Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I'm sorry but I can't stand the way a bow loses so much value so quickly. The new bows keep getting more and more expensive and yet when you own one for 2 years it isn't worth crap compared to what you invested.

That is total BS!!

Guns hold their value for decades and a bow's value drops by the minute. What a joke.


From what I have seen of the Bowtech Allegiance so for it looks like a bow that would be pretty damn sweet..........so much so that I actually was considering buying one if I could get a decent buck for my Patriot...........so I go one Ebay to see what 2003 Patriots are pulling in and I see people have fully set up rigs with nice accessories for Buy it Now $450........ Are you Freakin' kidding me or what??

My Patriot was $650 new bare bow and I have roughly $400 worth of accessories on it. The bow is MINT and I am supposed to take $450 for it?? SCREW THAT!!!!

It is getting to the point where buying this years model bows is a very dumb idea. The advances are not so mind shattering over the last year that you absolutely NEED it or even enough to justify the $500 hit you're gonna take.........and that's only if you have a top shelf like new bow to sell.

You are much better off waiting a year and getting the same bow for much less money as someone will be selling one used or the shops want to clear out for the "next great thing"

We are following the Golf model like a bunch of mindless boneheads with no common sense and money to burn. Just tell us it's new and better and we will shell out tons of money for it...........then 2 years later you can't give the thing away. Go to a golf proshop and you will see the Drivers that were on the cover of EVERY magazine last year in the clearance bin because the companies don't even make them anymore.

But we just keep buying.


This is in no way a shot at bow companies. I think they make GREAT products these days and while I think the prices are a little goofy on top shelf stuff.......I won't argue that it is top shelf quality.

We do this to ourselves...........If we weren't always looking for the next best thing we would realize that just because something is a year or two removed from the magazine covers doesn't make it worthless.

Oh well.......I'm not selling my Patriot for $450 I can tell ya that. I will keep it and shoot 3D with it before I give it away. I doubt I will get an Allegiance this year because I definately don't NEED one..........I will just wait until next year and get one for half price.

A new bow has to be the WORST investment out there..........cars hold value longer, and that is pretty sad.


Just felt like ranting...........feel better now :)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I,ll give you $ 400 for that Patriot right now, If you throw in 12 carbon fiber arrows and you pay the shipping to me. Thanks, call me.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Maybe you need to go trad .

My take down recurve , a PSE Kudu , was $250 at Cabela's and the most expensive of 3 contenders .
I've since added the following:
SVL Modular stabilizer-$40
SVL LimbSavers(4)-$30
SVL String Leeches-$8
Total-$328

This bow is very pleasing to shoot , and probably won't lose value nearly as fast as yours . BTW , is keeping the one that you already have for another few years all that unappealing ? Is the latest new , now , and wow bow really all that much better than Ol' Reliable" ? Something to consider ... ;)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I have never bought a new bow in my life. Got a buddy who's a lefty like me so I buy his 3-4 year old bows for dirt when he gets new ones. Then I harvest more deer than he ever has with his rejects. Really gets him goin. hehehe

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Don't laugh..........you can get that on Ebay right now.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I am not upset at what I paid for my bow at all..............and I have plenty of money to buy a new Allegiance. I just don't like wasting money that's all. I would rather spend the money on a new rifle, shotgun, or handgun that retains it's value so much better.

My Patriot is awesome. That is the whole problem. I don't NEED another bow for any reason whatsoever. My Patriot is all I would ever need to kill anything I will ever hunt for the rest of my life unless I back over it with my truck someday.

I could hunt with that bow forever and be very happy.......but that is not the point. I like new stuff and would be willing to take a hit to upgrade to the newest bows out there. My truck is a beautiful GMC from 2003 also but I am not gonna drive that forever either. I will trade it in on a newer model within 5 years.

With bows today you can't do that. If I took $450 for my bow I would be taking a $550 loss and then starting from scratch. A new rig with good stuff on it will run about $1,200 easy..........so I am looking at a $1,750 black hole over 3 years........that is about $600 a year loss to keep upgrading to the newest bows.

