Buyer Beware: Any tips on buying used detectors?

[Sandskimmer]

Hi All,

I've been trawling craiglist and ebay looking for a good deal on an AT-Pro for about 6 months. There's a someone selling one in lightly used condition about 15 minutes away from me. He's asking $400 which is about $100 cheaper than the best one I saw. Beyond giving it a quick field test are there any other things to check before making the purchase?

Note: Since he made a special note that "It can be used in water" to me that implies that he has previously used it in water. To the best of my knowledge the AT-Pro can safely operate in water. Could there be any potential damage from water exposure?

Thanks,

Will

 

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[CaballoDeOro]

Make sure it has fresh batteries and turn it on. Put it into Pro Zero mode. Set the sensitivity to two bars down from maximum. Hold the coil up and away from all metal. Waggle the coil. The machine should remain silent. Then air test with an iron nail (listen for the low grunt), a nickel (mid tone), and a quarter (high tone). The tones should be loud if the target is two or three inches from the coil and get progressively quieter as you move it further away from the coil. If all those responses are as expected, the detector is working just fine.

Check that the cam locks on the shaft are tight and there's no play in the shaft. Look at the bottom of the coil(s) and make sure the resin isn't cracked or chipped.

The AT Pro is waterproof to 10 feet depth. If he didn't take care of the seals it could have water damage, but if so, that should be very obvious - misting on the inside of the LCD screen or erratic performance. Open the battery compartment and look at the o-ring. Also unplug the headphones and look at the o-ring on the connector. There's another o-ring on the coil-to-box connector. Check all of them. Each should be clean, uniform thickness and smooth to the touch. If you don't see any evidence of water and the detector works correctly, you are all clear on water damage.

 

[Skippy SH13]

unlikely. The AT Pro is designed to be submersible to 10 feet. Personally, if I were looking at a used machine, I would take a host of targets to check against. I'd check out normal and Pro mode on it (making sure it detected as expected. I'd look at the bottom of the coil to determine how "lightly used" it really was (scratching is a strong indication of much much use it's had).

Your BEST bet, though, is a conversation. Strike up a general Metal Detecting Conversation, and then ask him where his favorite places to hunt were, best finds, etc... This will give you an idea of what "lightly used" really means.

For a lot of folks "lightly used" really IS lightly used. These machines have a learning curve, and if he/she only ever found garbage and an occasional clad coin, you might have a real winner. Also note WHEN it was purchased. GO armed with knowledge of when the At Pro machines were manufactured (date range), and the more recent the better (more fine-tuning by the manufacturer)...This is a good rule of thumb for most tech, btw.

Lastly, don't be afraid to offer $350. It's Craigslist. people expect a bit of a haggle.

Cheers!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Your BEST bet, though, is a conversation. Strike up a general Metal Detecting Conversation, and then ask him where his favorite places to hunt were, best finds, etc... This will give you an idea of what "lightly used" really means.

For a lot of folks "lightly used" really IS lightly used. These machines have a learning curve, and if he/she only ever found garbage and an occasional clad coin, you might have a real winner.

Agree. "Lightly used" might mean it was tossed in a pick-em-up truck bed and has been sun baked and jostled around hard when not in use. Does the coil look like he bounced it off a lot of rocks? Skuffs, cracks, dents? You can take two guys over identical terrain for identical time and "normal wear and tear" may be VERY different between them. Some guys are very hard on gear and others are much less so even under identical circumstances.

Turn it on and get it balanced and settled then bump the coil into the edge of your shoe or another object (or just the ground). If it false beeps when lightly bumped that's going to be annoying in use.

Check out the battery box for signs of corrosion ( a sign someone doesn't check their gear) . Take off the coil cover - is it full of grit? Is the coil epoxy chipped or cracked?

 

[Loco-Digger]

I have used craigslist to buy my last 2 detectors. I rather go the craigslist route than ebay since I can make arrangements to come by and see the detector and to use it for a few minutes after I inspect it. Most sellers will also give you a quick tutorial on how to use the thing. Last summer I picked up a gently used Fisher F4 for $104 below retail. In October I picked up $1600 retail value of gear for only $800 from a fellow dirt fisherman who had to leave the hobby due to health reasons.
In the deal I got an F75 LTD SE (2 coil package) with both weather covers, a White's classic ID detector (with spare battery tray), a Lesche digging tool with sheath, a garret pro pointer with sheath, a set of Army LBE, a finds pouch, a modified shovel/spade (comes in handy when field hunting), a pair of Black Widow Headphones, a cheap set of headphones, and both detectors came with their original boxes.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sandskimmer check your pm...

 

[Sandskimmer]

Thanks for the info guys. Any comment on the price/detector?

