Is the P-3AT killing P-32 resale value?
- Thread starter Dave R
- Start date
- Status
Yes, it's killing the P-32's resale value, not that it had it much to begin with. The P-3ATs that make it to Louisville don't stay in the shops for long, except at the stores that are marking them up to $329 and then "discounting" them to 289.99. One local shop (the BEST lccal shop, as Kentucky Rifle will attest to) sells them for 249.99 NIB.
Here's a idea - hold out for the P3AT at $250 or less NIB or get a deal on a used P3AT (plenty of people are going to try them and be quickly dissillusioned with the recoil, or freak out when they learn that it doesn't have a slide stop, or that the slide is too hard them to rack). After all, the P3AT is still a BUG. I can understand if you carry another .380 auto as your primary, but still the P3AT is going to always be a BUG because you simply can't fight with like you can a larger pistol. At least, not IMHO, unless you train, train, train with it and even then you'd have to be some kind of super freak ninja to *count* on being able to make it keep much more than one attacker off of you. And personally, I don't have time to train as much as I would like. My point here is that the P-32 or a P-3AT shouldn't be bearing the burden of being your primary self defense pistol. If it is, then buy a primary and then later buy a P3AT. So, being as either gun is BUG at the most, you should be able to take your time and buy a P3AT when the prices are right (200 or less, I think).
The P-32 just isn't worth selling. If your P-32 works - keep it. If it doesn't, send it back to Kel-Tec and they will make it work (mine had to go back to the factory). But don't ever sell it, even if you plan to buy a P3AT. You can't have too many guns, mouse or otherwise.
Of course, this is all just my justification for the self-restraint that I exercised when I passed by the P3AT at $249.95 NIB last week. My P-32 backs up my mighty deadly Makarov (in 9x18, not .380).
You didn't ask for any of these opinions. I've just had to much coffee and too little sleep.
Here's a idea - hold out for the P3AT at $250 or less NIB or get a deal on a used P3AT (plenty of people are going to try them and be quickly dissillusioned with the recoil, or freak out when they learn that it doesn't have a slide stop, or that the slide is too hard them to rack). After all, the P3AT is still a BUG. I can understand if you carry another .380 auto as your primary, but still the P3AT is going to always be a BUG because you simply can't fight with like you can a larger pistol. At least, not IMHO, unless you train, train, train with it and even then you'd have to be some kind of super freak ninja to *count* on being able to make it keep much more than one attacker off of you. And personally, I don't have time to train as much as I would like. My point here is that the P-32 or a P-3AT shouldn't be bearing the burden of being your primary self defense pistol. If it is, then buy a primary and then later buy a P3AT. So, being as either gun is BUG at the most, you should be able to take your time and buy a P3AT when the prices are right (200 or less, I think).
The P-32 just isn't worth selling. If your P-32 works - keep it. If it doesn't, send it back to Kel-Tec and they will make it work (mine had to go back to the factory). But don't ever sell it, even if you plan to buy a P3AT. You can't have too many guns, mouse or otherwise.
Of course, this is all just my justification for the self-restraint that I exercised when I passed by the P3AT at $249.95 NIB last week. My P-32 backs up my mighty deadly Makarov (in 9x18, not .380).
You didn't ask for any of these opinions. I've just had to much coffee and too little sleep.
Mike Irwin
Member
Mtnbkr saw a P3-AT, used, at a local gun shop for $199.
ChickenHawk
Member
I saw some P32's at today's gun show in Austin, and I commented that they must be hard to sell now. The guy told me he still sells a ton of them.
Funny thing really is that he was so over-priced I saw some P3AT's at the same show for the same price.
Go figure.
ChickenHawk
Funny thing really is that he was so over-priced I saw some P3AT's at the same show for the same price.
Go figure.
ChickenHawk
Tamara
Senior Member
That may be because wholesale cost on the guns is about the same.
LOL! Which is the same wholesale cost as the Kel-Tec P-11, isn't it? You've got to give it for Kel-Tec CNC, Inc. They're egalitarian if nothing else!
As for dealers selling the same "budget market" firearm at a show for 10% to 30% more than other dealers at the same show. If they are actually moving product, it's because they have found a niche selling the product in question to buyers who don't like to pay too little for their firearms.
That's right. Some people don't like to pay too little and sometimes don't mind paying too much. And the really strange thing is that these buyers are not always affluent. They just don't want to buy a "cheap" firearm.
This is true of a lot of markets, not just firearms. I can give you an example from a "used" market. I deal in rare and old and unusual books. I can tell you that it's a lot easier to move books priced above $500 (or better yet, $1,000) than it is to sell $20 books. The "nether region" is ~$150. Too close to 150 and it could go either way. If I get a lot of people calling in on a book priced at $150 and they are trying to haggle me down to below $100, I usually mark the book up to $200 and it sells straight through right away. The calls and the haggling tell me that I have the book priced to low and resellers are trying to pick it up and flip it for a quick 100% markup. The buyers at $200 are almost always "premium buyers" who prefer paying a premium because they think that if they pay a bargain price that they are getting less value. I swear I think I could put two gently used and nearly identical but difficult to find art books on a table, with one priced at twice the amount of the other, and there are some people who would ONLY want the more expensive book.
Of course, with the P-32 and P-3ATs we're talking about pure commodities with no collector value. Still, this product probably appeals to a lot of folks who own a lot of very expensive firearms and just aren't used to buying guns that cost less than $300.
And then, it could be that the dealer who has the P-32's market sky high could be a haggler friendly, and could use the P-32 to sweeten the pot on more expensive firearms (buy this one for $1000 and I'll throw a P-32 below cost!). Or, you know, something like, "P-32s for $289.99 and a free pocket holster!" Deals, deals, deals.
