wrk101

"I have drasticly different prices I'm willing to pay based on the quality level of the bike. Certain bikes I avoid like the plaque. Those would be all mountain bike and all non-bike store bikes."

Many others apparently feel this way too as the price of vintage MTBs is very depressed. But many make outstanding part outs, certainly better than similar era/quality road bikes. I have acquired many vintage MTBs in the last couple of years, most for parts, a couple to keep. Thumb shifters, triple cranksets, Araya dimpled rim wheels, long cage RDs, set back seat posts, slingshot stems, vintage MTB pedals (desired by the BMX crowd), etc. I picked up a MTB recently at a thrift store for $35. It had been there a long time as it had been marked down a couple of times. Full Deore XT by the way. So far, proceeds on that bike are up to $400, I have about $150 left to sell. Many times, the sale of the pedals will exceed the price paid for the MTB. And in this case, the pedals brought 2X the price paid.

Even some undesirable brands can have desirable parts on them.

I know when I have sold complete vintage MTBs, I have left a lot of $$ on the table. Its OK, but I can't afford to always do it that way.

I have learned over the years, sometimes painfully, that if you are going to buy and sell long term, you have to continually change up your game. Stuff I avoided in the past I now buy. Stuff I bought in the past I now avoid. Sources in the past have completely dried up, replaced by other sources. Its a hobby, not a business, for me.