Dreadswooper 0 #1 April 2, 2009 So Ive been searching the DZ.com classifieds looking for a 150\149sq ft, for months now! I came across this guy, who had a stiletto 150 for sale..$200 dollars. 1997 Stiletto 150 with 1000+ jumps and 200 jumps on the new spectra line set. Sounded like a great deal! It was last jumped in 2006 also. Stored in a closet I believe. I offer the guy $250 so I can take it off his hands like your older brother does with the remote control when you tease him with it.. So I get the canopy and first thing I do is hand the canopy to PD and ask them to inspect it. Everything looks good aside the B5 line attachment tear (about the size of a dime), non readable warning label and center cell that looked iffy. PD insisted a clamp test on the center cell only. So I let them have at it. Being PD tests their canopies at 25lbs I recall. The center cell tore at aprox. 19-20 lbs... .. ..... !!..! Shit, So I call the guy up and tell him the story, and that it was not airworthy. So now were both in the hole and he says he'll call me back after he gets a 2nd opinion. Now.. Its going to cost me $240 to replace the center cell and another $30 for the B5 line attachment patch. The guy obviously doesn't want his canopy back and he sounded a bit angry with me " It flew fine when I had it! Why'd you get a clamp test done?!" Well. my friend.. I offered him to at least send me back $125 dollars, HALF, so I can put it towards the repair of the canopy.. Im in a sticky situation and I need some advice. Lets rant and rave!.. Im calling the guy in a few hours to hear what his 2nd opinion might be... -Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #2 April 2, 2009 Sounds like you made a mistake in buy a canopy with out having it inspected first. For $200 what can you expect?? Why would you pay $50 more then the asking price?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #3 April 2, 2009 It was for sale for $200 and you offered $250. That's no way to haggle. Haven't spent any time in a straw market have you?" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreadswooper 0 #4 April 2, 2009 Blah Blah, not helping..-Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #5 April 2, 2009 QuoteBlah Blah, not helping.. Here's some more blah blah: why did you buy a stiletto in the first place with so little jumps plus a username that implies you want to learn how to swoop? A stiletto is not a good canopy for either. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #6 April 2, 2009 Update your profile or be prepared for the responses about how a Stiletto 150 is a lousy canopy for someone with 180 jumps over 4 years. (see above) Or, if your profile is accurate, a Stiletto 150 is a lousy canopy for someone with 180 jumps over 4 years. (see here) And I feel so sorry for you that I could cry. Not. The canopy was cheap because it was old. You paid more than asking price (why?), and when you confirmed it needed work you start bitching at the seller who had accurately related the condition of the canopy in the first place. Then you come bitching about it on dz.com and naming names before the situation is even resolved. I feel more sorry for the seller for having to deal with you. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreadswooper 0 #7 April 2, 2009 I started jumping a stiletto 190 right off of AFF, Thanks Lake Wales! Im only learning to use my front risers. Not like youll see me in a comp anytime soon. Whats wrong with old school? Ill out glide you. . Im kidding. lets not get harsh. -Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #8 April 2, 2009 You bought a cheap and very used canopy with known damage, and then you had PD do a destructive test on it. Your purchase, your decision to do the test, your responsibility to fix it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #9 April 2, 2009 It has over a thousand jumps on it, and you're surprised it's worn out? Being out $250 is better than having it blow apart on opening, leaving you with a nasty malfunction. You got off easy, and learned a good lesson. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreadswooper 0 #10 April 2, 2009 Im not surprised its worn out. The guy said it was airworthy and I guess to PD's standards it was not. My first and last clamp test I guess.-Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #11 April 2, 2009 Quote I started jumping a stiletto 190 right off of AFF, Thanks Lake Wales! Im only learning to use my front risers. Not like youll see me in a comp anytime soon. Whats wrong with old school? Ill out glide you. . Im kidding. lets not get harsh. More blah blah... I cannot understand though that your profile says you jump a sabre2 150, a good canopy for your jumpnumbers and the best to learn to swoop on, what do you even want with a stiletto A sabre2 has way more dive and less opening issues than a stiletto, what more could you want. Doesn't a rigger's apprentice know that? ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #12 April 2, 2009 This is a perfect example of how NOT to buy a used piece of skydiving gear. Well, it's better than sending a check to nigeria for a used reserve. There's good news though. You're only out $250. Good bargain shopping! I've got a PD150 for sale if you're interested. The brake lines are so short it will stall at half brakes. But it's only $400! (Just kidding... its not for sale). Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreadswooper 0 #13 April 2, 2009 I dont own the canopy. Im just familiar with the stiletto and yes the sabre 2 is kickass,-Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #14 April 2, 2009 Yeah, don't test your equipment because you might find out its bad. That's the lesson you should be taking away. Rigger's apprentice? Really? - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreadswooper 0 #15 April 2, 2009 Something wrong Dan? Not getting any? Whats with the low blows?-Darin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #16 April 2, 2009 Quote So Ive been searching the DZ.com classifieds looking for a 150\149sq ft, for months now! I came across this guy, who had a stiletto 150 for sale..$200 dollars. 1997 Stiletto 150 with 1000+ jumps and 200 jumps on the new spectra line set. Sounded like a great deal! I guess you are saying it wasn't a great deal now It was last jumped in 2006 also. Stored in a closet I believe. I offer the guy $250 so I can take it off his hands like your older brother does with the remote control when you tease him with it.. Try next time offering 150 it works better that way for you So I get the canopy and first thing I do is hand the canopy to PD and ask them to inspect it. Everything looks good aside the B5 line attachment tear (about the size of a dime), non readable warning label and center cell that looked iffy. PD insisted a clamp test on the center cell only. So I let them have at it. Being PD tests their canopies at 25lbs I recall. The center cell tore at aprox. 