The bottom line is that *things*, including guns, have no inherent value what-so-ever! Whenever people ask me what a book or gun is "worth", I always tell them it's worth exactly what someone is willing to pay them for it, and not a penny more. That is, of course, unless they are paying for a letter of appraisal.
I'm jacked up on nescafe. Again.
Sven
Senior Member
Get ready to either laugh and/or fall off your chair:
P32s fetch $350-550 here in CA, if/when you can find one for sale.
P-3ATs are unavailable entirely.
Kel-Tec refuses to submit to California DOJ's testing requirements - not sure the P32 would even pass as it doesn't have a slide lock or other 'safety features'.
P32s fetch $350-550 here in CA, if/when you can find one for sale.
P-3ATs are unavailable entirely.
Kel-Tec refuses to submit to California DOJ's testing requirements - not sure the P32 would even pass as it doesn't have a slide lock or other 'safety features'.
denfoote
Member
I have both!!
I'm not getting rid of my P32!!
I happen to like it!!
I'm not getting rid of my P32!!
I happen to like it!!
Mike Irwin
Member
I saw several NIB P3ATs at the Bealeton gunshow today in Northern Virginia for $219.
Redlg155
Member
Ever since the P3 came on the market I've been expecting to see a mass exodus of P32 owners ditching their little autos and going to the P3.
What I've pretty much seen is that P32 folks are keeping their little autos while waiting for the final verdict on the new model. Either that or purchasing one outright instead of eating a loss on the P32 resale. For right now things sound pretty good. They don't seem to be having as many reported troubles as the P32s.
I still don't quite trust them enough to get one. The seem a bit flimsy for a .380.
Good Shooting
Red
What I've pretty much seen is that P32 folks are keeping their little autos while waiting for the final verdict on the new model. Either that or purchasing one outright instead of eating a loss on the P32 resale. For right now things sound pretty good. They don't seem to be having as many reported troubles as the P32s.
I still don't quite trust them enough to get one. The seem a bit flimsy for a .380.
Good Shooting
Red
ChickenHawk
Member
Best P3AT price I saw at the Austin show was $220.00 and worst was $245.00
ChickenHawk
ChickenHawk
ChickenHawk
Member
Oh, I keep forgetting to ask ... what does RE-SALE value mean, anyway? I don't get the concept.
Please don't tell me some people actually part with some of their guns once they've taken them home! What are they thinking???
ChickenHawk
Please don't tell me some people actually part with some of their guns once they've taken them home! What are they thinking???
ChickenHawk
Mannlicher
Member
I cant understand anyone wanting a new P-32, let alone a used one.
I have a P-32 and plan to soon get a P-3AT, but when I do, I'll keep the P-32 (you can never have too many guns, right?)
Probably wouldn't get that much for the .32 anyway, it seems better to just keep it (unless, of course, a buyer comes along who wants to give me $550 for it!).
Probably wouldn't get that much for the .32 anyway, it seems better to just keep it (unless, of course, a buyer comes along who wants to give me $550 for it!).
Clarification. Funds are tight. I have "primary" carry guns, and don't feel the need for two backups. This is a backup.
And its another caliber. I'm gonna start reloading .380, and don't want to buy dies and a different powder for .32...
Haven't fully decided yet, but leaning toward trading it in.
OTOH, my -32 _is_ a nice, reliable individual and I'm happy with the way I shoot it.
OTOH, if I had a -3AT, how often would I shoot a .32? And a gun you never shoot is just a waste of safe space, IMHO.
And its another caliber. I'm gonna start reloading .380, and don't want to buy dies and a different powder for .32...
Haven't fully decided yet, but leaning toward trading it in.
OTOH, my -32 _is_ a nice, reliable individual and I'm happy with the way I shoot it.
OTOH, if I had a -3AT, how often would I shoot a .32? And a gun you never shoot is just a waste of safe space, IMHO.
I only bought a Kel-tec because the 380 was the same size and price as the 32. We've sold 380's and no one has been interested in the 32 which now collects dust. You may want to give the 32 to the spouse or something if you chose to go .380.
I may be going through the same thing you are when they come out with a better, smaller 9mm. Until then, the 3-AT is a perfect back up belly gun. Bren
I may be going through the same thing you are when they come out with a better, smaller 9mm.
Until then, the 3-AT is a perfect back up belly gun. BrenThe difference in recoil between the .32 and the .380 on this frame is considerable.
Why would anyone want to buy a P-32? Because they work and they are inexpensive and easy to carry as back up. Higher priced competitors in the same size(as close as they come)/caliber don't offer much more.
i dunno
maybe , maybe not...
but I just like the idea from a collectors standpoint of the little 32acp 7 ounce package.
As soon as i see one, i.e. soon as I move to a free state in a few months!, for a reasonable (under 250 new) price- I' buying it without hesitation.
C-
maybe , maybe not...
but I just like the idea from a collectors standpoint of the little 32acp 7 ounce package.
As soon as i see one, i.e. soon as I move to a free state in a few months!, for a reasonable (under 250 new) price- I' buying it without hesitation.
C-
I sold one of my P-32s when I bought two P-3ATs. I had problems with both P-3ATs which were never completely corrected. Kel Tec bought one of my P-3ATs back and the other waits for a possible fix.
In the meantime, I'm on a waiting list for a used P-32 at my local dealer's. (He gets a few used P-32s in and they sell almost immediately.)
Alan
In the meantime, I'm on a waiting list for a used P-32 at my local dealer's. (He gets a few used P-32s in and they sell almost immediately.)
Alan
- Status