Grays Of Westminster - jokers?

Hadge

Hadge

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I’ve recently been diagnosed with a hernia so not being of Mr Universe build lugging my Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR is less appealing than using my 500mm PF on my Z9 when doing my motorsport photography. Well it seems Nikon could be introducing the new Z PF 400mm soon so I saw Grays Youtube video and thought I’d contact them regarding a part ex (even though I’ll probably sell my lens privately) and so sent them details, it’s a mint lens and awaited a trade in price off them.

I got an email offering me £1,500 for it! I’m like is a joke? I can get nearly £4,000 from MPB, LCE for the lens and yet Grays offer pittance. I’ve never purchased anything from them, I’ve never traded anything in with them and I guarantee I will never deal with them. I’m sure other members have had much better business with them but as for me, well I’m flabbergasted.
 
I can't see what your grounds for complaint are.

You asked for a quote and you received a quote. The quote is less than you thought you could sell it for and you believe others will give you a higher price. That's the nature of any trade: the vendor proposes and the customer disposes. Contact the other companies and confirm which one will give you a better offer.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
I can't see what your grounds for complaint are.

You asked for a quote and you received a quote. The quote is less than you thought you could sell it for and you believe others will give you a higher price. That's the nature of any trade: the vendor proposes and the customer disposes. Contact the other companies and confirm which one will give you a better offer.
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Give your head a wobble will you. !

It's an utterly ridiculous price.
 
Do add Ffordes to your list but ring them. They can trade, commission sale and on some things will make an offer. They have done well for me on a commission basis but that does mean you have t wait until it sells. You also have to pay to get it there - otherwise I think that they would be swamped with "stuff".
 
Hadge said:
I’ve recently been diagnosed with a hernia so not being of Mr Universe build lugging my Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR is less appealing than using my 500mm PF on my Z9 when doing my motorsport photography. Well it seems Nikon could be introducing the new Z PF 400mm soon so I saw Grays Youtube video and thought I’d contact them regarding a part ex (even though I’ll probably sell my lens privately) and so sent them details, it’s a mint lens and awaited a trade in price off them.

I got an email offering me £1,500 for it! I’m like is a joke? I can get nearly £4,000 from MPB, LCE for the lens and yet Grays offer pittance. I’ve never purchased anything from them, I’ve never traded anything in with them and I guarantee I will never deal with them. I’m sure other members have had much better business with them but as for me, well I’m flabbergasted.
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I don't know if my flabber would be gasted, but I'd be pretty miffed if I'd got that quote for kit like that.
At least you know where it won't end up.
 
I can see why others have said go with the other quotes if they are much better. Let it go as their their loss as you’ve got other higher quotes from several others so no issue for you selling it on. The only cost has been your time getting the quote unless you sent the lens to them.

From past experience of trading in long fast lenses companies usually offer around 50-60% of what they can sell it for as a used lens. Due to the high price point there is a smaller market for these lenses so likely take longer to sell on. There could be many reasons why companies offer a low trade in price.

Which Nikon 400mm f2.8 G VR are you talking about as there seem to be quite a few models out there now.
 
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Hadge said:
I’ve recently been diagnosed with a hernia so not being of Mr Universe build lugging my Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR is less appealing than using my 500mm PF on my Z9 when doing my motorsport photography. Well it seems Nikon could be introducing the new Z PF 400mm soon so I saw Grays Youtube video and thought I’d contact them regarding a part ex (even though I’ll probably sell my lens privately) and so sent them details, it’s a mint lens and awaited a trade in price off them.

I got an email offering me £1,500 for it! I’m like is a joke? I can get nearly £4,000 from MPB, LCE for the lens and yet Grays offer pittance. I’ve never purchased anything from them, I’ve never traded anything in with them and I guarantee I will never deal with them. I’m sure other members have had much better business with them but as for me, well I’m flabbergasted.
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I once bought a Nikon TC17-EII for around £400 from a well known dealer (not Grays) and was offered a trade in of £95 from the same dealer 6 months later.

When I asked about it, they said they already had a few s/h one's in stock and they were a slow seller. I got the impression, this was the price they were willing to risk for something that might sit on the shelf for a long period of time.

