GoLithuania
Member
I've seen lots of bad reviews on Waffle. But the deals on his Collection Sale tab are tempting and there are some models I really want that are not elsewhere. Is it worth the risk?
Is the Waffle Collection Sale worth it?
- Thread starter GoLithuania
- Start date
BubblesAviation
Well-known member
It’s fine. I’ve bought from their EBay store and the experience is ok. If there’s a model you really want, go for it!
GoLithuania
Member
Im talking about the site not eBay.
BubblesAviation
Well-known member
It’s relatively the same thing
GoLithuania
Member
How is the condition of the collection sale models? They obviously are not new but do they usually show damage?
JJ Skippy
Well-known member
Waffle doesn’t disclose if collection sale models are damaged. In 99% of my experiences they have arrived fine.
He doesn't open the models or check them over. The photos you see are not of the exact model you're buying, however 95% of the time it isn't an issue. If there is an issue you may have an ok experience resolving it or you may get sworn at. It all depends what you say and how he feels.
josecolme
Well-known member
I've had several issue with Waffle and the experience of dealing with him is a blood sport. So I avoid buying from him as much as I can. The thing is those collection sales sometimes get rare models show up at acceptable prices so... Blood it is. A few days ago I took a chance with three scratch and dent models. Lets see how that goes...
I've purchased 77 models from him (mostly hard to find models from collection sales) over the last 15-20 years with no issues - all the models I've ordered have arrived in good condition.
Some general thoughts for you to consider:
Some general thoughts for you to consider:
- How badly do you want these models? Will you regret it if you miss out now and never see them come up for sale again?
- I missed a lot of releases around 2002-2006 (high school = no money!) and have then had to spend the last 20 years tracking down ones I want. I got the last one on my wishlist from Waffle late last year (a Qantas B767-300ER).
- Is it possible the model will be released again in the future?
- Most manufacturers gravitate towards modern widebodies (e.g. A350, B787), major airlines and new special liveries since they have the widest collector base. So if it's a relatively recent release of a livery that's still flying there's a chance another manufacturer also jumps in to release it.
- Retired (e.g. A340, B757) and regional aircraft, and smaller airlines are less likely to be released again. Aeroclassics in particular do unusual older aircraft that are unlikely to be released by other manufacturers, although they have had severe production quality issues since 2015.
B767Avia
Well-known member
I've had no issues buying from Waffle as a retailer (shipping and all), but out of all the collection sale stuff I did get a few that were in pretty rough shape. Noticeable box and packaging damage, a fair amount of dust, and one even managed to come with both wings detached and an engine snapped.
That being said I'm not trying to scare you -- in most cases they arrive in reasonable condition -- as long as you understand these aren't meant to be as good as new.
Can't speak for the customer service aspect because personally, even for those damaged models I found it easier for me to just repair them, as much as it was disappointing to see them in that condition.
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