 

[CaballoDeOro]

If it's truly only lightly used with no damage beyond a couple of scratches, $350-$400 is a reasonable price for a used AT Pro.

IMO, the AT Pro/Gold is the best mid-range detector on the market, especially if you like to hunt lakes and rivers from time to time. It's also fantastic on trashy sites once you learn its language. The 5x8 DD coil is ideal for iron-infested homesteads.

 

[Sandskimmer]

That's great to know. I'm renting an addition on a farmhouse that was built in 1780.

 

[SusanMN]

A couple more things to check - look at the coil connector "ears" to make sure there is no sign of cracking or that they have been glued back together.

Also see if the detector rods can be adjusted or disassembled - sometime enough grit gets in them that they are frozen and won't come apart. Fine if you never need to travel with it or adjust it to fit someone of a different height but otherwise you could end up having to replace your rods.

 

[Detector Wars]

Here's a tip; have a look at the most common detectors sold second hand... there's a reason for it. Especially if it's lightly used, mustn't have take the owner long to decide to get rid of it.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

I'm sure you could find a great price on a used AT from one of our vendors here with piece of mind you're getting a good detector. I've been ripped off twice going the Craig's list route. My fault however, should have known better. Buying a hammer is one thing, a metal detector is something else entirely.

 

[CaballoDeOro]

Here's a tip; have a look at the most common detectors sold second hand... there's a reason for it. Especially if it's lightly used, mustn't have take the owner long to decide to get rid of it.

On the other hand, the best-selling detectors will also have higher numbers on the secondhand market, because there were more of them sold in the first place. People can have many reasons for selling a lightly used detector - it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with that particular brand or model. Just like exercise equipment, a lot of people buy detectors thinking they will enjoy the hobby, but get bored, or injured, or whatever. Also, with mid-range machines, some people move up to higher priced detectors like the E-trac or CTX 3030 once they realize they really enjoy the hobby.

If you want a more accurate picture of how good a detector is for its price, the best route is to read reviews and talk to owners and former owners. Beware of those that try to compare detectors that are in completely different price brackets. Are there better detectors than the AT Pro? Sure. But for the money, the AT Pro is one of the best out there if you want a versatile, capable detector for land and freshwater use.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Here's a tip; have a look at the most common detectors sold second hand... there's a reason for it. Especially if it's lightly used, mustn't have take the owner long to decide to get rid of it.

Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them, could be too heavy, too complicated, don't want to take time to learn it or decided they found detector more desirable to them...

 

[SusanMN]

Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them, could be too heavy, too complicated, don't want to take time to learn it or decided they found detector more desirable to them...

Right. I bought a "lightly used" F70 off of EBay for a crazy low price. When I opened the box it was clear that the ad should have said "never used", since there was absolutely no sign of use -- until I turned it on that is. There was no hum, just an ungodly continuous screech, the likes of which I have never heard coming from a detector. Either it had something seriously wrong, or this gentlemen had fiddled with the settings until they were fubarred big time. They are complicated machines so I crossed my fingers and did a factory reset on it - and it was back to sounding like a working detector. Just a case of a beginner and more machine than they could handle

 

[flgliderpilot]

Here's a tip; have a look at the most common detectors sold second hand... there's a reason for it. Especially if it's lightly used, mustn't have take the owner long to decide to get rid of it.

I think most people sell to either fund other hobbies (after they decide detecting isn't for them), or because they simply give up on the hobby.

Not everyone is willing to hunt for 4 hours and return with a few quarters and a button!

 

[flgliderpilot]

I got my AT Pro for $350 on CL with digging tool, bag, original box, and pouch... I consider that a REALLY good deal but don't be afraid to haggle.

I wouldn't worry about it being used in the water as long as it doesn't show signs of corrosion.

Also, be sure to ask if there are headphones included because they are another $50.

 

[Sandskimmer]

I'm sure you could find a great price on a used AT from one of our vendors here with piece of mind you're getting a good detector. I've been ripped off twice going the Craig's list route. My fault however, should have known better. Buying a hammer is one thing, a metal detector is something else entirely.

Could you point me in the direction of any of these vendors? Do they deal with used detectors at all? The seller of the AT Pro I was looking at has gone dark.

 

[bigfoot1]

I had a great expierience with kieth at fort bedford detectors.Kieth was great to work with and his pricing was great on my wifes at pro this spring.highly recomended.http://Www.fortbedfordmetaldetectors.com
814-215-1732
sales@fortbedfordmetaldetectors.com

I hear great things about all of our supporting vendors...a great group.find them all in the classified forum here at t-net.good luck !!!

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Could you point me in the direction of any of these vendors? Do they deal with used detectors at all? The seller of the AT Pro I was looking at has gone dark.

Scroll down on the forums page and you will see multiple vendor names/titles to choose from. GL Mike