How do I decide...? (Updated with pics now!)

[Sunshine]

Okay... I have a problem sometimes decided which of two ponies are in better condition if they're relatively similar, and it's not obvious... but they have different problems... so I was hoping to lay out a couple scenarios and see which pony (just from words, these are hypothetical, so I have no photos) you would pick of the two?

NEW EDIT:
I have two serious questions about choice between ponies, and these are not hypothetical. I've added pics now - please ignore their wet hair...

1) Posey: (forgot to take a side by side shot of them...)
Posey #1: BRIGHT pink hair, BRIGHT pink flowers. One of the flowers on NDS is rubbed pretty good, and on DS she has a bright orange mark, maybe 0.5", pretty noticeable. I can style her hair over it, but it's "iffy". One dot of what looks to be pony cancer under her chin, just a pen dot size. Opened her up, doesn't look to have any grime inside but she was wet, also no tail rust seen... Has a big scuff on front "toe" mostly on bottom, also noticed a scuff on her lip:
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Posey #2: Still very pink hair, not as pink as #1. Pink flowers, much less pink than #1 (and #1 is not magenta. Her flowers are HOT PINK, this ones are rose pink). No major issues, but has faint orange marks on body kinda all over. Much less noticeable than the single orange dot on Posey #1 but there are many more of them. Symbols aren't rubbed as much on this one either:
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2) Starflower (Side by Side Shot,SF #1 = Left, SF #2 = Right)
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Starflower #1: BRIGHT blue body. Stars don't have a LOT of "rust" around them, just a very faint hint. Most of the stars are in tact, but glitter is sparse on some, and one of the symbols on NDS has a lot of glitter "around" it in specks. Has some yellow discoloration on neck where the yellow hair goes into the mane, has some other yellowing discoloration on body, on DS shoulder/chest and under tail:
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Starflower #2: Blue body, but very different (faded) color versus #1. Stars are bigger, seem to have better coloration and less "rust" around them. Everything else is exactly the same color, eye shade, hair colors, but body is definitely a lighter more teal color. Overall symbols look better, has a little knick/indentation in DS side:
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Can you guys suggest which one you might personally keep in your collection? At this time I just can't keep doubles, if they aren't true variations, I'm running out of space!!

Original Post:
First scenario:
Pink bodied pony
Pony 1) Lovely hair, no marks, beautiful all over, has a slight hint of blotchy regrind in her body (only really apparent in BRIGHT light, not your normal indoor lighting)
Pony 2) Needs to have hair cleaned up, but would be lovely, no marks, has one tiny (about 0.5-1mm if that) scratch on nose in the plastic, no signs of regrind


Second scenario:
Pony with ringlets
Pony 1) Ringlets original but frizzy, could be recurled, body nice, symbols nice
Pony 2) Ringlets recurled, body a bit off-color, symbols nice

Third scenario:
Pony w/ fading pink hair
Pony 1) Pink hair, body nice, but parts of the pony don't work correctly (be it a mechanism or color change or whatever)
Pony 2) Less pink hair, body is okay, not as vibrantly colored as Pony 1, mechanism/color change works fine

Fourth scenario:
Regular pony with bright body and pink hair
Pony 1) Brighter colored body, more faded hair
Pony 2) Pinker hair, more off-color body

Okay, thanks for your opinions... I just have trouble with some of these small details and what's worth more on a pony versus something else...

[hathorcat]

I would say keep all the ponies But in the main scheme of things I tend to keep the ponies that I can fix and sell on the double which has a problem which I simply cannot fix.

Also sometimes its a degree of perception and it is always down to an individual case be case basis. Decisions will depend on which pony - how rare it is - whether the issue is something that is common with the pony or something which can be fixed.

But taking things on the surface, for each scenario for me:

First scenario: - I would keep pony 2. You cant fix regrind but everything else is either fixable or liveable with.

Second scenario: - I would keep pony 1. You cant fix an off colour body but its relatively easy to tame curls which still have factory curl if you are really patient and have some styling skills.

Third scenario: - This one would depend on what the "mechanism" was and whether it was something which could be fixed or something which I could live with if it was unfixable. So more info required for that decision lol.