That is nuts.............just not a wise investment.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I would like to hear Buckeyes reply to this. I think he said he's had close to 20 within the past year?[:-]

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Atlas

You could get $350 bare bow for your Patriot if it is indeed a 2003 in VGC. Keep your accessories and put them on the new rig. You are only losing $200 - $250 then.

For the amount of enjoyment your bow brings you that is a very small price to pay IMO.

As MO_Bow mentioned I have owned at one time or another over the past 2 years 20 some odd bows. Buy smart and sell smart and you don't take a big hit.

I just sold my 04 Patriot SC for $600 for the setup. So, I lost $400 dollars or so. Thats less than $40 a month for a whole years use. I got much more than $40 enjoyment out of it per month.

So losing $500 you spent less than $20.83 a month to shoot that bow over the past two years. Thats a bargin if you ask me;)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Hey, that bow's depreciation ain't no worse than the truck's depreciation.
Do like us old guys do....keep the truck and the bow both for at least 10 years! You'll have more money to retire on later! Seriously, I hunted with a new Parker this year.....but I used an antique PSE for years and it did the job.

Clint

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

buckeyebuckhntr has made a good point. I am sure more money is spent on boos or lottery tickets. It all depends where your heart is at. I just spent 2,000 setting up my new bow. I didn't even skip a beat.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

There are full rigs with good accessories on Ebay for $400-$450 right now. I was hoping I could get $400 for my bare bow........I paid $650 for it 2 years ago and it looks and shoots no different today.

It's not the money........it's feeling like I paid $1,000 for something that depreciates by 1/3 the minute I walk out the door.


Wow.

Yea, you lost $400 but now you have no bow...........Buy a new Bowtech to replace it and you are out another $1,200.


Like I said above.......if I sell it I have no bow.......I would be out $500 and then have to cough up $1,200 for a new rig. That's a big hit when I already have a sweet rig in my hands.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

It's not the money Elk..........I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about that right now. I do however not like wasting money..........and that's what shelling out $1,000 for something that 2 years later is only worth half feels like.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

You gotta pay if you wanna play;)

Well spent money for the enjoyment I get. Some people drink, some buy lottery tickets, some smoke. I spend my extra money on archery/hunting equipment.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I am not out of $1200 I spend the $600 I got for the Pat and then pick up the rest.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I didn't know that there was anything else to spend money on other than archery equipment. I got a new bow several years ago for my wife. It was the best trade that I ever made.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I'm with buckeye on this (can't believe I'm saying this after the abuse he's putting me through):D

Yes, its an expensive hobby really. But I love it and its really the only thing I do spend any amount of money on. I really don't drink, except on occasion, I don't smoke, do drugs or gamble (ya know, all the fun stuff):D

Archery is my drug. Sometimes I have to watch myself. But yes, its a small price to pay for a hobby that brings so much to your life.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Man, Chalk up another reason why I love selfbows so much! Materials for a new bow cost me as little a $5, and I can make a new one at any time to suit. :);)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Yep, you're right atlas. No one needs a new bow every year. I keep mine for 5-6 years or when I feel like the new ones have really passed me by. I can't believe how some people go through bows. I get attached to my bows and wouldn't feel right after only a season or two with it and then ditching it for the hot new one. I have to let the fire between us die out first.;)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I know what you're saying........it's the math I used in the original post. I will have spent $1,000 on my Pat then get back say $500 for the whole rig.........a new setup costs me $1,200........I'm only in the hole $700.

But if you think about it from day one I am in the hole $1,200.

$1,000 for the Pat......I get $500 back......balance= - $500

New rig is $1,200 ($700 comes from me $500 from Patriot)......balance=-$700

-$700+-$500=-$1,200 over 2 years.

Losing $1,200 every 2 years on bows sucks IMO.


I am gonna have to go shoot the Allegiance to see if I even want to think about it first.


