OT:A Guide: How Do You Price a Used Egg?

bubba tim · March 2009

For the last few year, many friends of mine have asked me for advice about buying or selling used BGEs. With the last "assessment" that I did this past weekend, I thought to myself, I took notes and have a pretty good system for finding what a fair price should be. This system will give you an average transaction price. There are higher and lower sales but they are somewhat unique. I hope this helps. Please send me closed sales so I can include these in my data. If you see an ad and want to check the price, click HERE

Panhandle Smoker · March 2009

Tim if you are still collecting data, I bought a 2 yr old Lg for 200. about a month or so ago. The Egg, fire ring and fire box were sound but needed bands and a gasket. good as new. I know this was an exceptional great price and not the norm just providing info.

sprinter · March 2009

Bubba,

I think the information is interesting and gives a good point of reference to anyone looking for a good baseline price on an egg.

However, I would disagree with the statement you make about staying away from the older terra cotta eggs "at all costs". I would personally like to have one of the original terra cotta eggs and would be willing to pay good money should one come available. Maybe you should note that there are DEFINITE restrictions to the use of a terra cotta egg vs. a newer ceramic egg such as high heat etc. but I would certainly not advise people to stay away from them. Just my two pennies.

Troy

Misippi Egger · March 2009

Tim,

SIte really provides great information!

Suggestion: Poll this forum and get a guide for buyers of used eggs - "What to look for when buying a used Egg". (Things that might be broken, defects, etc. to help someone keep from buying a lemon instead of an Egg).

I would find such a guide extremely helpful if I were looking a a potential purchase.

Thanks.

Crimsongator · March 2009

That's my egg! :whistle:

Panhandle Smoker · March 2009

I may have a good lead on a large in Atlanta. I will let you know

bubba tim · March 2009

Troy,
I agree with you about the clay models...they would be somewhat a collector prize but not something the "average person" would use. Only an Egghead would want one, but I would dought they ever use it.. make sense?

bubba tim · March 2009

Good sugestion. I can do that.

Crimsongator · March 2009

Cool. Shoot me an email with the details. geneandtania@bellsouth.net

Mainegg · March 2009

Here is another one for you. About a 3 yr old LG in nest with mates, ash tool, grill gripper, new cover, still with the creases, pizza stone, never used, plate setter, never used and original 3/4 bag full of BGE lump. egg was cooked in hardly at all. top of dome was almost all white as was the base. Felt almost perfect, so we know it was not used, it was less used than a demo.... lady did not even want help in learning it. I tried and felt guilty... $500.00. we drove almost 3 hours to get it and then 3 hours back. LOL
that is a good guide you have put together Tim. we have adopted a few "used" eggs this way. people think they are to much work to use?? :blink: I think it is more work in the long run replacing parts on the gassers....

bubba tim · March 2009

Made some changes to the site. Thanks

bubba tim · March 2009

Good deal, long a$$ drive...lol
:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

thirdeye · March 2009

I'm a beliver that the warranty is worth plenty, and since a used Egg isn't covered....the resale value falls way off. I'm not trying to slight the seller or anything, but let's say the new owner had to buy a firebox out-of-pocket, that would get pretty spendy.

So, in my mind, a one year old (or less) Egg that retails for $750 would immediately loose 20% to 25% of it's value just because it's used. Then there should be an allowance for any parts that may fail. All that said, $275 to $325 would be a good place to start negotiations. Of course the scale would go down with age.....

If this same Egg was only priced $200 below retail, I'm afraid I would pass and go for a new one.

Florida Grillin Girl · March 2009

Tim, I purchased my Large egg new from a dealer here in FL in 1996 and it does not have a seam, nor is it terra cotta. From what I have seen here, and from attending Eggtoberfest in Tucker, it seems to be the same egg they are still selling today (except for the hardware, which has been updated). Just FYI.

Thanks for your research and placing it on a website we can refer to.