Fourth scenario: - This would really depend on how badly the pink was faded to be honest. If the pink fade is minor I would probably keep the better colour bodied pony as fading pink is common and if necessary I could repink but if the fade was drastic and the other pony was just a shade or two off in colour I may keep that pony instead.

[Sunshine]

Thanks hathor, I know they were kind of confusing, I was trying to think of issues I've come across before, and I tend to agree with you - about looking for ponies who have fixable problems and then letting the others go, I guess that's a good way to categorize the issues... can I fix it... yes? Then it's not really a "problem", no? then I might say it's a "problem"... that puts things in better perspective for me.

I appreciate the input, obviously I wrote them, so I'm a bit bias but I think I would've also chosen the same ponies you did out of those scenarios.

As far as the mechanism one - I was thinking of something like a BnG, DnP, even color change hair or bodies... I don't know how to repair or fix any of those issues, so that's what I was going for - some pony who's got something about them that may not be fixable, i.e., now I can classify that as a "problem" that I can't fix, and it helps me sort it out.

[michelle53]

I think you should keep them all too:).  If you must sell any, sell the ones you feel the least attached to.  Sometimes you just connect with one pony more than another, flaws and all.  I'd clean them all up, give them a good hair condition and set them with straw curls while you're deciding.  If you do choose to sell some, at least you might be able to ask for a little more because you've cleaned them up.

[Sunshine]

I think you should keep them all too:).  If you must sell any, sell the ones you feel the least attached to.  Sometimes you just connect with one pony more than another, flaws and all.  I'd clean them all up, give them a good hair condition and set them with straw curls while you're deciding.  If you do choose to sell some, at least you might be able to ask for a little more because you've cleaned them up.

True. I have been obsessed with learning how to restore ponies better, set hair, etc... so I do try to clean up everyone, problem is - the ponies in my actual collection are in storage. Therefore, I don't get THEM out and clean them, because I know it's not worth it until they have display cases (which I'm hoping to start building maybe in February or March this year)... And I do have to sell some because I'm trying to save up to get my beautiful sea ponies & shells... heh, sadly, I'm not one to keep doubles... unless, like you mentioned, they speak to me.

I have a CF MO Blossom, a Majesty, Firefly with no symbol, and a Curly Locks that are doubles in my collection... so, I know what you mean by ponies just speaking to you. Some of them need to stay with me

[hathorcat]

The reason I asked about which mechanism is mainly as I think it matters either how fixable the problem is [in general and to other people] or how common a break down is. For example colour changing hair no longer changing colour is neither fixable nor uncommon - therefore I could live with this for some ponies. Alternatively a dance n prance or brush n grow mechanism is fixable [if you are determined] and also most ponies DnPs or BnGs dont have this issue so I would be more confident selling it on a replacing it with one which was in better condition.

[appleponygal]

I'd say that ahir beign a mess is easy to fix if you use good shampoo and conditioner. The other stuff isn't. 

[Sunshine]

Bump - I need serious advice between two choices of REAL ponies I have now - updated in bold in the first post... please help thanks!!

[Mlphammy]

I would keep Posey #1 and Starflower #2.

[Sunshine]

Thanks! That is kind of how I felt... but the blue of Starflower #1 is bugging me to let her go, lol... I just added pix, to maybe help with my descriptions...

[hathorcat]

I would go with StarFlower 1 - as I couldnt fix body colour on StarFlower 2 but it should be possible to sun fade those hair stains out, she also looks as though she is suffering from the least rust. I would also probably go with Posey 1 as a few of her issues can be sorted although some are permanent but the orange under staining on Posey 2 looks like its regrind so thats something you would have to live with and I would rather live with a tiny nibble in a toe than the all over regrind.

To be honest its all a little subjective as both ponies have similar scales of issue. What suits one person may not suit another.

[NoPonySpecial]

I would personally keep Posey 2 and Starflower 2. I don't know why I prefer flaw-all-over as opposed to flaw-in-one-or-two-spot, but I do. But my love of teal may have biased me, as far as Starflower goes.