imakepeace
New Member
Old model, but described as fully working, any reason not to buy it?
would you buy a chart plotter from ebay?
- Thread starter imakepeace
- Start date
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
I have in the past without hassle.
Pay with PayPal ( even if only to redirect via a credit card ie. no paypal account ) and you have a fallback if there is a problem.
Be wary if the seller is saying 'no returns' however.
Ask a few questions about source and how it was used before. ( If seller is genuine he'll know how it works )
Make sure it comes with any proprietary cables.
Consider picking up in person rather than shipping.
Pay with PayPal ( even if only to redirect via a credit card ie. no paypal account ) and you have a fallback if there is a problem.
Be wary if the seller is saying 'no returns' however.
Ask a few questions about source and how it was used before. ( If seller is genuine he'll know how it works )
Make sure it comes with any proprietary cables.
Consider picking up in person rather than shipping.
little_roundtop
Well-Known Member
Check what the seller means by "fully working".
Does it have an internal GPS antenna or will you need to buy one of those?
Does it come with any charts or will you need to buy those?
Does it have all the cables/plugs etc. with it or will you need to buy those?
Does it come with the original cover or will you need to buy one?
Does it have an internal GPS antenna or will you need to buy one of those?
Does it come with any charts or will you need to buy those?
Does it have all the cables/plugs etc. with it or will you need to buy those?
Does it come with the original cover or will you need to buy one?
ProDave
Well-Known Member
Is it a current chart format?
Or is it an old one where the charts are obsolete, as rare as hens teeth, and out of date even if you can find them?
Or is it an old one where the charts are obsolete, as rare as hens teeth, and out of date even if you can find them?
Appledore
Well-Known Member
I've bought two, a Raytheon/Raymarine and a Cobra, and happy with both of them. However the Raytheon is B&W and a large screen, doesn't accept C Map Max, and the Cobra is colour and accepts all C Maps. I actually prefer the B&W one due to its larger screen and, to me, easier setting of waypoints etc. The Cobra is a small screen and I find it less user friendly.
So, as others have said, be sure you know what you want and that all cables etc are with the unit. You may find difficulty in sourcing bits for older units. GPS Antenna are not interchangeable in some cases, ie the Raytheon one I have is no use with the Cobra!
Due to the various price drops in recent months I would probably buy a new one next time.
Do look at the seller's feedback comments and you will get a 'feel' of his/her selling background - good or bad!
prv
Well-Known Member
Most of the comments here seem to relate to private sellers. Don't forget that these days eBay is at least as much a shared store-front for small to medium online businesses. I'd certainly have no qualms at all about buying a new plotter from a business in this way.
Pete
Pete
yachtorion
Well-Known Member
As long as said seller has good feedback, +1
maby
Well-Known Member
But, as I discovered only a few days ago, don't assume that just because it's on eBay it will be good value. I've been buying some serious electronics to complete the installation on our new boat and I decided to give our local chandlery the opportunity to quote me a price for it all. To my surprise, they at least matched and, in some cases, undercut the best prices I could find on the web. I was able to give them a detailed pick-list and they came back with a price, I made a single payment and they called me a few days later to say that it was all ready for collection. I had no worries about whether or not it was a geniune supplier, I didn't have to wait in the house all day for a courier and, if anything goes wrong with the gear, I just have to take it a couple of miles down the road to get them to return it to the manufacturers.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
This is a very good point - thanks for sharing. I'll be upgrading at some point and will do it all at once. I have noted this strategy in my note book.
maby
Well-Known Member
I was a little naughty with them - when I gave them my picklist, I did it by email and added in links to the required items from the best web retailers I could find - just to clarify what I was looking for. That said, they did voluntarily come back with some prices that were cheaper than the best I could find on the web.
ukmctc
Well-Known Member
I got my Garmin 5012 from Ebay, brand spanking new in the box, full warrenty, at the time they were £3500-4500, got it for £1700, turns out it waas David Waugh Cowes Electronics and chandlery.
I would buy again and will this winter as I'm changing everthing to Garmin including radar.
I would buy again and will this winter as I'm changing everthing to Garmin including radar.
Chrissie
Well-Known Member
When we wound up our Marine Electronics company I put the stock on Ebay at really cheap prices, but didnt even get any bids, I guess most people are suspicious even though the stuff is brand new, still in box and has all the back up and guarenties of a shop, I am at the stage of thinking I might as well put the great big Garmin chartplotter on my little boat.
PhillM
Well-Known Member
Its all in the way you write the ebay offer.
Spend the £10 a month and open a ebay shop. Explain WHY your selling. Give some backgound to who you are. Put proper contacts on your page. Basically, build confidence.
Basically build confidence and you can sell on ebay quite profitably.
OTOH if you don't and the price seem too good to be true ....... dont be suprised when peple think your not for real and keep away.
As for buying from ebay, well I buy quite a lot. Even bourght my boat there. Nearly everything I buy on ebay is good value and is excatly as expected. very occasionally, I get it wrong but that's usualy due to lack of time / research and so that's my own fault.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
there used to be a chap in hull who bought up raymarine kit on auction then re sold on "buy it now" at well inflated prices
pvb
Well-Known Member
A lot of eBay stuff is "recycled". A few years ago, I was buying mobile phone cases in bulk from the US on eBay and reselling them on UK eBay at about 10x the price! As long as punters believe they're getting a "bargain" on eBay, the madness will continue.
davo
Active Member
we bought ours from ebay some 2 years ago brand new no problems, when we where lifted out last winter we had a lot of gear robbed of the boat although we where in a secure yard, two of the items where the plotter and sounder we where happy with the performances and decided to replace for the same only this time we got the sounder and plotter combined from America through ebay at a lot less than we paid for the original plotter
YachtMasta
New Member
What's the link.. I think it's a good investment if you have the extra cash.
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ianj99
Well-Known Member
He's still on there (Stevied) and you can buy new Raymarine gear for not much more than his used stuff.
Having said that, I did buy a couple of bits off him for a lot less than I could find anywhere, last year and they worked okay.
Jamesuk
Well-Known Member
My step dad bought an Auto Pilot (Ray marine) If this helps your confidence.
Spi D
...
eBay comprises all sorts. Be smart and you're OK.
eBay vs. local shop really is a matter of value. If you want more than a box mover as supplier the virtual world may not be your game.
eBay vs. local shop really is a matter of value. If you want more than a box mover as supplier the virtual world may not be your game.
