Will you pay extra for upgrades on a used pistol?

[protegeV]

There's a pistol I've been after for a bit. CZ75 pcr.

A local guy has one for sale. He wants about $200 over the price of a new one. Supposedly has extensive work done to the tune of $600+ but no paperwork to corroborate. Now, I could look it over and tell if it had work done, but I worry about future resale value to anyone who's not a CZ afficianado.

If it was a buy and keep forever purchase then I'd probably just do it. But Im just not that person. I buy and sell a good bit. I almost always sell for more than I pay too.

 

[lowoncash]

If I spent $600 I would have kept receipts showing who did the work so someone couldn't claim Bubba did it. Just saying............

 

[Nottherealfranco]

+1. If he did all the work with a professional gunsmith, the current owner or the gunsmith should have invoices or quotes detailing what was done. If he knows the name of the shop/ gunsmith you could probably call them to verify what he's telling you.

 

[Kman]

If it's not documented and obvious, I don't give it consideration.
Even then, the upgrade gets depreciation with the gun, car, etc.

 

[protegeV]

If I spent $600 I would have kept receipts showing who did the work so someone couldn't claim Bubba did it. Just saying............

Yeah I wasn't really enthused when i asked about paperwork and he said,
" I do not. I might have paperwork for the parts but that is also unlikely. It has been a while since this one had the mods done and i do not keep a record of it.."

 

[dontpanic]

If he paid $600 and did not keep the receipts, too bad for him. I would not even think of buying it for a premium.

Even if you can tell it was upgraded, don't do it. It may not have been professionally done.

 

[protegeV]

Here's the ad, for reference.

http://fort-worth.texasguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=955493

 

[GoldGunsGirls]

Without paperwork for the upgrades and labor, that gun is worth about $550-$600 tops.

You can find comparable guns fairly freqently on CZfirearms.us that actually have documentation on the work performed, usually from CZ Custom or Cajun Gun Works.

 

[Z_Man]

if you know the company that did the work and the serial number (if they worked on a serialized part) then you should be able to get a record on their end of if the work was done or not.

personally i'd pass unless you think the work is superb, and even then, if there is an issue with it, without a reciept or some notion of who did the work, who is going to stand behind the work? does it still have the stock parts that were replaced?

 

[redeemed.man]

There's a pistol I've been after for a bit. CZ75 pcr.

A local guy has one for sale. He wants about $200 over the price of a new one. Supposedly has extensive work done to the tune of $600+ but no paperwork to corroborate. Now, I could look it over and tell if it had work done, but I worry about future resale value to anyone who's not a CZ afficianado.

If it was a buy and keep forever purchase then I'd probably just do it. But Im just not that person. I buy and sell a good bit. I almost always sell for more than I pay too.

No way. Don't do it. By a new one and tune it yourself or buy a used one for a significant discount off msrp.

 

[protegeV]

No way. Don't do it. By a new one and tune it yourself or buy a used one for a significant discount off msrp.

That was the plan but I haven't been able to find a used one. Plenty of 75d compact and p01, but not a pcr :/

 

[Z_Man]

also, after looking at the add, he didn't spell firing right (fireing..... made my eyes hurt).

also, if you pay 750, i don't see how you are going to get more than 750 in the future on this particular firearm.

 

[rseymorejr]

All that might make it more desirable but not necessarily more valuable.

 

[alucard0822]

That is pretty much retail for the pistol, grips, sights and a spring kit, would tell him to keep his sweaty holster. Some parts like grips, sights, mounts, custom parts, or some gunsmith work WITH reciepts can add to the price, spring kits and home gunsmith work don't, or may detract from it, in either case it narrows the field of prospective buyers. If you really want it, can't find it otherwise, doesn't have any appreciable wear, and like the upgrades, then no harm in paying a little premium for something you really like. The private sale value is probably around $550-$600 as pictured, about $50 or so over what it would be without the sights and grips, and that is probably what he will settle for in awhile if it doesn't sell to someone that wants it NOW, and is willing to pay for that priviledge.

 

[Hawkeye]

If it was a grail gun or something really special, maybe.

For this? No way.

"I swear it was $600 of work but I have no way to prove it" just reeks of "I want to find a sucker to overcharge for this gun" to me. It's like guys who dump $10K in to modifications on a $5k car and are then upset they can't sell the modified car for $15K. Doesn't work that way, guy.

 

[protegeV]

That is pretty much retail for the pistol, grips, sights and a spring kit, would tell him to keep his sweaty holster. Some parts like grips, sights, mounts, custom parts, or some gunsmith work WITH reciepts can add to the price, spring kits and home gunsmith work don't, or may detract from it, in either case it narrows the field of prospective buyers. If you really want it, can't find it otherwise, doesn't have any appreciable wear, and like the upgrades, then no harm in paying a little premium for something you really like. The private sale value is probably around $550-$600 as pictured, $50-$100 over what it would be without the sights and grips, and that is probably what he will settle for in awhile if it doesn't sell to someone that wants it NOW, and is willing to pay for that priviledge.

If it was a grail gun or something really special, maybe.

For this? No way.

"I swear it was $600 of work but I have no way to prove it" just reeks of "I want to find a sucker to overcharge for this gun" to me. It's like guys who dump $10K in to modifications on a $5k car and are then upset they can't sell the modified car for $15K. Doesn't work that way, guy.

I feel the same way. Wasn't inclined to go for this deal. Just wanted to hear other opinions. Fwiw he had it listed for 800 for the last 3 weeks and just lowered it today.

 

[TheBert]

Here's the ad, for reference.

http://fort-worth.texasguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=955493

The true value of an object is established by what someone will pay you for it.

Offer the guy an amount that you are comfortable paying knowing that he had the pistol setup for his shooting preferences. If he says no, move on.

 

[alucard0822]

I feel the same way. Wasn't inclined to go for this deal. Just wanted to hear other opinions. Fwiw he had it listed for 800 for the last 3 weeks and just lowered it today.

I usually offer the most I'm willing to spend, with a week expiration, maybe offer $650 for something like that, or watch it for awhile if it doesn't sell, and then try for a good deal if you don't need it right now. I figure it's worth $100 premium not to have to wait months, and keep looking, or you might get a deal after some time when you flash cash, and they are tired of trying to sell it . I've bought a few of my favorite guns like that, might have paid a little more than I had to, but I've enjoyed shooting them enough to get my moneys worth out of them.

 

[tkd4life]

Not even a little bit would I be willing to pay that price for the gun in question. It isn't worth it to me personally. Someone can take a 1989 GEO metro and drop $10,000 to put an LS1 engine in it, that doesn't make that car worth $10,000 in my eyes. It really depends on what you are willing to pay though. I dropped over $300 on a stripped lower after the Sandy Hook disaster, that doesn't make my AR $200 more valuable than the one I built off of a $100 receiver.

 

[Czechnologist]

No way. Don't do it. By a new one and tune it yourself or buy a used one for a significant discount off msrp.

I agree. Pass. You can get a brand new PCR for $200 less.