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Return to “Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?”
- Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:39 am
- Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
- Topic: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3707
Re: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
I love that commercial!
- Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:35 pm
- Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
- Topic: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3707
Re: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
And that was the "sticker" price? That's what I'm talking about! And an EXCELLENT deal...unless that's a more or less common price for that class of a used Kimber, which I doubt...just because of their reputation of high end 1911's.The Annoyed Man wrote:I saw a used 5" Kimber in good condition at the Ft. Worth gun show last weekend for something in the $600 range - about 55%-60% of the MSRP price for a new one. That's not too bad.
- Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:13 am
- Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
- Topic: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3707
Re: Used guns seem to cost almost like new ones.Comments?
Oh boy! A topic I can finally talk intelligently about!
Yes, I advocate used guns for me. I love used guns. And SIA you are probably right. The used guns you see priced, ARE at 95% retail. I'd NEVER pay that much for a used gun, because don't you see, the people selling those used guns know the retail price of a NIB one, and overprice the used one, hoping to find someone who isn't knowledgeable enough to know the true value of the used one. And it works most of the time.
BUT....used guns(unlike new guns) are a negotiable commodity. THAT'S where the good deals are...in negotiating. Now a retail gun store(not a ligit gun dealer at a gun show), that buys a used gun pays lowest bottom dollar for that used gun, and marks it up considerably. So there's plenty of negotiating room. Good deals CAN be had on used guns, IF you have the desire to negotiate, AND the strength to walk away from a deal if it's not a price you are willing to accept. It's based on the real estate principle of "Fair Market Value" What is Fair Market Value?
Fair Market Value is defined as "that price which is the highest price a buyer is willing to pay, and the lowest price a seller is willing to sell."
Knowing what a dealer pays for a used gun, and the MSRP for that gun, puts you in a great negotiating position. And how do you know? Trial & error, and years of experience in buying and selling. My philosophy is that a retail gun dealer who buys a gun from a walk in, will offer anywhere between 25%-35% of a guns retail value(I call that the wholesale value). If he buys the gun for that price, that's a pretty good mark up for him. And that's about the same percentage the gun dealer allows on a trade in. A savvy buyer will know those 2 values...wholesale and retail. Somewhere in between those 2 numbers, a deal can be struck.
Gun shows? A totally different animal. The person sitting behind the table holds all the advantages, and the person walking the isles with a gun to sell or trade is at a distinct disadvantage. Most people behind the table will offer bottom dollar for the gun, and in the vast majority of cases, the guy/gal selling the gun won't like the offer, but will accept it. It STILL comes back to the Fair Market Value principle.
I am a firm believer in watching the gun auction sites. The 3 I watch are: AuctionArms.com; GunBroker.com and Texasguntrader.com. My fav is AuctionArms.com because they not only have penny auctions but also more realistically reflect true value in selling guns at wholesale. GunBroker.com seems to me to be a retail auction site, where TGT are individuals selling their guns at full retail value.
I've only purchased 4 guns NIB in my entire life. That's only because I couldn't find them used at reasonable prices. By the same token, I've only been "had" 2 or 3 times in my life because I bought a broken or damaged gun. There's been MANY times I've been had because I paid to way much. Those were lessons learned the hard way, and I remembered not to make those same mistakes again9or tried not to).
In closing.....Note: the above works for me only because I love to negotiate and haggle. And I know how. It's not for everyone, and I don't recommend it for everyone. I've just found a style that works for me. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Also, what I've stated above are my opinions based on trial & error and experience. There are no hard and fast rules to go by. The key to negotiating the best price for you in purchasing a used gun, is to know BOTH the wholesale and retail value of a particular make and model of gun BEFORE you start looking for it.
My $.02 worth. Hope that helps a little bit.
Yes, I advocate used guns for me. I love used guns. And SIA you are probably right. The used guns you see priced, ARE at 95% retail. I'd NEVER pay that much for a used gun, because don't you see, the people selling those used guns know the retail price of a NIB one, and overprice the used one, hoping to find someone who isn't knowledgeable enough to know the true value of the used one. And it works most of the time.
BUT....used guns(unlike new guns) are a negotiable commodity. THAT'S where the good deals are...in negotiating. Now a retail gun store(not a ligit gun dealer at a gun show), that buys a used gun pays lowest bottom dollar for that used gun, and marks it up considerably. So there's plenty of negotiating room. Good deals CAN be had on used guns, IF you have the desire to negotiate, AND the strength to walk away from a deal if it's not a price you are willing to accept. It's based on the real estate principle of "Fair Market Value" What is Fair Market Value?
Fair Market Value is defined as "that price which is the highest price a buyer is willing to pay, and the lowest price a seller is willing to sell."
Knowing what a dealer pays for a used gun, and the MSRP for that gun, puts you in a great negotiating position. And how do you know? Trial & error, and years of experience in buying and selling. My philosophy is that a retail gun dealer who buys a gun from a walk in, will offer anywhere between 25%-35% of a guns retail value(I call that the wholesale value). If he buys the gun for that price, that's a pretty good mark up for him. And that's about the same percentage the gun dealer allows on a trade in. A savvy buyer will know those 2 values...wholesale and retail. Somewhere in between those 2 numbers, a deal can be struck.
Gun shows? A totally different animal. The person sitting behind the table holds all the advantages, and the person walking the isles with a gun to sell or trade is at a distinct disadvantage. Most people behind the table will offer bottom dollar for the gun, and in the vast majority of cases, the guy/gal selling the gun won't like the offer, but will accept it. It STILL comes back to the Fair Market Value principle.
I am a firm believer in watching the gun auction sites. The 3 I watch are: AuctionArms.com; GunBroker.com and Texasguntrader.com. My fav is AuctionArms.com because they not only have penny auctions but also more realistically reflect true value in selling guns at wholesale. GunBroker.com seems to me to be a retail auction site, where TGT are individuals selling their guns at full retail value.
I've only purchased 4 guns NIB in my entire life. That's only because I couldn't find them used at reasonable prices. By the same token, I've only been "had" 2 or 3 times in my life because I bought a broken or damaged gun. There's been MANY times I've been had because I paid to way much. Those were lessons learned the hard way, and I remembered not to make those same mistakes again9or tried not to).
In closing.....Note: the above works for me only because I love to negotiate and haggle. And I know how. It's not for everyone, and I don't recommend it for everyone. I've just found a style that works for me. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Also, what I've stated above are my opinions based on trial & error and experience. There are no hard and fast rules to go by. The key to negotiating the best price for you in purchasing a used gun, is to know BOTH the wholesale and retail value of a particular make and model of gun BEFORE you start looking for it.
My $.02 worth. Hope that helps a little bit.