the price of a new detector

u read and talk and u hear a lot of innuendo of what a detector is worth.
to me if its a cut above the rest and most have been, its pointless rehashing an old duck with ostrich feathers and claiming it to be a jungle bunny coz u will have a problem Houston.

I remember when u could buy a Toyota for about $25,ooo and now they are worth around $70,000 for a new troopy, V8 with nothing special to shake yah socks off. Yet we spend a few grand on draws, dual batteries, led lights, winch, awning, camping gear, tyres, spare wheel carriers, GPS, ipads, etc etc

compare to what u got for $25k nothing much has really changed..fuel economy is still the same, comfort is still the same, the color of white paint is a little bit whiter yet the god dam things are worth 5 times as much and need servicing on a regular basis.
All u need is something to take u there and bring u back.

A vast majority of keyboard warriors who on the odd ball occasion get away and actually go bush are continually having a go at detecting company's for bring out something which is updated, slightly advantageous compared to other model or if there is a leap in new technology they still carryon like a busted ass idiots who cannot afford a piece of equipment that is ahead of there competition that makes detecting a whole lot easier..don't see them having a go at motor vehicle manufacturers for making a very expensive motor vehicle in which all u want it for is to get from point A to point B.

What 99% of people want is a automatic machine that detects gold without all the knobs to adjust and tighten.

New technology comes at a price and u get sick and tired of reading about the exploits of keyboard warriors whinging about the cost of a very good detector and having a great time in the bush.

I have seen friends come and go--no big deal -- not many mind u but a few-- sure I'm a hard bastard to get along with at times and I will call a spade a spade--but when it comes down to the cost of a bit of gear that makes life enjoyable in the bush for something that I take great pleasure in then hey if I cant afford it, I will save like hell to obtain that piece of gear that brings me enjoyment. I don't go out and brag about the fact that I use such and such--far from it --I have respect for those that are simply just out there doing it especially those in my company. I run with a couple of black fellas and yes I am the only white guy that gives them the sh#ts and gets away with it and we r still mates..mind u my troopy is a piece of crap to theres--both have brought new tojos from working hard and saving money--no hand outs with these boys trust me. U have to strangle them just to get a beer.

but I am wanting the day were I can pack up and go bush for 8 months of the year and if that means I have to fork out more money for a piece of gear that will provide me with edge to find more gold and b it a bit easier then I'm all for it.

as I have said in previous posts, if u cant find gold with a 45 or a 5 when people around u r then u need to take a hard look at yaself coz u r doing it all wrong and jumping up and down like a lizard on hot coals wont help u find more gold or whatever.

on a more personal note --for those who cant get their head around the knobs of a 45-5 then u should consider the latest machines that are a whole lot easier to use. to me theres either a Garret or a Minelab..do yah home work.

regards
oneday

Hi All,

Oneday!!,talk about the HARD SELL, this belongs in the for sale section,we all detect, we all can make up our own minds, your preaching to the preachers

You are entitled to your opinion as am I but Minelab does not need your comments to sell ,the equipment sells itself, if it's good enough we buy it, let the sleeping dog lie

As you should know, you never buy the first model, it gets refined second and third and forth time round with Minelab, it's called dripfeed!!!

Every model detector minelab makes(PI) would find really small gold if there was allowance to set your own programmes for timings but hay, we'll drip feed them and make a killing, go figger

Your probably a nice bloke but hard sell we can do without,
Ron

I am not selling anything --its hard to b humble but I will try -u r the one with a fixation..if anyone was trying to push a barrel its old cat when he wrote the article in GG& T about the ATX

u forget there are a lot of people who come on this show and seek an opinion we don't all agree with every thing that is said.

geez I must have forgotten to mention NISSAN--as we have said befor --if u don't like there gear don't buy it..

U forget that everyone who buys a detector does get a lot of enjoyment from there pursuit of happiness. .

regards
oneday

If I read it right, then what you are saying, Oneday, is that the price of detectors has not risen much compared to other implements used to extract gold. If that is what you mean then I agree with you.

