$3450 for a new AES Magnum 3500P... Worth it?

[GearheadGrrrl]

Been heating with a Magnum 3500P for the last 11 years, great stove and repair parts costs for those 11 years have been only about $500. Noted the 26% tax credit available and I'm tempted to buy a new one and retire the old one to garage heating duties. But shopping around AES price is now up to $3450 and only better price I found was a dealer asking $3250. Debating if it's worth that much $$$, given that I could replace every moving part in it for less than $1000 and I've still got a cranky USSC 6039 around for a spare. Is a new Magnum 3500P worth $3450, or should I wait in hopes prices go down by the time I really need a new one?

 

[newsu]

I don't think prices are going to go down. Is it worth $3,450? That's a tough question to answer. I bought my Magnum Countryside 3500P almost new from some friends who bought it for their cabin that they stayed a few weeks once or twice a year. After a couple of years they realized the extra labor of dragging and storing pellets up at the cabin was more involved and costly then just turning on the furnace. So they stopped using it and eventually offered it to me for $400. (Right place at the right time. 😁) It was a no brainer moment. I been enjoying the Magnum Countryside 3500P 5🌟 ever since. I've had the Pelpro-60 3🌟, I've had the Vistaflame VF100 - 4🌟 and I still have the St Croix Greenfield 5🌟 I needed the higher BTU for a drafty house. Is the Magnum Countryside 3500P worth $3450? Newer stoves have gotten better today, at that price I would compare with what's new and improved and then decide.

The last two years I've pretty much rebuilt my Magnum Countryside 3500P, it's much less than $1,000 to do, you have to shop around for your parts more. Pretty much every part is universal ( that's one of the best things about the Magnum Countryside 3500P).

In short; I wouldn't pay $3,450. for a 14 year old stove, just as I wouldn't trade this for a new one. I'm going to keep this for a few more years, it may be old, but it looks new, performs like new, it's reliable and also easy to DIY fix and it puts out the heat.

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

Update: I'm still running the 3500P, but will be picking up a Pelpro 60 soon. While the 3500P is a great legacy stove, they're not making it anymore and with the Pelpro 60 selling for $1000 minus a $260 tax credit I can't justify spending that much on parts for a 12 year old stove.