No it not you, they are crazy but they are out there on ends of extreme.
Well it take all types. I had several self propelled mowers here for sale that retailed when new for near $300. I had restored them to good working order including new blades. I was trying to sale them @ $75 each with a 90 day engine warranty. The best offer I got even for one of them was $20. Of course I turn it down as I can part them for more than I was trying to sale the whole mower for which I been doing. After I quit selling equipment, I have had several asking if I had any equipment for sale. I even a had one that turn down a $50 mower with a 90 day engine warranty to only a $30 mower off someone without a warranty and then spent another $45 with me repairing it. The kicker is he still thinks he saved money.
The rider that I had for $425 including taxes was pull offline for my own use and I have upgraded the 16.5 hp to a 21 hp as needed a more powerful 42" cut mower as my grass tends to get out control during my busy season. I took it for a test mow last Sunday and it was cutting heavy 12" green grass down to less than 2" the full width of the cut with only a slight loading of the engine except when I over loaded the deck with grass clippings. It also was mowing 36" dead weeds with some green grass also down to 3". So I am pleased with the mods. The only problem is small fuel tank but there is no more room under the hood expect for the factory tank. I cut about 3 acres on two tanks. I do better on shorter grass as the engine be running off the idle ports more.
It is not like these are rare, you can still buy them but these days they are fitted with a Honda motor and they are about the same price this bloke claims is a piece of history. I have 5 of them from memory and all but one are running.
Is it me or is there people out there who are that stupid, not sure if the seller is that stupid or he thinks he can stooge somebody. G'day Norm It's not you - as you and I know.
I think many folk just take wild stabs in the dark - maybe to 'test' the market. They don't do research.
A few are circling sharks, but most folk advertise in hope and ignorance.
I guess a 90% discount would be fairer; given objective criteria about rarity, etc.
I've seen it a fair bit lately too, there were a couple of hd8's for sale on gumtree, the bloke wanted $1000 each and they weren't complete nor running! Not sure what people think they have when it comes to this stuff, my other HD was advertised for $500 but i told the lady that it was only worth about $120 and she did eventually take it... the other side of the situation I've seen is I have a fairly new power torque here in good running condition, advertised it a month ago for $100 and not even a bite!
Ultimately the vintage stuff is only worth what someone is willing to pay, the most I've spent is $500 on a pair of ranchers, mostly complete both running with extra parts!
I even emailed the seller with links to a couple of 24's on ebay for about a tenth of what he was asking but I got no response. I guess he knows he is looking for somebody to fall for his "very rare" story.
Probably just as well as I don't think it would have been civil. 100% positive feed back too. Just goes to show the saying, there are lies, damn lies and statistics.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I was fishing to see what response I would get but the fact I got no response proves he is looking to rip somebody off with his blatant lies about it being "rare"
Sure they might not be as common as the 18" domestic grade pressed steel variety, but I have gathered that Victa still pumped out plenty of these units over the years for use in schools and other larger properties requiring a more rugged mower to deal with large swathes of the tough stuff. He is treating it like a hand full were only made. There would still be tonnes of the things in that shape or better, especially since thy were designed to withstand heavy duty use with an alloy frame.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Crazy price. Although it brings me to this: I�m struggling to get $200 for a Victa Pro 550SP - what are these things worth? It�s in pretty good condition, starts and runs great, drive function works perfectly, only flaws are no discharge flap, a cracked chassis behind the back left wheel and powder coat starting to lift. Makes it hard to price these things some times. But that eBay ad is ridiculous.
Found another seller trying it on claiming the item to be rare., but at least he doesn't want a four figure sum. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VICTA-BRONCO-GTS-2-STROKE-V40-LAWNMOWER-WORKS-GREAT-VINTAGE-RARE-COLLECTOR/202287299883?hash=item2f19433d2b:g:DWUAAOSwoLpagDnm
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
G'day all There are many advertising adjectives that fail to float my goat. These include 'antique', 'rare', 'luxury, and 'limited'.
In most cases it's just advertising puffery. As always, caveat emptor.
Cheers ------------------- Jack
Now CyberJack I think you, me, and a few others have got something that is antique, rare, limited and sometimes even in working condition though for some of us it is only slightly used. Our mind. Please don't take it the wrong way just joking around.
Well there you go Max, thanks for sharing that with us, had a feeling I had heard about that many years ago and to think Jack has it sitting in his shed, who would have thunk that.lol
$50 in that condition, I got one with a tired Victa motor for $50 last week. I picked up one with a Briggs for $20 and another for $30 but that one has no blade carrier so will probably just end up as parts. Not much good with the Briggs so I fit full crank Victas to those.
What I can't understand with this one I picked up yesterday, they had still been using it in this condition, the handle has completely rusted away and it is all tied together with string. It isn't dangerous but nearly impossible to push, they must have been dragging it around backwards.
I hope you get to harvest some useful pieces from that wreck. How are the front wheels? Do you like these tuff track wheels or the traditional softer rubber tyre ones? I have mixed feelings. These are really like pure plastic wheels and obviously cheaper to manufacture, yet look good and I kind of like the feel of them roaring away as you push them on hard surfaces, but I think the oldest ones are tithe best, though heavy.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
paid $20 for it, wheels are good, put a new primer cap and needle in it and it started up no worries. Get a bit annoyed with people saying it runs fine but the body has rusted out. No way it was running because the primer cap was 90 degrees out of position, strange because it was covered in grass and dirt from mowing and didn't look like it had been moved recently. Bit odd but it will be ready for sale later today
On another body I hope!! Years ago I found a good powertorque engine on a rusty body behind a mower shop and the lucky engine got put into an alloy body. I still have it. Unfortunately I straight fueled it once but it still starts and runs smooth, despite almost certainly being scored inside.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Please don't take it the wrong way just joking around.
