Buy local? First post- Hi all

[sjen2004 (Simon)]

Hi all,
what a great and informed community! I'm wondering if anyone has any advice about buying locally in WA versus Eastcoast. How hard is it to get help with problems at a distance? I'm looking to buy a 300mm Dobsonian. Do I go for the cheapest price or is more important to have local help?
Regards Simon

[madtuna (Steve)]

Hi mate and welcome!
Firstly some of the best help you'll ever get is from a forum such as this or hands on help as part of a local club. Are you in or near one?

There's not much you cant be helped with here, except for warrenty help which is worth concidering.
If you bought from east coast warrenty help although it would still be honoured, it would mean doing without your scope for a week or two and you also have to factor in transport cost.

Saying that, there is not much to go wrong with a dob, and any manufacturer/ seller would be pretty stupid letting it leave thier doors with a fault.
Most retailer will inspect and collimate before shipping free of charge if you ask.

Cheers

[PCH (Paul)]

Hi Simon,

to IIS and as madtuna says, you'll get plenty of help here.

You'll find your choices very limited if you stick to WA suppliers - and I mean LIMITED So I've shopped over east except for a 2nd hand etx that I bought from another iis'er in Perth. You will be stuck with shipping if something should go wrong, but generally speaking I'd say things don't go wrong that often that would necessitate sending it back. For me, the risk is worth it. Happy hunting

Cheers,

[marki]

As a Perth dweller I have also faced the dilema of where to buy from. I tend to purchase about 99% of stuff either from the east or overseas. That said I did buy a HEQ5 Pro from the local guy (BTOW) at a price that could not be matched by the eastern states boys if you included freight costs which can be pretty steep at times. The choice is yours but its a pretty limited choice in Perth with only BTOW and Midland camera house selling gear (exactly the same stuff I might add).

I have only had one problem in about 5 years when one of the plastic components on my ETX broke. I contacted the supplier in the east and they sent me the part which I installed myself. Not for the faint hearted I guess as there are lots of things (very small things) that can break easily but I learnt a little and did not have to wait too long. Thats one of the great things about being so isolated, you certainly get to know the workings of your scopes and there are lots of people to help out when you get stuck .

Good luck

[madtuna (Steve)]

Marki brought up a great point.

Getting destructions via a forum like this and doing it yourself I think is far more rewarding (and often a better job) than sending it off and getting the shop to do it....unless it's a faulty warrenty fix.

50% good advice 50% common sence 100% satisfaction

[Blue Skies (Jacquie)]

Most sandgropers buy from over east - but it does depend a bit on what you're after. If it's a basic dob you can buy local but for the higher end stuff you've got no choice except to go east. Extra cost for freight is a fact of life living in WA, you just have to live with that. And yes, we tend to be a bit more resourceful over here because we often have to fix our own problems, it's not so easy to send big stuff back and forth when it needs a fix. You don't have to go it completely alone, there is a local society and a lot us have been through the same problems you're facing right now.

[marki]

Originally Posted by madtuna

Marki brought up a great point.

....unless it's a faulty warrenty fix.

50% good advice 50% common sence 100% satisfaction

Hi Steve

The bit in question did break in the warranty period (scope was just 3 weeks old) but they sent me the bit free of charge and told me how to replace it . I don't know if warranty was voided by my actions (we didn't talk about that ) but I saved a heap of cash in transport costs and as you pointed out, fixed a lot of other things I didn't like on the way out.

[TrevorW]

I recently brought a Stellarvue SVED from SDM got a great price nearly the same as buying direct from the States, couriered to the door for an additional $50 although unbeknown to the supplier his courier company only ships via road so it took over a week to arrive but I also found out that the courier company was having problems with their freight forwarder. So be sure you ask how it's to be delivered and if it's worth a few dollars make sure it's covered by insurance just in case things go terribly wrong although touch wood everything I've brought ex East has always been Ok. I've brought from BTOW, SDM, Andrews, Bintel, Frontier Optics, Telescope and Astronomy and MyAstroshop and in all cases the staff have always been helpful. Shop around check out the prices you can be surprised how they differ between suppliers in some instances quite dramatically. Also search the webb there are more suppliers in WA than some people realise so you not just stuck with dealing locally with only one or two suppliers. Happy shopping.

[sjen2004 (Simon)]

Thanks for responding to my question. I am not in a hurry to buy (I followed the lead from the Beginners pages and started with binoculars. No surprize that spouse thought it was a waste of money, particularly when its been storms and clouds ever since I got them). I was looking at getting the GSO 12" Dob from Andrews Communications but I thought I'd weigh up all the options and wait to see what happens after the financial year. All your thoughta are appreciated.
Regards Simon

[Dog Star (Phil)]

Just bought the super delux 12" GSO from Andrews a little over a week ago. Arrived well packaged and intact and I had it out viewing that night, no worries. I too live in a "remote"area and I was a bit nervous about having things freighted to me. As it turned out, everything was just fine. Don't worry too much about finding technical support and advice - that's what IIS is all about.
Whether you buy local or freight in is up to you, but IMHO that decision should be purely a budgetary one.

[sjen2004 (Simon)]

Hi guys,
well I did it. GSO 12" from Andrews ordered today (there goes my marriage) The quote I got on shipping from last week $150 went up to $190 this week. But for what I'm getting at the price I don't mind too much.
Regards Simon

[Dog Star (Phil)]

Congratulations Simon! (On ordering the new scope; not the potential marital disaster.) By Crikey though, I noticed that it took you all of 13 hours and 6 minutes to go from "not in a hurry to buy" to "ordered today"
I wouldn't like to get in your road if you WERE in a hurry Seriously though, if your experience mirrors mine, and being a reflector it should () then you're in for some stunning nights ahead. There's an awful lot of Dob owners on this site who will be only too willing to help out with advice should it be required.
You can now sit back in the comfortable knowledge that you've made the right and intelligent decision and all that remains is to happily anticipate its arrival.
Oh, and get in touch with GTB, the wise old owl and order one of his freezer suits, cos mate, I reckon your missus is gonna lock you out of the house this Winter.

[sjen2004 (Simon)]

Big swallow of humble pie. I did something stupid yesterday. I went and saw a 12" in action. I had all my concerns answered in the various forum discussions here and I needed some retail therapy. What can I say? Rainman voice: I'm a good driver.
Just wait until I become a compulsive astronomer. BTW saw Jupiter and 4 moons through the binoculars last night, very nice.

Simon

[marki]

Should look a whole lot nicer through your new scope. Just be prepared for several cloudy nights after you take delivery .

[JethroB76 (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by marki

Just be prepared for several weeks of cloudy nights after you take delivery .

Fixed that for you