Ever had a situation that you wanted to buy something but you couldn't afford it but found out the guy wanted too much?

Have I ever wanted to buy something I couldn't afford? - Sure. So I didn't buy it.

Did I ever have an opportunity to purchase something, but the seller was asking too much - Sure, so I didn't buy it.

Other than hand made, one of a kind pieces, "O" gauge trains were mass produced items made in large quantities. They didn't make just a few of anything.
If you don't buy the item today, another one will come along.

And IMHO, most od the "one of a kind" creations that are claimed to be from Madison Hardware or Lionel are probably fakes. Yes such things exist, and some of them are well known.

This is unusual?  I thought it was the norm!

Not trains, but a 1940s tin sand pail. There was one I really wanted, and a few had sold a while back on eBay for $75. . Then I saw a "like new" one at a flea market priced at $180. I had the $, but refused to pay that much. The very next morning, at 7am, I found one one eBay, "like new", for a "buy it now" price of $30.+$6. shipping. It had been up for sale for only 45 minutes.

I always wanted a lionel magnetic crane.  when I was probably 14 or 15, I was barely outbid on one on ebay,  the numbers are a little fuzzy, but at the time I think they were going for about $300 new.  think my limit was $200 and it sold for like $220.  about 6 months ago I found an original 282R fully serviced and rewired on ebay.  ended up getting it for $75.  So yeah, it worked out in the end.

granted, on the other end, I wish I had bought some additional k-line items before they went under.  really loved their empire state express, and I ran small curves anyway so it was a perfect fit, but never got around to buying it, now it's all high end models with large radii

Can't afford something because they want too much?

That's how I feel about any new train stuff!   LOL

Yes, I've had similar experiences, but I just kept looking for what I wanted. I have been fortunate to either 'fall out of love' with whatever I was pursuing, or eventually finding it at the price I was happy with... My most notable find was a #96 coal elevator - the manual one - from around 1940. There were uncommon to begin with - but relatively unwanted too. 

When I buy something at an auction, I simply decide what I'd be willing to pay and then set my sniper at that value.  Most of the stuff blows right by my limit, and that's just fine with me.

Truthfully, if the PFE Reefers were scale, 21 of them and the RK Cab Forward for $300 was a very good price!  Even if the reefers weren't scale, that was still not a terrible deal. 

Figuring 21 reefers @ $350 is $16.67 each. Assuming they were the well detailed scale K-Line Reefers, that is a low-ball offer in my book. I typically pay $35-50 on those cars.

quote:

When I buy something at an auction, I simply decide what I'd be willing to pay and then set my sniper at that value.

Me too.

In general, I know how much I am willing to pay for any piece, regardless of what is printed in a price guide.

After the first price guide I bought, I never have bought another one, for I decided

the prices were fictional, maybe entered as what sellers wished they would get,  as compared to what I was then finding in shows,  and that guide prices were way too high.  I just decide, by the seat of my pants, from looking at prices on similar items, what I will  pay...