41CX crazyness...

[thib]

It looks like the prices for the used CXs are going crazy on Ebay these times! $300, $400!!! Do you know why? Thanks in advance, Thib.

[Ron]

I just checked eBay for "41CX" and didn't find anything near that high. Still under $100 is what I'm seeing.

[fred]

Someone figured they weren't making these anymore....

[Elton Toma]

search for 'hp 41 c*' . there seems to be two cx's bid up to over $200. I don't get it either.

[Randy Smith]

One thing I have noticed about Ebay is that most things are over priced concerning HP stuff. However there are bargains to be had. About a year ago I got a really sweet 41C virtually no wear, 82143A printer in box with 2 rolls of tape and instruction manual and a barcode reader with manual for only $90. I don't know what the CX craziness is either but the point is there can be bargains out there. I think the ads here are probably a better place anyway. One more thing, I have a beef with the people who sell the calculators and instruction manuals separately and say they are doing it in case someone just needs the book. Well, if I buy the calculator chances are I'll need the book too! I think they do it just to get more money. That all I have to say about that! Randy

[Viktor Toth]

Well, just recently I sold two calculators (no, not through eBay) and in both cases, the buyers opted for a small discount because they did NOT want the manuals! (In this case, for an HP-15C and an HP-97.)

Viktor

[Randy Smith]

That actually sounds like a good thing. Offering a discount if the buyer doesn't need the manual. I would need a manual for a 41CX or a 97 or a 67 (all of which I would like to have). However, getting into a bidding war when the seller chooses to sell separately is not my idea of a good time. It's just my opinion that the calculator and manuals should be sold together if they are available. Unless other arrangements are agreed to like you had.

[Viktor Toth]

Randy, I don't necessarily disagree with you, merely pointing out that there's a legitimate demand for calculators and manuals to be sold separately. As to the mad bidding wars, we have only ourselves to blame... I suspect that the majority of those who bid HP calculators are also regular visitors here :-)

Viktor

[Randy Smith]

I agree with you about the need to sometimes sell items separately. And that gets us back to the original question, Why all the crazyness with CX prices? Randy

[Viktor Toth]

I suspect that there are three possible reasons behind the crazy prices:

1. Adrenaline shopping

2. More than one bidder making the assumption that his competition knows the real value of the item

3. Someone being fed up with losing out all the time

I've seen in recent months an HP-67, no extras, go for over 300 bucks, a TI-58C that usually sells for 5-10 go for over 50, etc. I actually went back to a few of these to see if the buyer was legit, but that was apparently the case; they all got positive feedback. (No wonder, I'd gladly give positive feedback to anyone who buys an HP-67 from me for over 300 bucks!)

Viktor

[thib]

check with the following string : "(hp,hewlett) calc*" no space after ","! Thib.

[dave PLS]

Just the past couple of days I have been noticing the same thing. I have used ebay in the past, but think I have a feel on when to bail out. Likewise, I have developed a feel for when I think the usuals bidding against me will bail. I almost sent the one guy who has bid up a 41cx with the pair of x memory modules and a math(?) module with a case at $380 a letter inquiring of his knowledge of this forum/site; but my better judgement took over and brought to my attention a couple of things. 1) It will only move up the price for us that have them and 2) it really would not be an ethical thing to do between the seller, the bidder, this site and myself. But I did find it rather interesting that you guys were talking about the situation! Long live the 41!

[Viktor Toth]

Dave,

You know, I've been having similar thoughts. Given that most bidders for HP calculators are "regulars", I was wondering:

1. Would it be ethical for these folks to cooperate, instead of bidding against each other?

2. Would it be in their interest to cooperate? After all, this competition just drives up the value their existing collections, which may outweigh the disadvantage of having to buy a few additional machines at higher prices.

Any thoughts?

Viktor

[kevin]

I am also a long time 41cx owner/user, and have been watching eBay because I have recently bought some new goodies for my calc (thanks to those of you who sold to me, I've had good luck with everything so far).

It looks like what was going for $80-120 two weeks ago is going for $200-400 now. Several of the calcs appear to be from sellers who don't appear to have the background to answer questions about the history/functionality of the calcs.

If you look closely, two bidders are running the prices up on these. They have very little history with eBay. One of them is into HP calcs about $1400 this week as high bidder or final bidder on 3 41CXs, 3 41CVs, and 1 ROM module. I sincerely hope the buyer and sellers end up satisfied. Wonder if this buyer knows something about these calculators that I don't. Is HP suddenly buying all existing calcs up??? :)

The other bidder appears to be bidding from Italy. He has run price up on 5 calcs, then withdrew from three of the auctions, was outbid (by other bidder above) on one, and on the one he was high bidder on has not responded to seller and got negative feedback.

Don't know quite what to make of it, but I'm glad I'm not in the middle of it...

Hope I haven't offended anyone with these observations.