I am in the market for a replacement for my troopie (98 model). It looks like it will cost me about double what I paid last time. My 4500 did not cost me double my 3000. My 3000 was not double my 2100.
I look forward to the release of the next detector to replace my 4500.

Matelot   

I'm not getting into the debate over detectors but I don't agree on the price of 4WDs. I bought this HJ75 as a bare cab-chassis with a fleet discount in 1986 for $23,000. By the time I had it on the road it was a lot more expensive but that can't be counted.
25 years on $70,000 for a PC doesn't sound that bad. I think the price of basic vehicles remained quite static for many years, it's just that Toyota have a stranglehold on the market now and can afford to wack a premium price on their LandCruisers.





This is at my favorite camping spot on the Nullarbor in 1987.

G'day, interesting topic Ray, lets hope gold goes over $2k an ounce then nobody will winge about the price of minelab detectors.

I still remember buying my new 5000, I layed it out on the floor of my shed mmmm $6500 mmmmm is that over priced I thought to myself ?
I then placed my brand new rotary hoe, chainsaw,extendable pole chainsaw,leaf blower and whippersnipper alongside the 5000, then got all my safety gear out and placed that on the floor.....then wheeled in my secondhand wood chipper with a 15hp engine on it, made a quick calculation on the cost of all that gardening gear......about $6000 !
I then realised that the 5000 is a rip off, big time !

But like Ray said at the end of the day I got a lot of enjoyment out of it and about $15k of gold from one season,then sold the 5000 for $5300.

Gezzzz I just spent over $300k rebuilding my house......now that hurts !!!  
Regards Snapper

Electronic prices don't go up.
A lot more technology and continued development in a flat screen TV than a detector. Why, well if LG sold me a TV with the same features as it did 6 years ago they would go broke.
The harsh truth old mate it comes down to supply and demand. If minelab had competition , would they sell at the price point??Doubt it.
Toyota is in the same boat - Supply and Demand
But Toyota has to also look after their dealers. Prices for running a dealership are not the same as the 80s. Oh, and take a look at Toyotas service costs. Less than half my new Mitsubishi.
Your GP on a Minelab 5000 Oneday is bugger all compared to what some electrical retailers make on products with less retail value. Plus extra warranty they can add. Geez my electronic dive gear comes with a better warranty, and you should see the hell I put it through.
Minelab do what they do while they can, and yes the product is great, and I am 100% behind it, no bagging here, just truths.
Just one last thing
What pushes my buttons is this bloody attitude that it must be this detector or that. My opinion, is if you can't hire one, or can't afford one, go prospecting with what ever you can. (Puffer bottle in creek wash) just go.
Don't be dictated to by commercial advertising.
I could of found my best nugget this year with a garden rake. Why, because I just got out there.
Took my best friend this year who had never been before, he found gold in the first 10 mins with his new VLF,
Now that's a price you cannot put a figure on.

yep I agree gold diver --u need to get out there--

who ever was using a rake out there in hidden valley must have found at least one piece--one hole and a broken rake handle left behind...

regards
oneday

Yep, I do need to get back out there alright,

I don't know what % of a Minelab detector is manufactured in Australia but that might explain some of the price. The problem with manufacturing anything in Australia is that we have a limited consumer market. I've been manufacturing automotive parts in Australia for 30 years and struggling to make a decent living because we can't sell enough to manufacture in volume. Low volume means a lot of manual labour content compared to mass production by automated machines.

For example we build a RHD steering box for the Hummer that is a mirror image of the US made Saginaw box. Our build cost for ten at a time is about $2750 selling for about $4800. The equivalent LHD part bought from Saginaw in the US is about AU$350 where they manufacture about 2000 a day. I don't know the price from Toyota but I guess it would be about $2500 and they would be manufacturing a few thousand at a time as well.

When it comes down to it Minelab are probably doing well but I doubt they are making a killing unless they use generic components that come at a dime a dozen. If they manufacture their components in Asia then I guess those parts would be quite cheap as well but you still have to sell a high volume to keep the price down.

