Where is the best place to buy used Detectors?

[SCOTT JOHNSON]

I was wondering where is the best place to find good deals on used Detectors. EBAY, Want Ads, ect... or is it better to buy a new one? Thank you all ahead of time for your great advice.

V/r
Scott Johnson

[del]

Scott ,those places can be good but unless you really know the person selling the machine it could be a crap shoot at what you end up with . some of the local detector dealers usually sell used machines that someone might have traded to upgrade or they might take some on a consignment , either way they usually don't take crap because they don't want to loose business or money and have a reputation to uphold . sometime members on the forums sell detectors and after you've been on or around some you get a feel for who is an honest person.my best advice is to shop around and do the homework on what you want and for where your gonna use it . take care.

Dan

[SCOTT JOHNSON]

DEL, thank you very much for the honesty. I will adhere to your advice. I really think I am better off buying a new one. I have never trusted buying a machine that is used by someone else. If the detector took a crap on me then I am stuck buying another one. I have only been on shortly with this Forum but it sure is nice learn from you Pros. I know I am going to love discovering places with my detector even if I don't find anything. I have visons and dreams of finding old relics, silver or gold if I am lucky.

Thank you for support,

Scott

[coinnut]

Hey Scott, Here's my two cents worth lol Buying new means paying pretty much full price. If you can swing it, then it's not an issue. But if you can't swing the high prices, then you will probably go with a lower model that fits into your budget. The pluses are, you get a warranty which is always nice and sometimes needed, you get brand new so it's up to you how you treat the machine. The minuses are, you may endup with a machine you will out grow in a little while. You may sacrifice some depth or other features that you may have liked. Buying used on the other hand has some drawbacks too. It may not be as described by the seller. Scratched, dented or just plain broken. But you will pay much less and can even get top of the line for a steal. Example. Since the V3 has come out, I have seen many sweet deals on the DFX. Some were in really nice shape and had 2 or 3 extra coil and were selling for 6 -7 hundred dollars. So it comes down to taking your time to see which machine you are looking for. Decide on a make and model. Try E Bay, Craigs list, and talk with members and dealers for that particular detector and try and get the best deal. That way you will be happy with your purchase.

[RickO]

Welcome aboard Scott.... and I would say, if possible, buy new. There is a new DFX here on the classifieds... if it is still there. But study your options, where you will use it, what you will be looking for etc.. ask a lot of questions. HH RickO

[xzlr8n]

In my experience, having bought two Whites detectors off eBay (a DFX and MXT), I'd say if you went thru eBay and bought from a person with good feedback you can get a really good detector. For example, I bought my DFX for $550 and used it for the entire 2009 season. I sent it into Whites near the end of the season to get the toggle switch replaced and also to voluntarily get a new LCD screeen put in because some pixels were fading (wasn't necessary but did it anyway). All these repairs costed a $167. White's Centreville shop was great with the service and turn around time. Decided over the winter to jump into a V3 and reluctantly sold the DFX on eBay to offset some of the cost of the new V3. I ended up getting $560 (minus $26 bucks in eBay fees and $18 shipping), so for a whole year I was out 200 bucks. However, I did find $135 in clad, nickles, and pennies of which included 40 silver coins, 1927 10KT gold class ring, 160 wheats , 22 IH's, other miscellaneous items and 100's of hours of FUN.

To summarize, I was very happy with the resale value of my Whites DFX detector and all the stuff it found!!!!!

[coinnut]

I have always had good luck with White's service. Some of the best in the business. Companies these days are always short on cash. It seems the gouge you in repairs, but not White's. I found there prices to be reasonable. :)

[del]

i had to send my DFX in to Whites last August for some issues it was having ( can't complain its the first problems its had in about five years of owning it) and even though it was no longer under warranty Whites fixed it free of charge . thumbsup01
that says tons about their customer service and what kind of company they are .

Dan

[Krom]

Scott...
I found my first detector in a pawn shop (a White's Classic ID) for $110. The main thing I had to do was to make sure it worked. Apparently they expected it to go fast 'cause they had it right up front and had batteries in it so people could try it out. Also (again), apparently... they go fast 'cause they told me that they had just got it in, and when they get one, someone grabs it within a day or two.
Being a newbie, at the time, this was the perfect machine for me... and I found all kinds of great things with it... and my very first keeper was an 1800 half cent. From that day foward, my finds spiralled upwards.
I guess my point here is, I paid a 1/4 to a 1/5 less than what it would have costs me for that particular machine brand new, and that's a big factor if, in the future, you find that the hobby of metal detecting just wasn't up your alley... so you'd be out only a minimal amount of bucks. See my point?
So rather than taking a chance on eBay or Craig's List, you might wanna make a day of cruisin' the boulevard to see what the pawn shops have to offer.
~Krom~
That's my...

[handyman]

Hi, I have a friend that is a whites dealer. He has two xlts used in right now. I know he would be glad to ship to your location. I can give you the # to his store if you are interested.

[marchas45]

Scott if you're looking for a used detector go to TreasureNet.com and on the forum go to the Classified Ads under Treasure Related Stuff For Sale. I have bought 3 detectors there very reasonable and a lot better price than ebay.
I try used first to see if I like the machine and if I like it I'll ware it out and buy a new one. lol lol lol

[sectshun8]

IMO when it comes to used items... the best place is first hand. Whether it be a private sale or from a dealer, at least you are there to look at it and get a real impression on the item... and it's easier to argue you're case regarding price and condition.

That being said, I bout my XLT used off of eBay from a Florida dealer. The fact it was a dealer, who offered a refund if necessary really helped in that decision. I could only ascertain so much from the images and info given... and I felt I lucked out getting a perfectly operating, though cosmetically challenged, XLT in the process thumbsup01