asking price

comalies · #1 24-01-2006, 10:46 PM

i figured that seeing as im not selling either of these, i can get away with having it here rather than in the classifieds bit. anyway

i have 2 scopes that i would like to sell, but have no idea what a reasonable asking price would be. i wouldve gone by the rrp, but maybe the depreciation is different with telescopes, im not sure.

the first scope is a saxon 114m reflector on an eq1 mount with eyepieces, etc. in pretty good condition.
the second scope is a bintel 12" dobsonian reflector with eyepieces, barlow, moon filter. in good condition, but with one visible scratch in the paint on the tube.

so what do you think?

thanks a lot.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #2 24-01-2006, 11:28 PM

comalies!
The Bintel scope is highly regarded and you can check with Bintel for current prices and should be able to sell for 70-80% new price if it's as good as new. The Saxon 114mm on the EQ1 I am afraid you are probably stuck with, unless you are willing to take small change for it. If the OTA and optics are decent, then you might get a few dollars more.

Starkler (Geoff) · #3 25-01-2006, 12:06 AM

Maybe some details on the 114mm are in order.
Whats the focal length? Is it a long tube or short tube version with the built in lenses in the focuser?

comalies · #4 25-01-2006, 04:51 PM

it's the short tube catadioptric-newtonian version, with a focal length of 1000mm (f/9). it has the standard 4mm, 10mm, and 25mm eyepieces and the standard erecting eyepiece. the finderscope is a 5x24. it also has the eq1 motor drive for the RA axis. thats all i can think of to include.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #5 25-01-2006, 05:30 PM

That's a pull-apart-and-tinker scope.

Starkler (Geoff) · #6 25-01-2006, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comalies

it's the short tube catadioptric-newtonian version, with a focal length of 1000mm (f/9).

I was afraid of that

comalies · #7 25-01-2006, 07:07 PM

aha! 'nuff said. so id be lucky to get a pissy couple of bucks for it then. oh well. $150-200 reasonable?

janoskiss (Steve H) · #8 25-01-2006, 08:24 PM

Well, I would advise anyone against buying this scope at any price, unless it's for tinkering with, say something to pull apart with your kids to show them how it works, maybe get the barlow lens out and play around with mods like a curved spider for a wide field deep space scope. I'd say it's worth up to $100 for an honest sale. You could probably sell it for $200 or more if you are willing to con the buyer into believing it's going to be a scope that does everything (like the junk scope sellers on ebay do). But I rather you didn't.

The 12" Dob is a great scope. Have you used either scope?

stinky · #9 25-01-2006, 08:27 PM

- motorised? Would go well om ebay?

comalies · #10 25-01-2006, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janoskiss

You could probably sell it for $200 or more if you are willing to con the buyer into believing it's going to be a scope that does everything (like the junk scope sellers on ebay do). But I rather you didn't.

The 12" Dob is a great scope. Have you used either scope?

well the 114mm was actually a birthday present from my parents, and they bought it on ebay for around $400 (im not supposed to know that). i would love to get rid of it because i need as much money as possible to get my first car, but i dont want to be conning someone into buying something crappy.

as for the use of the scopes, i only used the 114mm about a dozen times before i got the 12" dob. ive had the dob for about 2 and a half months, but havent used it all that much because of work. however, the dob has a light scratch about 10cm long just below the dovetail attachment for the finderscope, because i forgot to grab the finder when i unscrewed the bracket, and the end of the bracket scratched the tube (luckily i safely caught the finder!). apart from that scratch, its in immaculate condition, including it being properly collimated, etc.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #11 26-01-2006, 12:56 AM

I'm glad you are not willing to handball the ebay conjob onto someone else.

Maybe if you separate the scope and mount, you could get more for it... maybe even break the mount & motor up...

Dob scratch, bah! Who cares! There'll be plenty more where that came from, whoever buys it. But I think you should at least give the Dob a go before you resell it! It is one of the best scopes around and can show you heaps in the solar system, the milky way and beyond. Even if you spend a couple of months on collimating it, finding time to use it, etc, it will be worthwhile experience, and will give you a perspective on the universe most people will never have. And you will still be able to sell it for the same price as you'd get for it now.