To buy or not to buy?

ArthurX · 02-21-2013, 01:20 AM

Hey guys,
I'm new around here I've been playing tennis for about 7 years or so and I'm 14, I'm really looking forward to learning from you guys. Anyway at training tonight I broke the big bangers on my Pure Drive, it is two generations old, restringing with the big bangers would be around $60. My coach has a brand spanking new Pure Drive GT for sale for $180, I'm not sure what to do. Is there a big difference between the new and the old one? Thanks for your help.

r5d3 · 02-21-2013, 01:37 AM

Personally, I couldn't hit with any previous version of any Babolat racquets before the current PD, so I may be the wrong person to give this advice, but the current PD is a beautiful piece of machinery (I have the standard, not the GT). Ended up a bit rough on the arm and now have it replaced, but the stick was golden.

westside · 02-21-2013, 01:40 AM

Completely up to you mate. If you feel comfortable with the current PD you're using, I don't think there is a need to switch.
Also, though the racquet is only $180, wouldn't you still have to pay the $60 to get it strung with Big Banger?

ArthurX · 02-21-2013, 01:45 AM

Yeah that's what I was thinking also, so it would come up to $240 which is how much I would pay at Sportsmart anyway. Is there a big improvement in the latest version compared to the model I have?

NetNinja68 · 02-22-2013, 05:08 AM

The difference will be mostly in your mind. BTW, $60 is super high for stringing....Also, there are other less expensive strings that are similar in performance.

matchmaker · 02-22-2013, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArthurX

Hey guys,
I'm new around here I've been playing tennis for about 7 years or so and I'm 14, I'm really looking forward to learning from you guys. Anyway at training tonight I broke the big bangers on my Pure Drive, it is two generations old, restringing with the big bangers would be around $60. My coach has a brand spanking new Pure Drive GT for sale for $180, I'm not sure what to do. Is there a big difference between the new and the old one? Thanks for your help.

I would never buy a racquet from my coach. It doesn't seem to be very ethical for him to sell racquets to his students. Is he also the guy who does the $60 stringjob?

pingu · 02-22-2013, 05:34 AM

ArthurX, I'd suggest you to read a very helpful thread from Mikeler below. You might find a different string that matches your play style or better for less.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=352048

MikeHitsHard93 · 02-22-2013, 05:52 AM

Why're you thinking about buying the new one? You can replace your grommets instead for a fraction of the cost if you're having to restring often.

000KFACTOR90000 · 02-22-2013, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArthurX

Is there a big difference between the new and the old one?

Yeah, the old pure drive is better.

You might consider getting a stringing machine though. ($60!!!)

MikeHitsHard93 · 02-22-2013, 05:59 AM

Stringing is easy and a good machine can be found new for under $200.

loosegroove · 02-22-2013, 06:43 AM

Who's charging you $60 for the string job? That's a rip off. Look around and you can find a stringer that will do a string job for cost of string (or you supply your own string) plus $20 for labor. So in your case that's $35.

mikeler · 02-22-2013, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeHitsHard93

Stringing is easy and a good machine can be found new for under $200.

Buy one now while you are young and the money you save over your lifetime will be enormous.

The Meat · 02-22-2013, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loosegroove

Who's charging you $60 for the string job? That's a rip off. Look around and you can find a stringer that will do a string job for cost of string (or you supply your own string) plus $20 for labor. So in your case that's $35.

Pretty sure he's talking about both racquets being strung, which is still pretty ridiculous.

$30 for the labor and the string? No thanks bro.

dman72 · 02-22-2013, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loosegroove

Who's charging you $60 for the string job? That's a rip off. Look around and you can find a stringer that will do a string job for cost of string (or you supply your own string) plus $20 for labor. So in your case that's $35.

Somebodies coach is a little light on the ethics.

Before I bought my Kippermate, I used to cut off the appropriate length of string from a reel, bring it to Sports Authority or D!cks, and they'd charge 12-13 dollars for a string job. The guy at the local SA was a former JR. tennis player who I talked to on a few occasions, so I knew he wasn't a hack. I probably had him do 20+ string jobs for me over a few years.

The local tennis shop charges $40 for a synthetic gut string job, which I think is a rip off.

I should start offering stringing for all these ladies at my club getting ripped off by this place.

dgoran · 02-22-2013, 07:04 AM

Do not pay $60 for stringing that is super high. Order big banger from this site and look for tennis shop or pro shop in your area than compare pricess for restringing only not including strings should be $15-$20 tops

If you can buy used straining machine and it will save you bunch of money in the long run mine was 150 so after ten restringing it paid itself off

zapvor · 02-22-2013, 07:34 AM

wow. yea. although where you live prices fluctuate a lot apparently

Muppet · 02-22-2013, 09:35 AM

Long Island. 'nough said. New York prices for everything are astronomical. Buy a dropweight stringer for anywhere from $100 to $500 bucks. Then order the strings you want online at low prices for the rest of your tennis life.

02-21-2013, 01:20 AM	#1
ArthurX New User Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 12	To buy or not to buy? Hey guys, I'm new around here I've been playing tennis for about 7 years or so and I'm 14, I'm really looking forward to learning from you guys. Anyway at training tonight I broke the big bangers on my Pure Drive, it is two generations old, restringing with the big bangers would be around $60. My coach has a brand spanking new Pure Drive GT for sale for $180, I'm not sure what to do. Is there a big difference between the new and the old one? Thanks for your help.

02-21-2013, 01:40 AM	#3
westside Hall Of Fame Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 3,573	Completely up to you mate. If you feel comfortable with the current PD you're using, I don't think there is a need to switch. Also, though the racquet is only $180, wouldn't you still have to pay the $60 to get it strung with Big Banger? __________________ Yonex Vcore 97.

02-22-2013, 05:52 AM	#8
MikeHitsHard93 Hall Of Fame Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,029	Why're you thinking about buying the new one? You can replace your grommets instead for a fraction of the cost if you're having to restring often. __________________ 3.5 baseliner trying to transition to a more all-court game. Currently on a seemingly endless racket search...

02-22-2013, 05:59 AM	#10
MikeHitsHard93 Hall Of Fame Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,029	Stringing is easy and a good machine can be found new for under $200. __________________ 3.5 baseliner trying to transition to a more all-court game. Currently on a seemingly endless racket search...

02-22-2013, 07:04 AM	#15
dgoran Professional Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,148	Do not pay $60 for stringing that is super high. Order big banger from this site and look for tennis shop or pro shop in your area than compare pricess for restringing only not including strings should be $15-$20 tops If you can buy used straining machine and it will save you bunch of money in the long run mine was 150 so after ten restringing it paid itself off __________________ Too many racquets...