*snicker*

[ScaleCraft]

Except a lot of these sellers are not hobbyists at all and are more along the lines of glorified on-line yard sale specialists, storage unit buyers, and estate sale bulk buyers selling anything and everything that they think they can make a buck on -- this seller has 12 listed items now -- 10 are men's clothing, 1 toy soldiers, and trains. They're most often clueless(ignorant) as to what they are selling beyond a superficial 30 seconds on Google. They get a hit on what they are looking for and drop a listing for top dollar and shipping.

While that does categorize some....I have looked at a substantial amount of sellers who hide behind "not tested....I don't do trains/don't know how/unwilling" yet have dozens of MR listed items.
I do believe they hide behind evilbait's skirt...if it's not tested, and they say so, you can't come back on them when you find it doesn't run....and the axle gears are stripped...the commutator is separated, bearings are shot, wiring has been cut out, ad infinitum nauseum.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Except a lot of these sellers are not hobbyists at all and are more along the lines of glorified on-line yard sale specialists, storage unit buyers, and estate sale bulk buyers selling anything and everything that they think they can make a buck on -- this seller has 12 listed items now -- 10 are men's clothing, 1 toy soldiers, and trains. They're most often clueless(ignorant) as to what they are selling beyond a superficial 30 seconds on Google. They get a hit on what they are looking for and drop a listing for top dollar and shipping.

While that does categorize some....I have looked at a substantial amount of sellers who hide behind "not tested....I don't do trains/don't know how/unwilling" yet have dozens of MR listed items.
I do believe they hide behind evilbait's skirt...if it's not tested, and they say so, you can't come back on them when you find it doesn't run....and the axle gears are stripped...the commutator is separated, bearings are shot, wiring has been cut out, ad infinitum nauseum.

Sure and that's called buyer beware. Same story at meets and shows - nothing to do with eBay at all. If you trust guys at meets and shows to tell you it runs or not, you're just setting yourself up for failure and deserve it. That's all any of this is anyway. Of course, "It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money.".

Unless I can find a test track at a show or meet to test out an engine, or unless I really know the seller, almost never buying. Been several years since I bought something powered and that was only because I already knew I had a better drive in my shop. I got lucky on that and the existing drive worked fine, but sold it since it was not insulated - made back my investment and a bit more.