19-20 lbs... .. ..... !!..! Shit, So I call the guy up and tell him the story, and that it was not airworthy. So now were both in the hole and he says he'll call me back after he gets a 2nd opinion. Now.. Its going to cost me $240 to replace the center cell and another $30 for the B5 line attachment patch. This is YOUR problem . Not his. The guy obviously doesn't want his canopy back and he sounded a bit angry with me " It flew fine when I had it! Why'd you get a clamp test done?!" Well. my friend.. I offered him to at least send me back $125 dollars, HALF, so I can put it towards the repair of the canopy.. I would tell you to go scratch. Im in a sticky situation and I need some advice. Hang that old thing in the hanger at your DZ and chuck it up as a learning lesson. Never give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #17 April 2, 2009 I can relate. I once bought a ragged out Sabre. The guy was honest up front that it was old and had seen better days. When I got it the PC attachment ring was rusted and the canopy looked just like he described it. If I recall I paid $150 for it. I sent it to PD and the clamp-tested it and 5 of the 9 cells failed. I just sucked it up and chalked it up to "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is." My own stupid fault. But, I'd rather have it fail at the manufacturer doing a clamp test than while I'm under it in the air too. BTW, if I were you, I wouldn't spend the $$ to repair that canopy. I'd spend the $$ on a different one. That one is very likely to have other problems now or in the near future. PD didn't charge me a penny for the tests they did because the canopy failed the clamp test. I told them to use it for curtains or whatever. At least PD didn't give me the shaft to add insult to injury!Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,489 #18 April 2, 2009 QuoteIm not surprised its worn out. The guy said it was airworthy and I guess to PD's standards it was not. And how was he supposed to know that? It wasn't broken when you bought it, ergo it worked fine the last time the seller jumped it. Let's face it, $200 for a canopy is dirt cheap. If I bought a canopy for that price I would fully expect it to be on its last legs!Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #19 April 2, 2009 The blows aren't low. If you read everyone else's responses, they're pretty much right on. You screwed up and have a shitty attitude about it. Learn from it. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #20 April 2, 2009 Don't know about not fixing a canopy like that in general, we've had stilettos sabres and the like with thousands of jumps, even one that spend a year in a tree and after having had its center cell replaced it was going strong again can you believe it Of course in general our jumping conditions here are good (except for the tree bit) so that helps, and I've bought and jumped 1000+ jump canopies before and had one relined too. They're not necessarily written-off. If PD says the rest of this canopy is good to go, you'd still have a cheap canopy after repairs. Then again, putting the money towards a better model canopy would be far preferable in the OP's case IMO. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #21 April 2, 2009 QuoteIt wasn't broken when you bought it, ergo it worked fine the last time the seller jumped it. Let's face it, $200 for a canopy is dirt cheap. If I bought a canopy for that price I would fully expect it to be on its last legs! Agreed. I bought a 1200+ jump Spectre for $300 once. Put less than 100 jumps on it before a couple of lines broke. Upon having a rigger inspect it to see if it was worth putting another line set on, it was determined (with a pull test) that the center cell topskin was in desperate need of replacement. Since the cost of repairs was going to exceed what I'd paid for the canopy in the first place, I chose to sell it as unairworthy - managed to get almost $100 for it. The only person I had to blame was myself - I'm the one who chose to buy a canopy for $300. Caveat emptor. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #22 April 2, 2009 Quote Don't know about not fixing a canopy like that in general, we've had stilettos sabres and the like with thousands of jumps, even one that spend a year in a tree and after having had its center cell replaced it was going strong again can you believe it Of course in general our jumping conditions here are good (except for the tree bit) so that helps, and I've bought and jumped 1000+ jump canopies before and had one relined too. They're not necessarily written-off. If PD says the rest of this canopy is good to go, you'd still have a cheap canopy after repairs. Then again, putting the money towards a better model canopy would be far preferable in the OP's case IMO. Yes, I agree with most of this. But in this case he's talking about spending more for repairs than what he "overpaid" for the canopy in the first place. I just think there would be better value (in the long run) to spend the $$ toward a more suitable canopy in better condition than to more than double his cost into one he already knows has issues. Just my opinion though.Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 425 #23 April 2, 2009 QuoteQuoteBlah Blah, not helping.. Here's some more blah blah: why did you buy a stiletto in the first place with so little jumps plus a username that implies you want to learn how to swoop? A stiletto is not a good canopy for either. Easy there Dragon. Some folks had to swoop Stilettos - it was the hottest canopy around back when we rode horses to the DZ. I even stooped so low as to swoop an Excalibur a thousand or so times. By the way, blah, blah, blah-blah-blah.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
humbled1 0 #24 April 2, 2009 If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is....and that goes triple for the net....btw, personally I would not even consider jumping a stiletto 150 with my experience and I weigh a bit less than you do... Sounds like you got very lucky that canopy tore....also sounds like you got off VERY cheap imo its gonna cost alot more than $125 the first time you slam into the ground...just stick with your sabre2"Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #25 April 2, 2009 I know one or two airworthy Excaliburs lying around, never jumped one though. We got PLENTY of very cheap BT Pro's over here, if you want a real swoop canopy ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
