Pink Maytag Washer & Dryer on eBay in Florida

[Pink]

This is a message to all of you appliance nutcases that have given me a hard time about my $2000 1961 Pink Maytag Washer and Dryer set over the past years. I have been beyond sick and tired of hearing about how overpriced you all think they were. When you have a unique item with no alternatives, it is worth whatever you want to charge and whatever somebody wants to pay. You can easily pay $2000 for a new washer and dryer so how do you figure that a used 50 year old pink washer and dryer is NOT worth $2000?

More to the point, I PAID $2000. I paid $1000 for them on eBay and it cost me $1000 in gas and lodging to drive from Florida to New York to get them in the first place. And then the guy I outbid immediately offered me $2000 and I turned him down. When I decided to sell them (because my wife thought they were too small for daily use) they were in the same condition I got them in except the washer pump stopped working - not a big problem for savvy people who can repair.

Anyway, they just sold. For $2000. To a movie production company filming in New Orleans. Who sent a union truck to get them. They are making "The Paperboy" starring Nicole Kidman, John Cusack and Matthew McConaughey. Filming will be finished in September. You can look it up on IMDB (which is a website used by people who have interests other than appliances). The pink Maytags will belong to, and be in the apartment of, the main character, Nicole Kidman.

And two days before they sold, I was just telling my wife that I was thinking of keeping them and making them work, in our 1959 house, because they are STILL worth about $2000 to me.

So all you folks that couldn't seem to find them anywhere else but had to hassle me for years about the price can go kiss my ***. You will be able to live out your appliance fetish by buying the movie DVD in about two years and then you can watch them over and over and go on and on about how the guy in Florida on eBay had to be smoking something because they were so overpriced.

And if anybody has another set for the $50 or $200 or $500 you all were always telling me they were worth, I will probably be in the market because they would still be the coolest thing ever in the laundry room - which we finally got repaired by tunneling 12 feet under the concrete slab (ourselves!) to replace the drain pipes without destroying the original terrazzo floor.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[Unimatic1140]

$2,000 that's is for a movie production company, oh no!

Wow, sorry to tell you, as webmaster of this site -- you should have held out for much more.

In 2002 Sony Pictures rented my Frigidaire WO-65/TR-60 1952 Washer and Dryer set for $3000 a month.

In 2005 Dreamworks contacted me and wanted to rent our 1955 Westinghouse Laundromat Washer and dryer set for "The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio". I then upped my prices and charged them $8000 a month for the set and I also made them insure the set for $40,000.

The best part of it was, after getting a huge check from each production company, I then got the washer and dryer sets back!

I hope you will hold out for more next time and not set to bar so low.

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[jetcone]

A response

a) I never emailled you, I never contacted you, and in fact I never made a comment about you; until now. b) this is a private club open to new comers this isn't THE NEW YORK TIMES. 

so to make broad sweeping statements about ALL the people on this club as you have just done- is just being an obvious jerk! 

 

If someone contacted you and called you a crack head then that is their problem! AND ITS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM not an entire club - NUTCASES INDEED!

 

 

Your problem is with ebay and its communication system not this forum. I find it odd that you start out calling all of us nutcases and then end by asking us to pony  up another pink set of MAYTAGS that you would like to buy, what a weak response!

 

[brianl]

Glad to hear you sold them!

While so, you have to understand that for most of us who are used to seeing a pair like those, regardless of color, sometimes better condition, & for a lot less money, it does appear to be a rip off. Perhaps maybe you should have mentioned this reasoning for the price earlier on. If you did do so, and they did not believe you, then that's up to them. You wanted to get back what you invested in them, which is totally fine. You are totally right in saying that it is worth what someone is willing to pay, and I'm sure I have paid more than necessary for something I really wanted. I'm sure a lot of us here had at one time or another.

These members whom have harassed you though I'm sure are not nutcases though. They may go a bit overboard and get passionate about something, but it is only cause we want to see these appliances get nice homes, rather than sit neglected or worse, crushed. No one should be called names, regardless of reasoning.

