Ok guys, lets get behind the USMB auctions. I have an '82 GL Brat and it has a working center light. So, why bid on a grille I don't need? To run up the price! And if I do win, I will have the owner auction it off again. I belong to the Tamiya RC club and it's board. It is 15 pounds a year for the privilage. About 24.00 dollars. This board is a privilage also, and needs to be supported by all of us. If you aren't getting anything out of all the advice that is posted here, then let it go. Personaly, I have saved a good deal of cash and time thanks to the help of many, many people. Gotten a few good deals to boot, as have a lot of us! So give it up. Lets get this off the ground so the moderators don't have to sweat whether the bills are paid, or worse, pay them out of there own pockets. Nuff said, Bradd:brow:

I'm on board with this. In addition, I'm willing to donate cash as I did for the previous board.

I just had a thought, first one today. The other board has a paypal logo set up so it will put your contribution directly into the boards fund. If this option was available on the front page, it would save a lot of time and generate the needed cash. Might want to offer a few features for paying members. The other board let's you have a showroom for your cars, and gives you unrestricted access to the site. Ideas? Bradd

"why bid on a grille I don't need? To run up the price! And if I do win, I will have the owner auction it off again."

 

I feel this is unethical and would ask you to reconsider this practice. I would call it fraud and would give no sympathy to anyone who gets kicked out of Ebay due to practices like this. How would you like to lose an auction because someone was cheating to get a higher price.. or how would you like to pay more for an auction you won because the seller artificially inflated the price? this is the USMB, not Enron

I like the paypal idea, myself. Either that, or an address that I can send a money order to. The auction idea is nice, but I don't want to have to drive the price up on somebody else's potentially needed purchase to donate.

Until I get the time to sort through all the parts I have, and pick out something to sell, I would be willing to donate hosting space, if anybody needs it. I have redundant DNS, web, and mail servers set up, with quite a bit of HD space, currently sitting on a 768/640 ADSL line. Not top of the line by any means, but better then some.

 

RedLance

Andy I think you misunderstood the point. I will pay for it and let them relist it. If someone needs it they can buy it then. I am not going to do it twice, just once. There are a lot of people on ebay that are not members and if they want to out bid me, then do. I also didn't bid over the buy it now price, which no one jumped on when it sat there for 3 days. I thought it was a fair price, the board needs the money, and if someone outside wants it they will have another chance. Until there is another system to contribute, it seemed like a good idea. It does not break any rules to bid on something you intend to pay for, which I do. What I do with it once it is mine is up to me. We talk back and forth about things we are bidding on all the time, so there is no problem in doing that either. Also, we are talking about a non-profit org. versus a single seller. If it was to drive up one persons price, I would agree with you, but this is a fund raiser. I have been to a lot of charity auctions where the same item was sold 5 or 6 times. The object being to raise money. If someone from here really needs that grille, they can have it for the shipping when the auction is over. Fair enough? I do appreciate your comments however, Bradd

I came up with this idea and I think everybody has the right idea but maybe I can help clear some things up:

 

When I came up with the idea it was with these ideas in mind:

 

When something good comes up on Ebay and somebody recognizable from the board is the current high bidder, a lot of us will not outbid that person as they are a friend, etc

 

Second, I know this is the Subaru community, not the Acura/Lexus/BMW, etc.... community and a lot of people here don't have a lot of money around but they do have a lot of spare parts around. For some, spare parts can be had easier than spare change sometimes and for others, spare parts are hard to find and they might have the $ for them.

 

Third, you can help without losing a dime. Just drive the price up to your maximum and if you win you got the item for a price you were willing to pay for it and if you lose, somebody with more desire or cash got it. But either way you aren't making somebody rich with your bid- you are helping the board. Most of us would rather make the board rich than someone on ebay.

 

Don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to donate to the board. Save your money for when something comes up that you need or want and lets let the guys that need the items win the items. I think this is the best thing to do for the Subaru community and each other.