Unstable 9 #1 September 10, 2003 I'm looking to invest in some new gear this upcomming spring - looking at a new container and new main, price range < $3000. My questiong is: does anybody know of any good, and reliable gear dealers in the US that offer an acceptable financing plan for sport parachuting equipment? You can finance a home gym off the television with reasonable terms, there MUST be one gear dealer that has a financing package. If anybody has any experiences with this: feel free to share - Furthermore - I used a personal loan to finance my first rig. I have perfect credit, stable income, and i live within my means. I am not one to drive myself into debt recklessly or without heed. Blue Ones,=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #2 September 10, 2003 Don't know what manufacturers you're favoring, but give Mirage a shout. I believe they have financing plans available. www.miragesys.com _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #3 September 10, 2003 Sigh - I have my heart set on a Brand New Javelin (Not Odessy, just javelin) and a Firebolt or Sabre2 Main. (I demo'ed all the equipment at WFFC, these are just what got my fancy) i visited with a Gentleman at Para-Service and he said that they were in the process of screening Financing companies for possibilities, but may be a year or so until they offer any packages. Dang........ Does anybody have any theories as to why none of the top gear-dealers offer any financing packages? I know that for the most part, pencil pushers view skydivers as a "high-risk" category, but you can finance all sorts of crazy shit. And for ANYBODY, $3000 is a lot to put down at once - thats quite a bit more than a down payment for a new car!=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos340 1 #4 September 10, 2003 Use a Credit card. You can generally find better interest rates with the Credit card than you can through a Finance Company and less hassle. There are quite a few cards out there that offer 6 months interest free on balance transfers, so Buy the ring on one card and then transfer the balance to a new card (with the interest Free Transfers) and pay it off in 6 months. No interest. If you already have Credit Cards and they are Maxed out, then maybe it is not the right time to take on more debt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #5 September 10, 2003 I guess it could be related to the fact that a lot of gear is custom built, so its re-sale value is automatically significantly lower than its value new to the orderer. This means that if you default on your payments it would be harder for them to get their money back by repo'ing the rig and selling it again. I know that for my car I had something called 'gap insurance' with my finance package which covered the gap between the amount my normal insurance would pay out in the case of a write-off and the amount I owed the finance company. Another thing is the amount of rigs sold. Although individual rigs are expensive for us jumpers, for a finance company they are very small beer. The stuff you can buy on finance on the telly sells in far higher volumes which means that even if the finance company doesn't make much money on each deal, there are enough deals to still make a profit. The finance companies probably don't consider the volume of sales from an individual dealer high enough. Now if there was a chain of dealerships around the world (or more sensible - a co-operative, hey, dealers this could be a viable idea!) they may have enough volume to make it worth the while for a finance company. Oh yes and us pencil pushing finance types also worry that you may die the first time you use it and not have life insurance to cover any debts you may have tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kansasskydiver 0 #6 September 10, 2003 hey shaun, just my wings, i stand behind wings all the way. i got my custom rig for about 1300. you have a cypress and a reserve right? for you would be able to get a new canopy and rig for about maybe 2700.<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #7 September 11, 2003 Quotefor you would be able to get a new canopy and rig for about maybe 2700 Looks like i'll probably be buying Beavers Sabre2 when he goes elliptical - so just a new Container. =========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #8 September 11, 2003 QuoteOh yes and us pencil pushing finance types also worry that you may die the first time you use it and not have life insurance to cover any debts you may have Lol i'm not getten on ya man. I'm a Stats Major, I see everyday how skydiving effects the Actuary Tables of the Insurance Leaders.=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #9 September 11, 2003 QuoteDoes anybody have any theories as to why none of the top gear-dealers offer any financing packages? Because it just isn't worth it for the typical 10-15% profit margin on gear. You have just named a really low price for gear ($3000) and for a company to float you for 12 months would require far more than a $300-$400 profit. If the dealer were then to charge you retail, most people would probably freak. $3000 is not a whole lot to drop on gear, If you want to finance it, put it on a credit card. If you don't want to drop all that jing at once, you can always buy one item at a time. Just to give you some perspective on what $3000 is worth in the sport and how ridiculous profit margins have become, Sunpath recently raised the Retail Base Price on a Javelin Odyssey to $1899. We all know that no one pays that, but a dealers cost is a percentage of that. So as soon as that dealer starts to discount it, don't expect them to offer services that keep them from their money (time payments) or cut into already slim margins (cost of finance services) BTW If you were to order that Javelin now and put half down, and then make payments while you wait for it to be built, you should have no problem paying for it. The production time is only 26 weeks for Sunpath now.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #10 September 12, 2003 QuoteYou have just named a really low price for gear ($3000) $1500 for a new main and 1500 for a new Container??? Is this Low priceed Gear!?!?!=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chrisky 2 #11 September 12, 2003 Well, it's not easy to find a decent optioned container (custom, that is) for under or up to 1500 USD. Its alot of money, no doubt, but if you buy a lb of gold, it is a sh*tload'o'money, but maybe low priced. Just ordered a nice Wings, they have good prices and some special offer every month (i.e.this month free tie-dye on half rig). Remember, too, that when financing, the dealer selling the rig has to pay the manufacturer in time and full. So he has to have a big enough financial backup to handle this, and looking at the margins and financing needs that's a high risk. I wouldn't want to take it.The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open. From the edge you just see more. ... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #12 September 12, 2003 Quote$1500 for a new main and 1500 for a new Container??? Is this Low priceed Gear!?!?! Sorry, when I read that the first time I faild to see that you were looking for only a main and container, I assumed you were lokong for a complete rig. My bad. $3000 ought to buy you a nice container and main. (note to self: I must read more carefuly) ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betzilla 56 #13 September 12, 2003 I don't think you'll find a NEW container and NEW main for less than $3000. If you do, grab it, 'cause you'll be getting a GREAT price. At my store, we don't offer financing, but we'll order the gear from the mfr with 50% down. The rest is payable when the gear is picked up, or before shipping. If you have perfect credit, you can probably get another personal loan to finance this rig, right? or suck it up and get a pretty new Mirage in 1/4 the time it will take your Javelin to get built. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #14 September 13, 2003 My rigger runs a "Dave's Parachute Service" out of KC KS- he's willing to get me a New Jav, fully articulated, with kill-line & hackey for $1425. Thats all i need. And for a canopy, I'm sure i can pick something up for under 1500 (maybe?!?!) If your shop can match that or go under, I'll need to get in touch with ya. =========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #15 September 13, 2003 QuoteDoes anybody have any theories as to why none of the top gear-dealers offer any financing packages? Jumpers with good credit can get financing for gear on their own - by using credit cards or with a personal loan from their bank. Jumpers who don't have good credit aren't a good risk. Most gear dealers operate on a very slim profit margin. One person defaulting on a rig and then disappearing could put a gear dealer out of business if they "carry their own contracts." Not to mention the paperwork that would be involved... Not sure it'd be worth it for the small amount of profit involved in a complete rig sale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #16 September 15, 2003 QuoteJumpers with good credit can get financing for gear on their own - by using credit cards or with a personal loan from their bank. Jumpers who don't have good credit aren't a good risk. Most gear dealers operate on a very slim profit margin. One person defaulting on a rig and then disappearing could put a gear dealer out of business if they "carry their own contracts." Not to mention the paperwork that would be involved... Not sure it'd be worth it for the small amount of profit involved in a complete rig sale. --------- Thank you skybytch, it makes sense....=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