I just hope you can understand others point-of-view, even if they may have been rude. Most members here do not represent the nasty few. I also hope that you don't think all appliance collectors here are nutcases.

Kindly,
Brian

 

[gansky1]

How insulting, a weak response is spot-on, Jon. It's funny that he catches us when so many of us are in the same room!

In common usage, a fetish is normally associated with a sexual fantasy or erotic fixation. I've been a member of this group for more than a decade and have never known anyone that looked at this hobby in a sexual way.

I'm sorry that you were treated poorly by people, members of this forum or not, but throwing around sweeping insults will not win many over to your side.

 

[bajaespuma]

One for the Pink! Two for the Stink!!!

Wow! That's almost a mortgage payment!!!!

 

For the record, I was one of the people on this site that kept saying, "what the market will bear" about your set; I begrudge no one getting their price or being the benefactor of a bidding war on eBay. That's the best part of a "Free Market" and where I'm fully on board with capitalism as long as it's not for necessities like healthcare and gas.

 

You should have just reported to us that the set finally sold and left out the bile. Daniyuh.

 

And, also, for the record, I bought the exact same set from a nice young couple in Albany for $200.00 (their asking price on Craislist).

 

[polkanut]

If this post gets censored so be it, but I hope Pink chokes on his $2000 for being such an insulting jack@$$!!!

 

[Pink]

Thanks Unimatic1140, I thought about the rental too late. I asked them but they would only go $400 and not return them so that is a money loser since they were paying $800 one way shipping. and I would have to pay the return. Supposedly they may let me buy them back at the end of the movie but I am not holding my breath for a cheap price and it's a long drive to New Orleans (but the food is good).

As far as Jetcone is concerned, my comment to you is to search the archives of this forum for "pink ebay" and take a look at all the discussions of my washer and dryer. Particularly the parts that refer to people contacting me. And the parts about what was I smoking. That was the tip of the iceberg. There was a time when I would get 4 or 5 insulting comments a month through eBay, many from club members. And I would usually tell them that that is how much I paid for them unless they were just jerks. Yes this is a private club, it's members are not all bad. After all, I am a donating member now.

BrianL - Of course not. These appliances are lovely, many of them. And I am sure most of the people are too. I didn't even know there was an old appliance club when I bought the set. On very low demand items with very low supply there is no liquidity in the market. If I tried to buy a replacement 1958 Turquoise bathtub, I might find one for $2000 plus shipping in NYC, I might find one for $20 at a local salvage place, or I might not find one at all. That is just the way it is with these types of items. But I was SHOCKED to get a non-stop stream of insulting harassment from people about my eBay listing for YEARS. I was new to eBay way back then also and I saw no justification for criticizing something offered for sale. If you want to buy it, go ahead, if not, don't. Don't be mad at me because you want something I have that you can't get elsewhere but you don't want to pay my price. Although there is something a little odd about collecting massive machines that you can only use one or two of. The guy I outbid had an entire outbuilding full of them.

My opinion is that some of these appliances are like classic art. They are rare, they are beautiful, and they represent their times. If you can get them for cheap because there is not much demand due to shipping costs or other reasons, and you can get them close to you, more power to you. But if you absolutely had to buy a certain set in a hurry that is the true market. Which has a lot to do with how mine sold and what the moderator said at the beginning.

I would love to "give another set a good home". Maybe a green or turquoise illuminated Maytag set since the original appliances in the house are turquoise Frigidaire built-ins and we have green terrazzo, but the transportation is always a problem. And in my mind there is really no comparison to the pink ones anyway. The 57 Thunderbird of applances. The well water and the salt and humidity in Florida takes its toll on a lot of appliances so we don't have a good supply here.

I was having a little sellers remorse and saw the ones at the link below on eBay today but I am not up for driving to Illinois and avocado ones that don't light up are not exactly what I had in mind.

