Just saw this on E-Bay.....
Several DUKW's that appear to be quite "ordinary" with a price of $100,000 each that seems a bit way over the top from what I have seen previously. I LOVE amphibious vehicles and regularly cruise E-Bay to have a bit of a daydream about one day getting one, a DUKW or Seep being the most desirable dream vehicles, hell, an Argo 6x6 or 8x8 woould tickle my fancy too but you have to be realistic on prices and these machines look like this vendor is like me too, a daydreamer with prices like that or have I just lost touch with reality and should update my ideas on values of vehicles?
I think he's asking about 4 times what they're worth. Maybe more than that, even. I could possibly see laying out $25,000 for one of them, but $100,000 each? No freakin' way!!
Modified DUKW's have been all the rage the last few years in the tourism industry. They are popular in certain areas of the US and other places. Once a vehicle gets into the commericial market (where it stands to make a return on the investment), all bets are off with reasonable prices. There aren't that many good condition ones out there, if this seller has some good ones, these customers will PAY BIG. The question here with the asking price of 100 thousand would be this, has this seller heard of a potential high $$ buyer or buyers searching the net, or is he just hoping one of these commercial buyers will give him a call to check out what he has available? We had some calls a while back with offers to repower and do other modifications to some of these vehicles, we were busy and couldn't turn the projects as soon as the client needed, so I had to pass.
You can check Wisconsin Dells, etc to see some of these modified machines and how they are being used.
The Wisconsin Dells Dukw's have been operating for over 50 years. Charles is absolutely correct when he says the business use and profits from that business use will almost always drive prices well above what any private user is willing to pay.
Hmmmm! I hadn't considered the commercial side of the DUKW market. I still think he's overpricing them, though. Anyone who wants one for commercial purposes will have to know that he's investing in a really high maintenance vehicle, that parts are rare (therefore expensive), and that downtime will be inevitable. All of these concerns will eat into his profit margin. Better to lower the price and let us have 'em!
If you ever get up here again stop in at the Wisconsin Dells and take a look at their Dukw work shop and spare parts wharehouse and donor parts Dukw's. You'll then see how serious they take the business of DUKW maintenance and spares.
Lifer wrote:Hmmmm! I hadn't considered the commercial side of the DUKW market. I still think he's overpricing them, though. Anyone who wants one for commercial purposes will have to know that he's investing in a really high maintenance vehicle, that parts are rare (therefore expensive), and that downtime will be inevitable. All of these concerns will eat into his profit margin. Better to lower the price and let us have 'em!
The ones we considered updating, well the updates and modifications would have pretty much done away with a lot of the older high maintenance issues and downtime as with original vehicles. I don't know how others change theirs before putting them into commercial use, but these folks that talked with us were only interested in first class all the way.
Well I have to admit my wife and I enjoyed the heck out of our DUKW tour of downtown Seattle a couple of years ago. It included a trip around part of the harbor. lots of fun.
The place had at least 6 DUKW'S going the day we were there. and a big waiting line.
Home 
