[Closed] LOL, I chuckle at the descriptions for the conditions by some sellers on the Auction. They will

Tim, I agree with you. I for one have considered purchasing a few DM/FM vehicles and making changes. I have seen some really nicely done repaints/body swaps that I would not mind having.

+1 ... I agree 100% ( Something New & Interesting is spot on )

I'm just saying I'd not want to pay collectible prices for a car that someone has altered. To my thinking, the model is no longer a collectible.

A few years back I took some flak for not saving the boxes of my cars, as I was told that without the box they aren't "collectible".

I think altering or customizing a model makes it a worse offense than my not having a box. And as I said back then, I'll say it again, I don't collect boxes, I collect cars.

If you have no intention of ever selling a car collection then who needs boxes. If at some point it's on a collectors personal agenda to thin out a collection,or move them on in toto then boxes give more heft to the sale because in the current market the best prices come to models that have been delivered from new and stored unopened all complete with the paper work they came with and all the other stuff as well.
I've kept all of my DM & FM boxes where the models I have bought on the secondary market were sold with boxes.
If they were not then so what.
The only advantage to me is that the original packaging makes safe travel much more achievable.
Fortunately I have all the storage space in the world so keeping stuff dry and safe is no problem there.

Overly generous descriptions.

I have a similar reaction when I read descriptions that are not entirely correct.
I get what the seller means and so if I was in a buying mood then I'm pretty sure that if I was to buy a model with that description then I know what I would be getting.
The way the description is written may be irritating, but the substance reasonably clear.
A long winded alternative may convey a clearer meaning. "This model could be described as being in mint condition. What prevents this is that the door handle has fallen/Broken off".

What is troubling though and not so clear or could be, is that the door handle in this example could have broken off and a fix is not so easy as just pushing the part back into its hole again - with a pin tip of clue. Same thing applies to mirrors and spot lights, antennas as well.

This removes the model from being in the Mint category. In actuality, there would after all of these years from first production a truly mint example would in any event, be rare.
Even models being delivered factory fresh can have flaws that could down grade the rating.
Personally, Mint is not a term I would ever use, but given that most of us are not professional copy writers, we do the best we can.
However, one must not be pedantic about these things.
If there is a need to ask a seller for more clarification of their description then a buyer should do that.
No lives are being lost after all.

Nicely stated.....

+1 ... It blew me away ... But then I failed Freshmen Comp so ....

And I for one would defend to the death your right not to buy anything you didn't want to, George

I do the best I can with descriptions....

I've bought and sold a lot of die cast models the last five years or so, nearly all of them on eBay. I try to accurately describe any that I list for sale and note any missing parts or documentation. Nearly all that I've bought were "as described" but, if they are not, eBay's return policy is very strong. A few have incurred damage during shipping usually because it was not shipped in the original foam cradle. If I buy one without the original packaging, it's because it's priced accordingly. Nearly all of mine have come in boxes which I've saved. It takes up a lot of space in my garage, but I think the boxes are important to have with the collection.

+1 ... Boxes are important to me as well ... I will go as far as

ORIGINAL foam packing pod ....

Modifications

In my opinion if a seller states that a model is MIB, it should be in the box, with the pod, all paperwork is included and the model was looked at when purchased and return to the pod/box; that is MIB and should be nothing less. If the seller states that the model is in "Mint Condition" or some similar statement, the model should have all of the above but has been safely displayed in an enclosed case so that no dust is on the model and certainly no missing or damaged parts, and that no repairs have been done. Other than that, all issues should be noted and the model downgraded accordingly. I personally will not purchase a model if it does not have a pod/box as mirrors, antennae etc. can very easily come off left to the sellers ability or inability to pack well.

As for modifications, as you know I have a significant number of DM/FM modifications and if I were to sell any of them, I would price them according to what I think they are worth since they are originals. It is up to the buyer to decide what they want to pay for the model and therefore bid what it is worth to them to have a one of a kind original. I can tell you first hand that the modifications that I have are in many cases better than what the mints issued. As noted in some of your responses as to a "wish list" of cars not produced or colors that should have been done, that is what I have done and the value of these modifications/repaints is only important to me. I do have to say that I have seen in the past modifications/repaints of models by extraordinary and well respected modelers that have been sold for significant sums of money.

Modifications, rebuild, enhanced, whatever you want to call these they all can amount to some pretty good collectibles and often better in workmanship that the models rushed out of a factory in China. Having said that, I believe that for the most part these production line Queens are pretty good for the money they once cost and are a credit to those, mostly young women, who labored long hours to help give us the models we now cherish in our collections. But here, I am talking about existing models that have been attended to by modelers with a high skill level. Their work and talent needs to be acknowledged by a fair compensation. Jeff has shown us this situation from a builders perspective. So rather than get precious about a high end collectors model that has been transformed from a mass produced model - as good as the DM/FM models are, these privately produced models take modeling into an art form that, like other examples of fine art, are under appreciated out of a general lack of appreciation of their intrinsic merits.

Regrettably, it is common all around the planet, that millions of people know the cost of every thing, but the value of nothing.

Bruce Gibbons Response

Thanks for your response regarding modified DM/FM models. You said it far better than I did and agree 100%