Well back to the original topic.
I only pre-ordered one item and that was the 18005 in 1991. I resold it before I took delivery. Now days it's just to easy and cheap to pick things up on the secondary market. I must add there has never been a train that I just had to have. I understand how that would significantly change the situation.
I can also understand the frustration of ordering X and getting Y or having problems right out of the box. That's another reason I want to see it operate in person before buying it (one of my justifications for "needing" to go to York.)