Need advice...


bm3324

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Hey guys. Long time since I posted. 

I need some advice. Yesterday I found a Dewalt DW735 planer on Craigslist. I drove 45 minutes to check it out. Everything was great, tested the machine, inspected it. 2 years of about monthly use. Was on the second set of blades. Guy was asking 500 but we settled on 375 for just the planer. When I got there he informed me that the guy who was gonna buy the dewalt stand ($150 new from lowes) had backed out and that he would include the table for an extra $50. I wasn't sure about the table until I saw the functionality and maneuverability it had and to me it was worth the extra 50. Here's where things took a turn. We had just unbolted the planer from the table. I had walked to my car to put the infeed and outfeed tables in and while I had done that, the guy had begun to move the table towards the outside of the garage. The planer slipped off the table and fell off the table!! The adjustment knob broke and two of the plastic caps on the main screw pillars (right term?) broke off. It's necessary to mention that the floor it fell onto was a rubber mat (maybe 1/2" stuff). Needless to say, I ended up walking away.

I'm still in communication with the guy. He has told me everything is fine and I only will need to replace the adjustment knob (aprox. $35 before shipping). He is moving this week and wanted to sell it before he moved. Now I am getting a lot of pressure from him to make this deal. He dropped to $400 since the knob is broken and has offered to deliver it to me. 

I'm having trouble making a decision so I would greatly appreciate any input or advice. I feel bad that it was dropped while basically making a transaction, but at the same time, I didn't drop it myself. I had not given him money yet but had agreed to buy it which is why we had unbolted it and began to move it. What i'm having a hard time getting past is the new level of risk I am assuming if I buy it. Is there internal components that have a slight micro crack that could become worse over time? This is all whats going through my mind. 

Thank you in advance if you are able to offer some advice. 

One lesson I learned from this: If what you're selling is heavy, do not move it until the transaction is complete and the new owner takes responsibility for loading and transportation. 

-Brett

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33 minutes ago, Bart said:

I'd stay away. Even though it's not a high tech super sensitive machine, all sorts of parts could have gone out of alignment. 

I agree. He'd have to lower the price a lot more than that before I would consider it and I would run some boards through it to make sure it still works OK.

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I manage a Lowe's so my take is that there is a reason that the longest protection plan you can purchase is two years.  After two years, no matter if they have been used heavily or not, is when most issues begin to manifest themselves.  The price for both is fair but you have a high potential to be out all your money if something is wrong and you were not able to find it yet.

 

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Are people really selling these used for $250? I guess what I am asking is if any of you have actually paid $250 for one of these used (including the infeed and outfeed table). 

In my area people are typically asking 400-500 (depending on if it has the infeed and outfeed). Lowest I found on ebay is $399 plus $65 shipping for a used one. 

Thank you for all the feed back guys. I really really appreciate it. 

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You need to keep this in mind when dealing with people. Most people are morons! They value their time, and their possessions. The same type of person asking you to pay $400 for a used planer is the same to offer you $150 if you were selling. This is mostly universal with very few exceptions. Very rarely will you find someone selling an item for a fair price. 

It happens... but you have to be patient. And when the item comes up for sale, you better be the first in line! If you're not, you will find the other guys selling it a month or so later at the higher price. Just how it is. 

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17 minutes ago, bm3324 said:

Are people really selling these used for $250? I guess what I am asking is if any of you have actually paid $250 for one of these used (including the infeed and outfeed table). 

In my area people are typically asking 400-500 (depending on if it has the infeed and outfeed). Lowest I found on ebay is $399 plus $65 shipping for a used one. 

Thank you for all the feed back guys. I really really appreciate it. 

Most people are selling them for way more than they are worth. What people don't get is it's not the same as selling a hand plane that you can see the condition at a glance. A two year old planer (not to mention being dropped) has internal wear. Chain, sprokets, bearings..all kinds  of things that have wear, that you can't see. This makes it a gamble. As such, it's worth about half of what they paid new. 

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19 minutes ago, bm3324 said:

Are people really selling these used for $250? I guess what I am asking is if any of you have actually paid $250 for one of these used (including the infeed and outfeed table). 

In my area people are typically asking 400-500 (depending on if it has the infeed and outfeed). Lowest I found on ebay is $399 plus $65 shipping for a used one. 

Thank you for all the feed back guys. I really really appreciate it. 

I have found that everyone someone asks how much they should pay for a "good" used tool, the answer from this forum is always "no more than 50% of the retail price".

HOWEVER, I have also found that for desirable tools the used market price is much higher than 50%. 

If I had a storage unit full of used Dewalt 735s in good condition I bet I could sell everyone of them for $350-$400 on craigslist and ebay.

 

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The way I see it is he was moving the table when the planer fell off. You were not involved in causing the accident. Plus the initial price seems high for a used machine of that type and age. I would have been comfortable with a starting price around 2/3 of the new cost. But after being dropped I would walk away.

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