Some idiotic buyer from togoparts

Before i went for Taiwan, i pass my Merlin titanium frame to my teacher to sell. Recently he got a interested buyer. He asked for the best price my teacher is willing to sell, so to check in eBay for its resale value.

Follow up, he reply via email, offering $750 over $1500 which my teacher offered. Together with the lousy reason why and how he come out with the price.

Below is the email he sent:

"Hi, thanks for your email address. I think yours is a Merlin Extralight?The indicated price of your Merlin frameset (1995 vintage) would be about $750.

Please allow me to explain how I derived that value.

A Merlin Extralight Titanium Road Bike, Dura Ace (1994) - complete bicycle sold for US$775 (about S$1180). Component price is normally about S$450. Hence, frameset alone S$730.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Merlin-Extralight-Titanium-Road-Bike-Dura-Ace_W0QQitemZ270086941818QQihZ017QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A 2003 Merlin Cielo frameset sold for US$1075 (about $1650). The Cielo is Merlin's ti and carbon model with nice engraving.
http://cgi.ebay.com/03-Merlin-Cielo-Frame-Set-57cm-Ouzo-Pro-Int-fork_W0QQitemZ150088626552QQihZ005QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A 2000 Merlin sold for US$860 (about S$1300). Sold with :-Easton EC90 carbon fiber fork-Chris King Headset-Ritchey WCS Stem-Thompson Elite seat post-Selle Italia Flite seat-Aluminum bottle cages (2)
http://cgi.ebay.com/2000-MERLIN-EXTRALIGHT-FRAME-with-EASTON-FORK_W0QQitemZ220077737459QQihZ012QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A new Merlin (complete bicycle) went for US$1500 (about S$2300).
http://cgi.ebay.com/MERLIN-TR3-2-5-TIT-MED-LG-ULT-10-SPD-REAL-SUPER-700_W0QQitemZ250083000033QQihZ015QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

These are just indicative value. But a good yardstick to work with.

I am a sincere buyer, 40 yr old with two sons. Keeping and riding vintage road bicycles are my hobby. So, I am always fair and realistic with buying bicycles, as well as when I sell them (when my wife nags me). I am not a bargain hunter, nor am I a profiteer. But I will only buy at realistic current value.Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks Cornelius Loh
(legnano on togoparts.com)"

My thoughts are:

I'm very impress with the effort you took to find out the prices. But did you add in the shipping prices? Some of the shipping prices is US$100. Do some simple mathematics, its easily S$155 and does not include shipping into SINGAPORE. You have to use service like VPOST to get it in, and will roughly work out to be S$300 w/o the GST. In total, you can pay more than half a 1k just to get the cheap frame in.

Also do you know that the exchange rate you get from Yahoo! Finance is not the same with what the bank is charging when you transact

I don't know how tall is you are, but all the frames you stated above are all 55cm and above. If you are satisfied with two sons, then you can go ahead and get the frames and smash your balls when you dismount. Do you know how seldom it is to see a 48cm Merlin frame in eBay?

Just compare with the resale value of Merlin frames in togoparts. They are not cheap always more than 1k. Calling yourself fair and realistic! C'mon old man i think you should surf more on togoparts marketplace or even eBay.. Do more transaction & shipping from eBay/oversea... And lastly, open up your dog eye!

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-16-5lbs-2005-Merlin-Solis-Triple-51cm-Titanium_W0QQitemZ150090710469QQihZ005QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/Merlin-Lunaris-Carbon-Ti-Titanium-Road-Frame-Ouzo-Fork_W0QQitemZ150091171561QQihZ005QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Pissed off
C Cube