Selling painted bodies online....

[Bryan H]

Ya know, 6 months ago I could get $70-75 for an average body on Ebay. When the Cuda's first arrived I could get $ 100 easily for a nice one. I had one guy payed $ 119 for the body and $85 for shipping to Ireland without batting an eye. However, now it seems I am lucky to recover my costs for a decent job. I recently sold a yellow 69 Charger (pics in another post) and got $50.01 for it. I thought it would go a little higher. Is the problem that there are to many guys out there painting? Is everyone satisfied with a 1 or 2 color paint scheme for $35? Perhaps it's the obvious, that I'm just a hack with an airbrush and everyone finally caught on. Has anybody selling bodies noticed the same trend and have any thoughts on this?

[adrcracing]

I have also noticed bodies on ebay don't sell for what they use too. What is your ebay ID? What do you put in the title?

[Bryan H]

I always try to include as much info in the title as I can. I pay for subtitles to get more info in, I always say Custom Painted Body, HPI, Proline, Savage, E/T-Maxx, MGT, blah..blah..blah. I use the gallery and the supersize feature, titles are always in bold print and I often pay for a second catagory. My feedback is 100% positive, I never charge more than actual shipping costs and never charge for handling. My average cost for an Ebay listing is about $9-10 dollars.

On the other hand, there are two hobby shops in the city I live in. The owner of one does some simple flame/fade type paint jobs and sells them in his store. About 7 months ago, the owners of the other store asked me if I would paint bodies to sell in their store. It works well although I don't make any money there either. I take as many bodies as I want (at a reduced price) , paint them and sell them there for $60-$80. They take the cost of the body out and give me the rest of the money. It generally pays for my paint, masks, liquid masks, airbrush supplies, etc., and leaves me enough to pay for the pack of cigarettes I smoke while admiring my job in progress. But it's no fuss.. no muss. Paint them, bag them back up and drop them off. My hobby vitually pays for itself and they are competative with the other store in stocking painted bodies. It's certainly easier than all the work associated with selling and shipping and Paypaling on Ebay just to recover the same money.

adrcracing, that black "Got Hemi" Cuda is a perfect example. That body should be sitting at $80 right now and waiting for the last two minutes of the auction to drive it up to $100.

Regards: hauff1 (Ebay)

[SteveK]

Maybe it depends on the time of the year? I would guess that guys are willing to spend more in the winter months when they can't run their cars and trucks and have nothing to do but buy stuff for them and put it on.

Don't forget, it's also close to back-to-school time, and it's hard to justify $100 on an R/C body when the kids need new shoes.

I was going to paint some spare bodies in the next few weeks and sell them, but just to get them off my shelves, and I certainly don't have the talent or skills of many of you guys. I would be happy basically coming close to covering my costs overall, even though I've had the bodies for years and have never used them.

[HauntedMyst]

I think its a couple of factors, one being summer. During the summer, people are worried about spending their money on running their cars, not show tops for them. I think the hot time for selling bodies is between November and May. I also think painters get stuck to a particular style. At first, their style is hot and everyone wants it, then the style grows a little stale and people look for the next hot painter. Add to that the fact that the copy cats come along and do it cheaper. The other factor is there are a ton of single color paint jobs out there right now that end up selling for about the cost of the body. When you just want a body to run, it's easy to spend $20 $25 for one that's paint, which means the painter is basically working for free. As a consumer, that's an easy decision to make.

[RespirologyRC]

I now paint mini-t bodies because 1.their cheap 2. i don't have problems selling them because their cheap (20-30) rare 40$, 3. if i only get 18 dollars well thats enough to buy me an extra bottle of paint and to practice a slight bit more! I have sold many bodies on ebay and enjoy being able to tell a seller that "opps I screwed up on the windows" and still have them buy it from me with a decent price!

I know paints are expsensive, but now is the time to be trying different techniques. If your bodies aren't selling all that well I would just be happy that their selling.

