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Is this board new or used?

  • New

    Votes: 6 23.1%
  • Used

    Votes: 13 50.0%
  • Not totally sure

    Votes: 7 26.9%

Is this board new or used? Interesting issue

5K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  poutanen 
#1 · (Edited)
Ill make a long story short. I found a "new" 2012 Burton Vapor for 30% off online at an authorized burton dealer (will remain nameless for now) which I have been to in person in the past, but its a few hours away from me hence why I ordered it online. I sent an email asking if they would be open to sell it for an addition $100 off bring the price down to roughly 40% off. I got a phone call saying "they wouldnt normally drop the price or be allowed to by burton, but because there are some marks on the top sheet from moving it around the store and against other boards they would agree to give me the extra $100 off". We agreed, I paid and the board arrive today.

I have a STRONG suspicion this board was used (likely once), and they sold me a used board as new. Below are pictures, my main reasons for thinking it was used and their response. What i want is some unbiased opinions about these issues I see. Is it possible these things could be on a non used board? With all the evidence do you think the board is used, new or not sure.

Suspicious point #1.) The board was not in plastic wrap, but came in its little zipper bag. All burton boards come in a plastic wrap, and some have the addition zipper bag. It did have the sales tags in the channel, price tag, and booklet attached.

Their response: The plastic wrap got peeled off and damaged from moving around so they eventually took it off. This is a standard practice if that happens in their store.

Suspicious point #2.) The scratches are (in my opinion) more then what could be caused by moving a board around a store. The picture below shows how deep one of the scratches is. There are probably 10+ scratches on the board. It should be said that I personally dont give a shit about scratches. One day on the hill and any board will have them anyway. Im not one to try and keep my board looking new. I am pointing this out as evidence it was used.

Their response: The told me their were scratches prior to shipping. I agreed. We didnt disagree on this point, but I felt how deep they were was not consistent with moving it around the store. Perhaps im wrong thou.



Suspicious point # 3.) Rust on the edges, and the base is "whiter" by the edge which to me shows use.

Their response: They had it outside for a sale and it got rained on, and the white on the edge is nothing more then wax drying out.



Suspicious point # 4.) Evidence a binding was attached. This is probably the biggest piece for me. Under no circumstance should a new board have evidence that a binding was attached. At most a store would place a bind on top of a board for looks, but never attach to the point it leaves a circle.

Their response: No idea why the circle would be there. Agreed with me that there is no reason a binding should have been attached, but reiterated the board never left the store.




To me a used board sells for half of MSRP (no taxes). This board was likely taken out by an employee for a joy ride, and then repackaged (unknowing to the owner or guy who i talked to about the issue). Having said that I have never worked in a store so I have no idea if these things could all happen in the store.

What are your thoughts?
 
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#2 ·
Looks used to me...you got it 40% off which sounds great, but that just makes it the price of a brand new high end board. I think you should be entitled to additional store credit at the minimum and definitely your money back if you wanted it. Bottom line you have to decide if you want the board or not, b/c you're not likely to find a better deal on a vapor in great condition.
 
#4 ·
hmmm, don't know. If they had it outside for display they might have put bindings on it, just for show.
i think they were upfront about the board not being pristine, and you agreed on the price. So, I think your choice is either to accept the board as is, or return for a full refund. Getting another $50 or $100 off won't change how you feel about the board
 
#5 ·
Who leaves a $1000+ board out in the fucking rain? Who leaves it outside at all for that matter? I can see a year old Custom sitting outside in the rain, but not a Vapor. The binding marks are obvious. Are there lines running tip to tail on the base? Usually unused boards would have non of these lines. How do the edges feel? If you can feel even the slightest snag as you run your finger around the edge, it has likely been used.

Also: get a refund and buy a different board.
 
#6 ·
I wasn't expecting a board that was pristine, but I just didnt want a used one. I guess there is enough possibility they put bindings on it in store for show. Leaving it in the rain was retarded. I ran my ringers down the edges and there were absolutely no snags, so I guess it possible it wasnt used, but just raped at the store level.

