The Energon Pub

eBay used to be full of them, but it's near impossible to find them these days.

Anyone know a good place to look?

Psychout wrote:eBay used to be full of them, but it's near impossible to find them these days.

Anyone know a good place to look?

Allow me to state the obvious 3:

☆Yard/garage sales.
☆Flea markets.
☆Thrift/charity shops.

Those are my prime sources for cheap parts lots. All finds are random, of course. But with a large pool of parts come endless cusom possibilities.

Thift stores come with more missing parts than any place else. I'd be amazed if you'd find any of the original weapons that came with the toy there. (I found a RiD Jazz that was missing it's head once ) But if you are looking for junkers or panels to pop off figures then you are probably good.

Thrift stores also vary in what they offer around the world, and even from city to city.

Only Transformers I've ever seen in thrift stores are the non-transforming Happy Meal toys and even that's maybe once a year.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:Only Transformers I've ever seen in thrift stores are the non-transforming Happy Meal toys and even that's maybe once a year.

Emerje

I made some nice find over here.
Like a 100% complete Scout blue bike from HFTD, ROTF Demolishor missing only a tiny panel, and lots and lots of nice junkers. Voyager DOTM Optimus being the recurring one.

Will made even more amazing finds than me. Guess the Montréal area is a nice spot for random TF finds in thrift stores.

Emerje wrote:Only Transformers I've ever seen in thrift stores are the non-transforming Happy Meal toys and even that's maybe once a year.

Emerje

Yeah I find those too. And those stinkin' happy meal masks too.

Burn wrote:Thrift stores also vary in what they offer around the world, and even from city to city.

Speaking of stinkin' the ones in South Seattle PU! Get a dust mask before you walk in - especially the Goodwill down by Safeco Feild. RIP your nostrils/lungs.

Thrift stores aren't a thing where I live.

Is there nowhere online that anyone can recommend beyond eBay?

Psychout wrote:Thrift stores aren't a thing where I live.

Is there nowhere online that anyone can recommend beyond eBay?

You don't even have flea markets? Nor even a site of classified ads from ramdom joes that sell random crap locally?

A Canadian example:

https://www.kijiji.ca/b-jouets-jeux/gra ... cale=en_CA

Burn and Psychout having the same signature is messing with me!!

I don’t have any luck at my local thrift stores (attached to churches and stuff) for anything that I’ve ever looked for from any toy line (TMNT/Star Wars/Transformers). It’s sad, really. Or maybe, kids have a bunch of toys and they don’t give them up!!

itscramtastic wrote:Burn and Psychout having the same signature is messing with me!!

I don’t have any luck at my local thrift stores (attached to churches and stuff) for anything that I’ve ever looked for from any toy line (TMNT/Star Wars/Transformers). It’s sad, really. Or maybe, kids have a bunch of toys and they don’t give them up!!

However, one who collect Matchbox and Hotwheel mini diecast cars is in luck. Those are like ROACHES at those places.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

itscramtastic wrote:Burn and Psychout having the same signature is messing with me!!

I don’t have any luck at my local thrift stores (attached to churches and stuff) for anything that I’ve ever looked for from any toy line (TMNT/Star Wars/Transformers). It’s sad, really. Or maybe, kids have a bunch of toys and they don’t give them up!!

However, one who collect Matchbox and Hotwheel mini diecast cars is in luck. Those are like ROACHES at those places.

Yes Kanrabat. Yes they are. Beat to heck and back, but they are there!!

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Psychout wrote:Thrift stores aren't a thing where I live.

Is there nowhere online that anyone can recommend beyond eBay?

You don't even have flea markets? Nor even a site of classified ads from ramdom joes that sell random crap locally?

Not really. The UK (especially where I am) doesn't have much in the way of a market to begin with, let alone a junkers/second hand market. Car boots aren't a thing around these parts.

itscramtastic wrote:Burn and Psychout having the same signature is messing with me!!

They're not the same, mine is clearly better!

itscramtastic wrote:Burn and Psychout having the same signature is messing with me!!

I don’t have any luck at my local thrift stores (attached to churches and stuff) for anything that I’ve ever looked for from any toy line (TMNT/Star Wars/Transformers). It’s sad, really. Or maybe, kids have a bunch of toys and they don’t give them up!!

Those rapscallions!

Have you tried the Planet Junk yet? Yeah I just had to ask it! Lots of luck to you then.

Psychout wrote:Not really. The UK (especially where I am) doesn't have much in the way of a market to begin with, let alone a junkers/second hand market. Car boots aren't a thing around these parts.

^This. I noticed that even with just buying regular stuff from eBay. There used to be tons of stuff for sale. Now 95% comes from the US or Oz with ridiculous postage, often more than the figure itself. Charity/thrift shops aren't really a place for anything other than second hand clothes and books near me either.

I'm currently looking for some replacement Frog Arms for my Base form Spittor. According to eBay they don't exist, however, I could buy the entire figure again for £40 (excluding postage). Considering I paid £4.99 for the original, which is only missing the smallest of parts, I refuse to pay scalpers.

Yep. A few bits I can get 3d printed from Shapeways, but as AllNewSuperRobot says, scalpers have absolutely trashed eBay, especially for us lucky enough to be outside of the US.

You Europeans could always immigrate to the USA or Canada. You'll be able to find good places to shop at much better prices!

Well, Canada anyway, I don't know what happens to the old toys around here, they aren't anywhere you'd expect to find them. I think for the most part people just give them away or sell them at lawn/garage sales. I don't know if it's because I live in an older part of the country, but the flea markets are basically mobile antique stores. All the old furniture and lobster traps you could want, but not toys. I don't think we even have any stores that sell used collectibles, just new. Maybe I should venture into some pawn shops and see what they've got. About 12 years ago I found a decent Shogun Warrior Gaiking for $15 at one so maybe it's worth looking around.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:Well, Canada anyway, I don't know what happens to the old toys around here, they aren't anywhere you'd expect to find them. I think for the most part people just give them away or sell them at lawn/garage sales. I don't know if it's because I live in an older part of the country, but the flea markets are basically mobile antique stores. All the old furniture and lobster traps you could want, but not toys. I don't think we even have any stores that sell used collectibles, just new. Maybe I should venture into some pawn shops and see what they've got. About 12 years ago I found a decent Shogun Warrior Gaiking for $15 at one so maybe it's worth looking around.

Emerje

In Montreal, there's two huge flea markets. There's one that is maze-like and is basically a huge antique shop. However, it have it's fair share of geek stores that sell figures and video games. The other is bigger, more "clean", but is mostly about overpriced used video games, clothes, and Chinese KO-garbage. The first one is where I made the most interesting discoveries between the two.

Oh yeah, one more flea market just north of my town that is pretty much Toy Central. Y'all be green with jealousy about what I find there!