I really enjoy doing murals on the inside of mt bodies, much like how some cars have naked women and stuff on them, but find that people don't pay that much. These bodies are fun but I don't get compensated for that kind of work. I feel that if your going to do something (like the Apocalypse buggy body" by integra---somewhere on this forum) that you should be able to get some one to pay decent money for it. He probably doesn't sell those because he knows the effort he put in would and could never be fully appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

It is aggrevating but we must pick and chose what we sell. There obviously isn't a market right now for gangster mural so i stick with faded flame jobs.!!!! Just stay creative and patient

[Diseasedcow]

I have been looking for a custom Proline Enzo body or Proline 360 Modena body. How much would you charge for that?

Email me at magicbondoo7@yahoo.com if you could make one.

[Quinton]

I don't see anything for sale, so that could pose a problem. LOL j/k

[RespirologyRC]

Do you want flames or a simple one color paint job!!! Seeing that we're all hungry$$ maybe I can sell you one for 2$ LOL JK:)

[adrcracing]

Hauntedmyst, your right, copy cats are one of the things killing my rip/chrome paint jobs along with the other things you said. Now I can't even sell one realistic flames body without this from JJ's Customs, but that's ebay.

[RespirologyRC]

Not for nothing people that do things like that suck!!!!!! I don't do the rip look only because I disapprove of copycats! Doing a flame job is fair game, but the rip thing; in my opinion, is clearly an ADRCRACING technique!! Ad racing, you did try doing the realistic flame thing, i don't think you were the first, but the pic you posted above hits to close to home!!!!! The black body (your idea) the flames look very similar to yours!!! If other people want to do flame jobs cool but this almost looks exactly like yours!! Not very coll people need to grow up and find their own identities.
This literally burns me, probably because now I'll probably see 20 other people doing similar realistic flame jobs!! I've done many realistic flame jobs in the past but nothing like yours, so clearly i would be able to see the difference between your style and mine, but this guy? He didn't even try to create his own style out of it!! He SUCKS!!

[adrcracing]

That's it, ya got to use other artist for inspiration, take it and make it yours. I didn't invent the rip, and I think others should be able to do rips, with there owen style, but some ebay painters just don't take the time to make it there owen. The flames are no big deal, I hope to work on the flames and try new stuff to make them better, mine and hard to copy.

By the way Resp did you lose your job or something? You seem to have more free time lately. lol JK

[Diseasedcow]

So can anyone make me a cover or what? I dont want flames just a cool design with multiple colors (red, black, and mabye yellow). It is for a NTC3 200mm Enzo ferrari proline body (aka proline fx). Email me at magicbondoo7@yahoo.com. I am looking for experienced designers/sellers like you all.

[PitStops]

I have to agree with you guys about the prices bodies are seeling for now. One of the guys at the shop I deal with had a guy in Ohio doing bodies for him 5 colors with faded flames on the front end. he was paying 35.00 per paint job. plus like 15.00 in shipping. to and from. he asked if I would do the same. after getting him to accept that we would have to change the design a bit as I would not copy the work of the other guy, I went ahead a did a couple of jobs for him. after 4 bodies I had to up the price to make worth while, between the 6 colors of paint it takes to do his body (2 are mixed for a custom titanium color.) the liquid masking, thinners, cleaning supplies ect. and then the 7 to 8 hours to lay out the design, mask cut, paint and trim the bodies it just wasont worth 35.00 anymore, when I talked to him about raising the price he threw a fit and said he would rather pay to have them done in Ohio. ok so be it. Though i do have to say the owner of the shop and his mom pay well for their bodies.
I did a mini-t h2 for her a while back that she paid $80.00 for with out even flinching.
though I think she feels that is fair when the lady before me was charging $50.00 for 2 color paint jobs.
So I guess in the end it really comes down to what people will put on the value of a talented painter and his art.

