Used tanks are overpriced

[Hostage]

I am buying 2 new AL80 w/ pro-valves tanks locally from a dealer for $150 each. I was first wanting a used tank, though people are selling AL80 tanks out of vip and hydro for the same price. I have been looking for tanks for about half a year and it seems true for most craigslist ads.

-Hostage

 

[BLoaf]

I see some on craigslist in my area, where they are probably more common, ranging in price anywhere from $50 to $200...But yeah, mostly the decent tanks are not much of a bargain at all, especially when you throw in getting them checked out.

 

[JamesK]

Tanks, like anything else, are priced to what people are willing to pay. If people would stop paying dang near new prices for tanks, then they would not sell for that. Down here where I am at now, used tanks go for their volume. 80's are $80. 100's are $100. That is AL only. Steel is another story.

 

[CT Sean]

Plenty of used tanks are overpriced but if you look enough eventually something "reasonable" might come up. I got two AL 80's last years for 100.00 total - one is 10 years old, and the other is 4. both look nearly new. I do see many for $100 - $125 though

 

[Hank49]

And "used" from a dive shop that used them a lot, vs from someone's garage that didn't dive more than 10 times a year....hard to trace the history. The hydros and testing don't determine how many times they've been filled.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The asking price and the selling price are not the same. It's a specialty market with a limited number of customers.

Some people pay dealer list price when they buy their first gear new and then base their used asking price based on that rather than best prices offered via the internet and discount dealers.
Some people just ask high and hope some sucker will come along and pay asking prices (sometimes it happens)

If you want to buy used, get a copy of the best advertised "new" price. Share it with the seller and make a reasonable offer. If its been advertised with no takers for awhile they may take you up.

 

[Damselfish]

It's only overpriced if you pay it. Tanks aren't the only gear that people try to sell used for way too much. Many people base their prices on what they paid or wishful thinking rather than the market, I suspect often folks that paid full price for a pile of gear then decided they weren't really into diving. (I think these same people don't take into consideration the possible need for service, maybe because they didn't dive long enough to have to pay for it.) Then again you can get deals from people that just want the stuff out of their garage.

 

[Gunpowderboy]

Here in Switzerland a new 15L faber steel is 350 CHF, used out of hydro 150-250 CHF... Rental for a weekend 30-40 CHF.

Having done the math I'm getting a new tank this month.

Only issue is hydro every 2.5 years at around 100 CHF.

 

[gsk3]

CL in my area is useless for SCUBA gear. People are entirely deluded as to what their 20-year-old rotting gear is worth.

However, I've bought all my tanks used. Going rate is right around $100 for an AL80, stage-rigged, with a year or two left on the hydro.

 

[akdeepdiver]

I have bought pleanty off of CL in the past. I have found that most people selling do not realize the acctual value, and just look up the price of a new one and expect to get that. Usually, after I look at it, if it is out of Hydro and VIP I will counter offer the price of the tank, minus the testing fees with a money back gaurentee if it fails. Or I will offer full price if the owner wants to get it tested out of pocket first. Usually they take the first offer.