I would be perfectly happy to have one beautiful set that I could actually use that would just be part of the house.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[swillis]

Wilkipedia the Movie Prizewinner

The Westinhouse washer and Robert is listed as the owner risiding in Minnesota. Just FYI

 

[mixfinder]

You Be Frank and I'll Be Earnest

Pink, I am glad you were able to sell the set.  Lord knows it took long enough.  I wish you only the best and you will surely find another set.  The place where comaraderie enters the picture is the network of friends, parts, repair manuals, pictorals and help we share with one another allowing our vintage machines to keep on keeping on.  I am sure you were beset with input helpful and judgemental side by side and over the years the volume had a chance to build up.  Any machine regardless of brand, color or age is worth exactly what it can be sold for.  Not so many of us have been as fortunate as you but you waited a long time and held your price.  Don't feel too special Pink, some of us here get some unwanted input from with the group from time to time yet most is forgetten and sometimes something is learned which makes us all healthier.  From my perspective, I can list the nutcases I've encountered here and they won't use the fingers of one hand.  From the opening salvo to the last post is seems you have moved light years from nutcase yourself to one of us loony collectors.  Welcome and I look forward to seeing some pictures of your 1959 home.

 

[jetcone]

That makes no sense

As far as Jetcone is concerned, my comment to you is to search the archives of this forum for "pink ebay" and take a look at all the discussions of my washer and dryer. Particularly the parts that refer to people contacting me. And the parts about what was I smoking. That was the tip of the iceberg. There was a time when I would get 4 or 5 insulting comments a month through eBay, many from club members. And I would usually tell them that that is how much I paid for them unless they were just jerks. Yes this is a private club, it's members are not all bad. After all, I am a donating member now. 

 

As I said before I made no comments until today!

 

[strongenough78]

So, did he just get pwned? lol!

 

[combo52]

PINK MT PAIR

In defense of Greg Nelson, he didn't call everyone nutcases only those who had nothing better to do than 2nd guess his asking price. I think this is a good lesson for everyone when you see something listed for sale. Yes you can state your opinion about the product and the price, but it is not necessary to make disparaging remarks about the seller or anyone else. I also think it is in bad taste to 2nd guess what someone just paid for something or how much or little someone sold something for.

 

Everyone here knows that I can be very critical about appliances, but we should all be careful about directing unkind remarks at individuals.

 

[jetaction]

Dang, I have pink Maytag's-maybe I should list them. LOL

Congratulations and Welcome!  I must confess, although I would never write to you to tell you anything negative about your asking price, I didn't think they would sell at that price.  You proved me wrong-good for you!  I should know better as I have sold things on ebay and was amazed at how much it sold for, yesterday in fact!  You will enjoy the information shared on this site and can avoid the petty games and BS by simply choosing which posts you want to read and who you want to associate with.  As with any group there are agendas, unkind people and silly games being played but there is much more.  The club also offers great friends from all around the world and a wealth of information about this unique hobby that you can probably only find here.  I hope your experience from here on out is a good one!

 

[brianl]

I appreciate him coming back on here and explaining things more thoroughly. For him to actually come here in the first place and confront his issues head on is commendable to me. I may not know him personally, but I am satisfied and really feel he meant well, and was just mis-understood by a select few who may have gone a bit overboard. I'm sure anyone being harassed as much as he was would react in a similar way eventually.

Welcome to the board & hope we can all get along and get past this ordeal soon!

 

[stan]

Pink Maytags

Pink.
I remember seeing them on Ebay, and I also, remember comments made about the price, and the fact that there was something that needed fixing on the washer ect ect ( you wont find any made by me) LOL. Glad you got what you wanted for them, and hope in the future someone here can help you out in finding another vintage set, as someone pointed out earlier, there is a wealth of information here, and many are willing to help.

Stan

P.S I wonder what the movie Co will end up doing with them after their finished...put them on Ebay?