I may just buy it outright and use my Patriot for 3D or something.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

They do loose their valve very quickly and I hate it also. I bought a Mathews Ovation
last Jan. or Feb. for $630.00 with tax and if I sell it today it will only bring $400.00 to
$450.00 bare bow if I am lucky. I decided to keep it for indoor use and some 3D and
my new Darton Tundra will be used for hunting. Yea, i just chucked out another $600.00
for another one. My wife say's I need my head checked. She might be right.;)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I need to get jobs where you guys work. I spend little to no money frivolously and couldn't shell out $1200 for a new bow and think nothing of it. :D

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Then buy used and be happy with that. Name something that doesn't deppreciate after purchasing it new.

Can you think of anything ? A house and/or maybe land. Nothing else

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I have had the same bow now for 6 years. I have just this year considered getting a new one for next season. However I have no problem waiting another year. My bow isnt the fastest one on the market. It was an entry level (for me) bow. I got it on clearance for like $140 bare bones. Sight, quiver, arrows, release, and any other dodad, I have roughly $400 in to it. I tired selling it last year and was told the would only five me $100 for the whole set up. I laughed and walked out. And that was with a less expensive bow than you guys are talking about. I cant imagine paying $500-$600 a bow PLUS all the accessories. I am a firm believer in having the right tool to do the job, but there are cheaper tools that will accomplish the same job.

Be thankful that you can get anything for the used bow. Be thankful that there are people like me who cant afford the newest top of the line stuff and are circling like vultures around those who have money to burn that buy new bows every season.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Just about any gun out there.

Don't get me wrong, I don't expect someone to pay close to sticker price for a used bow........I wouldn't. That is the whole issue though, walk into a range with a new Bowtech this year and everyone there will want to see it.......bring the same bow back in two years and they will look at you like you have a booger hanging.

We do it to ourselves.

Something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it. For some reason bowhunters put extreme high value on new bows but anything used falls right off the cliff.

Oh well........gonna see if the shop has an Allegiance to shoot today [8D]

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Why did I go to selfbows again??? Oh yeah... They're FREE. [8D]

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Arthur,
What exactly is a selfbow? Is it one you make your self?

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I disagree. Guns depreciate, just not at as high a rate as bows.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Ya know these things happen because we let them. I know the value of bows is an acute topic, however this is where is starts. Then is moves to the social security reform, taxes, levies, and all the other bull crap we put up with because we let it happen. If we were as a whole would just say STOP, THIS IS ENOUGH, it wouldnt happen anylonger. Will this happen? Most likely not, because there are THOSE people out there who will shell out money and get robbed on a consistent basis. I myself shoot a Darton Yukon, had this bow for years now, i dont fix anything that is not broken. I dont need or want a new bow, they can keep there pockets lined with greenbacks with all the suckers money wanting the illusion of what a new bow has to offer its all a fasad if you ask me. Just my Penny!!

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I like a new bow as much as the next guy. But, over the last few years I have started buying bows that are one year old. Like you said, $700 bow in 2004 can be snatched up for $400 or so the next season. It's sad but true.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I get used ones. No way I can afford what they want for new bows in the shop here. I wanted to start 3 years before I did but every time I went in there he had me spending upwards of 600 bucks. Found a Bear compound in sports authority & got it for $80 had it set up & tuned for $120 so for $200 I got a new bow. They told me I'd be in to buy a new one before hunting season even started. Took 3 deer with that one last year & 1 this year. Bought an old Martin from a relative & again the guys at the shop thought I was crazy, got 4 with that one this year & tuned & set it up myself. :D Nope, IMO you dont need to spend $1200 for a bow. Nuthing wrong if you do but dont cry about it. Your the guys that make the used ones cheap, trading them up all the time the markets glutted. Thanks! :D

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

It's a bow whittled out of a single piece of wood. I make my own - that's why I said they're free - but you can buy them too.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

