Garrett Apex Sneak Peek

[mh9162013]

On 4/26/2020 at 3:30 PM, phrunt said:

I've never had an AT Series, a rarely used AT Max went up for sale here last week, it was $525 NZD, $315 USD including the Z Link wireless headphones, those who know me know how tempted I'd be to buy that, especially at that price but I declined the sale, I couldn't bring myself to buying it knowing I'd likely be disappointed and prefer using my Vanquish over it, even though it's their top of the line.  Pretty sad.

 

Wow, that's a really good deal! I would have bought it just to turn around and flip it (after tinkering with it, of course!)

[mh9162013]

7 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

You could in theory have an Equinox 400 and Equinox 200 instead of Vanquish, but the Vanquish hardware with AA batteries is just plain cheaper to make.

Really? Not that I don't believe you, but this intrigues me.

Is the hardware in an Equinox that much more expensive than the Vanquish? I know the built in lithium battery costs a few extra bucks, as does the charging circuitry and waterproof seals. Then there's maybe a few extra dollars for a better chip or something. But a few hundreds dollars worth of hardware differences? 

I just assumed the hardware and production differences between the Vanquish 340 and Equinox 800 would amount to $100-$150 or so. Everything else would be software and profit (and accessories, of course).

[Steve Herschbach]

Retail pricing has little to do with production cost. It basically costs the same amount to make an Equinox 600 and 800. You pay for features.

It is simply about making money. If you sell 50,000 Vanquish and keep the cost per unit as low as possible you make more money. The lower the margin, the more critical this is.

Remember that Minelabs retail is dealer cost, not what you pay.

If you want to design high volume, low price detectors and retain margins that keep stockholders happy, every penny counts. Every penny.

Every detector sold has to cover all costs - engineers, shipping, the box, advertising, the janitor, utilities, all warranty... the whole all in cost, and make a profit.

So yes, including that battery does matter, and dozens of other things also. Consider warranty. Waterproof detectors fail more often generating more warranty repairs. Not an issue with a dry land design.

[mh9162013]

9 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Consider warranty. Waterproof detectors fail more often generating more warranty repairs. Not an issue with a dry land design.

Good point

[Steve Herschbach]

I apologize for running this Apex thread off the rails pontificating about business. It was what I did and I was good at it, but I’m not here to teach business 101.

[GB_Amateur]

41 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

I apologize for running this Apex thread off the rails....

Introspection is a good thing and appreciated.  However, IMO your posts added to the thread.  I learned something and that's never a bad thing.

These new-detector-on-the-horizon threads just have a way of going off the rails.  Many of us want to know a) what? b) when? c) how much?  The detector companies have a way of teasing us with a) what? which they know pretty closely but are often reluctant to share. However, likely TBD are b) when? which even they don't know very well, and c) how much? which is probably pretty independent of a) what? as you point out, and fairly well studied ahead of time.  However, I suspect how much? is rather strongly influenced by b) when? because of the competition and their evolving products.

For me, the frustrating quality of these threads is the attitude of some posters that the manufacturers have some kind of sadistic motives.  Further, we get people who are convinced they know better how those companies should conduct their businesses than the companies actually do themselves.  For sure we'd like our input considered, but much of the 'input' I see is so caustic that if I were these companies I'd have trouble reading these threads, too.  They are humans, with feelings/emotions.  People accusing them of underhanded actions has to hurt, particularly when they are suffering from internal (reliability issues, supply chains) and external (pandemics, recessions,...) headaches which are already wearing their own patience thin.  I don't envy them.  In many ways they are in a classic damned-if you do, damned if you don't quandry.

[mh9162013]

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

For me, the frustrating quality of these threads is the attitude of some posters that the manufacturers have some kind of sadistic motives

Well, a lot of companies put profit over quality or customer satisfaction. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume metal detecting companies may sometimes be guilty of that. Just look at Boeing and their 737 Max. Sure, that's not a metal detecting company, but it's easy for people to transpose one company's actions on another company...whether consciously or subconsciously.

 

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Further, we get people who are convinced they know better how those companies should conduct their businesses than the companies actually do themselves

I don't think most people think they know better than metal detecting companies. What's usually happening (in my opinion) is that they're engaging in the natural human tendency to fill-in-the-blanks with the limited information they have. This will typically allow worst case scenarios and bias to easily come out. And sometimes, companies don't always do the right thing (although this depends on who's perspective you're using).

 

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

People accusing them of underhanded actions has to hurt, particularly when they are suffering from internal (reliability issues, supply chains) and external (pandemics, recessions,...) headaches which are already wearing their own patience thin. 

Then they need to explain those things. Otherwise, they have to accept that consumers and company outsiders will draw their own conclusions. Yes, it can be unfair, but that usually comes with the territory with being a famous/public/important/valuable people or organization. Like you already said, damned if you do, damned if you don't. 

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

Saw this posted...

https://www.facebook.com/Garrettmetaldetectorsusa/

 

[JohnnyRox]

Who needs the Apex when the Pro can do all this in 4 hours?  lol

 

 

[Dances With Doves]

2 hours ago, phrunt said:

The guy's a machine, what's that, one target every 4 minutes! not only that he was in water with a snorkel and flippers, I believe that about as much as I believe I'll want to rush out and buy an Apex 🙂  Surely Garrett knew that was unrealistic, but they are all about talking it up.

 

 I  have a spot on lake Ontario that had a beach house built in 1916 and closed in the 60's. It   was  torn down   but      an area people still  swim    at.   Strong   lake current cut it  down in  that summer near clay or to the clay. 80 yards by about 20.  There were also tracks that  went by the lake   from  1870's to    1970's.They built a tunnel under tracks to get swimmers to lake.All that   left was  mostly heavy objects because of currents.There were many  RR ties  and   big  iron and nails in spots. On   June 30 of 2018 with AT gold and its  stock coil I got 19 quarters,18dimes,22 nickles,36 pennies.My  record for gold  for a   day at 6 with  2 ob hallmark rings.2 silver jewelry,5 other rings,  brass       bangle, 3 silver plated spoons and a fork,some buttons and other jewelry,brass buckles,A very rare  American lock co. key from Cazenovia,N.  Y.,1 silver Rosie,  3   V nickles,1 buffalo nickel,and 10  weaties in a 10 hour hunt.It can be done in the right conditions.I then got my nox and with this machine this spot  still   produced.