Detector prices.

[hoser]

I have been looking at detectors and watching their prices for quite a while. The high-end units seem to just keep going up and up. I got to thinking about my first REAL detector which was a Garrett ADS7 Master Hunter. For the life of me I couldn't remember what I gave for it back then. So, I went on a search of old adds and finally came across the one that prompted me to buy that machine. I got the one with the 7 1/2" and 12" coils. It came in at over $600 which at that time was very pricey. Ok that was Garretts top of the line machine at that time which I guess could be compared to the E-Trac that I have now but would fall short to some of the other units on the market that top the $2k. Lets just say, if there would have been the E-Trac back then, would it have been in the $6-$7-hundred-dollar range? Just curious. Here is that exact add.

 

[Cherry Picker]

I bought my first high-end detector, a Whites Eagle Spectrum, in 1991. Until then I bought older used detectors. The Eagle Spectrum completely changed my detecting. It was the first detector that could reliably go below 6". Our 130 year old city park was like virgin territory. I pulled over 2,000 old coins just around our bandshell that we had hunted to death for years and had found nothing. I went back to a 1877 seated next to the bandshell.

For years after that I chased the golden goose. I had a good job and was debt free. I bought every top of the line detector put out for the next 20 years. For me, it finally ended with the CTX3030, but I went back to the E-Teac. I have been there since.

 

[SeabeeRon]

I have been looking at detectors and watching their prices for quite a while. The high-end units seem to just keep going up and up. I got to thinking about my first REAL detector which was a Garrett ADS7 Master Hunter. For the life of me I couldn't remember what I gave for it back then. So, I went on a search of old adds and finally came across the one that prompted me to buy that machine. I got the one with the 7 1/2" and 12" coils. It came in at over $600 which at that time was very pricey. Ok that was Garretts top of the line machine at that time which I guess could be compared to the E-Trac that I have now but would fall short to some of the other units on the market that top the $2k. Lets just say, if there would have been the E-Trac back then, would it have been in the $6-$7-hundred-dollar range? Just curious. Here is that exact add.View attachment 589758

What year did you buy that baby? Do you still have it??

 

[DIG5050]

Ya really gotta love the ergonomics of the precision engineered control box and shaft. There are enough knobs to turn for about any kind of hunting scenario. All kidding aside, it was probably the best detector out there at the time.

 

[hoser]

What year did you buy that baby? Do you still have it

Naw sadly I don't but wish now I had kept it. When you can find one on the web for sale, they still bring a good price.

 

[HungryGhost]

When I was a boy bread was 25 cents and a car was 10 dollars

 

[diggin4clad]

My first "good" detector was a White's 6000di that I bought in 1984 for $425.00. I bought it from a precious metals dealer I dealt with at the time. He sold it to me for just above wholesale. The regular price was $499.00. I believe that in today's dollars the $425.00 I paid for it then would be equal to about $1500.00-$2000.00 now. I bought my daughter a Fisher 1210-X which cost $200 in 1985. It was a basic entry level detector and you can buy entry level detectors for not much more than that today. The $200 would probably equate to around $700 now. What this means to me is that, allowing for inflation, detector prices are less now than they were then.

 

[diggin4clad]

When I was a boy bread was 25 cents and a car was 10 dollars

A car for $10?????? My first car was a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air, used, and it cost me $700 in 1964.

 

[hoser]

I believe that in today's dollars the $425.00 I paid for it then would be equal to about $1500.00-$2000.00 now.

That's about what I was thinking too. As far as cars go, mine was a 55 Ford Crown Victoria, red and white. I do believe it had more steel in it than three of today's cars.

 

[KOB]

A car for $10?????? My first car was a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air, used, and it cost me $700 in 1964.

Made by Mattel.

 

[markinmichigan]

A car for $10?????? My first car was a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air, used, and it cost me $700 in 1964.

I'd kill to have that date (Mine) that car pushes +$130,000 in near perfect condition. Chevrolet Bel-Airs were the pinnacle of Chevrolet's lineup in 1957.

Mark in Michigan

 

[diggin4clad]

I'd kill to have that date (Mine) that car pushes +$130,000 in near perfect condition. Chevrolet Bel-Airs were the pinnacle of Chevrolet's lineup in 1957.

Mark in Michigan

Mine was a two door sedan (with a pillar between the front and back window) . The two door hardtop (no pillar) was the "coolest" version. Mine had the old two speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission. The windshield wipers were the old vacuum type that slowed down when you put more pressure on the accelerator. Two tone paint....yellow with white trim. I sure wish I still had that car !

 

[hoser]

I sure wish I still had that car !