Bryan

[RespirologyRC]

That's it, ya got to use other artist for inspiration, take it and make it yours. I didn't invent the rip, and I think others should be able to do rips, with there owen style, but some ebay painters just don't take the time to make it there owen. The flames are no big deal, I hope to work on the flames and try new stuff to make them better, mine and hard to copy.

By the way Resp did you lose your job or something? You seem to have more free time lately. lol JK


Nope, I've been working close to 100hrs a week and some of my days lead me from one morning into the next and the next.... By the time I wake up I have no idea what day it is let alone who I'm supposed to be seeing! But on the brighter side when I do 24hr shifts I get time to email and use the comp while I have down time. Although I may be stuck at work for such long periods of time I do use the comp. I figured over the past few days that I would try and post a message on every thread that popped up in the painting section!!

[Piggy89373]

Cow, might want to look at sending a pm to adracing, King, Charlie B, and the other painters on here. Depending on what type of scheme you looking for and how much detail you're willing to have put in will effect your price. I'd talk with those guys first, and see what they'll do for you. All of them are easy going down to earth, and more than willing to work with you. I've never had them do any work for me, but have met folks in my area that have, and none of them ever argue or complain about the jobs.

[RespirologyRC]

Definetly check out those guys, if you click on their user names you can also bring up old threads that they posted that may or may not contain some of their work.

[Cosmo]

I have sold a few things on Ebay with varied success. I have noticed that T-Maxx bodies sell best. 1/8 buggy bodies are growing in popularity as well. Touring cars don't sell well at all.

However, no bodies seem to be bringing much money recently. Here are a couple of links to recenty Ebay bodies I have sold (and the reasons why I won't be doing it again any time soon...)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=44028&item=5903014831
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=44028&item=5904430141

The first one I didn't even make my money back on the body itself. I would stay away from it for now.

[HauntedMyst]

I can't believe the top one sold for so little.

[tkcustoms]

I stopped painting bodies to sell a loooong time ago. I just can't justify spending the time for the return. I was spending as much time on a body as it takes to do a helmet that I get 5 to 10 times the $$ out of.

TK

[Piggy89373]

Cosmo, great googlie mooglie man, can't believe those sold for that little!! Sorry to hear that man.

[RespirologyRC]

well if you need to practice ebay is one to ensure that you going to get some money back. This way you can buy another shell and practice more. I do the mini-t shells because people don't mind tossing 25.00 at them, thats a 13 gain. The 25$ covers the shell and the paints!! It's funny painting these little shelss, I don't use much paint at all!!! I normally put 3 drops of paint into my airbrush and am able to paint the entire insides.:) Black? Forgetabout it!! This color only requires 2 drops to completely back an entire body!! LOL

[1DVSRCR]

I don't think that people are not wanting to pay for a nice body, I think that they're tired of seeing the same old styles. You can almost guarantee that every race body is gonna have crazy flo. paint schemes, while most truck bodies have flames or rips going thru it.
The market is saturated with look-a-likes.
Example being.. AD's rip effect, theres a guy doing the same rip and look almost to the T, for nowhere the price. Would you pay AD's $5000000000 that he gets for his bodies or $35 for one that looks the same. (especially if your going to run the body).
By the way AD I love your work and your realistic flames on that mustang WWWWOOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!!!!
This forum has a lot of extremely talented painters, expand your talents and try something new before you paint another set of flames. As hard as it may seen I saw a plain black truck sell for $73 thats like $25 worth of materials and 15 minutes time to do it.

[Cosmo]

Yeah. I saw a Parma Grave Digger body (which comes with the decals for the entire mural design) sell for $115. Solid black paint job and a few decals.

[radikarz]

I know I can't even cover my cost plus get $5 per hour. I've painted over 500 bodies in my time, from 1993 to present day. I try to put a couple on ebay every month with some success, but it's gotta' be an unusual body, like dirt latemodels or sprints, then it will sell, for about 1/2 of what I would normally charge. I've established a good name in the dirt oval racing community, and that's what keeps me going. I visit as many area tracks as I can, and race with newer looking car bodies, which generates interest, and orders. But it's like everybody here says, I can't get paid what it's worth, so why even bother?

