How long has the blue box been around?

[Mike Stark]

so im looking at buying a fl-8 in the hard blue box from a guy on craigs list. he says hes not sure how old it is..he says that it one of the first years the blue box came out. does anyone know?

thanks,

mike

[Iambjm]

I am interested in hearing about the blue box too! Has anyone out there owned one? Were you satisfied?

[grousehunter]

I think but am not sure that the fl-8 has been out for 15 years...not sure about the genz(blue) box though.

[L_Cappo]

that would be the genz pack.they been out for awhile atleast 5 yrs if not more im thinkin.

[Hooked On a Feeling]

Bought mine in 1995 and still going strong.(hard blue box)

Hooked

[GoFish4]

I have had my FL8 for 7/8 years. I don't have the blue box but it was available back then. I got it with a black bucket bracket that holds it on the ice and then fits in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket.

[happy]

I have had mine for at least 12 years and the box works just as well as any of the other ones except that once and a while a minnow or two seems to find their way in it.

[hawkeye43]

Its been all of 15 years. I can't remember if I bought one before or right after my #2 son was born, 18 years ago. Man I getting old.

[PerchJerker]

Vex has been around longer than the blue box. I'd guess '96 or earlier for when the blue box came out.

[farmfishing]

I have had mine for six years. Never had one problem with the unit.

[fiskyknut]

hawkeye I'm thinking you are pretty darn close with your guesstimate. I could almost swear I remember seeing them back around about 88 or 89 maybees? Somewhere in there I tink anyhows.

One of those diehard bluesuiters should know? Chime on in guys!

fiskyknut

[SKEETER-B]

Mine fell off the top of my topper last week and the only thing that broke was the mount on my vex. Everything else stayed intact, and the vex works just fine. I built a new alluminum bracket aand bolted it back in there and have had no other problems since. "Takes a lick'n and keeps on tick'n."

[Mike Stark]

thanks guys....the guy is asking $200 for it...brand new they are $280..i think...

you think i should just shell out another 80 bucks and get one brand new..it seems like it would be a good investment.

thanks,

mike

[icehousebob]

I just talked to the guys at the Vexilar service center this morning about buying an FL8se that was reconditioned. They want $239.00 for the Genz pack. That's with full factory warranty. $200 for the old FL8 sounds really high when you can get a new one for forty bucks more.

[Mike Stark]

yeah..thats a good deal.

[Gadgetman]

Before it was "Vexilar" it was Sci tex and before that Hondex and before that I believe it had another name. My wife gave me a blue box for my first fl8 in '89. the blue box is still intact and the fl8 is still working. I bought another blue box for my fl18 a couple of years ago for $15. I dont like the Genz pack, I prefer the "blue box" and will keep using it until it breaks, which it wont!

[fiskyknut]

I thought you were wondering how long the blue box thingy itself had been around, whoops your talking Genz pack fl8's!!!

I dunno man 80 beans is 80 beans. You'd get the warranty buying new though, but they are pretty much bulletproof, with age brushes can wear and need replacing. If thats what they're costing new vs. used I'd go new myself. Maybe hold off a few more weeks and you might just see new units cheaper yet?

fiskyknut

[Sandmannd]

 Originally Posted By: mstark83

thanks guys....the guy is asking $200 for it...brand new they are $280..i think...

you think i should just shell out another 80 bucks and get one brand new..it seems like it would be a good investment.

thanks,

mike

I would add the $40 and get the refurb, or look on criag's list. I had one that I was first in line to get for $150 only a few years old. The guy I was going to get it for wants to get an auger first so I told the guy to pass it on to the next on. You can find a deal if you are willing to wait. It's getting to the end of ice and you will see them up for sale for a little cheaper now.

[BartmanMN]

 Originally Posted By: mstark83

thanks guys....the guy is asking $200 for it...brand new they are $280..i think...

you think i should just shell out another 80 bucks and get one brand new..it seems like it would be a good investment.

thanks,

mike

They were 249 at Fleet Farm about 3 weeks ago. FL-8 SE on Genz blue box.

[rockman]

Bought mine in 1996,and still use it.Not a thing wrong with it.

[anyfishwilldo]

I got my first FL8 in '89 with the blue box, but got rid of the unit like an one-who-thinks-I-am-silly 5-6 years ago when I bought my FL18 Genz.

[ChuckN]

Earliest I can recall it was 1989, combined with a Hondex. I still have it.

[giwoyna5]

I bought my current one 3 years ago, used for a 100 clams, after mine was stolen. (what a steal huh?) Still works great. I think you can pick up a used one cheaper with some searching. <200 if you work hard at it. Otherwise buy new. IMO

[Lusid]

On a related note - how do you figure out how old it is w/o knowing when it was purchased, IE if you purchased a used unit.

[icehousebob]

I just got back from picking up a reconditioned FL8se from the Vex service center. $244.23; that includes the battery, box, charger, new warranty, plus tax. They don't have many left and they're going fast. The office godesses hid one for me because I bribe them with chocolate donuts. Every woman has her price.