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Buying used when you should have bought new...

Some time ago I bought an item off Audiogon. I personally picked up the item. The price was right and the item was as described. Deal done. No problems with the seller.

The item lasted a few months before it started to act up. It needed repair. It had no warranty so I searched for a retail dealer to get the item fixed. I found a dealer, but they refused to service the item because it was not purchased through them. Ok, I searched for a repair shop which was tough, but I found one of high reputation that knew what they were doing.

I picked up the item today and it sounds great.

However, after what I paid the seller and then what I paid for repair, I could have almost purchased the item new for a couple more bucks.

What items, if any, should be bought new, if possible, and what items can be bought used to be safe? Is there a guideline of some kind?
matchstikman

Showing 1 response by onhwy61

onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,137 posts
 
If you're a dealer for a product line you should assist anyone who needs a repair of that brand whether they purchased from you or not. People do move around and shouldn't be penalized because they bought the product in a different area of the country. Also, the used market is an integral part of high end audio. It would be a poor business practice to turn away any actively buying audiophile just because they purchased on the used market. If anything dealers and manufacturer should turn 2nd buyer service request into a profit center operation.

The "you get what you pay for" is still valid. While the potential for really great deals is possible, buying second hand is always riskier than buying new from an authorized dealer. For the most part the risk is manageable and is reflected in the sale price.
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