How leery would you be of buying used with no warranty?

[TrpnBils]

I have an opportunity to get a used 3030 at a good price, but the warranty expired at the beginning of the year. The seller is a dealer and says that before the warranty expired he sent it in and had a new coil put on it. Says it runs like new. Do the 3030s have a good reputation for lasting beyond the warranty? I don't intend to do much, if any, water hunting so I'm not too concerned with the o-rings and all that.

 

[rsarge1]

depends on the deal and how much you trust the dealer the ctx is a great machine and it sounds like he had it checked out and fixed

 

[CCadrin]

I can't speak about the CTX be I have purchased 5 used machines including a Minelab and other various brands and never had an issue with any of them. I have always used a credit card or paypal which offers protection regarding the advertised condition. If the detector comes in broken or not functioning you can dispute the sale.

 

[TrpnBils]

$1600 - it's online, so I don't know the dealer personally but he seems to have a good reputation. Wondering about the integrity/stability of the machine more than anything. I have an Etrac now and it's pretty solid, but I also know how expensive Minelab repairs can be....

 

[CCadrin]

$1600 is not a steal in my opinion. I have seen some units with a little warranty left (less then a year) for around that price. One dealer just posted a unit on this forum for $1299. Ask the dealer for a 7, 10, or 14 day return policy.

 

[AgileMJOLNIR]

Bought many a used machine right on this very forum and have never had an issue with any detector ever. Had my 3030 for over a year and not a bug to mention. I don't think $1600 is a "steal" unless you're comparing it to a new price.
I bought mine new for around $1800 and that was with a Minelab 17in coil promo so IMO I'd either haggle or shop around for a unit with a little warranty.

The dealers on here have always been good and I've also had great experiences with private transactions. I'd ask around here first and foremost. Hope that helps.

 

[KinTN]

I wouldn't take that deal, even believing the dealer 100%. Like many said, 1600 warrants some remaining warranty. fwiw, I paid 1700 for mine with ~20hrs on it and it hadn't been registered yet (ie, full warranty). Shop around some more- I think you can beat that deal.

 

[CCadrin]

I recently paid $2100 with the Minelab Harness and no tax. I also got the 17" coil with the promotion.

 

[JJ]

I think you could do a little better if you shopped around but I am not the best at shopping around so I wouldn't be the best help. Only you will have the best feel for your own personal timeline of the amount of time you have to dedicate to the purchase, how soon you need it, and if the risk is worth the reward. Nobody here will be able to answer that for you, It's different for everybody. If you are snowed in then relax and wait for the best deal. Minelab machines are historically like snowflakes, no two are alike. Quality control has lacked in the past leading to this, really can't tell you about any recent changes with the CTX. The amount of effort you are willing to put in tells the whole story. If so, then the reward far outweighs the risk, failure in equipment or not. JJ

 

[TrpnBils]

Damn this thread blew up since I went to bed last night! LOL

Yeah I'm not in any major hurry considering we got 40" of snow yesterday but I'm always on the lookout. I'm going to have to take a look on this forum's classifieds again. I was surprised the other day how few 3030s there were on this one compared to others, so maybe I'm just not looking in the right place. I usually just stick to the Etrac (and lately the 3030) subforums.

 

[rsarge1]

yep what the others said you can get a new one with full warranty for around 1800.00

 

[Jason in Enid]

yep what the others said you can get a new one with full warranty for around 1800.00

$1800?! I call BS on that!

 

[mrwilburino]

Any idea why he needed to put a new coil on it? Could indicate heavy use. I bought mine used with warranty two years ago and have had no problems at all. Built like a tank.

 

[sube]

As far as the stock coil going bad I did not use my very much and then got the 6 inch which I use all the time then I tried the stock coil again and got the no coil thing didn't have very many hours on it at all .but have use the 6 almost all the time and has not let me down . So I think they had a problem with the stock coil wire but they sent me a new one for free .So I don't think it's hours on the machine I think it's the luck of the draw . sube

 

[Bill_S]

$1800?! I call BS on that!

You can get them for this or a bit more. Just depends on who you know......;o)

 

[Southwind]

Warranty is the last thing I ever think about when I buy a used detector.

 

[TrpnBils]

Warranty is the last thing I ever think about when I buy a used detector.

Out of curiosity why is that?

 

[Southwind]

Out of curiosity why is that?

40+ years and I'd say easily owned over 30 detectors and I've never had a detector go bad. As long as it is guaranteed to be working when I buy it I'm pretty confident it will work for the duration I have it.

 

[sprchng]

Most warranty covered defects or issues usually pop up in the early usage of the items so if it's a working unit I agree the chances are not good for problems unless it turns out to be something special down the road that should be covered by a manufacturers recall. As for the price , I agree with others , that's not a screaming deal. I picked one up with 2 years warranty for < $1500 with the WM10 , printed manual and waterproof headphones. I know three users who bought their units with the extra coil for < $1900.
Dealers need to make money , private sellers just want it back.

 

[KinTN]

Best I've ever heard (and personally know/trust who is telling me) on a new one is 2k OTD with local pickup. But contact a bunch of the dealers and see what they can do for you.