[OKDXA] Just When You Think You Have It All..

[AC5UP]

AD5PE wrote:
> That's intereting, but not that unusual.  Tulsa auctions a couple of trucks
> a year. 
>   
Yup... I haven't been to a city auction in something like five years. 
Hope they're better now than the last one I went to. Most of the 
vehicles were extremely worn, the inside goods were roped off so it was 
look-but-don't-touch and they stopped allowing early checkouts.

I've seen cars & trucks left idling with a green puddle growing under 
the radiator, the look-but-don't-touch thing was in response to the 
heavy handed crowd beating up the goods and some pilfering of parts. 
Open up a computer, palm the RAM, etc. The early checkout restriction is 
what did me in as I used to pay up after my last bid came in and beat 
feet home before the rest of the crowd hit the loading dock. No can do 
any'mo, plus I had to wait for help in loading (it's really a security 
check) what I was hauling out of there. Apparently some folks were 
loading stuff they hadn't exactly bid on and the legit bidder wouldn't 
catch it until it was long gone.

On the plus side, I have an HP 3466A 4.5 digit DMM that was an auction 
bargain and scored some laser printers, radio parts and misc goodies 
that made it worth the effort. Damn shame some folks had to abuse it... 
I'm comfortable with as-is, all sales final on auction stuff as long as 
the bids are within reason, it's complete, and some goober hasn't opened 
it up using the Armstrong method after I got the high bid.

The on-line thing for City of Wichita is interesting for an armchair 
browser like myself and the fire truck looked significantly more well 
preserved than what I've seen come out of Tulsa, but I remind myself 
that auction house photographers are not prone to show the ugly side of 
the goods. OTOH the web bidding will encourage a larger number of bids 
and that may run up some of the prices. They'll also get a few 
deadbeats, but at least the larger items are pickup only so that will 
cut down on some of the non-serious bidding.

I hope it works out for them as I do enjoy lookin' at the junque...