Phil

I have heard this debate before many many times over the years, about how minelabs are overpriced blah blah, whinge whinge, whine whine  , but at the end of the day at least they will do exactly what they are made for, better that than buy some other bunky machine that is sold with all the promises in the world but does not produce the goods.  

At the end of the day, they are what they are and if you take the time and get off your ass and walk the ground you will get gold with most detectors that are on the market, but if you want to get consistent gold you simply have to have the best detector that's available and currently minelab machines are the best available, and that's not my opinion only the vast majority of people detecting are using them, the only people who I have met that will dispute that fact are usually newbies that think they know better than everyone else  , or people that wouldn't know shite from clay and have bought something other than a minelab  .

In my opinion the price to me is only relevant if the machine is unproven and where the feedback on its performance is limited, for instance I am still on the fence in relation to the sdc2300, price wise I feel that ok it seems a bit on the high side considering the price of the gpx5000, and for the most part what I have heard is that it will find small gold that's the upside, the downside is that there are many criticisms about the ergonomics of it, but if the blurb was that people were out there killing the pig with the thing then the price would probably not be a huge consideration as I would know it was doing what they said it would do.

Anyway I don't mind if people buy other brands of detectors as more gold will be left behind for me  

au-fever

Nice rant ray.  

au-fever wrote:, or people that wouldn't know shite from clay and have bought something other than a minelab  .


Anyway I don't mind if people buy other brands of detectors as more gold will be left behind for me  

au-fever

Guilty as charged on all accounts. We dont know shite from clay, that's why they call us newbies   
And yes we tried to buy a Minelab SDC2300 but we were a little early so none were available. Anyhow I've been quietly watching the comments as they come in and even though there's a lot of negative feedback from experienced operators on the ATX most have never even seen one. On the other hand the 2300 has had it's fair share of negative feedback and from people who have actually used it.
Hopefully we'll know more after the muster and have something to show for it   

Phil

i will bite on this subject. to me the cost of any piece of equipment is only justified by the use you put it to. for example i payed $3000 for a mitsubishi diagnostic centre mmc MUT111 late last year and it has payed for itself already with injector initialising, DPF regens, (now removed) fault codes identifying parts for repairs saving me a fortune from the stealers and it is still saving me money. a good investment if you do what I do. the cost of todays machines isnt too bad really, compare the price of a sdc2300, ATX or even a 5k to a boat or fishing gear or car performance parts, astrological gear etc, I have just been quoted over $2750 for a new turbo after a cheap air filter failed and around $300 each for sensors and solenoids etc the stealers "advised" me to buy. todays cost for the quality you get to me is insignificant compared to the enjoyment you get just being out there and any gold you find adds up so over the years what you invest in gold detecting equipment will be returned not only in cash but in life memories. the good machines also hold their price well compared to other specific occupational equipment (cant see me selling the MUT111 in a few years for close to what I payed for it). dont see what all the fuss is about to be honest.

Well, seems I've missed a lot after reading some of the comments here.
buy an ATX for $4K ? I'd rather buy a used GP Extreme for $2K but thats just my opinion.
The SDC, I haven't tried it so cant comment on it.
Ya buy a 4x4 spend thousands on extra's and thats not counting ya caravan or camper trailer, but some people think $6K for a 5000 is a bit rich, that's the way it goes I guess.
someone has just spent $300K building a new house but when it comes to spending that sort of money, no one thinks twice. and ya shouldn't either coz ya gotta live in it.
prices go up, they never come down.
bit of trivia for ya's. 1978, the price of a 3 bedroom brick and tile house on a quarter acre block was $29K in the Perth Metro area. Now ya paying about $29K for one brick    not quite   
ya can argue about the price of equipment all ya like but we all will spend the money if we have too.