You are correct that the bows depreciate real quickly. With ebay around though, you don't take quite as much of a hit as you used to to "trade in" when bow shops used to do that, or sell locally, at least most of the time. This time of year is not the best time to sell a fully equipped bow. July to early August is better for that, especially if you have a tuned setup with arrows. You generally don't make enough on the accessories to sell them with the bow, unless you just don't want the problem of selling multiple items. I have sold rests and sights that I wanted to try, but that I really didn't like that much with bows that I was selling anyway. If I like a sight or rest, other than an MZE or something, I will just keep the accessories. I still like to try last year's or next to last year's wonder bow to see how they really were. Just bought an '03 Pat Dually, and sold it for nearly the same price a month later. BUT, it is just like buying a used car. You have to be careful to get something that hasn't been abused, and that is hard to do when you can't see and inspect first hand. Also, Bowtechs are finally starting to get to the point where they are holding value close to Hoyt and Mathews. I think this may start to improve as the name is better known with the less internet forum savvy bow buyers.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

atlasman I agree that when you bring an older bow to any range or 3-D shoot, fellow archers look at you like you are holding a extinct dinosaur. If you are seen hunting with it they look at you with the same look. Even if you are showing them a picture that has animal in it that was killed with the bow. I let my brother use my older Golden Eagle (Formula 3-D) when he was starting out learning how to bow hunt a few years ago. He killed a very nice cow elk with the bow and on the way back to camp (packing out the elk) we ran accros some other hunters. They were like wow you killed a elk with that old bow? Man you must be a good hunter! I just laughed and said the bow didn't become less lethal from 10 years of use. When it was brand new, it was a hot seller and a recomended bow for hunting. Isn't it funney or ironic that when gun hunting if a hunter has a older weapon it is cool or almost praised, but if you hunt with a old bow man you and your equipment must suck!

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Retail 101 markup is always 75 to 100 percent. If they don't do that your looking for a new bow shop. A bow shop owner can always buy that bow for 50 to 65% on the dollar if it was new, but your talking a year old model. Next concider the moving parts. A bow has many moving parts unlike a gun. Moving parts wear out and fail. The last is technology is only 30+ years old unlike guns. You have to develope a following to get price up. We will see if that will happen anytime soon. Last I checked Len has many old bows in his shop that he probably got for free. They are nice to look at.

Until then, my Oneida Balck Eagle is the last compound bow I plan to buy.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

From personal experience, the only way you can really play the game and not take major hits is to trade up on a regular basis...meaning every few months..or a year at most. After that first year bow prices really do take a nose dive...and, ofcourse, I am referring to any of the more popular brands/models.

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Atlasman - you are wrong. Go out and buy a new handgun or rifle today and try to sell it tommorrow - it will only fetch 75% or less of the value you paid today. While its true that some guns increase in value over time, you have to keep them many years to see this - its not instant appreciation in value

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

you made that bow thats awsme

im only 15 i worked all sumer 2months in to school yr
xtec-750
cjdeadnuts-60
whisker biscuit qs- 55
afterburner light- 20
arrows-35
thunderheads(going to change for the heck of it lol) 30 for 6
release-40
call it a lot for a 15 yr old but you know how much i go hunting..... probly 6 days a week during bow :D

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

I'm kinda like Clint. I have a PSE that I bought about 22 or 23 years ago and it has a quickee quiver and a $25.00 sight (back then), nothing else on it, and it still kills deer and hogs.

I also have an old Bear Kodiak recrure, bought in 1985. It still performs.

I just can't justify spending 5 or 600 on a bow, now a gun is a different story, depends on the person I guess.

dog1

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

My Hoyt I bought used in 00' for like $350, this coming up off season I will spend the money on a new bow. After 4 season with the Hoyt i am looking forward to a new bow. I know now what I want in a bow as well so I can justify it!;):D I think I went about it the right way!:)

RE: Bow Prices SUCK!!!!!!!
 

Bottom line...if you dont like losing money on new bows, dont buy one. Seems pretty simple to me.