Menu
What's new
Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!

Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.

Why ??

J

Jerry Ga.

Member
Why is it that with every new detector model that comes out the price goes higher and higher. Look at the new Garrett.:rage: IMHO the manufactuer's are pricing themselves out of business.

I have been in the relic hunting hobby 40 years but can no longer afford to purchase a new machine. I am sure there are many in the same boat. When it takes a weeks wages to buy even a

used detector, I think us poor folks need to think about giving it up.
 
Right, but what prices go down?
 
Inflation?


40 years ago:

Average income in the US $10,512

Gallon of regular gas was 39 cents a gallon

A first class stamp was 8 cents

A brand new home was $35,500

The Dow Jones averaged 700 to 1000

Garrett introduces its first TR (Transmitter-Receiver) metal detector


I think the price of metal detectors has just kept up with inflation and made a whole lot better too...... :shrug:
 
Jerry,i see your point.New model detectors seem to come out with ridiculous price tags,well beyond reach of many detectorists.The problem is that each new model promises the user better this and better that,this new feature and that new feature and all this marketing bull works every time.If all of us as detectorists refused to pay these high prices for what are essentially useless gimmicks,the manufacturers would have to have a re think on their pricing structures.
We should all realise now that the latest models do not give any real world advantages over models that are a few years old but we are still sucked in to buying the latest model because it says you need this and that to improve your finds rate.All we are paying for is a more complicated way of achieving the same result at the end of the day.My detectors are are all old models but I refuse to buy the latest expensive detectors because I know that non of the newer features they have will improve my finds rate in real terms.Believe me I have had all the latest models at one time or another and I have ended up with older well proven designs.
 
Neil, you hit the nail on the head. That is the point I was trying to make. I understand inflation, but when salaries drag behind higher prices we are left hanging.

I'll keep the only machine that I have as long as it functions. I can't pay these ever increasing prices for bells and whistles.
 
Wait till you are an old Phaft like me and on a fixed income and think about the prices of detectors. I had been interested in detecting for many years and last July (2012) I finally broke down and purchased my first detector. My wife insisted that I purchase something other than bottom of the line detector so I purchased one from about the middle of the price range. Found out that I Love the Hobby and all the additional exercise helped me in losing 120 lbs over an 18 month period.

Recently I decided that I no longer needed to own three Custom Made knives that I had purchased years ago from one of the Best Custom Knife makers. Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago.

I sold the three knives and purchased a machine that is water proof. Now I am set up with dry land and water detectors. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would spend the amount of money that I spent on a hobby. However in the little over a year that I have owned my land detector I have been able to find over 60% of what I paid for the machine. Now if my water machine works as well I wont feel so bad about spending the money.

Unfortunately inflation and government overspending and borrowing keeps driving down the value of our dollars and makes everything we purchase more expensive. Even so I think Minelab and Garrett are gouging when it comes to the price of their new machines.
 
Jerry Ga. said:
Neil, you hit the nail on the head. That is the point I was trying to make. I understand inflation, but when salaries drag behind higher prices we are left hanging.

I'll keep the only machine that I have as long as it functions. I can't pay these ever increasing prices for bells and whistles.
Click to expand...
It's a good point that you have brought up Gerry.We as detectorists should buy a new machine when the manufacturers bring out a true innovation that actually makes a difference to the amount of targets we find rarther than a coloured screen,pretty graphics or some other useless feature.At the moment they have it easy as all they have to do is introduce a useless gimmick and everybody jumps on the band wagon,thinking that they will do better if they buy the machine.We will know when a great innovation occurs because the detector that has it won't appear on the second hand market like they all do at the moment.Why do the latest models from minelab and xp appear on the second hand market........because the people that bought them are not satisfied with the performance that they paid extortionate prices for.
The best thing to do is stick with something you know works and perhaps experiment with different coils......it's amazing what a difference you can make to your old faithful detector just by using the most suitable coil.If a great innovation occurs I will be the first to jump on the bandwagon,but this has'nt happened for years.
 
Why???? Because lots of us keep buying them, regardless of price. That's why - ha ha
 
Perhaps the question should be "why" this topic has been moved to the general interests forum.This is not a general interests topic,it is a metal detecting topic that affects all in the hobby.Has it been moved to keep it out of the limelight due to the fact many might start thinking that new models are a ripoff and stop buying them......what is the reason as I can think of no reason to move it here.....perhaps the sponsers are getting worried.:shrug:
 
The dealers profit margin on new detectors is VERY HIGH. I worked for a large box retail company for 13 years so I understand the costs of doing business. However when an item has a dealer profit margin of around 40 percent that is bordering on gouging. Clothing, Jewelry and furniture are in that area of margin. I wonder what the profit margin is for the manufacturer if the dealers are working with that large of a profit margin. We do not get nearly the technology that we are paying for when a $1500.00 machine does not even have a way to determine if the battery is charged. .
 
As for reading about the postings.. This forum is just as available as any other forum.. So I think not on the hiding theory you try to come up with.....
 
Jerry, I have to agree with you 100% about the price tags of new metal detectors is outrageous! This is my 14 year detecting. A hunting partner of mine jokes but it makes a lot of good sense saying how"you only have to swing your coil over that old coin once"
Hunting with a metal detector becomes an extension of you being familiar with how to use it properly and understand its signals. Experience with proper techniques changing coils swing speed, all this knowledge put in the hands a of experiencing time will out perform.
I set a message to a guy on another form because he found a rare coin using an entry level machine surrounded by his buddies with top of the line machines, again passing your coil over the right spot. He is fairly new to the hobby but knew to dig the signal.
in 2001 I dug a rare coin that went into W&E finds for 02 worth several thousand dollars. I dug this coin from a place that me and ex partner hunted regularity for some time, The machine I found it with was second hand, many many hours hunting and digging. I still hunt today with this machine along with a few discounted models that perform excellent in different conditions.


Michael
 
The cost of detectors continues to increase for the same reason detectorists are out looking for a ridiculously priced CW bullet--- someone's willing to pay the price.
I think the purported values that's placed on so many corroded buttons , coins and relics is ridiculous but no one questions those prices when they're the finders. The same market that drives the cost of finds drives the cost of equipment up and until people stop paying the price the cost will continue to increase. Simple free market economics . Accusing the manufacturers of gouging the public when they're getting what the market will bear is not likely going to make them lower their prices but I'm sure they're moved by your concern for their future ;)
 
what seems a shame is minelab discontinuing fairly expensive but popular detectors and selling a detector now for $2500.00. even though the new detector is amazing.
 
Sweepdog,i take it you are refering to the sovereign which is a great machine and been a good seller for minelab as far as I can tell.Why stop it?..........perhaps it is taking sales away from minelabs more expensive machines, which are no better at finding coins etc than the sovereign is.......but they certainly earn them more money.
 
I did'nt know that.....even less choice now,forcing you to spend big money if you want a multi frequency unit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top