  

I agree you get what you pay for . I've met a couple north of menzies detecting with a teco $ 40 detector.had to giggle  Butt thay seemed too be having fun and yes thay were driving $50 000 doller 4x4.

terrific post Ray , you said a 4500, 5000 , id say the same about that special 2100 or the extreme , if ya cant crack it with that , you are not suited to it , don't bother with the expense of buying these new high price detectors even , some think the new thing will bring the KGS of gold , nope its hard slogs in new areas that finds the gold , dinkum & you only have a maybe a 10 percent better chance with the latest pi , that's all.
Now the dust has settled after the release of the 5000, what 3 long years ago , apart from flyshit that wont put rum on the bar , not much really to report .The early PI detectors were good , got most &we wait for something new , garrett , who ever , itl come .

albo wrote:terrific post Ray , you said a 4500, 5000 , id say the same about that special 2100 or the extreme , if ya cant crack it with that , you are not suited to it , don't bother with the expense of buying these new high price detectors  even  , some think the new  thing will bring the KGS of gold , nope its hard slogs in new areas that finds the gold , dinkum  & you only have a maybe  a 10 percent better chance with the latest pi , that's all.
Now the dust has settled after the release of the 5000, what 3 long years ago , apart from flyshit that wont put rum on the bar , not much really to report  .The early PI detectors were good , got most &we wait for something new , garrett , who ever , itl come .

Have to agree, its hard slogs and legwork that will get the gold and the chance of success is relevant to time on the ground, but at the end of the day the latest machines will suck up tiddlers on old well flogged ground, and if you are happy with that well then that's fine, I like to spend a large percentage of a trip hunting for new ground, but as you know it can be a long time between drinks, so every now and again I need to spend some time gleaning the known spots for scraps to keep my interest up it usually covers the fuel/grog bill for the trip, so having a detector that will do both is obviously beneficial while an older machine will get a virgin patch in most cases it may not be as good as a later machine at sucking up bread and butter gold.

Its always amused me that as soon as something new hits the market there's a rush on to get one and hit the ground running, but many people still head for the same places that they flogged over with their old detector expecting that they might extract ounces more, that's not the case as detectors have only been improving in small increments over the years, and you might pick up a few missed pieces that's about it, the detector is only a small part of the equation as its the legwork and hours on the ground that is the most important factor because at the end of the day no matter how good the detector you still have to get the coil over the nugget.

How many times I have seen people who will spend a couple of hours a day detecting and then the rest of the day sitting idly around camp, and that's fine, as being able to relax and do what you want when you want in the bush is a great part of the attraction, and every now and again as I am an old fart now I too feel the need for a nanna nap or a few lazy hours in camp, but it peeves me when after I have spent 8-9hours or more going here and there like a blow fly, and some camp Walla says that I am lucky because I got some gold, I have never been lucky but I have been persistent and put in the time, and that's how I will get the gold.

At the end of the day a capable machine and time spent using it will get the gold, its all about percentages, the more time you spend on the ground and the more swings you make will more likely increases the odds of you getting on to it, more so than just relying on the machine alone as it wont find gold on its own you still have to get off your bum and drive the thing.

au-fever

most likely been mentioned before , but there aint many hobbies where you have the chance of paying for your trip and maybe even producing a profit with research and effort [ and possibly a little bit of luck]. Could spend a lot on the golf hobby for example: membership $000s, clubs, green fees etc all for no return, but if thats your thing...... And whatever the detector cost , when you hang up your boots you can still sell it for a reasonable price and all that time you,ve had a good time, right? Its only bloody money and when i,m out there and the finds are a bit skinny, i just remind myself there some poor bugger disabled who would give his eye teeth to swap places. think happy, john

johnf wrote:most likely been mentioned before , but there aint many hobbies where you have the chance of paying for your trip and maybe even producing a profit  with research and effort [ and possibly a little bit of luck]. Could spend a lot on the golf hobby for example: membership $000s, clubs, green fees etc all for no return, but if thats your thing......    And whatever the detector cost ,  when you hang up your boots you can still sell it for a reasonable price and all that time you,ve had a good time, right?  Its only bloody money and when i,m out there and the finds are a bit skinny, i just remind myself there some poor bugger disabled who would give his eye teeth to swap places.     think happy, john

To right John well said mate.
K town