Faith
Tampa, FL
Egger for 13 years and counting!

Florida Grillin Girl · March 2009

Tim, I purchased my Large egg new from a dealer here in FL in 1996 and it does not have a seam, nor is it terra cotta. From what I have seen here, and from attending Eggtoberfest in Tucker, it seems to be the same egg they are still selling today (except for the hardware, which has been updated). Just FYI.

Thanks for your research and placing it on a website we can refer to.

Faith
Tampa, FL
Egger for 13 years and counting!

bubba tim · March 2009

My Egg " Ole Lady" was bought about the same time. I would not sell it for $1000.00. She has been to Korea and back. However if I were to pass on and someone were to sell it, what would be a fair price for the buyer?
Remember, We are Eggheads, As Charlton Heston once said, "From my cold, dead hands". I understand Faith, I really do.

bubba tim · March 2009

I agree about the warranty issue, if you can buy "that Egg" go for it. I would too. That would be the exception and not the rule. :woohoo: :woohoo:

WileECoyote · March 2009

I agree with thirdeye. The egg depreciates significantly as soon as you take it out of the dealer showroom just like a new car does. The actual amount of instant depreciation is impacted by several factors:

- how much would you pay for a lifetime warranty on the egg?
- are you likely to need or use the warranty?
- are you likely to need or use your local dealer for support?
- what is the minimum savings you would accept before just spending the extra to get a new egg?
- how high are local taxes in your area?

I usually wouldn't buy a used egg unless I could save at least $100 or 20% of the price of buying new. Once I have decided to buy a used egg then the age of the egg is far less important than the physical condition. Some initial things to consider when buying used:

- are any parts or accessories damaged, missing, or likely to need replaced soon? if so then add the price of new parts plus the value of your labor to the equation.
- do I know the seller or trust them to have taken very good care of the product? if not then adjust for the risk of hard usage or hidden damage.
- how far do I have to travel to pick it up? subtract the cost of gas and time for the trip.

And the most important factor: what is the best price I can get on a brand new egg? This is often a lot less than MSRP if you know how to shop around, especially if you are willing to wait or travel a bit, and of course the eggfest schedules factor in here as well.

I was able to buy a used large egg almost 18 months ago for $300 which included everything plus a nest and ash tool. It was usable but I ended up replacing the gasket, band, thermometer, fire grate, and vent door for another $100 or so in parts. They didn't really need replacing but I wanted to do it just to have the new parts. I later sold the nest for $50 so my net investment was $350 for a used but rebuilt large egg with various new parts. Had only moderate use and was in good physical condition. At the time I could have purchased a brand new egg for $620 delivered so I saved almost 50%. It was worth every penny and if I had it do over again then I would. If I did not have an egg then I would not spend $700 for a large to try it. I was convinced to try the egg primarily by the discount which was offered.

Misippi Egger · March 2009

Great addition !

Rib Bones · April 2009

Something you may be interested in. Saw this on Craigslist just yesterday....

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/hsh/1073643864.html

bubba tim · April 2009

Those are good things to consider when buying a used egg. Now you have something to compare with.

bubba tim · April 2009

I would be if was a little closer to me. However, I would not pay $200 just to use it as an art piece. I would never cook on it. Not because it won't cook, but because it deserves it's retirement. :woohoo: :woohoo:

BobS · April 2009

This is an outstanding idea and you have a great approach. However, I think that you should consider giving more weight to what a demo Egg costs at an Eggfest.

This years price, at Waldorf, for a Lg with a nest, is $649 and you get the full warranty. That is the same price as your example of a two year old Lg with nest.

Thinking about the comments on the value of the warranty, I value drops like a stone, the moment that you buy it and then flattens way out.

