Am I being a dick?

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Too late. You're buying that thing.

The emotional shopping path has already been laid out and cannot be changed. It is the inevitable. She's fallen in love with this experience and no amount of logic whatsoever is going to sway it.

I agree.
Just accept that you will be purchasing a $170 clothes rack.

 

[shortspanishguy]

Dont do it.

 

[doze]

Offer the wife a gym membership so she can use the real equipment for a little while before deciding what to buy. This way if she doesn't like it you just cancel the membership and aren't stuck with a crappy home gym thing at your house.

 

[Fritzo]

What kind of eliptical machine only costs $170???? Ours cost like $999, and that was on the cheap side.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
What kind of eliptical machine only costs $170???? Ours cost like $999, and that was on the cheap side.

It only goes in reverse

 

[dmw16]

thats a rip off. dont pay retail for a used item. especially excercise equipment - there is a ton of it out there, all the new years resolutioners.

of course, I think home workout stuff sucks in general. i favor joining a gym.

good luck.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Pay the money if it will keep things quiet on the home front. Not sure how much money that is worth to you though.

 

[DrPizza]

$160?? It's a piece of crap. If you're going to get equipment, either get good equipment that you'll enjoy using, or don't bother wasting the money. I go to a lot of auctions during the summer; they have tons of pieces of cheaper equipment like this. It doesn't sell for even 25% of retail, and it all looks brand new (because people use it a few times and decide it's not for them.)

otoh, you're getting off cheap if your wife doesn't realize this. $160, and you'll never have to fork over $1000 for a good machine.

 

[BoomerD]

Tell her that trying to bargain the friend down on price is exercise for your wallet...Helps to stretch those financial muscles just a bit.

WTF...let the friend return it to the store if they want to recoup their full price. Used equipment deserves a decent discount, regardless of how little it was used. HOWEVER, you will most likely lose this battle, unless you REALLY want to sleep in the doghouse, and the only pvssy you get for the next month goes meow...

 

[imported_elwood]

Your wife will use it 7 times, after that, it's going to be taking up a lot of storage space

 

[crystal]

I would rather sleep in the doghouse if I let my wife pays full retail price for used equipment. Stand your ground!!!!

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
My wife wants to buy an elliptical from her coworker/friend. They bought it for $170, used it 20 times, and now my wife wants to buy it for $160.

Only a 5% off from the retail price?

I haven't replied to her yet... I'm just kind of kicking it around in my head right now. It's one of those "principal" things. I'm sure she's thinking to herself "well, it was only used 20 times and I know this person pretty well, so I'll just pay full price for it."

On the flip side, why isn't her friend thinking "well, it's used, and I know this person pretty well, so I'll sell it to her for $120."

FWIW, I'm sure the equipment itself is in near-mint condition.


Update
HA! I just got another email from my wife. The GRAND TOTAL of the thing was $169.54, which means it includes tax.

So not only are we getting shafted on used equipment, we're also going to help pay for tax!!!!

Update #2
I sent:

So not only are we not getting a decent deal on used equipment, but we?re also going to help pay for tax?

She replied:

It's exactly what we would pay for a new one, only we don't have to put it together, which is a pain in the neck. They put it together, tried it once and decided it wouldn't work for their knees. It's so new that they can still take it apart, return it to the store, and get a full refund.

So basically, our choices are:

1) Don't get one at all;

2) Pay $169.54 for one we have to put together; or

3) Pay $169.54 for one that's already put together and was used once.

Frankly, I'm a fan of "Don't get one at all." I have a fscking treadmill.

Update #3

Just look at it from a different point of view: we?re paying full retail for used equipment.

Another way to look at it is we would be saving them the hassle of 1) disassembling it, and 2) loading it up and taking it back to the store. You want me to consider what it saves us in assembly (which I don?t really mind, to be honest), but will you consider the flip side of that coin? They want a full refund without having to do any more work.

