Buying Used Microscopes

[ucp1980]

I bought a brand spanking new BX43 2 years ago. I like it. But I don't know if it is worth the price tag, in retrospect. I recall during residency using a variety of Olympus and Nikon scopes, some new, some old, but they mostly worked just fine for me. In any event, I'm looking at buying a used scope (probably BX43 or similar model), but I am leery of websites like "microscopecentral.com" or some other low rent name that doesn't pass the smell test.

Does anyone have a recommendation of a reputable place to find high quality refurbished or used scopes? Any tips on what hazards to look out for?

Much thanks for any input!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Alteran]

Often times, you can buy used or refurbished from the vendors themselves at a steep discount. Beware though that the same warranties and return policies for new stuff often does not apply to used or refurbished hardware.

I learned that the hard way when I bought discontinued used APOs from Olympus and they were all defective - my achromats have clearer in focus images than the APOs if you can believe that. After a few months of trying to get them to work and cleaned thinking they were just "dirty" while also being gaslit by the rep saying they were fine, I tried to return them only to be told they don't take back used items. The reason, if you can call it that, they gave had to do something with federal compliance issues or some such nonsense. Olympus did offer for me to pay a couple hundred dollars for each objective to be optically tested which then could be applied to refurbishing each objective. I asked for what an estimate of what each objective would cost to refurbish, and they wouldn't give me one. Basically, I would have to pay at least a thousand dollars no matter what to be told I have garbage optics (which I already knew) and then decide if I want to pay an unknown amount of money after that to have them "fixed", allegedly. I told them no thanks and that I would never do business with them again.

So, if this is how Olympus treated me for used items, I can only imagine what anyone would go through if they bought something defective from a third-party reseller.

 

[ucp1980]

I appreciate the input Wildcat ;-) . . . I wonder if the VA might have some good auction pieces available, they get rid of good stuff all the time.

Its unfortunate that you can't trust the source. Like you said, it makes anyone and everyone in between even less trustworthy

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

Just buy a new scope and let your old scope become your used scope. That is what we do.