Used equipment approach - please share yours!

[shakemandril]

As in most of my hobbies (rc planes/jets/helis, shooting sports, UTV's to name a few) there are always pros and cons for purchasing used equipment.

A few Pro's/Con's I've encountered in other hobbies

Pros
1. Value - it's easy to save money purchasing used equipment
2. Interaction - I have met and dealth with some amazing people and have typically learned from most experiences
3. Experience - considering devices you wouldn't normally consider due to good deals

Cons
1. Value - it's just as easy to lose money if the equipment is severely degraded or breaks shortly after purchase
2. Interaction - meeting and dealing with people can sometimes be tough and unpleasant
3. Experience - some consider testing and messing with equipment they don't like to be a waste of time. while I don't, I definitely have friends who would rather purchase only what they consider the best and aren't willing to try other things.

As you can see, I try to view things as a double edge sword and take the good with the possibility of bad. While it can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes, experience is earned and should valued, positive and negative alike!

What are some of your Pros/Cons of purchasing used equipment? Is there a process you use to "vet" used equipment before purchase?

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I used to buy a lot of used gear, but I have bought less and less over the years. I think some of this is simply because I am not a broke jr high student like I was when I started reefing.

The other thing that has changed is that I have learned how long certain gear will last. I have been in this hobby for nearly 2 decades and I don't plan to get out any time soon so I start to think of the lifetime cost of the gear because I am in this for the long haul.

I personally don't trust a rimless glass tank past 10 years. Or a rimmed glass tank past 15 years. When I see used rimless tanks for sale I will just pass. I don't know how they were treated, and I really want the display to be in my home for at least 10 years. If it is already 5 years old and I don't know how it was stored or maintained, then I would rather just buy new.

For acrylic tanks, I will happily buy them, buff them out, and use them. They last forever. I just don't want acrylic for anything under 200 gallons because glass is so much easier to clean.

This principle applies to all kinds of gear. Most LED lights last me 6-7 years so if I buy a 3-4 year old light more than half of its usable life is gone. I will normally just fork over the money for a new light. DC pumps may last 7 years so do I really want one that is a few years old already? Iwaki Pumps last for all eternity so I will happily buy these used. I also am fine buying used skimmers and reactors as the acrylic bodies last forever. I just need to make sure that I can find a replacement pump and rubber seals.