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questar for £400?What do you think.grab&go

inspectapart

By inspectapart
in The Astro Lounge

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inspectapart

inspectapart

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Bargain of the year if it's genuine but there are often Questar scopes on e.bay which are invariably scams, so beware if it's on there !.

Hi John, I think its genuine enough. The sellar has got a winning bid from Italy but doesn`t want to send there. She has offered it to me if the buyer backs out. In your opinion, do you think it will be a good grab and go scope? and what do you think it`s worth?

Bob

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John

John

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The Questar Birder lists at a bit over $3,500 new Bob. As Steve says, they are as good as it gets in terms of sheer optical and engineering quality.

If you get it for £400 then, assuming it's in good order, it's an absolute bargain.

Here is some info on the model from a reputable US dealer, Company 7:

Company Seven | Questar Birder Telescope Description Page

If the seller has one of the 7" ones knocking about as well could you tell her that I'll give her £800 for it :)

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inspectapart

inspectapart

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I would be very cautious about payment, make sure its paypal funded via credit card, that way if its not delivered you will not loose your money

I will pay through paypal so I`m covered. The only problem I have at the moment is that the seller told the buyer in italy that she wouldn`t sell abroad before the auction ended. The italian guy still bid and won it. The seller now feels abliged to sell to him, the seller has tried to put him off with the high cost of postage, so I`ll have to see if I get lucky and hope she decides to let me have it!!

Bob

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John

John

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Is it not some scam - the seller will offer it to you but you wont be paying as a normal purchase through Ebay/PayPal as you never officially won the item? I would be very wary.....

That's my concern too.

It does not take much to Google these scopes and find out their normal retail value. Any owner of one of these would do that before selling surely :)

"if it seems to good to be true ......."

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John

John

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The Vixen ED80SF is a nice scope - the optics are the same as the Skywatcher and Celestron ED80's though which cost less.

To be fair though, Questars are in a different league from other scopes - if you want one then nothing else will do. They are sort of the Stradavarius of telescopes.

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

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I have worked with a 3.5" Questar when I was in Israel in 1980, and it was a great little scope. It would almost certainly beat an 80ED on planets, and on small DSOs (but not by much), but it is not that good in one area: wide field. I have always found Questar prices way over he top, however (much like Rolls Royce). For the kind of money that bought a 3.5" Questar you could get a 8" RC, which could take the 3.5" Questar to the cleaners in terms of resolution on planets. Even my 6" F/8 Newtonian (1/10 lambda optics) could beat the Questar both on planets and DSOs (not perhaps in crispness at the same exit pupil, but certainly in resolving power and light grasp). If it is not a scam, 400 quid is a steal of course.

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andrew63

andrew63

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Which is why i feel for a good all around grab and go scope i'd take a 80ed - F7 is more suitable for a range of objects than F14. I still use my little etx90 - yes a poor clone but optically quite nice - but it's like looking down a dark tunnel!

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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Ok a fine scope admitted - but have you thought for £400 you could buy a super 80ED refractor which i would think would be as good a grab and go as any - for example this

Vixen ED80Sf Apochromatic Refractor - Brand New from Telescope Outlet

andrew

And what mount would you put this for a total of £400??

Quite a small one me thinks. Does the pound shop sell mounts?

Oops! Just noticed the Questar is without mount....ignore

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E621Keith

E621Keith

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I've never look through a Questar, but can a 3.5" obstructed scope really beat a well made 3" unobstructed scope.

The standard Questar 3.5 is more expensive than any 4" apo, except the FSQ106, surely people can't be buying it for the optical quality or mechanics.

£400 will be a good buy nevertheless, especially considering a new ETX90 cost more than that. Judging from what I read the old Questar will easily out perform any mass produced 90mm mak.

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Adrian Condon

Adrian Condon

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Hi,

Beware, if the seller told the Italian before the end of bidding that she would not deal with him, then my understanding is that she is not bound by the winning bid, I am assuming that this is an eBay transaction.

There have been a number of 2nd place scams on eBay and other Sell/Buy sites. The seller convinces you that you really are the buyer that they would love to deal with..... its to do with confidence....

I would check the seller's name via Google on a scammer list site.

Then if no warning signs flagged, I would offer to pay cash on collection if the seller lives or works within a reasonable distance...... not Nigeria!!!!

Check the English in any contact email with the seller, the use of "strange" English phrases can be very helpful.......

Any experienced genuine seller would be very cautious of a buyer offering to pay by Paypal supported by a Credit card, because the buyer has up to six months to claim a chargeback via the card company. The seller should only send goods to a verified account buyer.

Do you really want a delicate piece of equipment to be manhandled by the Post Office or a Freight Company?

We (as sellers) sent a German Beer Mug well packaged (Bubble Wrapped) in a strong box to a genuine buyer, who found the mug to be broken on delivery.

The Post Office denied all responsibility for the breakage, so we refunded the buyer the full price + postage.... it was galling because we both lost out, she didn't get the mug she bought, we lost the mug, plus the postage.

The real winner was the Post Office!!!!

From my experience there is no way I would entrust a scope to the Post Office.

The seller should not accept Paypal for collection, because the buyer can claim to Paypal that the seller never sent the item. Paypal will only side with the seller if there is a trackable form of delivery and signed for by the buyer, Paypal are only too fast to refund the buyer. In effect, the seller is left without the item and the money.

Whilst waiting for answer from the seller, I would recommend reading eBay and Paypal rules, they can be an eye opener.....

You could contact eBay (if they are the site) for advice and Paypal.

My daughter has got excellent advice from them.

Anyway, trust very thing is genuine and you are happy with the scope.

But Beware............. you may not be covered by eBay or Paypal if you deal outside the eBay "auction" rules.

Cheers

Adrian

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beamish

beamish

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I've had the pleasure of looking thru a Questar of this size and it was as crisp as I as I don't know what :icon_salut: .......but it does worry me when I hear people refer to them as some god-like creation. They are very good but to regard them as Holy Grail is taking it too seriously and 400 quid would get you a very nice scope.

I'd be wary of this being a scam.

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