A little advice for new builders from humble me

[727737Nut]

Be patient when shopping for parts to build your dream flightsim.  I know it's hard to wait as we all want instant gratification but we should never ever support sellers like this!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lighting-Panels-for-Boeing-737-cockpit/282708401564?hash=item41d2bbdd9c:g:JpgAAOSwiHpZ8T70&autorefresh=true

I bought these identical parts over the last few months for 35,00 each!!!  Patience pays off and by paying stupid prices for scrap that you can get cheaper only hurts the entire community.  We must all stick together and not support over charging vendors.

Rob

((update))  I made a low ball offer just to send the seller a message, told him his prices were ridiculous.  I noticed he lowered the price from 500.00 to 175.00   Still way to high but at least he listened.

[kurt-olsson]

Agree with being patient. So many times that it is just "one more item left". But after that item has been found there is always a next one.

For me it has worked best to have a budget and list of things to get and when a good offer arrives, BOOM.

But man, i looked for my APU panel for 6 months... even thought about bidding on broken stuff, but then my panel arrived in good condition and good price.

[Bob Reed]

Rob and I have had this discussion many time as we have both been in this forever it seems.  I have brought it up a couple times and been blasted for it BUT.... It is true. Prices are generally what ever the market will support. If you want to pay huge dollars for stuff that was in the trash, literally, then so be it! We as a group can change this by stop paying these inflated prices....

[bernard S]

moan groan moan grone    vexes me  its simple either pay or you dong pay those your choices..bottom line   businesses arebin business to makr money   you think even as a combined group cn forum members going  to effect vendor pricing yiur having a laugh no way in hell ... for me i want highest value  so my parts retain value

[Trevor Hale]

Dude, your posts are getting worse LOL..  You should re-read them before you hit the post button.  Either that or your keyboard needs replacement LOL

[blueskydriver]

Give good ole Bernard some credit he has gotten better since his beginning days. He is like some of us who's brains go faster then our fingers can type. And, I do know that when Bernard does slow down he can write about some amazing topics, that are a joy too read; especially, when he writes without any pessimistic criticisms.

Imagine the insight he could provide us all, if he humbly wrote for the members and not at them. Plus, if he wrote to the new members as his target audience, he'd most likely be propelled into the status of being a true knowledgeable guru for the entire flight simulation community. People then would see him as not only wealthy financially, but wealthy with knowledge, and the old saying goes:

"Knowledge is Power" 😀

Best Regards, and with upmost respect.

John

[727737Nut]

Give good ole Bernard some credit he has gotten better since his beginning days. He is like some of us who's brains go faster then our fingers can type. And, I do know that when Bernard does slow down he can write about some amazing topics, that are a joy too read; especially, when he writes without any pessimistic criticisms.

Imagine the insight he could provide us all, if he humbly wrote for the members and not at them. Plus, if he wrote to the new members as his target audience, he'd most likely be propelled into the status of being a true knowledgeable guru for the entire flight simulation community. People then would see him as not only wealthy financially, but wealthy with knowledge, and the old saying goes:

"Knowledge is Power" 😀

Best Regards, and with upmost respect.

John

I've known Bernard for quite awhile, he was trying to recruit me to move down there and help him build his sim.  Just couldn't leave my kids.  Yes, we all have knowledge to share in many many areas, and yes, sometimes if a part is ultra rare then it demands a high price.   Most of this stuff is not rare, yet.      It's ok to have a different opinion on a subject but sometimes it seems tactful responses get lost. (me included)   No need to beat a dead horse, ok one more time, Bernard, it did help in this case, the vendor lowered the price after I emailed him. 

Rob

[Garys]

Bernard sees the value of parts like this:

https://airwaysmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/747-400-roll-out-jan_28402.jpg

While the rest of us including the airlines see the value of same parts like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AIRCRAFT-CARGO-FIRE-PLATE-PANEL-UNTESTED-10/282709010095?hash=item41d2c526af:g:~GIAAOSwry1Z8fyL

All joking aside... I do see where he is coming from as it is a decent investment when going down the OEM path. Having gone down the OEM path myself I'm in no way trying to "de value" the parts that I have bought, however if prices were all in the same ballpark I would accept it as being "it is what it is" but the facts are right in front of us -  some of these guys are trying sell parts at 5x the price of what they actually bought them for. Is that just a business trying to make money or is it price gouging? Let your wallet be the judge.

