highly modified ( lightened to death ) it is second rate.
Your price is very fair and I would consider buying it if I did not already have one!
A pro built ARC goes for $2,500+. Godd luck! chris

[why_fly_high]

Harold,

I am sure your building is very good. Please don't think I was trying to say anything about your particular plane, just in general terms. Just what I would be thinking and a lot of guys I know would be thinking. At the same time, A finished plane can hide big sins! Basically, you pays your maney and you take your chances.

Dan

[Chris Puckett]

Selling anything right now is hard. I just sold a 38% Extra RTF with 3W150 for $2700. It hurt but needed to be moved.

Chris

[Cracky]

I basically stole JeeUm's JTEC from him....good for buyer, bad for seller.......

[flyingklown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by crfabbro1
	I believe that the market for 40% anything is very small and you especially limit that market if you are not willing to ship. I fly pretty much only 40% planes and I am the only person out of 350 members in my club that does! I also fly Cardens and it seems lately if a Carden isn't highly modified ( lightened to death ) it is second rate. Your price is very fair and I would consider buying it if I did not already have one! A pro built ARC goes for $2,500+. Godd luck! chris

Ok this is a long one but I feel I need to share since I have experience in this....I have an old local dude that is retired and all he does is build planes, Big giants planes. Unusual planes sometimes you don't see everyday. He likes me to sell them for at least what they are worth. They are scratch built because that is the way he does it with his free time.
I finally hooked him up with some fellows that gave him lots of building work. But told him not to let them take advantage of him. He loves to build! The big Warbirds, Mustangs, Corsairs, I will show you some pictures.

They have been in Model Aviation Magazine, However, here is my experience; We have found that if people really want the planes they will drive and pick them up. I sold a Stearman 1/3 scale and a guy came from MI to CT with his whole family and a new born pulling his trailer just to get the plane. So if they want it bad enough they will come and look at it and usually end up getting it. Usually I have only one that didn't and that was my old Piper Cub. He wanted a beater and it was but he wanted a new one so he didn't get it. You have to say this plane is used and what its history was.,..But usually mine are all brand new never even flown I sell. I hardly sell a used plane anymore. There is a lot of trust there. We talk a few times on the phone and by e-mail and answer all the questions and send some pictures but they have their mind set on getting the plane because it is what they want. They usually want it for nothing but the serious people know what costs are and are happy to pay the reasonable price. They know what is all involved and do not play games because they researched it and they usually do not have time to build or do not build and fly only and they know the money that is involved with all of the plane. So I usually don't have a problem there. They know what they are getting and when they get here they are happy. 9 times out of 10.

Then again I seem to do good shipping too. But it is a lot of work on my part. I have to find a company or freight line that will accept the oversize crate. You build the crate yourself and I do the crating for free and the buyer pays the shipping. That is the only way I have been able to sell an oversize plane is by doing the crating myself. I try to get a little bit on cost of material but usually I do crating for free to be able to sell the plane and do the deal. There is their break. But It cost me and it is a lot of work for free that I am doing! See this takes a lot to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy the material and use paneling for the side instead of cardboard which cost more then the paneling usually. I buy the screws all wood and build the crate. I make all arrangements for DHL usually is who I use which they charge a lot but not as much that is out there when it is oversize and it has to be sent from a business to a business and you get a better rate.

You eat the crating which can run $100.00 or over easy. Then all your time! Setting up with the freight company, building he crate, buying everything to build the crate etc..... All the buyer does is pay for the shipping and plane I do ask for the 3% pay pal fee. I ask that they pay for it on line with a credit card only. That is all I take through pay pal and I get the money up front usually there is a wait cause the person is not a member of pay pal and they have to join if the cost is over $2,000.00. They usually do not want to join because the things pay pal ask you to become a member, they want your checking account which I never use. But you have to do that to be a verified member. Usually they want to send a money order or a check and I has a lot of problems doing that. So I am firm on the Credit card payment. I do from time to time get people that say they will only pay a certain way and they start telling me what I am going to do. And I just say sorry. Pay pal won;t change heir policy and I sure ain't!

That is the only way I have been able to sell a Giant over sized bird doing the shipping. I have done this many, many,many times. Rolling Harrier would help me build the crate and it was done at his house and his time on it so I want to give him $$$ too for his time and space to hold it and plus the Room to build it in! So the crating turns into 150.00 to 175.00 with material and cost..So that is why I do not ship anymore. too much of a crate it and ship it to them. The last plane I sent out was a 1/4 scale Mustang we did the crating. I heard when they got it... a fork lift went through the box and lifted the crate on to a truck. We were very lucky it went through and nothing was hit. That was luck! So I quit doing it. So I will get paid and drop off the p[lane at the shipper and then it is between them then. I got tired of the headaches. It seems that no one wanted to buy the crate shipping insurance. They ended up having to sign a wavier stating that didn't want insurance and I must sign too. I ain't signing that. I would say buy the insurance. If they don;t then something happens it would come back on me. Well lets just say it would be a big mess. One I do not want to fool with especially for 200.00 to 800.00 and subtract for all crating cost!

So I think it is better to meet the buyer if all possible on the 4 sides of the state line is what I do. I meet and usually they have prepaid OR put a deposit up in case they back out after you have drove all that way and they back out. BUT I usually trust and say cash only in person FIRM. No checks. Cash only. Period, if we meet in person. This works and has been proved to work over and over again in the field.

So this is my experience on this matter. Why do I do this? It is because I am on a fixed income and I usually make $200.00 to 800.00 off the deal to support my hobby but subtract for all crating cost and anything else that arises! So we all get what we want. We aren't trying to make a killing just make enough where it is worth doing all the things that are involved. It can be a pain for sure. But you do work for your money for sure! As you can see I have done this many times. I have met some characters for sure!

Hope this helps...Oh yeah as promised here are just SOME of the planes I shipped out!