If you honestly want an elliptical, let's make sure you get the right one. They come in all shapes and sizes. I'd rather spend $500 and get a descent one that fits you and that you'll use, instead of spending $160 on a new/used one that we only bought so you could send [name of friend who likes to take advantage of situations] warm fuzzies.

If you still really just want to take this one off their hands, offer them $125. There's value to be placed on the convenience this affords them and the burden of us having to drive to the other side of the city - with a borrowed truck - to take it away. I'm not trying to be difficult... I would just prefer to come out a little ahead on one of these deals.

your wife wants to purchase some exercise equipment and keep herself in shape and you are squabbling over pennies?

tsk-tsk.

 

[MasonLuke]

Dont get bumped in the head. that $hit is used. Her friend should say, pay me 120 and we are even.

 

[Aikouka]

Dang straight, mosh, men have other forms of exercise (albeit it doesn't burn many calories) in mind.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: jdini76
Can you find a better deal?

...and can the buyer find a better sale?

 

[TheNinja]

I'd offer $125 cash. IF they didn't want it, I'd just get a new one.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
/dons battle armor

SWORD!

ATOT combine to form MEGABARGAINZ0R!

/me dials 1-800-ROSSMAN!

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Your wife's friend is being a dick just for offering that much.

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
your wife wants to purchase some exercise equipment and keep herself in shape and you are squabbling over pennies?

tsk-tsk.

If we end up getting an elliptical and my wife uses it for more than a week, I'll buy you a house. A house with a Ferrari inside.

While I admire her intentions, I *know* her tenacity. I've been running 20 miles a week on our treadmill for over 4 years. She's been on it once.

Besides, if she truly wants one, I'd rather get a quality one that we know is the right size for her. Again, I'd rather spend $500 on one she'll use than $160 on one she won't.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: Fritzo
What kind of eliptical machine only costs $170???? Ours cost like $999, and that was on the cheap side.

It only goes in reverse

ROFL!

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: moshquerade
your wife wants to purchase some exercise equipment and keep herself in shape and you are squabbling over pennies?

tsk-tsk.

If we end up getting an elliptical and my wife uses it for more than a week, I'll buy you a house. A house with a Ferrari inside.

While I admire her intentions, I *know* her tenacity. I've been running 20 miles a week on our treadmill for over 4 years. She's been on it once.

Besides, if she truly wants one, I'd rather get a quality one that we know is the right size for her. Again, I'd rather spend $500 on one she'll use than $160 on one she won't.

so it's simple. tell her she can buy it on one condition - that she promises to use it consistently for one year.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
so it's simple. tell her she can buy it on one condition - that she promises to use it consistently for one year.

Which still leaves him up sh1t creek when she doesn't use it enough and there's a $500 talisman of broken promise in the house. It'd be worse than saying no, we're not buying an over-valued used machine that I have to drive 40 miles to collect.

I think jbourne77 knows his wife better than anyone else.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper
Which still leaves him up sh1t creek when she doesn't use it enough and there's a $500 talisman of broken promise in the house.

:laugh:

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: moshquerade
your wife wants to purchase some exercise equipment and keep herself in shape and you are squabbling over pennies?

tsk-tsk.

If we end up getting an elliptical and my wife uses it for more than a week, I'll buy you a house. A house with a Ferrari inside.

While I admire her intentions, I *know* her tenacity. I've been running 20 miles a week on our treadmill for over 4 years. She's been on it once.

Besides, if she truly wants one, I'd rather get a quality one that we know is the right size for her. Again, I'd rather spend $500 on one she'll use than $160 on one she won't.

so it's simple. tell her she can buy it on one condition - that she promises to use it consistently for one year.

And just how does one enforce such a promise?

<six months later>

"Sorry honey, you promised... now haul that ass up there and WORK IT BITCH!"

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
And just how does one enforce such a promise?

Wire the TV up to the pedals of the machine.