[727737Nut]

747 parts are in a league of their own     737 parts NON NG have no reason to be overpriced as they are like opinions,  everywhere.  You just have to look.   I bulit me sim out of real parts by using tactics that are proven, build a relationship with a few providers and never ever pay asking price unless it is ultra rare.   I have pennys on the dollar for most of my parts compared to the typical out there now.   I t was rare for me to actually bid on an auction. I usually emailed the seller.   Ok   Im giving out to much advice now,  LOL


Rob

[Garys]

747 parts are in a league of their own     


Rob

Not particularly, it used to be but not anymore. The 747 is not a rare bird in the desert now.

https://www.oncealoft.com/product-page/747-400-gear-lever-and-module

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Landing-Gear-Lever-from-retired-United-Airlines-Boeing-747-400-airliner-N182UA/282708283759?hash=item41d2ba116f:g:P3IAAOSwI59Z8RX~

Same part number, similar condition. It is still very much seller centric, which leads us back to the point of your original post which I agree with wholeheartedly.

Gary

[XOrionFE]

I was very fortunate to get most of my OEM parts starting 3 yrs ago when I decided to dismantle my NG and start collecting 732 OEM parts and later 733.    I did pay more for some parts than I really felt comfortable with but only due to their rarity.    Now, many things I have I just dont see anymore and so when they do pop up the sellers seem to be aware also and raise their price.   I can also say that if I were to sell what I have today I would definitely ask for more than what I paid simply based on market conditions.  Until a whole load of a participular model gets retired and parts start flooding the market again, prices will remain high.

My advice to any would be OEM builders right now (as in the current 2017 market..) is to dream of OEM for a few minutes then to quickly get it out of your mind.

Next, go pick yourself up a quality set of aftermarket parts from a single reputable vendor (and personally I would plug FDS in at the top of that list) and call it a day.   OEM builds are not for the faint of heart nor for the person with a thin wallet.   You have to have plenty of disposable income to where you can afford some higher prices here and there without starving your family).   In addition, keep in mind that the OEM parts are just a small part of the overall budget needs of an OEM build.   Power supplies, wiring, circuit protection, electrical components and connectors, replacement bulbs, pinning and depinning tools, schematics, interface boards, stepper motors and drivers, servoes, etc etc etc....all become a huge huge suckhole for money.     Last, you need a ton and I mean a ton of patience and really big balls to take on and finish an OEM project.    If you are married then I pray you stay married and if you have kids, I hope you give them your first attentions and time and only work on your sim after they go to bed.   Last but not least in all this....take care of family and children finance first!

Ok....huge tangent....but coming from a lot of experience and also reflecting what I have seen many go through in this crazy hobby over the years.

Stay away from OEM and by FDS or other aftermarket product.  You will be much better off.

Scott

[bernard S]

scott gives best advise   oem is a nightmare yir sim will charge yo 1k justbto look at her let alone touch her   its the other items tequired to make oem parts work that gets really expensive like actual aircraft computers plus you need an international team of clevrr buggers   one person can not do it alone

[737NGer]

scott gives best advise   oem is a nightmare yir sim will charge yo 1k justbto look at her let alone touch her   its the other items tequired to make oem parts work that gets really expensive like actual aircraft computers plus you need an international team of clevrr buggers   one person can not do it alone

Why need an international team? Won't the schematics just do?

[bernard S]

because often with oem there are changes to the wiring part to aircraft   ..   i use aircraft logic  not  software logic ..trust me it requires clever buggers the schematics yiu mention are not just wdm   you need cmm as well plus others   these you have to pay the big boys for.

[737NGer]

because often with oem there are changes to the wiring part to aircraft   ..   i use aircraft logic  not  software logic ..trust me it requires clever buggers the schematics yiu mention are not just wdm   you need cmm as well plus others   these you have to pay the big boys for.

If you use aircraft logic...then how do you generate failures?

Software + OEM logic a real pain when it comes OEM projects I agree...

[bernard S]

via the software   tou have to think that  its two in one  x1 is aircraft the other is sotware   and they both hate each other