ALTERNATORS!

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 3:28 pm

Actually, I think UK shipping, cost more than JP shipping. Also, the size of hte box just for 4 Alternators would suck on shipping alone by size. If I ever did that, I would think the price woudl be around 50 or so do to having to pay the shipping, also has to pay for the boxes in which to put them in, and the packaging insdie for protection. Plus I don't do anything for free, what about my Gas for the car in which I used to buy and ship all said items.

And mnay things on Ebay dont sell even super cheap, as many many oversea sellers are scammers.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:08 pm

right. that and imported stuff, old and new, IS always a huge markup. it's the only reason i haven't bought the autobot trainbots yet, cus they kick ass. i think our best bet is to send one of us *looks around at you* to japan, to be our delegate, and buy all the cool japanese transformers (the metal binaltech alternators, the longstack 'undamaged' master prime, trainbots, brainmasters, stepper, etc.)

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 11:17 am

Lets rephrase this:

Toy costs Â£50 on E-bay+Â£20 shipping for a total of Â£70 which is (approximately)$110 to $125.

Given you buy the item for $20 - you could ship in bulk - 25kg of Alternator via UPS (so guarranteed delivery to a persons door within 3days) for $214.73. At the most an Alternator will weigh a 1.5kg so you could fit in there 16 Alternators. So for a gross investment of $534 (Â£300) you could have 16 Alternators in the UK within 2 days. At Â£30 (which is a 250% markup on the price you already paid) a go +Â£5P&P you'd make back Â£560 ($1000).

Minus your fuel for going to the store in the first place, which is exceedingly cheap compared to UK fuel prices (currently about $1.60 a litre).

You could very probably, once you have the items in the UK, mark them up to Â£40 (which would mach the Jap price, but beat their P&P cost) so make $1150.

Suffice to say when I'm over at Christmas - I shall be filling my 2nd case with lots of stuff and pay the extra Â£30 baggage charge.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:05 pm

you just want us to send you alternators. understandable. however, for me anyway, i'd have to drive about a total of 350 miles (stopping here and there along the way) to rack up 16-20 alternators. all the walmarts within an hour's reach (2) jsut got smokescreen and only have 3-4 apiece. then a two hour drive in the other direction would probably hook me up w/enough to fill said box. although, it'd be nice to pay for my college through a few shipments of alternators to the uk. if i knew the market better, i'd be willing to try it.

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:10 pm

You forgot one thing in your prcing. UK custom pricing. I remember not long ago, a $1,200 Laptop USED shipping from US to UK, costed a extra almost 300 bucks to get it in there hands. You forgot to add that extra pricing.

Plus, I not a business man that cna recoupe loses if it happens.

Don't you remember, DONT TRUST ANYONE ON THE NET.

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:59 pm

I hadn't forgot at all, the 'charge' amounts to approximately (maximum possible) $45 on the Alternators via Customs as they're neither classed as a luxury (17.9%), nor a technology (19.6%) and thus do not fit into the higher band of duty payable items (so are therefore 14.9%). And that's if claimed as an "import" rather than a direct sale or gift, in which case the Duty Tax is as low as 3% or 0%.

And yes, I want Alternators

And no, I wouldn't advise it - merely that on a pure mathematics basis it's a good plan. The logistics aren't so good obviously. But you'd think someone in the UK would have pulled their finger out and done something about the shortage over here (and the shortage in the US).

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:01 pm

Oh, and as I'm a canny bugger - I could claim back my tax because I'm a registered business. I'd put it under "office supplies".

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:16 pm

Well, now that I do seem to have secured a job as of today basically, there no chance I would even try now, sorry.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:08 pm

yahoo, savanna! where're ya workin?

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:24 pm

Hehe, was never serious about your guys. Jeez, I have a girlfriend for buying stuff in the US.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:32 pm

lol! looks like it's time for me to get a japanese girlfriend...

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:28 pm

Tis sad, I know so many dam chicks online tis sad, Euros, Japanese, gahd, it sucks to think how many I know, but pure differnet in real life(I dont have money to do stuff in real life).

ANd the place woudl be WPS, a Insurrance company that is considered a Government job, and they said they have Part, of Full time. FUll time woudl be nice, I could finally have my Wisdom Teeth pulled, even thought I got till next summer I am told.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 11:12 pm

ALL i can say is that $$=tf's. job = $$. this is why i haven't quit mine yet. i hope you enjoy YOUR new job. i'm really worried about what i'll do after college, for my transformer addiction. i might have money, but without a financial BASE, one really isn't in a position to lay down even $20 for a tf. i suppose there ARE solutions, like going without groceries. well, at least if i can't afford to keep up with the transformer community, i can still BELONG TO it, right? i guess i have a lot of doubts that most of you older, college or postcollege fans have already dealt with. i guess i am young for a g1er, but hey, i'm still one of US.

