Struggling to spend 13k with three dealers

This is sad.  We are busy too.  Sales are up 300% this year and I have never been so busy.  That being said, my day is not done until all calls and e-mails are returned.  Additionally, an estimate for used gear should not take more than 72 hours if really complex.  It is unfortunate that you are being forced to deal with such poor service.  

That being said, those freight quotes are not crazy at all.  They may seem silly but freight costs are just insane and those sound like legit costs.  I can easily pay enormous amounts of money for shipping, even short distances.  A huge part of the cost is in the pickup and drop off along with handling at the depots at both ends.  

Cowan217,

I can vouch for the high shipping costs. When I started looking at the KEF Reference 5’s, the shipping costs we’re about $350 to my door.  When I bought a pair just two months later, the shipping cost went up to $1200! 
so for them to ship to you is expensive and who’s paying to ship your trade-in back to the dealer?

All the best.

JD

If you really want them, don’t give up.  Sell the Klipsch on your own and remove from the equation.  You will save money and reduce a complication for the dealer.  Verdantaudio’s post is right on point.

However, do agree that many dealers are clueless about the products they sell or lazy or forgetful.  Hobby or not, I wonder if some dealers get into it without any real knowledge on how to run a business.

I live 3 hours from the Chicago dealer your talking about and couldn’t get him to respond either when I had interest in Wilson’s he had.  I ended buying from my local dealer with setup included.  Some of these dealers have deep pockets and big ego’s to go along with it so it’s a hit or miss when trying to buy expensive audio gear.  

Yah, weird though. The Chicago dealer constantly posts Wilsons on Audiogon- today he must have 8 ads at least for various models. Call him and try to buy a pair and he denigrates them immediately making you feel like an idiot for wanting to buy them. I really wonder if he has any in stock at all or it's a bait and switch move. Same thing when I then asked if a JL woofer would integrate well- "why would you want JL, it's too boomy" (def not the case with an F113 V2), have you tried REL? I'll never shop with him again (I did buy a couple of things from him a couple years ago).