Would you buy these tools ?

[RV77]

http://springfieldil.craigslist.org/tls/3483175966.html.....

I have always wondered why people dont take a little time to clean up stuff that they want to sell ? I mean you would think the nicer it looked you would get more interest and possibly closer to what you want out of it.

Im not afraid to use my tools and equipment and when Im done I clean them up for the fact that I was raised to respect what you have.

I have noticed this alot lately on Ebay and CL.Seems someone just finished doing a service or clutch job and then takes a pic of tools and tries to sell them.

This pic screams abuse in my eyes. Am I wrong ?

 

[TerryH]

I agree. See it all the time on CL and lots on Ebay as well. A little 409 goes a long way.

 

[frankush]

You're not wrong. The guy is a general contractor and the push is to get in and get out. You don't make money cleaning tools. When the box gets cluttered you finally clean it up. Would I buy them? Not unless I looked them over first. You can pretty much guarantee that you'll need to buy some new batteries sometime soon.

 

[Erampu]

They look like they've been in a flood.

 

[sensei_]

i would buy them but id have to look at them, inspect it carefully, and factor in any consumables (batteries).

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I wouldn't buy that particular lot--nor take them for free. Too many batteries. Blech!

 

[skulldrinker]

You prob pay $800 new

 

[shocksandstrutz]

Guys a contractor....batteries are probably good for three months. I wouldn't buy that for 3 something. Maybe a hundred.......maybe

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

i think i would pass on that.

 

[CWP1616L]

You'd be surprised how many people have no clue on how to clean up tools, let alone blow moulded plastic cases.

 

[Tucko]

Looks like he tried to wash off those drill motors with a hose...

 

[d.mcfarland]

Pass ... unless you are looking for exactly what he has, and have new batteries that fit those.

 

[mmack66]

They look like they've been in a flood.

I agree,

 

[Doug Arthurs]

It's fine to say you would clean everything up when you are a hobby guy in the garage but this contractor is not going to get much more money because they are clean when you factor in the cost of him paying one of his guys to clean them up instead of the same guy making him money its a no brainer.

 

[sensei_]

It's fine to say you would clean everything up when you are a hobby guy in the garage but this contractor is not going to get much more money because they are clean when you factor in the cost of him paying one of his guys to clean them up instead of the same guy making him money its a no brainer.

yup well said. in most cases, the contractor would value those tools at $0 anyway (recovered his cost + interest on the job), anything more than $0 is simply a bonus.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I sometimes would rather buy or inspect tools, and vehicles for that matter, that are not spit shined. Reason is, you really know how they have lived. If those DeWalts are just covered in drywall mud/dust and dirty hand grime, but you can tell have not been dropped, kicked, ran over, dragged, etc...then you haggle "b/c they are beat up and dirty".

In my youth I have been duped into buying a shiny pretty tool, that upon getting home and really getting to know it, found out it was beat to crud.

And coming from Construction, that stuff does not stay clean. I am/was OCD, so at the end of everyday, before you shut down the compressor, you blow out all your tools and of course your bags. Keep those motors clean. But cosmetically, always dirty... just my 2 pennies.

Also, I'm going back to DeWalt stuff. Like it better than my Millwaukee and Makita. (Makita impact kicks ****). Rant End.

 

[woody 73]

Funny story but I woud have been interested in buying his tools for the right price untill I heard my brother-in-law tell his story.


On a recent visit my brother-in-law is a general contractor saw me using my 18 volt dewalt tools and he asked me how long I had been using my tools; after thinking I told him that I had most of my tools for about a 5 year period and the look on his face was priceless...

He then told me all his 18 volt dewalt were used up in six months, to which I said oh you mean you need new batteries? His reply no the whole tool is toast and it needs to be thrown in the trash; cheaper to buy new and keep going on the joib at hand.

So to the op after hearing my brother-in-law I now pass on contractor lots!

