Deals come, deals go, where do you find..deals.

[ciordia9 0]

After talking to many at the DZ it seems deals from manufacturers to dealers seem to come and go on a monthly basis. In computers I keep my eye on services like Techdeals & Techbargains for purchasing thoughts/timely deals.

Does anyone have a clue as to how to stay ahead of the curve or where to check to see what deals are playing where? I seem to be odd man out a bunch recently for a 40% discount that's now gone, or a package discount deeply reduced..thats now gone.. meanwhile I'm still renting while some nice new rigs are being toted around. ;-)

I need a full package and I'm willing to wait, I just need to know where to watch.

it's my island
"Life is all about strategy, mathematics and psychological perceptiveness."

[PhreeZone 20]

Only major package deal I know of was Aerodyne a few years ago. Some of the larger gear dealers offer some nice discounts from time to time. Other then that some manufactors offer discounts to take old stock from them. The best way is to contact a gear dealer and work with them since they may know of a canopy going on sale in 3 months and a container thats on sale now.

The bad news is that sport gear rarely goes on sale or gets a discount. In fact for the most part it just climbs in price. I about ordered a new rig in 2002 and it was going to cost me about $1300 for the container with all my options. That same config now is pushing $1600 and no end is in site for the price climbs.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[GravityGirl 0]

If there were multiple rigs ordered at 40% off, that must have been staff rates, because that is below most dealer costs.

This industry cannot be compared to the computer industry.

There are plenty of good cost effective options available. Feel free to PM me for details.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[darkwing 5]

shop around with several DEALers, and see what kind of DEAL you can get from them.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[ciordia9 0]

I gotcha. It just felt like a lot of good deals were going on around me that I was missing out on. Since I am shopping I thought I'd send a flare up to get a better view. I appreciate everyone's input both on, private, and offline.

it's my island
"Life is all about strategy, mathematics and psychological perceptiveness."

[Ironmanjay 0]

Talk to Gravity girl shes the one to be talking to if you want a new rig

[Elisha 1]

Someone can buy my old gear. I need the money to buy accessory items (jumpsuit, alti, etc.).

I have a perfectly airworthy Talon 1 w/ Sabre1-150 and MicroRaven 150 I can sell you in the low 1000 range.

[MagicGuy 0]

I've found some amazing deals right in the classifieds section. I put together a basically brand new Wings rig minus Cypres for about $1500. That's including a PD reserve, main and the container.

The good deals seem to go really quick so you have to keep an eye out. Know what you are looking for and stay on top of the classifieds and you might just find a great deal.

[billvon 3,119]

>Does anyone have a clue as to how to stay ahead of the curve . . .

Get to know a lot of dealers/manufacturers. Call them and ask "what are the good deals?" periodically. Network. I just got a great deal on a helmet at PIA, for example, just from talking to people there.

[ciordia9 0]

Yea, what I'm looking for I've seen flit through there but you're right, you gotta be quick! For the masses of averages classifieds are working great, for some serious specificity of a heavy tall jumper the odds are much lower. Not that you can't, not that it doesn't happen, but my reaction time seems slower than others. As well some of the savings isn't as much as you'd always expect and when the margin closes within 15% of a new rig, (before shipping it to your rigger for inspection..and then what if its the wrong match? another 60 to send it back? woo) the new rig wins.

I've committed to buying a new rig and am just working on finding the best overall deal for them. And to see what extended relationships with these dealers quantifies into.

-a

it's my island
"Life is all about strategy, mathematics and psychological perceptiveness."

[PhreeZone 20]

You can be a lot quicker in finding deals if you use the Keyword Notifications: http://www.dropzone.com/content/Detailed/477.html

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[ciordia9 0]

I thought I'd write some final thoughts to what I did, and what I've learned.

My initial thoughts as I came into final here was to get some prices, and then talk to my local shop into seeing what they did. Like in contracting I took a few bids and talked to a local contractor.

After a lot of midnight oil burnings I finally squared out everything I wanted, every option, every thing.. which to a newbie took a helluva lot of searches on Dropzone.com. (Thanks for a detailed history to search from too!) I got a bunch of numbers and packages and then took that with me Saturday to my local dropzone Skydive Carolina, also home of Rigging Solutions.

I talked to the instructors I had during AFF, and Gus asking for refined advice, and to clarify these "deals" I had interpreted. I found out that one was a special case, and one wasn't as special as I thought. Really what I found is you need to ask people directly what the deal was, because when other people tell you it becomes 'the fish was how big?' story.

With that as an aside, and a few quotes for gear, Gus and I got to work on what I was getting buying local and the comparisons. What I found was going local had the same cost variation as a few of the online places I had found. Meaning the playing field is really pretty even. Local I have found someone who will back the product, and take responsibility of something if it was to go wrong, or come in wrong. Like I said in one of my posts a deal is only merited by what comes behind it. I enjoy having someone stand by their business, customer, and to be there on my home field, zing!

So yesterday I committed (man what a scary feeling) to a Wings container w/ good options, a PD Saber2 230 and a PD Reserve 218. (See attached for color choices)

I'm going to make this baby last a while. I'd like again to thank those that helped with direction, simple advice, and recommendations. I'm frugal, pragmatic, and a researching fool, so it all went to good use in the battle I waged in my head. Now if I am lucky it'll all get here before my canopy class in May.

-a

it's my island
"Life is all about strategy, mathematics and psychological perceptiveness."