E-bay auction(s): Should I??

[JenNewbie]

I've been thinking about getting a 40-50 gallon tank to consolidate my smaller tanks in, and I came across these items:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4325093184
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4325822329

I've currently got the high bid on the second tank. What am I getting myself into?? Curse you AA!!!!

What are the odds a future landlord will object to one or the other of these tanks? They're so big compared to what I've got...

 

[Menagerie]

I don't like the first seller.
The second one looks okay, but do yourself a favor and don't run the price up on yourself! Just sit back and wait. Bid in the last minute of the auction and walk away with a cheap tank! Leave notes for yourself if you have to! This is how I got a $1000 wedding dress for $250 (and it was never worn!).

 

[oscarbreeder]

Yeah I think the second tank is nicer anyway.

 

[webmoose]

I vote for the second one as well! Good luck!

 

[urville]

i agree, although you know i never understood last minute bidding. i figure i wont pay over this amount, and i bid that and it bids for me. honestly i have to sometimes auction a few times but i've always gotten what i want not a cent over what i will pay max

 

[hashbaz]

Urville and Menagerie, are both kind of right. Ebay will automatically bid up to your max bid, but why give someone else time to outbid your max bid? Personally I either use "buy it now" or bid in the last two minutes. I'll sometimes set the alarm on my watch so I don't forget. And I make sure I am logged in ahead of time. Good luck!

 

[pkremer]

hehe! That doesn't make any sense! Why give someone a chance to outbid your max bid? If someone outbids your max bid, you wouldn't have been willing to pay it anyway!

I just always put in the absolute maximum I am willing to pay. If I get it, great. If not, I wasn't willing to spend what it went for anyway. I don't have time to sit there and worry about bidding at the last second. That is what proxy bidding is for. Bidding once and coming back and bidding again is a waste of time, really. Just put in your max bid right away. It will keep it as low as possible, and up your bid right to the max when necessary.

Paul

 

[rubysoho]

I wish more people from around my area would use Ebay... I'm too lazy to walk to the main street in town for my paper (I live in an itty bitty mountain town )

 

[JenNewbie]

OK, well, the seller of the 2nd tank wants $150 minimum to include the filters and heater he has listed in the description. And there is no hood or light for the tank. Now I'm thinking this is getting too ambitious for my tastes. Can I withdraw my bid? :? Someone local has a 42 gal complete setup (hood, filter, pump, stand, rocks, etc) but one of the sides has a crack, so he's not sure what to ask pricewise. How easy is it to repair a tank? I would just as soon drop it off at a repair place and pick it up repaired rather than dink with it myself. Any thoughts?

 

[Menagerie]

Wait and see if you are outbid. There is no way to with draw a bid now. Tanks with cracks are tough--you may want ask the DIY members.

The reason I don't put in a max bid early is becuase if I want something, I want it!!

 

[Mofo2713]

you can retract your bid if you want by going here... http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/bid-retract.html HTH When ut asks you why you are retracting your bid, just type in something like "error in bid amount" or "made a mistake"

 

[_dan_]

to fix a cracked tank is really easy if ou can find a piece of glass the same size as the cacked piece (hope its a side piece) cut the old piece out then seal the new one back in easy as that

 

[JenNewbie]

The 42 gal with the crack is 48 x 18 x 12.5 and it's one of the 18 x 12.5 sides that needs to be replaced. I've put a few calls in for estimates, so we'll see how scary they are. The more I think about it, the more that 75 gal seems like more work than I want to put in. I will probably still monitor the bidding and may swoop in at the last minute. The guy is 75 miles away, so that $40 or more in gas money for my mom's giganto-van, 4 hours of driving, about $150 for the tank, and it will still need lights and a hood. It's still a deal, but less of a deal than I'd thought at first.

 

[_dan_]

why not try fixing it yourself?? it would be cheaper check out the do it yourself forum fo hints or suggestions

 

[Menagerie]

The guy is 75 miles away, so that $40 or more in gas money for my mom's giganto-van, 4 hours of driving, about $150 for the tank, and it will still need lights and a hood. It's still a deal, but less of a deal than I'd thought at first.

It's not "still a deal" because you need a hood and lights--those are pricey!! You are in a heavily populated area and if you read the Bargain Finder type papers, I'll bet all my kudos that you will find a better deal, just give it some time

 

[Rocket2001]

I still like the 75 gal tank.....bigger is better right?

 

[JenNewbie]

Well, for someone who's lease is up next August and who already has a dog and 2 cats, taking on a tank that size is a big commitment... But yeah, I am sorely tempted to go for something bigger, just closer to home than the e-bay tank.

 

[krap101]

75 miles takes 4 hours???? okay if you go 60 mph lets say it'll take 1 hour 15 mins... is the speed limit like 20 mph?? err 18 or something like that. 75 mph isnt that much. its about 20 miles to my school. if i take highway takes about 15 mins (cant drive though ) so is it like a really really small road with the whole thing going through a neighborhood? also. most newer vans have about 22 mph or so on highway and like 15-18 local... so thats about 3x that so it'll only be like 8$ gas money... are you exaggerating or is there something im missing?

 

[webmoose]

Jen just wait for something in your area... A good will come along locally..

 

[JenNewbie]

75 miles takes 4 hours???? okay if you go 60 mph lets say it'll take 1 hour 15 mins... is the speed limit like 20 mph?? err 18 or something like that. 75 mph isnt that much. its about 20 miles to my school. if i take highway takes about 15 mins (cant drive though ) so is it like a really really small road with the whole thing going through a neighborhood? also. most newer vans have about 22 mph or so on highway and like 15-18 local... so thats about 3x that so it'll only be like 8$ gas money... are you exaggerating or is there something im missing?

Well, I would be driving to the Bay Area on a weekend... That's got to add at least 1 hr to the total time driving that I would estimate is normally 1 1/2 hr each way. The van gets decent mileage, but I would say 15 mpg is probably avg, so at $2+/gal x 10 gal would actually be closer to $25-30, plus the gas money to get me back to RC to drop her off and my bus fare back home. Call it $40 to be safe.