New-Reconditioned Items

Moonlite37 · Nov 23, 2017

Several years ago while having a good Stihl chainsaw, I needed a backup saw with a longer bar and bought a reconditioned Poulan saw for a real cheap price nit expecting much, They had several in stock all in unopened boxes, Saw appeared to be complete and worked satisfactorily. I wore out a couple or more chains but at last needed a new bar and chain. I gave it away and the new owner replaced the bar, chain and carburetor and cut wood all last winter with it.
I recently bought a s reconditioned stair lift. The track and rail were cut to proper length at the factory and arrived complete in factory boxes. It works properly.

Are some things sold ad reconditioned to aavoid warranty or litigations?

kito169 · Nov 23, 2017

10 years ago I bought a Warn 8000 lb winch that was reconditioned from Warn factory. I haven't had any trouble with it whatsoever. I definitely recommend a Warn recon unit.

ohiojim · Nov 23, 2017

most are return items for one reason or another. the company checks them out to see that they still work as intended, if they do they are packaged and sold as reconditioned, they can't be sold as new.

sms · Nov 23, 2017

I have bought several reconditioned Milwuakie tools, grinder, drills ect. and they have been excellent, lasting 15 years or more and still going. I also got a great deal on a pressure washer from HD that was reconditioned, but they said often what people do is buy the item use it for a couple projects then return it with some complaint it is checked out at a service center and sold as reconditioned. It has been great also.

leroy in ne · Nov 23, 2017

I don't know if this is correct or not but I have been told that some items sold as reconditioned are units that do not pass final quality tests or need adjustment or a missing item like a knob or screw replaced and are sent back for rework at the assembly factory. Often these are supposedly better units because of more through checking and adjustments are peaked and not just in acceptable range.

pat sublett · Nov 23, 2017

All the tools that I have bought in the last 10 years have been reconditioned. I am of the opinion that most are just dumped because of overstock and are actually new tools. I have at least 10 reconditioned tools and never had a problem. I also buy used from amazon. Make sure that they are sold by Amazon and not someone else. I have purchased lots of things that just had a soiled or torn box. I recently bought a set of 4 cordless phones base and answering set with Bluetooth feature to work 2 cell phones through. $24 with free freight. Box had never been opened. It's a gamble but I haven't lost yet.

Dachshund · Nov 23, 2017

Six or seven years ago, I bought a NEW DeWalt cordless drill. About a month later, I saw a "reconditioned" one for sale at about half the price. Same EXACT drill.....only it ran BETTER than the new one! I still have it, but the new one died a few years ago....

rustyfarmall · Nov 23, 2017

Many years ago I bought a "factory reconditioned" Poulan WeedEater. When it was time to replace the string head, I found that there was nothing available for that particular model, because it was intended to be exported to some other country. I eventually just gave it away.

Teakettle · Nov 23, 2017

Years ago when the Cummins traveling tool truck (remember them?) used to set up down the road from us, I bought a bunch of reconditioned name-brand tools from them at about half list price. I'm still using all of them -- Sawzall, pressure washer, etc. -- and very happy with the deal I got.

kcm.MN · Nov 23, 2017

I've been buying "reconditioned" items for years! Only time I ever got anything anywhere near looking like it had been used was about 20 years ago, bought a reconditioned Dewalt jigsaw. Dewalt likes to burn an 'R' into the plastic housing if its reconditioned....or at least they used to. Other than the plastic being slightly soiled, it was basically a new saw with new warranty.

Recently bought a "damaged" item from Amazon. It arrived a couple weeks ago and I still haven't found any damage!

Also recently bought a new 10k generator head (Northern Tool brand) for next to nothing. Someone had bought it and it wasn't what they were wanting, so they returned it. Only difference was, my box had been re-sealed. Got it for less than 1/2 price, so no warranty on it, but works fine.

Only time I've been unhappy with buying such items was, I recently ordered some steel T-posts from Amazon as Add-On items. The first (4) to arrive were not only the lighter-duty posts, but were also damaged prior to packaging; one of them badly, as the spade is ready to just fall off of it!

steve terplak · Nov 23, 2017

Bought a reconditioned Rigid planer. Had planed tens of thousands of board feet of softwood and hard. Lives in a semi protected from the elements workshop and keeps trucking. I don't think I could kill it if I tried.

steve terplak · Nov 23, 2017

I have bought several items from Home Depot that were "new" and when I opened the box they were clearly used. (Lawn mower had gas in the tank and grass in the deck)

Billy NY · Nov 23, 2017

Good subject. I've seen it in consumer electronics way back when I had a job selling same. Not sure what was done to the items given what they are. The boxes came in with tape on them that means its been repacked and or refurbished. That was 25 years ago.

I think it's easier to see something like an alternator or starter motor being rebuilt, whereas you can see or know what was done to it.

One thing I cannot complain about is am $80.00 44 Mag model Simmons "refurbished" scope that I got from Sportman's Guide 22 years ago. I've hunted every season since with it. I was able to make 2 long kill shots this season minutes apart. I'll upgrade to a range finding model I can afford, but there sure is nothing wrong with the results this one has provided consistently over the years.

Steve@Advance · Nov 23, 2017

I don't think there is any "one answer fits all" conclusion to this.

Depends on the product, the mfg policy, who is selling it, the honesty and integrity of the seller.

If purchasing an item directly from the dealer, and it says "factory reconditioned", good chance you will get a quality item.

If it comes from a second party, well, kinda taking your chances.

I've taken the chance with several tools, had good results, mixed results, and bad results.

Bought several drills from Ebay and other internet sellers, all but one were just like new, one was short lived.

Bought a Ryobi gas blower, said reconditioned, but saw no evidence it had ever been out of the box. It has always been a hard starter and cold natured, even with a new carb.

Bought some reconditioned Ryobi batteries on Ebay. Did not work, relabeled China knockoffs. More trouble to argue than just trash them, lesson learned.

jeffcat · Nov 23, 2017

Yup...some good stuff but they also had some real junk too!! The gun club down the road would get them in a couple of times a year.

Tim in OR · Nov 23, 2017

I sometimes deliver to a chain of big box stores. Occasionally there will be an obviously "low hour" lawn mower or pressure washer setting in the shipping department, waiting shipping back to the manufacture. I was told that sometimes people buy a piece of equipment to use once, then take it back "they weren't satisfied". It was cheaper than renting. That mower might go back to the manufacture to be re-packed and sold as refurbished. I guess that would make it the luck of the draw, if it was that good one, or one that was really a lemon.
Tim in OR

Teakettle · Nov 24, 2017

You're right about the junky tools at Cummins. The worst of it was hilariously bad stuff (twenty-five screwdrivers -- with un-hardened tips -- for five bucks!) that even Harbor Freight or the dollar store wouldn't touch. But unlike HF they also carried some decent name-brand products. There's a summer camp about a mile from here and every year Cummins used to rent the mess hall during the off season. The crew mostly seemed to be people who would have been working the midway games for a low-budget traveling carnival if they weren't selling tools. I sort of miss them.

New-Reconditioned Items

Moonlite37

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kito169

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ohiojim

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sms

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leroy in ne

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pat sublett

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Dachshund

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rustyfarmall

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Teakettle

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kcm.MN

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steve terplak

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steve terplak

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Billy NY

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Steve@Advance

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jeffcat

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Tim in OR

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Teakettle

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