March Virtual Swap is Live (Spring Cleaning Time!)

March Virtual Swap is Live (Spring Cleaning Time!)

  • Yeah I’ll likely be buying and selling!

    Votes: 17 40.5%

  • I can commit to selling a part in March!

    Votes: 13 31.0%

  • Nothing to sell, but I’m an interested buyer.

    Votes: 12 28.6%

  • Don’t clutter the FS section with an influx of listings

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    42
Markos

Markos

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Hi Folks,

I know that swap meets aren’t a big thing in the e9 world, but hey COVID and all.

What are your thoughts on a month-of-march push to clean your garage, rid yourself of spares, and get your old parts into the hands of the e9 needy. Get some stuff you really don’t need, sell some stuff you definitely don’t need, etc.

If it does work out, it could be a thing for
the coming years. It would require a concerted effort to dig through your junk, take pics, and prepare to ship.

Let me know!
 
Since the move I've been looking at my spare parts and going "do I really need all this stuff?" How exactly would this work?
 
Great idea!

If it is going to be well attended, I'd suggest a couple of guidelines...

1. All correspondence should be via PM between interested parties. Otherwise the PARTS forum will be clogged with lots of questions and replies that won't apply to most.
2. When a part is sold, it should be marked as such in the for sale post by the seller
3. All parts should be priced by the seller in the for sale post to eliminate the need for every potential buyer to ask.
4. If possible, the seller should post the total of the item AND postage. This would apply mostly to shipments via USPS One Rate Boxes to from/to US customers. If this isn't possible, the dimensions of the shipping box and weight and shipping location or zip code would allow some buyers to compute the shipping cost, again reducing back and forth correspondence. The seller is going to have to pre package the item anyhow to answer requests for shipping cost.
5. The seller should post the desired source of funds.
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
Great idea!

If it is going to be well attended, I'd suggest a couple of guidelines...

1. All correspondence should be via PM between interested parties. Otherwise the PARTS forum will be clogged with lots of questions and replies that won't apply to most.
2. When a part is sold, it should be marked as such in the for sale post by the seller
3. All parts should be priced by the seller in the for sale post to eliminate the need for every potential buyer to ask.
4. If possible, the seller should post the total of the item AND postage. This would apply mostly to shipments via USPS One Rate Boxes to from/to US customers. If this isn't possible, the dimensions of the shipping box and weight and shipping location or zip code would allow some buyers to compute the shipping cost, again reducing back and forth correspondence. The seller is going to have to pre package the item anyhow to answer requests for shipping cost.
5. The seller should post the desired source of funds.
Click to expand...
Dick, Great rules for all sale items. If you know what you want and don’t post the price it tells the buyers that it is most likely overpriced.
 
HB Chris said:
Dick, Great rules for all sale items. If you know what you want and don’t post the price it tells the buyers that it is most likely overpriced.
Click to expand...
Actually, I just saw that Dan posted most of these in 2008. They just aren't always followed.

Rules for classified ads

Ads must be BMW related. An ad for a vehicle other than a CS is fine, but keep it in the family! Its good practice (and saves everyone a lot of time) to list the following in your ad: 1) Location 2) Price 3) Detailed description (the more info you post the fewer questions you'll get, over...
e9coupe.com e9coupe.com
 
My thought was basically just a concerted effort to list and sell lots of parts. I know I’ll want to buy some stuff that comes out of the woodwork. Imagine new listings four pages deep.

This applies to vehicles also!

Ohmess said:
Since the move I've been looking at my spare parts and going "do I really need all this stuff?" How exactly would this work?
Click to expand...
 
Suggestion: In advance, buyers set up FedeX or UPS accounts so that labels can be created on the buyers end. My opinion is that the method puts the buyer in the process of shipping (engenders understanding of shipping costs) AND saves money, especially when sent to a business. These days, big buyers of shipping like Amazon and Walmart, for examples, in essence force prices up for general consumers of shipping services. Greyhound is an option as well. Unfortunately, shipping prices are a real parts deal killer! BUT, I can get an air conditioner delivered free from amazon - LOL.
 
Great idea, Markos. My wife will be beside herself.
#4 will prove to be difficult on items that (sometimes) require a custom box. I still have one made from a bike box for gutter trim, and the trim, from an un-named FL buyer that backed out when he saw the freight quote after two trips to the post office. He's on the DNS list now.
Hopefully that's the exception.
I would add #6 requirement of LOCATION of item to be sold.
Nice list, Dick.
 
Would potential shipping outside US be a problem?

On the other side, shipping from EU, the cheapest option is always to use a "snail mail" (national post) which can take up to three mounts already due to pandemic (quarantine).
 
Cool idea all around. We can call it spring cleaning.

My only disagreement with Dick's suggestions relates to boxing and including a fixed shipping cost for larger items. I don't want to box stuff that may not sell, and on bigger stuff the difference between shipping a few miles v. across the USA can be pretty big. I also like to work with buyers on the possibility of picking up stuff, or using friends to haul and/or pick up parts.

Maybe we could set up an exchange of sorts for folks here to help deliver parts. I've hauled parts to and from the Vintage and the PVGP in the past.
 
Ohmess said:
Cool idea all around. We can call it spring cleaning.

My only disagreement with Dick's suggestions relates to boxing and including a fixed shipping cost for larger items. I don't want to box stuff that may not sell, and on bigger stuff the difference between shipping a few miles v. across the USA can be pretty big. I also like to work with buyers on the possibility of picking up stuff, or using friends to haul and/or pick up parts.

Maybe we could set up an exchange of sorts for folks here to help deliver parts. I've hauled parts to and from the Vintage and the PVGP in the past.
Click to expand...

I agree that realistically the only items you can include a fixed shipping cost on are those that fit in one of the flat rate boxes.

It's kind of a Catch 22 on large, heavy, or bulky items. Most potential buyers are going to want to know the shipping cost before they commit. Maybe a good estimate of the ready to ship weight and the probable dimensions of the package would suffice?
 
Last edited:
Krzysztof said:
Would potential shipping outside US be a problem?

On the other side, shipping from EU, the cheapest option is always to use a "snail mail" (national post) which can take up to three mounts already due to pandemic (quarantine).
Click to expand...

USPS, FedEX, UPS, and DHL all allow you to model your shipment on their web sites and get cost and time. I don't think it is much of a problem to ship internationally...just expensive :oops:
 
Easier to keep it cost + shipping, watever that may be, saves a 2nd trip to post office/UPS/FedEx
 
Stevehose said:
Easier to keep it cost + shipping, watever that may be, saves a 2nd trip to post office/UPS/FedEx
Click to expand...
I agree. This site is so International, really need some specific destination to provide even a ballpark shipping quote, before a buyer will commit. Not difficult, but if seller has packaging ready to go, it can be a quick calculation. I mean, have a box the right construction and size ready, then just plug in dimensions, weight and destination, shipping quote a click away. Preparation, as we have all experienced, is key.
 
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