I'm not saying this applies to your lens, just offering the idea that there may be reasons why they don't actually want the lens, unless its at a very low price.
 
rob-nikon said:
I can see why others have said go with the other quotes if they are much better. Let it go as their their loss as you’ve got other higher quotes from several others so no issue for you selling it on. The only cost has been your time getting the quote unless you sent the lens to them.

From past experience of trading in long fast lenses companies usually offer around 50-60% of what they can sell it for as a used lens. Due to the high price point there is a smaller market for these lenses so likely take longer to sell on. There could be many reasons why companies offer a low trade in price.

Which Nikon 400mm f2.8 G VR are you talking about as there seem to be quite a few models out there now.
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It’s the model before the FL, the G variant with VR. I did only post in sort of shock, not letting what they offered get to me as being honest I found it comical. I just wondered if other members had a similar experience with them that’s all.
 
troutfisher said:
I would guess that they offer you a low figure knowing you won't accept it rather than say really we don't want the lens.
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I’d find that very surprising really as I’m sure if the price was right quite a few people would like to own a 400mm f/2.8 and don’t because of how expensive they are.
 
Hadge said:
I’ve recently been diagnosed with a hernia so not being of Mr Universe build lugging my Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR is less appealing than using my 500mm PF on my Z9 when doing my motorsport photography. Well it seems Nikon could be introducing the new Z PF 400mm soon so I saw Grays Youtube video and thought I’d contact them regarding a part ex (even though I’ll probably sell my lens privately) and so sent them details, it’s a mint lens and awaited a trade in price off them.

I got an email offering me £1,500 for it! I’m like is a joke? I can get nearly £4,000 from MPB, LCE for the lens and yet Grays offer pittance. I’ve never purchased anything from them, I’ve never traded anything in with them and I guarantee I will never deal with them. I’m sure other members have had much better business with them but as for me, well I’m flabbergasted.
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£4000 - £1500 = £2500

Can the hernia be repaired for less :)

Seriously though it seems a daft offer, either a mistake or a reason for it.
 
Hadge said:
I’d find that very surprising really as I’m sure if the price was right quite a few people would like to own a 400mm f/2.8 and don’t because of how expensive they are.
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It depends how much money they have tied up in stock, both new and used , the cost of funding that stock and how near they are to their upper limit.
For example some time ago my neighbour tried to sell her car back to the garage she bought it from 3 months previously , during which time she had not driven it.
They said they did not want it as their stock level of used cars was at max allowed but in 3 months the situation would be different.
Its normal business practice its all down to cash flow.
 
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I would be surprised if pro spec DSLR lenses did not continue to fall over the next few years.

Specialist dealers like Gray's know very accurately what they can purchase such lenses for internationally. And what they can be sold for. Unlike most dealers they trade on the world stage, to Nikon collectors and users. They operate at the top end of the market.
 
Hadge said:
I’ve recently been diagnosed with a hernia so not being of Mr Universe build lugging my Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR is less appealing than using my 500mm PF on my Z9 when doing my motorsport photography. Well it seems Nikon could be introducing the new Z PF 400mm soon so I saw Grays Youtube video and thought I’d contact them regarding a part ex (even though I’ll probably sell my lens privately) and so sent them details, it’s a mint lens and awaited a trade in price off them.

I got an email offering me £1,500 for it! I’m like is a joke? I can get nearly £4,000 from MPB, LCE for the lens and yet Grays offer pittance. I’ve never purchased anything from them, I’ve never traded anything in with them and I guarantee I will never deal with them. I’m sure other members have had much better business with them but as for me, well I’m flabbergasted.
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Why not get the hernia fixed. In a couple of weeks you are back to normal. I have had three done. The last was a repair of the first. You might even save money. The op is just an day patient procedure for most these days, or at worst an overnight stay. I was back at work within a week for the second and third.
 
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Terrywoodenpic said:
Why not get the hernia fixed. In a couple of weeks you are back to normal. I have had three done. The last was a repair of the first. You might even save money. The op is just an day patient procedure for most these days, or at worst an overnight stay. I was back at work within a week for the second and third.
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That's the plan. It was a tentative enquiry with them seeing as they mentioned the new 400mm Z PF in their YouTube video. I've been very happy with the performance of the 400mm on Z9 so it will take some prizing out of my hands really.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Why not get the hernia fixed. In a couple of weeks you are back to normal. I have had three done. The last was a repair of the first. You might even save money. The op is just an day patient procedure for most these days, or at worst an overnight stay. I was back at work within a week for the second and third.
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Have you any idea how hard it is to get elective surgery on the NHS at the moment?

