# Getting away from California pricing!



## cyberpaull (Dec 27, 2013)

My idea of a dream vacation. Driving across the country with a 22' boxed truck and about 5 to 10k in my pocket. Buying vintage Schwinns. With those great Mid-West prices I know I would come home with a full truck.


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Dec 27, 2013)

*what is....*

what is mid west pricing on schwinns? Id think theyd be about the same as california....might even be worth more than gold no?


----------



## DJ Bill (Dec 27, 2013)

Better either have all the deals made before you leave or include a rental car with local plates in your budget. Folks get wind of the fact that you are the dude buying up all the Schwinns and you are from Californee  and prices will double.


----------



## Dan the bike man (Dec 28, 2013)

This topic has been on my mind lately also. I live in the MI but I made the mistake of buying from online sellers (from the midwest and from CA) but the fact is no matter where the seller is from, if he or she sells to the whole world their prices are likely higher. I got rid of *ALL* my *mistake purchases* and will sit on my hands until the April Ann Arbor show to start buying again. There are higher priced bikes, but if you look around enough you can find the fair prices and some good deals too.


----------



## mickeyc (Dec 29, 2013)

Hey Dan...where are you in Michigan and what date for the Ann Arbor show?

Thanks.

Mike


----------



## cyberpaull (Dec 30, 2013)

*I don't get it*

Well I'm just looking at the prices I see on The Gabe.  I see bikes being purchased 50% less or better than Cali prices. Most of the bikes out here seem to have Ebay prices.  Just my observation.


----------



## cyclonecoaster.com (Jan 2, 2014)

*Went to Memory Lane & Ann Arbor last year ... AND .....*



cyberpaull said:


> Well I'm just looking at the prices I see on The Gabe.  I see bikes being purchased 50% less or better than Cali prices. Most of the bikes out here seem to have Ebay prices.  Just my observation.




Prices were the same as California for the most part ... BUT ... you still have to ship them home ... In some cases prices were even higher than CA ... plus there was airfare & hotel - car rental - gas .... there were still deals like anywhere if you knew what pricing was & fair market value - or if you were everywhere first at once ... I went for the hope to find something ... but it all takes legwork & everyone wants a deal & everyone seller has a starting point ... there are still deals out there but no matter where you go these days ... knowledge & legwork make it happen ...


----------



## bricycle (Jan 2, 2014)

cyberpaull said:


> Well I'm just looking at the prices I see on The Gabe.  I see bikes being purchased 50% less or better than Cali prices. Most of the bikes out here seem to have Ebay prices.  Just my observation.




Gabe Kaplan??


----------



## Djshakes (Jan 2, 2014)

I bought over 20 bikes since August from a picker in WI.  They are sitting at my parents house until I get back to ship them/sell them.  This picker is buying them from farmers, etc. My margin is about $100 a bike. Barely worth the hassle but I want to keep him on the hook for when he finds the killer bike, not the crusty DXs I have been buying.  

Cheaper prices elsewhere are a myth unless you are the one in the barn pulling them out.


----------



## Iverider (Jan 2, 2014)

Finding them in barns or at auctions is the only way to get a "deal" still then you have to factor in your time and fuel costs and usually the bikes are so roached that they need total restorations.

Seems like most of the bikes of earlier times are in the Midwest are "back" East. Good for me! Of course I have relatives in California whom I need to utilize more for finding rust-free VWs!


----------



## Freqman1 (Jan 2, 2014)

[QUOTE... knowledge & legwork make it happen ...[/QUOTE]

Truer words were never spoken Frank! V/r Shawn


----------



## Talewinds (Jan 2, 2014)

*Edited*...


----------



## Curtis68 (Jan 4, 2014)

*Typical California pricing at it's best*

Here is a bike I found on my local CL....

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/4264014224.html


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Jan 4, 2014)

*how much would you value it at?*



Curtis68 said:


> Here is a bike I found on my local CL....
> 
> http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/4264014224.html




Im gonna put you in the hot seat for a bit....how much would you price it at?


----------



## onecatahula (Jan 4, 2014)

Curtis68 said:


> Here is a bike I found on my local CL....
> 
> http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/4264014224.html





Hey Curtis, I saw that one and didn't even think it was totally off base . . .
(probably a sign that I've been here WAY TOO LONG)
Although crusty, at least it had all the hard to find '41 stuff (chainguard, fenders) plus springer, reflector, etc.
But then, everything in California is overpriced; why not the bikes !
How about this fine example:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/4262714094.html

Or this one (which I SOLD to the guy last year, in better shape, for 350 ! ! ! )
Now he thinks it's worth twice as much ? ?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/4264144669.html

(I think there is some kind of pernicious microbe in the water here, that eats away at the cerebral cortex, resulting, over time, in increasing illusions of Cali-grandure).  I gotta get outta here . . . before it's too late!


----------



## catfish (Jan 4, 2014)

cyberpaull said:


> My idea of a dream vacation. Driving across the country with a 22' boxed truck and about 5 to 10k in my pocket. Buying vintage Schwinns. With those great Mid-West prices I know I would come home with a full truck.




I think you'd need a smaller truck, and more money.....


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Jan 4, 2014)

*................*



onecatahula said:


> Hey Curtis, I saw that one and didn't even think it was totally off base . . .
> (probably a sign that I've been here WAY TOO LONG)
> Although crusty, at least it had all the hard to find '41 stuff (chainguard, fenders) plus springer, reflector, etc.
> But then, everything in California is overpriced; why not the bikes !
> ...



that 41 sad but true is probably worth more in parts than what is being asked considering all the crust on it....if it was less rusty and the paint was in better shape....ida bought it already....no ammount of polishing nor derusting will spruce this one up....


----------



## cyberpaull (Jan 4, 2014)

*Maybe*



catfish said:


> I think you'd need a smaller truck, and more money.....




HAHA you may be right.


----------



## Curtis68 (Jan 4, 2014)

*Not an expert, but...*



SJ_BIKER said:


> Im gonna put you in the hot seat for a bit....how much would you price it at?




Honestly, I personally would not pay more $400 for it, but probably closer to $350 depending on how it rode.  Just my opinion.  And you know what they say about opinions.  LOL


----------



## cyclonecoaster.com (Jan 6, 2014)

*There are deals out here ......*

CA pricing isn't always crazy expensive ... you just need to work harder to find the deals ... that's all


----------



## Aeropsycho (Jan 6, 2014)

*Hmmmm*



cyclonecoaster.com said:


> CA pricing isn't always crazy expensive ... you just need to work harder to find the deals ... that's all





Or buy a inexpensive time machine and go back to Huntington Beach 1975.... before it was cool


----------



## Hb Twinn (Jan 6, 2014)

Aeropsycho said:


> Or buy a inexpensive time machine and go back to Huntington Beach 1975.... before it was cool




It was cooler then, but its still cool now.
And there are deals to be found, like it was already mentioned, you just have to look harder.


----------

