I've been buying (and selling some of) the stuff from DRMS since the
mid-'60s. There's some good stuff available, and there's a lot of JUNK
available. I deal mostly with electronic equipment, but have also
bought and sold a few vehicles and other miscellaneous items.
My primary recommendation is INSPECT, INSPECT, INSPECT! Physically LOOK
at the stuff. Never bid blind, meaning to bid on the basis of a DRMS
description alone, unless you have money to burn or love to flagellate
yourself. DMRS' descriptions, whether in English, i.e. "Good", "Fair",
"Poor", etc., or by condition code, i.e., "H7", "F9", etc. must be taken
with SEVERAL grains of salt. I have bought equipment described as
"Poor" which was perfectly good and fully functional. I've also bought
stuff described as "Unused" which was dead. So, INSPECT! Know what you
are looking at, and know what you are looking for, and be prepared to be
burned once in a while even then.
My other recommendation is to set yourself a limit on what an item is
worth to YOU. Forget about the government's "original cost", or what
someone downtown is selling the item for, think only "What is this
blivet worth to ME?" If you attend one of the occasional live auctions
(most sales are by sealed bid at present), INSPECT your item(s) before
the auction and set you upper price limit THEN! Don't go into the
auction without a top limit for your item(s) because you may get carried
away in the competitive spirit of the auction and REALLY get burned.
Been there, done that!
FWIW
Ed Greeley
Mobile, AL
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