Buying Flawed Robots

[dratomic]

Someone was recently talking about purchasing old toys online, and commented - as so many of us have - on the fact that some wear is to be expected. After all, these are old toys that were often well-played with.

I'm just curious, where do you guys draw the line when it comes to acceptable flaws? A little rust? What about replaced remote control wires? What about internal repairs, or slight flaws in the action?

Myself, I try to get by with only a little bit of rust. The pieces I'm currently going for aren't so rare or expensive that I can't afford to let lesser ones go while waiting for them to show up in better condition. On the other hand, I bid pretty high (for me) on a Mechanized Robby that had busted scanner rings, knowing that I could get them repaired - the low price (which turned into a not-so-low price, at which point I bailed) outweighed the damage - but only because I knew I could repair it.

What about everyone else? Where do you draw the line? And have you ever passed on a piece because it wasn't up to your standards, only to decide later that you should have gone after it? And what piece would make you lower your standards, if only that one time?

(yeah, work's gotten real slow....)

[Nikola Tesla]

For me, depends on which robot you're talking about. I'll take a totally skanked-out Diamond Planet or Zoomer sometimes. Rust doesn't mean squat to me. When rust is a major factor, I'll take plastic. My collecting is subjective in this way.

;)

[robothunter]

For me it really comes down to how rare is the robot? If I were offered a truly rare robot that was rusted, I would take it cheap just to be able to say I owned an example of the toy. But just about everything else....to quote my good friend Bob Lesser, " MINT IN BOX, MINT IN BOX, MINT IN BOX!"

Only the really minty toys hold their value under trying market conditions. If the financial stake you're making in this hobby is of any concern to you and the ability, for whatever reason, to maybe one day sell your collection and get back your investment is high on your list of priorities...then buy as MINT a robot as you can afford. We ALL start out buying whatever we can but over time you do trade up over and over again for the really minty robots. In the long run, both for financial reasons and pride of ownership (which should be the MAIN reason you collect) it will pay off in spades.

My humble two cents.....

[steve]

I try my best not to make "impulse" buys and to pool my resources for those guys I most desire. Therefore I try to get a nice example(do not want to get into the habit of constantly upgrading the same piece). Added to the fact that I have no skill whatsover myself in making cosmetic repairs as many of you seem very able at. I donn't play with my robots at all-its the "high" I get from looking at them-of course nicer examples look that much better. Yet sometimes I've seen robots that weren't in the best of shape that had a real nice "look" to them. Nothing wrong at all in owning these guys.

Pat is mostly right especially concerning "pride of ownership". I finding in todays market it is the rare pieces especially boxed that are still commanding the best prices. Unfortunately some of the prices paid in the the three years following Matt Wyse I'm not sure will ever be recouped no matter how nice the condition is. Investment return is important at these price levels-buts lets face it-that is not what is motivating our buying habits-its that we are hooked on these guys. Still Pat is right in buying a nice condition piece (if not way overpaid for) will give one the best chance at recouping one's money.

[steve]

Let me add one more thought-the bottom line is collect those pieces that you feel comfortable with. We should all collect for our personal enjoyment-not as a competition vs. other individuals collections. This also includes the type of robots that individually inspires us as opposed to what are thought to be the best robots to have.

[dratomic]

Pat, I know what you mean. Here's the conversation I had with Lesser:

"Remember - Mint in box, mint in box, mint in box."

"I know, Mr. Lesser. But it's not always easy to find robots in their boxes. And, even more than that, those boxes often double the price of the robot."

(sighing) "Brian, if you're going to be a robot collector, you're really going to have to get a better job!"

:D

[robothunter]

Steve - THANK YOU for making the most important point of all here...only collect those robots that YOU love and that strike a certain cord with you. Too many mistakes and money spent happens when we end up buying what we think, or are advised are "must have's" by dealers, as the cornerstones or foundations of an early collection. Or because every other "serious" collector has one so I have to have one too. If you, for example, only liked the skirted robots, than only buy those and don't feel like you have to get a Cragstan Great Astronaut because it's an "important peice" and Tom, Frank, and Harry all have one. And it's on eBay right now so you had better bid right away. Forget all that. ONLY collect those robot that make you really smile when you see them. When Steve says he enjoys just looking at his robots it brings to mind being in a museum and admiring fine art. That's what this is all about.