There are three years of waiting lists backed up.
 
DemiLion said:
Have you any idea how hard it is to get elective surgery on the NHS at the moment?

There are three years of waiting lists backed up.
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Privately it would likely cost between £2,000 and£3000 , so less costly than a new lens?
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Privately it would likely cost between £2,000 and£3000 , so less costly than a new lens?
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But once you've had the surgery the advice is not to lift anything heavy. After having mine done I was told not to lift anything over 5kg. (There wasn't a time limit specified by the doctor, so perhaps they only meant to avoid heavy stuff for 3 months to let it heal, perhaps they meant longer term. I didn't query it at the time and have obviously lifted heavy things in the intervening years, though I did play it safe for several months).
Lifting something heavy after surgery is likely to mean more pain, another wait and another surgical repair.
To be fair a 400/500mm lens isn't likely to be a problem on it's own, but when put in a bag with a pro body and a few other lenses, it'll be pretty heavy.
 
ABTog said:
But once you've had the surgery the advice is not to lift anything heavy. After having mine done I was told not to lift anything over 5kg. (There wasn't a time limit specified by the doctor, so perhaps they only meant to avoid heavy stuff for 3 months to let it heal, perhaps they meant longer term. I didn't query it at the time and have obviously lifted heavy things in the intervening years, though I did play it safe for several months).
Lifting something heavy after surgery is likely to mean more pain, another wait and another surgical repair.
To be fair a 400/500mm lens isn't likely to be a problem on it's own, but when put in a bag with a pro body and a few other lenses, it'll be pretty heavy.
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You very soon get over the pain. It takes time for the repair to totally heal but light exercise is actually good for the healing process. I was walking the next day and went back to work on light duties after a week. I could have a sick note for longer, but no one could ever do my full range of work while I was away.
I was near enough back to normal after three weeks, with only an occasional twinge. Within a month it was lifting as normal

The first Hernia repair was another matter I was one of the last that surgeon did before he retired and was an old style roll up and sew through job.
I was in hospital for two weeks, and still hobbling around. it was a total botch job. it would still pull and tear two years later. It eventually failed entirely some fifteen years later. the subsequent repair has been no trouble at all.

Hernias are pretty much minor surgery these days. with many done with local anesthetic, or epidurals,
 
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I had a ridiculously low offer for my D3, and that's even when they had a promotion. MPB offered double.

Point about stuff being stuck on shelves is a 'fair' one. OH part-ex'd a load of Canon gear at a well known Welsh camera shop for an R6 plus 70-200RF2.8. EF 70-200 2.8 Mk2 and EF 100-400 Mk2. Still on shelf last time we spoke....

With my Pentax gear there is only one place to go - SRS. But they are not big on Nikon.
 
They likely have plenty of them already, they will offer less if they are going to have to keep it in stock for any length of time. I've had decent trade ins from them, although slightly lower than other offers. One thing though, grays grading of condition is much higher than anyone else. Something you might consider mint might be nearly excellent to them. Mint or mint- basically means you'd not know it wasn't new, and any marks generally push a lens down to VG and they won't take anything less. It's the great thing about buying from them, anything above EXC and it will look completely as new to most people.
 
PeteStewardson said:
They likely have plenty of them already, they will offer less if they are going to have to keep it in stock for any length of time. I've had decent trade ins from them, although slightly lower than other offers. One thing though, grays grading of condition is much higher than anyone else. Something you might consider mint might be nearly excellent to them. Mint or mint- basically means you'd not know it wasn't new, and any marks generally push a lens down to VG and they won't take anything less. It's the great thing about buying from them, anything above EXC and it will look completely as new to most people.
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They did not have any in stock at all. I checked before sending them a a message. In fact their stock looked a little tin being honest. Doesn't matter now as it's been sold and the new lens is on it's way.
 
I’ve done a couple of trade ins and sales with Greys. I have always been there in person, got a price for cash and then Got them to up it for a trade in. Greys are one of the few places that will take Nikon film cameras. I have also used Camera Jungle and MPB, both offer good prices and they had my business the last couple of times as they offered £20 or £30 more than Greys.

but Greys have an amazing store and a lot of stock. A true global player.
 
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