 

[helterskelter]

The tools look fine. There's drywall dust on the cases. It'd be a waste of time to polish up the cases so people could still lowball him on craigslist.

 

[kythri]

So, if you don't make money cleaning tools, but it's apparent by this thread that you don't make money by NOT cleaning tools, then apparently, this guy isn't making any money.

Chalk me up as:

A> Someone not going to buy dirty-*** power tools that someone can't be bothered to wipe down

and

B> Someone who's not going to pay for tools from contractors who don't take care of their stuff, and use it to the point of abuse on a regular basis (regardless of whether or not this seller gets to deduct them as a business expense, if the tools were still good and operational, I seriously doubt that the seller would be going to even the short-term expense of buying a bunch of new tools. These things are likely worn-out pieces of garbage).

Not really smart marketing.

 

[RV77]

Thanks all for the replies.........Im not interested in these tools.I was just bitching about all the junk tools Ive seen for sale lately on CL and Ebay.

I will buy used tools if they look decent but as mentioned earlier that could also be misleading.

 

[Danglerb]

The worse the seller is at selling his stuff the better I like it. Dilwalt, Snepon, bad picts, even crazy price. All those mistakes mean I pay less.

 

[tsbrewers]

Being a contractor myself, those all look normal to me. Plus, being a contractor the batteries tend to last much longer than a homeowner type user. I have about a dozen 12v tools that the NEWEST battery is about 5 years old and they all work fine. Same with a ton of 18v dewalt tools.

 

[Danglerb]

I've seen this before from commercial users of DeWalt. They get so they have a VERY good idea of how long the tools last and routinely sell them when they get close to end of life for way more than they are worth. There is a big polishing operation near me that always has some on CL, and they are up front how much life is left, but that is plenty for a lot of home users.

 

[Az Scooter]

The biggest fallacy out there. You buy new tools to get a tax deduction. That means that you are still paying $70 for $100 worth of tools. Otherwise, you are paying $30 for no tools, and keeping $70 that you can use for other purposes, like savings, or future purchases.

 

[cheechi]

The biggest fallacy out there. You buy new tools to get a tax deduction. That means that you are still paying $70 for $100 worth of tools. Otherwise, you are paying $30 for no tools, and keeping $70 that you can use for other purposes, like savings, or future purchases.

I was thinking the same thing, but the other side of the coin. I was thinking they already bought the new tools using holiday discounts, and are selling these to make up some of that plus the tax deduction. If you were a gen contractor, you would not sell your tools until you had already replaced and tested them.

Most likely they either went to another brand, are dumping the remainder of their NiCd batts, the oldest or most worn of the tools. Whether or not they're actually trying to make the year end deadline is debatable because honestly, it doesn't sound like he really cares if they sell fast. I would actually be more concerned if that lot was on sale for cheaper, but in either case he's probably not going to get the asking price anyway.

He's honest some things need to be replaced, the chucks for example. You get the impression he's pretty sure the batteries are mostly all junk though, so you could say that's a point for dishonesty if you want. The drywall dust in the pics is what happens when your tools get used.

For the asking price? No I wouldn't. For that particular group of tools? No, I wouldn't. Someone will buy them though, and I bet the lot goes for about $200, it would if it was around here.

 

[Danglerb]

Best tax reason, sell them for cash.

 

[redwrench60]

The worse the seller is at selling his stuff the better I like it. Dilwalt, Snepon, bad picts, even crazy price. All those mistakes mean I pay less.

"Dilwalt"........"Snepon"......Hahahahahahaha.

 

[camarotoolman]

its better to throw the cases away, wipe of the tools off and sell them piece by piece. Charge up the batteries. Some of the stuff looks good, some 12v forget it. I get 20 for charger, 25 batties, 35 drill, 30 saw. etc. Don't leave the batteries near the tools so customers can't play with the drills, saws. They will wear them out playing with them and never buy. Ive sold 1000s of these, because of the econ. construction stuff are slow sellers.