AP1200 GTO Mount - help me decide

Dave,

You've clearly put alot of though into this and have your heart set on it. If you get the 1200 and later decide you don't want it, it's gonna be very easy to sell it later. So, IMHO, go for it. When your name comes up for the 900, try it out for a a year and then sell whichever you don't want. You'll also make a few euro on whatever you sell so you can't lose.

As for scopes, I'm sure the AP160 would be very nice and if you can afford it, then go for it.

Clear skies,

Dave,
I think Michael put it perfectly, thats exactly what I'd do if I could afford it.

As for taxes, I thought there was no importation tax if the goods are coming from a fellow EU country, its all about this common market, except the cursed VRT on Cars, if I buy something in from England, there is no extra tax on it, at least there wasn't when I got my scope a number of years ago.

btw, long live the Euro !!

A lot of thought *has* gone into this but its still a tremendous leap spending the price of a good secondhand car on what is "only" a mount. I still have to get a pier/tripod, telescope, camera, focuser, counterweights, filter wheel, filters, focal reducer, observatory, PhD :shock:

Bang on about the 900 - Anthony (in a previous post) reckons the 900 is fine - possibly even the 600E. I can get the 1200 and when the 900 comes in I can try it out and flog the 1200 if it does the job. That said, I will have forked (no pun) out for two top class mounts to the tune of $16k - and that's without the other stuff above! Then there's taxes!!! But certainly the AP stuff holds its value incredibly well - a second hand brand new 1200 (if that makes sense) will cost you more than the list price - the deal being that your paying for instant gratification rather than waiting two years. So, an older second hand mount (say 12 months) should sell for pretty much close to what you buy it for. And don't forget, when you spend that kind of money, the item is treated with the kind of love reserved for Liz Hurley...!

As for taxes Dave, it will be imported directly from AP in the US - so, excise duty is payable - its the equivalent of VRT. VAT is also payable if the purchase is made outside the EU. I think it'll amount to something like 25%. At todays €/$ rate, I reckon I'll be out of pocket to the tune of €10k.

And by the way - its the same rates for second-hand gear! We get taxed at all turns, multiple times!

I've yet to make my mind up but the voting is pretty clear - 100% in favour of me selling my soul!

Thanks again for all your posts - it really is great to throw these things out to likeminded people and get some truly useful feedback.

Cheers

Dave