Oh now you are preaching to the choir. The car my wife and I had when we got married was a 1965 Mustang convertible. That 289 engine was bullet proof. Oh to have it again.

 

[diggin4clad]

Oh now you are preaching to the choir. The car my wife and I had when we got married was a 1965 Mustang convertible. That 289 engine was bullet proof. Oh to have it again.

When the Mustang first came out I immediately knew that I had to have one. I bought a 1965 Mustang Fastback version. It was black with a white interior. I added Mag wheels, a wood steering wheel, and a thing they called a "rally pak" that fit on the steering column, which was a tachometer and something else. A clock maybe? After having that car for about a year and a half I traded it in for a 1966 Mustang fastback GT version. It was a nice shade of dark blue and had those cool fog lights in the grille and racing stripes along the rocker panels. It was my favorite car of all time. My 1969 Mustang with the 428 engine was a close second. The '69 was the last hot rod I ever owned. Those were the days. In between the '66 and the '69 Mustangs I had a 1968 Plymouth Road runner. Four speed and a 383 engine. It was a nice car but a lemon and I got rid of it after only a year. I vowed to never buy another Chrysler product after that one.

 

[stetam]

Ahhhhh, the muscle car years. First car I owned was a 64 Buick Special I paid $150 for in 1974. 9 month later purchased a 69 GTO convertible for $1200 followed by a 70 MGB-GT, a 66 Chevelle SS and later a 70 Dodge Superbee. Now have a 67 Jeepster Commando as a fun occasional driver. It does get me back in some hard to reach locations for detecting.

Steve

 

[Cherry Picker]

Oh now you are preaching to the choir. The car my wife and I had when we got married was a 1965 Mustang convertible. That 289 engine was bullet proof. Oh to have it again.

My first car was a 1964 1/2 K code Mustang convertible with the T10 (rock crusher) 4 speed. My StepDad was a police officer and had ordered it from the factory to be used as a police car. Cherry red with a white interior. Loved that car. When I joined to military in 1974 it had a blown clutch. I sent my first $80 back home to have a clutch put in and I was talked into buying a new car instead. He ended up selling it for $50 to some farmer to put the motor in a Bronco.

Back when I was still working I bought one just like it but no K code. K code was the 289 HIPO I bought a A code that had the 289 replaced with a built 302 made to look like a 64 1/2. I won a lot of trophies with it but had to sell when the stock market crashed right during my retirement. I named it Cherry Pie.

The 2015 GT next to it was mine also. My 10 second pony.

Bought them both as retirement toys, but lost both in the COVID market crash.

 

[John Madill]

We all seem to be rather old!
My first car, in 1968, was a 1964 Buick Opel Kadet. Cost $600 and was a former rental car. Incredibly lightweight, you could push start it yourself. Don't ask me how i know!

 

[diggin4clad]

Ahhhhh, the muscle car years. First car I owned was a 64 Buick Special I paid $150 for in 1974. 9 month later purchased a 69 GTO convertible for $1200 followed by a 70 MGB-GT, a 66 Chevelle SS and later a 70 Dodge Superbee. Now have a 67 Jeepster Commando as a fun occasional driver. It does get me back in some hard to reach locations for detecting.

Steve

I had two friends who were brothers. One had a 1965 GTO and the other owned a 1966 Chevelle SS with the 396 engine.
I remember the Dodge Super Bee. It was kind of the Dodge equivalent of the Road Runner. I also remember that Buick had a nice looking muscle car back then called the Gran Sport.

 

[diggin4clad]

My first car was a 1964 1/2 K code Mustang convertible with the T10 (rock crusher) 4 speed. My StepDad was a police officer and had ordered it from the factory to be used as a police car. Cherry red with a white interior. Loved that car. When I joined to military in 1974 it had a blown clutch. I sent my first $80 back home to have a clutch put in and I was talked into buying a new car instead. He ended up selling it for $50 to some farmer to put the motor in a Bronco.

Back when I was still working I bought one just like it but no K code. K code was the 289 HIPO I bought a A code that had the 289 replaced with a built 302 made to look like a 64 1/2. I won a lot of trophies with it but had to sell when the stock market crashed right during my retirement. I named it Cherry Pie.

The 2015 GT next to it was mine also. My 10 second pony.

Bought them both as retirement toys, but lost both in the COVID market crash.

View attachment 589769

NICE !!!!

 

[diggin4clad]

Here's a couple of photos of my 1965 Mustang. The back of the smaller photo says the date is Sept. 12, 1965. I was just 19 years old. In the photo at the top the car has two mag wheels on the front of the car. I eventually got two more but funds were limited back then and I couldn't get them all at once. My friend's 1965 GTO is also in the photo.