Attn VS Owners...

[shadow]

HOLY S#$#%% that sucks they got you with that one.you can not send them in but that will more then likely get you in the long run

[lurch]

YIKES!

[Canalman]

Hmmm.... spend 160$ a year on a disposable lesser reel or 50$ a year on one that will last for life.... I think I'm ok with thr VS thanks.

-Dave

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Canalman

Hmmm.... spend 160$ a year on a disposable lesser reel or 50$ a year on one that will last for life.... I think I'm ok with thr VS thanks.

-Dave

You're overlooking the $700 initial outlay in your cost/benefit analysis Over ten years, your cost of ownership is $1200, or about the same price as a self-serviceable Zee Baas. Plus return shipping, and over the last ten years, the price of VS factory service has doubled, from $25 to $50. Who's to say it won't run 100 clams in 10 years?

I spent $35 on a Penn 704 33 years ago. $5 for a new shaft about 15 years ago, and other than drag washers, eveything's original.

It's getting close to the point where it's cost me a buck a year to own it.

20 years ago, I paid $10 for a used Squidder, and another 3 bucks for new drag washers. What's that work out to, about 65 cents a year?

Both of those reels still run like a top.

It's cost me $70 a year to own my $420 VS 250 and I've never even sent it in for service.

Unfortunately, you are right, in the bigger picture. They don't make either of those other two reels any more and most of the new stuff is disposable after a season or two.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Mike P

You're overlooking the $700 initial outlay in your cost/benefit analysis Over ten years, your cost of ownership is $1200, or about the same price as a self-serviceable Zee Baas. Plus return shipping, and over the last ten years, the price of VS factory service has doubled, from $25 to $50. Who's to say it won't run 100 clams in 10 years?

You really need to quantify the "enjoyment", "fish catching" and "coolness" values as well to compute the net present value over the life of the reel.

I used the formula below to help choose a VS250 over a Penn 704z.

3 years later I still haven't caught squat

-spence

[gone fishin]

Spence - You are a piece of work !! Maybe a good Rummy replacement

[Rockport24]

LOL spence.
I guess its kind of like owning a fancy sports car, you want the performance, but then you gotta put high-grade fuel in it every 10 miles and spend $500 a tire for replacements. In the end though, when you are screaming around a corner at 70mph with a babe at your side, it's all worth it.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Mike P

You're overlooking the $700 initial outlay in your cost/benefit analysis Over ten years, your cost of ownership is $1200, or about the same price as a self-serviceable Zee Baas. Plus return shipping, and over the last ten years, the price of VS factory service has doubled, from $25 to $50. Who's to say it won't run 100 clams in 10 years?

I spent $35 on a Penn 704 33 years ago. $5 for a new shaft about 15 years ago, and other than drag washers, eveything's original.

It's getting close to the point where it's cost me a buck a year to own it.

20 years ago, I paid $10 for a used Squidder, and another 3 bucks for new drag washers. What's that work out to, about 65 cents a year?

Both of those reels still run like a top.

It's cost me $70 a year to own my $420 VS 250 and I've never even sent it in for service.

Unfortunately, you are right, in the bigger picture. They don't make either of those other two reels any more and most of the new stuff is disposable after a season or two.

Then you have to compute the risk of the ZeeBaas. Just because it's serviceable doesn't mean it won't need parts.

Also you have the bonus risk that the company might not make it (there is history to support that possiblity...) and then you won't be able to get parts. $1200 paper weight...

[tattoobob]

It's only money, and if your happy it is all worth it, to me anyways

They have a new trainee in there so she is probably making twice what the old guy got to service them

[fishpoopoo]

I just posted some new figures over at SOL if you want to see what the NPV is over 15 years, with and without salvage value and varying the cost of capital.

There is no amount of utility that I could derive to justify paying $1,700 +/- for a stupid spinning reel. I'll just rely on my Fin-Nor Ahabs and 706's.

This is ridiculous - for $50 and shipping I could buy another reel.

Why did VS do this? Because that's what ZeeBaas is charging to service a reel (but on paper ZeeBaas' are self-serviceable). And because they probably are losing money on servicing.

Anyone looking for an old style VS250B (interior counterweight) with some reel rash, let me know.