Mainegg · April 2009

Probably stepping on some toes here... I tend to do that I guess. But how important is the warranty to you if you already have an egg and the experience of it? If you are able to check out the used egg closely. To see the wear and tear on it and amount of use? and the price is right. I was very stressed over the first egg we bought new and the warranty was a huge deal. Now having the eggs I do and know what I know about them I do not think it is such a big deal to me personally. There is really not to much that can go wrong with them. Yes, the gaskets, but if you want to put on the good heavy one you have to buy it anyways right? I am not shooting down buying from a dealer by any means, we are still mulling becoming dealers ourselves.
But I would not pass up a great or even good deal based on the warranty.

bubba tim · April 2009

I have taken some of the suggestions from Thirdeye and WC and have added them. To some Eggheads, warranty is important, to others not. It should be considered when weighing he price.

fishlessman · April 2009

i wouldnt pay more than half for any used egg without a warranty. i cook on two larges and a small, both larges NEED new fireboxes and rings as they are both in about 7 to 9 pieces. first large egg cracked during a cook, replaced the base under warrantee, replacement base has since cracked but i cook on it anyways. small egg has glaze popping off both the dome and base, defects in the ceramic, its covered but i cook on it anyways. have replaced springs on an earlier band and later on the whole spring band, by the way watch out for the old mexican spring bands where the handle is welded to the band verse bolted like the new ones. you should have a note on your site not to buy a used egg from fishlessman

thirdeye · April 2009

I guess this is as good a time as any to ask this question.....Let's say you have purchased a used (or internet Egg) and purchase a new firebox from a dealer or the mothership. As long as you own that Egg, won't that component have a lifetime warranty?

Mainegg · April 2009

hmmm interesting point. makes a good vote to keep your receipts filed for the purchase. it would make sence to me.....

WileECoyote · April 2009

All new parts should be warrantied just as if you purchased a new egg. If my dealer or BGE refused to replace a defective part which I purchased from a dealer and had the receipt for then I would immediately cease relations with those parties.

The value of the warranty is very subjective and is primarily up to the buyer to decide. This topic is up there with religion and politics judging from the thousands of posts on this forum that debate both sides. Use the search feature to find all of those and spend a month reading.

The bottom line for me was that I expected the egg to be a high quality product which would last a long time if properly cared for. Yes, there are dozens of people on this forum which will tell you how all of their eggs have broken multiple times and the warranty saved them enough to buy a new house but those people still seemed to be in the minority given the large size of the total egger population. After cooking on the egg 3-4 times a week for almost 2 years now I have not seen a single defect emerge and my egg was several years old to start with. I also disassembled and rebuilt it then moved it numerous times but still no issues. So I suspect that people with trouble either use their eggs much more often or harder than the rest of us or that they were just unlucky and got a rare bad egg.

In any event my own personal experience has been that the warranty should be rarely needed and may be difficult to collect on depending on whether or not you can go back to the original selling dealer and whether you are willing to pay freight on parts. In the rare event that the egg is defective then you can use the money you saved from buying used to pay for new parts. If it doesn't break then you come out ahead and if it does then you break even. Only times I would recommend the warranty are if you can get it for $100 or less, if you cook more often than most people, if you plan to move the egg around a lot, or if you have bad luck with things breaking on you all the time. Even then you have to be careful to always live near the selling dealer as some dealers are not willing to help you for something they didn't sell.

thirdeye · April 2009

You make a good point about your relationship with your dealer(s) and their willingness to provide product support. But I don't think ceramics are predictable when it comes to failure. They may, they might or they may never fail. I would think all the manufactures are working toward zero failures, and that is why the warranties are so strong.

I can share this with you, my only warranty issue was a cracked firebox and on a Sunday night I posted a "what do I do now" question here, because I explained that my Egg dealer is 275 miles away. Before the night was out, BobbyQ posted his phone number and told me to call headquarters on Monday. About 10AM I called and he had one all boxed up, just waiting on an address. I believe I got it on Wednesday or Thursday......Oh yeah, I did have to pay $13 in shipping.

Howdy, Stranger!

Forums

OT:A Guide: How Do You Price a Used Egg?

Comments