Anybody out there have experiance with buying factory reconditioned tools? I know the warrranty is much shorter, but I feel like any troubles with the tools will show up in a year and I am the type of person to reapir an old tool rather than replace. (I repair them myself.) Seems like a big savings on some tools. I have been looking at Milwaukee hole hawg and a few other milwaukee tools.
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Dan
Several posts have been made from those that purchased recon tools from Bosch, Dewalt and even Festool. I wouldn't necessarily expect the warranty to be limited. I don't think that anyone has posted being dissatisfied with the purchase or the savings.
I have taken a different approach over the yrs-I buy from a local tool distributor and have been greatly appreciative of the relationship we have. I'm never without a tool if I bring one in for service-either it's fixed on the spot or they find something to get me through the day (if I need it). I in turn don't abuse the privelege. Any money I might have saved buying online or "other" would be quickly eclipsed the first time it puked out.
I've bought a couple
Dewalt drill & Makita belt sander. It's been several years on both, but IIRC the warranty was the same as new. I didn't need to find out on either. But I'm no longer a daily user.
recon tools
in the last several years, tools I've bought from CPO recon include:
Bosch 4000 table saw
Milwaukee 15 amp sawzall
Bosch colt trim router
Milwaukee 14.4 v. impact drill
Bosch jigsaw
Paslode 16 angled nail gun cordless
The one I had issues with was the table saw. And that was after using it hard to build a staircase. My local guy replaced the brushes, and it works better now than when I first got it. The other tools have been just great, at about 1/2 the price in some cases.
I decide on the cost difference, and use level.
I check the cpo, (certifed pre-owned) sites, amazon, one or two other online sources, and the two local sources.
If the price at the cpo is less than 50% of new, then I will probably buy it. But the 50% moves based on how much I intend to use or abuse the tools. I've been known to buy black and decker circular saws to dedicate to cutting hardie board. Having a $30 saw suck in the concrete dust, makes more sense to me than destroying one of my hihger end saws.
If the cpo is more than 50% of amazon, and the other online sources, then I consider the locals. If the two locals are within 10% of amazon, or other sources for new, I'll buy local.
I've bought quite a few cpo tools, and never had issues with any of them. I think I have 4 cpo Porter Cable 690 variable speed routers. At times, I use several router tables with differet bits set up in them. And if you have routers mounted to plates, you can dedicate them to uses that are a pain to reset, like matching profiles of sets of bits.
I'm also known to buy used tools off guys on job sites. I used to buy tools of guys on the jobsite when I was building tract homes. I'd offer them ten or twenty less than the pawn shop would offer them if I thought I might use the tool. They had until the next Monday morning to buy it back for what I paid for it. For some guys it was a short term loan. Others let me keep their tools.
And occaisionally I'll buy used tools off ebay. So, far after about ten to fifteen purchases I've never been disatisfied.
recon recomended
If the price is right I buy recon consistently.
The only really bad experience I've had was with dewalt.
Milwaukee recons have a perfect record with me, both my go-to circ saw and midsize routers come to mind. I think my milwaukee angle head [electrician model] drill was also a recon. It is one of those rare tools I actually look forward to using....
I used a milwaukee hole hawg [full price purchase] to drive thousands of 12" log screws on a job and that is also a great tool. I wouldn't hesitate to but that recon, or used even.
Milwaukee Tools
I agree, I have always had good luck with Milwaukee tools. I try to find a reconditioned model when I have the time to search. Saves a lot of money.
I bought a re-con'd Milwaukee impact wrench about 7-8 years ago. I love it, and it still works great. I love MIlwaukee--all my portable tools are corded Milw.