[WJN]

One should always strive to buy minty fresh robots in minty fresh boxes, preferably untouched, hermetically sealed, evacuated, & back-filled with argon. Of course, if you do this, you may only have 3 robots in your collection. Don't get me wrong, I like mint pieces as much as the next guy, but for both realistic & financial reasons I will buy less than perfect examples. Turning a huge profit on my collection is secondary to me, so I guess what it boils down to is that I would rather have a less than perfect example of a robot than no example at all. I also can't count the number of times I have been able to take two or more marginal examples & assemble a nice piece. It's always nice to help out someone else with a needed part, and I have often traded parts robots for nice pieces. I have also passed up deals on robots that were missing parts that I knew I would never find, only to find those parts 6 months later. I'm not advocating spending $500 on every rusty junker you find, (Hell, I can barely spend that on nice pieces) but if the price is right.... One can always upgrade. A lot of the fun is the hunt, and for me it is as much fun to hunt for the "upgrade" pieces as the minty fresh ones. I will now voluntarily get off my soap box, before someone pushes me off.

[Velocity]

I only buy robots that are the same age as me. LOL I went on a Robotank R-1 binge a few weeks ago, because this was the first robot my parents gave me for Christmas in 1968. The one I bought was dinged up, had tabs missing, but it was clean and rust-free. That's a big damned robot, by the way. Big footprint.

I collected robots for about 4 years before my parents got the hint.

[Robotnut]

Personally, as a rule, I never buy mint in box !!!

With my limited budget, I just can't make myself

shell out two or more times the cash, just for a

boxed example. Boxes also take up valuable space

which I don't have and they are more difficult to care

for. I couldn't care less what the investment value of

my collection is. I'll let others worry about that when

I'm dead and gone. I always try to buy the best

examples I can and will buy fixer uppers if they meet

certain standards...

1) I never buy robots with battery leakage.

2) All major components must be present.

3) Paint must be good enough so repainting is not neccessary.

4) Minor surface rust is fine.

5) I buy non functioning toys as long as no one has been in them.

6) I never buy robots with battery leakage...

I have Never seen a battery operated toy that could

not be repaired if all the major components are present.

In over thirty years of taking toys apart, I've never

seen one that could not be repaired. 90% of all problems

fall into 3 catagories...

1) Stuck motor, bad motors are VERY RARE.

2) Loose wire, bad solder joint.

3) Jammed or damaged gears.

This is only my opinion and we all know what that is worth... :D

www.robotnut.com

[robert]

I agree Darryl,

Although my collection is fairly limited I have purchased a few less-than- mint robots over the past year and I am all over those that are offered as non-working w/ clean battery box. On five of my non-working robots the problem was (2) a broken solder joint, easily repaired, (2) bad switch, (leaving until I get vintage replacements) and only one requires a new plastic gear (cracked and spins on shaft) which I have not replaced yet. I do prefer to get the box with the robot but with my limited budget I can only afford about 1 mint boxed robot a year.

Incidently, I posted a few weeks back about the Chinese Robot Tank. I offered a guy in England $120 for his fairly mint in less-than-mint box and he turned me down. Said he could get more ifor it locally (England). I just picked up one up last week, C-8, 9 in good box with original inserts for $56.00 (from England). Go figure!

[Sonny Young]

I have many boxed toys, but I'm starting to wonder if people who buy loose toys are right. Virtually all my boxes are stored away (I would need another whole room to display them). Who cares if they double the price of the toy if 1) I never see them, 2) my family can't match the toy with the box if I should suddenly drop.

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

As I have mentioned before I have a thing for boxes. I think they push some buttons left over from collecting comic books.

So obviously I seek out nice examples with nice boxes, but- I'm just as interested in a robot if it is in nice working condition and has no box. In fact the only way I could have afforded my most desirable robots is because they were offered without box.

What turns me off is when a nice robot is offered with a poor box. In those situations I would rather bid on the robot alone and leave the box out of it.

[Keith Palmer]

I think box or no box is indeed a matter of personal taste. Some boxes are worth going for, though. Alps TV Spaceman comes to mind. I mean, really. The box for the Alps TV Spaceman beats the pants off the box for the Diamond Planet Robot, so go figure.

Some great art shows up on the side flaps and end flaps of otherwise dullish boxes, too. I love that little Robby on the end flap of the Piston Action Robot. It's all good.

Here is some art from the side of a window box for a small tin saucer. Almost a throwaway box until you come to this little gem of a drawing...

[dratomic]

I'm torn when it comes to boxes (boooo!.... pun intended). I really do like a lot of the art work, but I just can't stand paying double for a robot MIB. I guess that means the boxes really are secondary as far as my collecting goes. For me, the most torturous moments are when boxed robots are up for grabs and, were it not for the box, I'd be able to afford them. Instead, I can't even bother bidding as the reserves are too high.

That being said, I'd certainly never turn down a great box, and those few that I do have (mostly from repro toys) are proudly on display.

Oh well.