[franknitty69]

adrcracing,

how much for a signal s15, apex rx-7.

[Paintguy]

I think painting r/c bodies for profit is pretty unrealistic....most of the ones that I have done in the last year end up at about minimum wage (if Im lucky) ....but I get that warm fuzzy feeling inside seeing my work on the track. I have found that many of my local customers are happy to trade instead of raw cash.
The fact that those 2 from Cosmo sold for so little is just the reason I rarely sell on Ebay anymore...besides how much Ebay takes in fees now.

[Quinton]

radikarz - I am wanting a sprint (3/4 midget body) for my nitro rustler. Do they make them that clip on like a normal body or do you have to do heavy modifications?
Thanks

any links to yours?

[adrcracing]

adrcracing,

how much for a signal s15, apex rx-7.

Sorry, I'm not doing any custom orders right now.

Thanks

[RespirologyRC]

We can beat ebay all we want but the real problem is us!!! If we all decided on this forum that from now-on we will only sell our bodies with the reservoir set to $50.00, then everyone bidding that custom painted bodies will at least cost them 50$. That's what the gas companies do to us.

[KanaiDude]

I think the trend is directly related to the season, save your bodies for the winter time when people are itching to spend money on ebay. I am just as amazed as the rest what some of the bodies are going for now, and I feel it to painting nice drips for a measly 20 bucks is no fun but when your one of the few at your local track that can paint I sort of feel obligated to help my friends out so they can look slick when we have big club races. Cosmo poor guy got ripped on that first body, ebay is hit or miss sometimes. I do agree why bother, sometimes i watch bodies on ebay for my vehicals and am very tempted to buy considering the time and effort I might put in to do the same thing...

[RespirologyRC]

I will continue on painting gaining practice! I don't like it but I need the experience!

[adrcracing]

One more thing, the Atomik pre-painted bodies sell for 29.99 buy it now on ebay. Before them, if someone wanted to buy a painted body, they would have to get one from us. RTR bodies could put us out of business. Just like there use to be a lot of people working full time building rc kits for people, before the RTR kits. Just try and find someone doing that full time now.

[RespirologyRC]

Adrcracing, is painting your full time job?

[adrcracing]

No, I have another small business, it's a partnership, my girl runs it herself now. I just do what I want. lol Sucks to be me.

[RespirologyRC]

That's cool, but I can still understand the aggrivation of having someone copy your work!!!

[KanaiDude]

Hey adrcracing saw some of your bodies on ebay nice flames!!! I am watching that mustang one, would look sweet on my ntc3... at least your getting fair money for yours right now because they are unique nice work...

[RespirologyRC]

I think that people that pay attention to the RC industry recognize ADracings' work and people are willing to pay for it as a result. Just look at the number of people on this forum who respect adracing and the you can clearly tell tha this work is top notch.

ADRCRACING have you tried using your flow pen yet? How is it I want to buy one.

[The King]

Looking foward to seeing you master the free hand flams adrcracing :cool:

[RespirologyRC]

King why don't you try it and show us your interpritation of this technique:)

[The King]

some day I will have to give it a try, just not any time soon. To busy with other things. :D

[adrcracing]

Thanks guys, my bro just got us two tickets to this Sundays Nextel race at MIS, so look for me sitting in turn one. I'll be the guy with the big smile on my face and the number 29 on my shirt. :)

[RespirologyRC]

with or without the beer in your hand, I am sure that 300,000 other people will have a similar shirt on:)LOL

[adrcracing]

With!

[RespirologyRC]

Sweet! I bet you'll be paying very close attention to all the paint schemes on all the cars and will be thinking about your next project LOL ...have a good time!

[adrcracing]

I look at them every weekend on TV, most are very simple without the sponsor decals.

[RespirologyRC]

Even though, have a good time and keep an eye out for the nice looking birdies.:)