Buy Once, Cry Once

[buckeye4rnr]

Who subscribes to this notion and do you consider it applicable on items when top of the line costs as much as 3 or more bottom of the line products? (no examples just a hypothetical)

If you do the buy once, cry once thing how careful are you about maintaining the more expensive product to ensure you get your money out of it?

[mutt]

Depends on the item and how long and how hard I figure I'll use it. Some categories where I always buy the top of the line: Optics and power tools. As for careful maintenance, I generally buy top of the line so I don't have to be so careful about such things.

[StagLefty]

I've bought a few items below top of the line after researching the items. Examples-Primary Arms optics and Ryobi cordless tools. For my use they have both been more than adequate YMMV

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

Um yes its completely true. I just seen where someone said on the buy american thread "poor people cant afford to buy cheap goods"

[Byte Stryke]

I also look at impact of loss/theft

I would LOVE to have a $5K 1911

but I would rather have 2 $1500 1911s with $500 of work in them

Granted, if I were a rich man, I would have 2 $5K 1911s

[funkymonkey1111]

Who subscribes to this notion and do you consider it applicable on items when top of the line costs as much as 3 or more bottom of the line products? (no examples just a hypothetical)

If you do the buy once, cry once thing how careful are you about maintaining the more expensive product to ensure you get your money out of it?

i do for many things, but i think it's situational. is a $250,000 Bentley any safer to in a crash than a $25,000 Subaru? Not likely, and in fact, the opposite may be true. Is a $300 montblanc going to serve you better than a $1.50 rollerball?

I think you need to make an internal calculation of the value to you of an item, what it's used for, and the length of time you'll keep it. it seems that often in a particular product line the product just below the top-end ends up being the best for price v. value v. performance.

[ben4372]

Sometimes I'd like to buy a quality product and none exist. At least not locally. Businesses think everyone only shops by price. Many only sell the cheapest and maybe the next step up, But the bigger stores don't want to tie up shelf space with premium items. To echo mutt above. I'm hard on shit, I need to buy tough stuff.

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

I also look at impact of loss/theft

I would LOVE to have a $5K 1911

but I would rather have 2 $1500 1911s with $500 of work in them

Granted, if I were a rich man, I would have 2 $5K 1911s

there does become a point where you just cant justify the extra cost I dont think a $5000 1911 works any better then a $2500 1911 or a $800 glock but obviously a $150 hi point wont compare. But Ive always said its nice to have nice things

[Dave_L]

Some things I don't mind spending a few extra bucks for:

1. Furniture
2. Tools
3. Competent service

[Sawin]

I have grown in to a "middle of the road" kind of buyer. When i was in college and shortly after graduating, I used to buy cheap quality items based more on appearance and function, than quality. (ie. see my thread for the nc star scope for sale $75 ) Using this example for illustrative purposes: the cheap price but functional 4x illuminated reticle w/ hash marks, worked perfectly for me at the time, but I know it wouldn't likely stand up to abuse over the long term. I've since moved on to a much better quality, Burris AR-332, which is not as pricey/hardcore as a trijicon or aimpoint, but it's leaps and bounds better than my previous optic, meets my needs and wants, without breaking the bank.

I'm the same way about cars, electronics, etc too. I buy above average, but not top of the line...