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:44 am

I currently work via an Agency for various business, mostly computer/admin work. Was actually phoned this morning and asked to do Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday in the Postal Sorting centre up in Bootle (Liverpool). Money isn't the greatest, but I technically have zero expenses so I make upwards of Â£185 ($330) a week after tax and essentials....so I'm actually reasonably well off, more so than I will be when I actually have to get my own home and pay a mortgage/bills etc. As it is, don't know which country I'll be living in the next few years so currently just saving it all up. Alternators for reasonable prices are one of the few expenses I'd be happy with.

For Savanna - in the UK you'd get the wisdom teeth dealt with for free provided a Dentist actually said it was necessary for them to come out and not merely a cosmetic choice (only kids under 16 get it for free in that case). The NHS is a wonderful thing. Gf had to have hers yanked a few months back, cue looking like a chipmunk (with green cheeks) for a week or two. Fortunately free medical insurance came with her College stuff so bill was covered.

Government jobs are usually cushy numbers, it's rare they ever 'sack' people or make redundancies, they just move you to other departments. At least over here they tend to keep their own.

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 12:50 pm

Well, its not mine yet, but I have never failed to get a job I wanted.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:09 am

you mean you didn't want to be a test driver or anything? i want to either be A) a sportscar design engineer (lamborghini or porsche) or some decision making spot on TF chain of command. i could do away with godawful face sculpts like armada hotshot. and, make sure alternators are distributed quickly, with diecast, for fair costs.
alternators in every home!

Savanna RX-7 GT-X · Post by **Savanna RX-7 GT-X** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:38 pm

Test Driver?

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:56 pm

My first interest as a kid was to design cars. Perhaps bizarrely/coincidentally, a lot of the shapes I drew back then are now appearing in modern cars. I figure whatever it was that was informing my attitude to shapes was also influencing the guys who went on to design such wonderful things as the XJ220 and the McClaren F1 (which had everything down the air intakes like a car I once drew).

Anyway.

A spot in the TF chain of command would be veeeeeerrrrrry nice. But then I would have also liked a position on the AD&D chain of command pre-selling out to Wizards of the Coast.

Dream job would to actually be able to sit and design FPS levels/games. Wish the 3d level making equipment for so many FPS wasn't so inherently crap.

Post by **Time Traveller** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:12 am

yeah, a test driver so you could be the first one to whip around a track in the rx-9!
challoner... ever seen syd mead? he does some very cool car concept. my car drawings as a kid were heavily influenced by him, transformers, and de lorean style "futurist" cars. you played D&D too? i didn't start til 3rd ed was in full swing, so it was hard to learn AD&D. i think wizards did some good things with the game, especially as they drew off 2e ideas.

back to alternators.
after getting my g1 sideswipe (thanks trance!) i was oodling the remarkable similarity in the face sculpt. then i thought about how very wrong it was of them to use sunstreaker's face sculpt for a distinctly different transformer. that and the yellow tracks thing. i saw an image online the other day of the g1 cartoon tracks, photoedited to a crappy looking yellow. at the bottom it said "of COURSE tracks was yellow in G1....you just weren't paying attention!"
one more botch like these and i'm going to pawtucket to have a word with them myself.

Challoner · Post by **Challoner** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:50 am

Syd Mead, I saw his website a while ago.....I think it was because he drew some concept stuff for "Aliens" that I bothered to look him up (I'm an Aliens fan y'see).

As for D&D. Yep, played it from the age of 7'ish, D&D, then AD&D then AD&D 2nd Ed and then a little 3rd Ed. Dunno about 3rd Ed, it's not terrible....but given the choice I'd take 2nd Ed over it. Personally think TSR picked exactly the wrong moment to sell up - just when Baldurs Gate and co were about to become big, when games truly began to encompass everything possible in Pen'and'Paper RPG.

Anyway, especially dislike WOTC for what they did to Dragonlance. Their cheek at hiking book prices up (Â£4.99 paperback novels went up to Â£6.99 inside a year!) and then the added cheek of releasing the core books of AD&D2nd Ed in paperback format and charging the same as hardback.

Sideswipe/Sunstreaker....Inferno/Grapple....Thrust/Starscream/Skywarp etc etc so long as their personalities were different I don't think I much cared as a kid that they were essentially the same toy in different colours.

ALTERNATORS!

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