Re: [Leica] WTB:LEICA DR 50mm f2 SUMMICRON-M

["Bud Cook" <budcook@ibm.net>]

Thanks Robert.  I agree with you.   Personally, I'd never buy anything sight
unseen and unless I knew it's history.  I have three mint Nikon AI-S lenses
that I offered someone for $600.  The response was that he could buy the
lenses for a lot less money at a dealer and that I should sell them for
*trade-in* price.
That's crazy, he'd never get mint lenses at a dealer and he wouldn't know
their history.  I decided to just trade them in on the new M6 .85 if it
turns out I want one.
Bud
- -----Original Message-----
From: robert <louzan@worldnet.att.net>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Saturday, January 17, 1998 12:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] WTB:LEICA DR 50mm f2 SUMMICRON-M

>Bud,
>
>No offense taken, glad to answer.  Well, there are always at least two
sides
>to everything.  First, if I had the money and wanted to pay retail, I
>wouldn't buy the lens privately.  Instead, I'd go to NYC (15 min. ride) and
>buy it from a reputable dealer who would offer a 15 day MBG and a 6 month
>guarantee.
>
>Dealers have to pay salaries, rent, electricity, publicity, and still make
a
>small profit if they want to stay afloat.  As for buying privately, I try
to
>be as honest as I can and tell everyone up front that I am paying dealer's
>price (partly to avoid dealers themselves on the web.)  Anyhow, a lot of
>folks offer stuff one never even requested; others are very vague in giving
>serial numbers, whether it's Canadian or German, and above all, what the
>condition of the lens is.  From this side of the computer, I can only
>speculate on the condition of the lens, which I almost always overrate.  A
>lot of people fail to consider edge separation, haze, fungi, coating
>problems, etc.  And of course, they are not going to give ma a 6 month
>guarantee.  Repairs are expensive, anywhere from $50-200, for an old lens
>which perhaps cannot be fixed.
>
>What bothers me is when I make an honest offer, am turned down, and then -
>a few weeks later - the equipment is sold to a bad dealer (for a fraction
of
>what I offered) who will sell it for 5 times more.  And, of course, I won't
>give anyone the hassle that a dealer would in buying it. Finally, the most
>important issue is in sending money by mail.  How do I know I'm going to
get
>a lens and not a brick?
>
>There are no fixed rules on buying or selling prices, just what one person
>is willing to sell it for, and what the other is willing to pay.  If you
>decide to sell a lens of yours, then... well, let me know!
>
>Regards,
>
>Robert