What would my Sony 55" Rear Projection TV be worth today (2 Viewers)

[jb3rd]

Sony 55" BRAVIA® A series SXRD™ Rear Projection HDTV KDS55A3000
Purchased in 2008 and I recently replaced the lamp. Looks great, sounds great... I have a friend that would like to buy it and I have no idea what a fair price would be. Any suggestions?

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings
Given that better 55" flat panels exist for under $1000 ... with full warranty ...
I'd say expect no more than $500 ...
The SXRDs also were part of a class action lawsuit due to a design flaw in the display projector. They just kept replacing these engines with other defective flawed engines ...
Regards

 

[jb3rd]

Thanks for the reply
If that projector is four years old and hasn't been replaced yet, could you venture a guess into its average life span?

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings
PArt of the issue might have been due to ventilation ... The worse the airflow was around the TV, the faster things started to break down. Overheating issue ...
but who knows where the state of your TV is at right now. Put up a 60% gray pattern that fills the screen and look at it. See if it looks uniform ...
regards

 

[jb3rd]

Thanks for your help!

 

[schan1269]

Personally, if you want to get rid of the TV, contact Sony about an exchange. AFAIK there is no "time limit".
But we also don't know what state you are in. CA seems to be the state where "complete exchange" happens the most often. The fact you seem to have a good one isn't a surprise...as there are still good ones out there. But the aftermarket is getting crowded with lousy lamps.

 

[jb3rd]

One more question if you don't mind. Im ignorant when it comes to projection displays. I'm looking at the prices of parts for this tv and the only thing I've been able to find are the lamps. Im assuming the projector itself is a separate part from the lamp i mentioned I replaced. I'm trying to figure out what it would cost to replace the projector should it fail. Or would it be more realistic to buy a new tv at that point?

 

[jb3rd]

 

[Steve Schaffer]

It has to be defective to get an exchange. Been there, done that, in CA with an 06 model KDS60A2000. Mine didn't splotch, just gradually turned green all over. Called Sony at the end of 2010. They asked me to take a picture of the defect and remove the serial number sticker from the back of the set and snail mail both to an address in Florida. I was offered either a KDL60EX500 (60" ccfl lcd) for $300 or a free KDL46EX710. Took the freebie as I'd moved and the set was going into a much smaller room.

 

[jb3rd]

Yes I've noticed that. They range from $30 - $150 and sometimes more. At least its not hard to replace. Im selling it to a friend and since its four years old I'd like to know how much it would cost to replace the projector/engine should it fail soon. The only parts I can find for it are the lamps. As I've said before Im new to projection and Im not even sure if the projector / engine is a replaceable part.

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings
The projector engine replacement is like pulling out the transmission and your engine out of your car. How much to replace that relative to the cost of the rest of the car?
$1000 for a new 55" with a full warranty and someone would spend $800 for a replacement part and still end up with no warranty. The engine was where the design flaw was. Chances would be that the replacement was another defective engine just waiting its turn to die.
Regards

 

[Gary Seven]

I have the 60" XBR2 SXRD and have had three engines replaced by Sony. The current one I have now is also bad but Sony compensated a little last year so I live with it until I get a new Panny sometime early next year.

Michael is right in that a new one would only work temporarily. My TV looked great when it worked. I have found over the past ten years that Sony QA is virtually non-existent.

 

[Steve Berger]

I have the 60"  XBR2 SXRD and have had three engines replaced by Sony.  The current one I have now is also bad but Sony compensated a little last year so I live with it until I get a new Panny sometime early next year.
Michael is right in that a new one would only work temporarily.  My TV looked great when it worked.  I have found over the past ten years that Sony QA is virtually non-existent.

I think the main problem with the SXRD (and probably the JVC D-ILA) is that they had to design it without infringing on Texas Instruments patents. (both are reflective methods like TI, as opposed to LCD which is a pass through method) and they didn't continue it long enough to work out the problems. First generation designs usually have problems that get solved in later iterations.

 

[Stan]

Not sure how the used market for TVs goes, but for most things, even cars, set your expectations very low.
Just like the old saying that when you drive a new car off the lot, it drops 50% in value, it's even worse with other merchandise.
I was very "QVC" happy a few years back. Had a few things I sold at a neighborhood yard sale last week. Yet unopened, never used, mint in box, I maybe got 15-20% of the original price. Used would have been even worse.
Friend was selling a 1974 Mercedes hard/soft top roadster with 120K miles on it. Started at $14K, then $9K, $8K until finally sold at $7K.
Economy is still tough. Selling to a friend I'd give him a real good price since it sounds like the possibility of something going wrong is quite possible.