The price is the same as a new custom X, and with not a single review pointing to the Vapor being a worse board i guess ill keep it.
 
#7 ·
guys, is leaving a snowboard out in the rain that bad? It's made for snow....
All that happened was they left it out and when they brought it in they didn't dry it straight away. Those rust bits come off with a gummy stone.

if you're going to keep it, just cover the scratches with stickers, gummy stone the edges and give the base a wax
 
#8 ·
All those issues are very minor cosmetic things. You were expecting a board with a few dings/scratches and that looks like what you got.

Edges get surface rust when exposed to water or even high humidity. Rain isn't going to hurt a board.

The base goes white when its dried out, all new boards need wax anyway. The factory wax was applied months ago.

binding marks could happen if it was a store display.

Again, it's all cosmetic, and you knew it wasn't pristine, so go ride it and stop worrying.
 
#10 ·
as mentioned in my first post I dont care about cosmetic scratches, and I fully expected them as I was warned about them. I dont even care about rust on the edges because it rubs off. What I care about is being sold a "new" board that was used as in taken to the slopes and used as a demo. A demo does not sell for the same as a new board with some scratches.

Im getting the sense that these marks dont necessarily lead to a board which was used on the slopes, but one just cared for poorly at the store. Im fine with that for the price I paid.
 
#11 ·
My forum (yeah, I'm so cool) scallywag was new and had kinda the same stuff. It's gonna happen anyway on day one.

Wax it, ride it, REJOICE!

40% off seems like a killer deal.

It could have been floor demo'd. Where they mount the bindings maybe someone stands on it a coupla times, but hasn't hit the snow.
 
#13 ·
Humidity and oils from your skin can cause oxidation/rust like that. I've also seen shops mount bindings for display. The shop down the street had a board with bindings on it trying to promote a last years model with last years bindings as a package price. The shop sounds like they have been responsive to you so its doesn't seem like they are hiding anything. As far as rain, sometimes business logic is absent lol.. You got a hell of a deal bro so I'd deal with it if you love that board..
 
#14 ·
So you didn't get to pop the cherry....oh well sloppy seconds...why give a shit if you got a board you like for a great price. You take it down 1 run and its the same. My question for the shop....is the standard warranty good from your date of sale?

I'd say its been rode/demo once, perhaps a return or gang banged in the shop. But I'd prefer a quality slut that knows her stuff and place, than a quivering sniveling hysterical drama cherry.....which kinds of sounds like the situation.
 
#15 ·
Suspicious point #1.) The board was not in plastic wrap, but came in its little zipper bag. All burton boards come in a plastic wrap, and some have the addition zipper bag. It did have the sales tags in the channel, price tag, and booklet attached.
In my experience, boards usually come in either a plastic sleeve or plastic wrap depending on the brand. None of my Burton boards have ever come in plastic shrink wrap. I've ordered 10+ Burton boards over the last few years from various retailers, inlcuding Sport Chalet, Darkside, Whiskey Militia, Tru Snow (Sierra), and Active Ride Shop.
 
#19 ·
In all seriousness it all looks pretty normal. Edges are typically made of steel. Steel oxidizes. It doesn't need to be left outside in the rain or dipped in the Pacific Ocean for this to occur. Boards in shops are always taken out of the plastic at any core snowboard shop I've ever been to. Maybe you're used to shopping at a box store like Sports Authority or something. Scratches happen, but you got a significant discount because of it. It will look that way after a few days out on the hill and riding on your ski rack anyways.

You got a fantastic deal on a new board. Now go use it. /thread
 
#20 ·
got my A-Frame (Arbor) at $158. Was $ 300 on sale originally (700) , found scratches, a small dent on an edge and most of all binding marks on the top sheet, once I stepped out of the shop in the sun.

they agreed to 70% off = $158

Sweet deal. Get that Vaporizer! :D
 
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