Hauler prices vary, and can't afford cargo after buying one

[CaptainSodom]

Ship buying UI needs better information

As D'Kaeth clarified below, when you buy a ship your current cargo is taken into account in the trade-in value.

Apparently you also trade in your existing ship, not sure if this is mandatory with bought ships, or if you can have more than one ship.

All of this should be better explained in the UI. Perhaps a breakdown of costs and trade-in:

Trade in (you sell your current ship):
Ship +6k
Outfittings +4k
Cargo +7k
TOTAL +17k

Cost:
Ship -20k

Net cost:
3k

Original post:

I was about to buy a hauler: it was on sale for 17k. I sold my cargo worth 7k so that I could afford to buy cargo for the hauler. But after I sold my cargo, the price of the hauler itself went up by almost the same 7k, to 24k - I could barely afford the hauler, and no cargo for it.

I thought this was some peculiar form of price discrimination. Went to another station, and the same thing.

Then I tried to game the system by buying some cargo, with the intent of getting the hauler price down again. It did, but when I tried to buy the hauler, the system said I need to have empty cargo in my Sidewinder!

So in the end I would be able to buy a hauler, but with just a few hundred credits in my pocket after that I couldn't afford to buy any cargo for it.

Is this a bug, or is there something I'm missing?

 

[Obsidian Ant]

I was about to buy a hauler: it was on sale for 17k. I sold my cargo worth 7k so that I could afford to buy cargo for the hauler. But after I sold my cargo, the price of the hauler itself went up by almost the same 7k, to 24k - I could barely afford the hauler, and no cargo for it.

I thought this was some peculiar form of price discrimination. Went to another station, and the same thing.

Then I tried to game the system by buying some cargo, with the intent of getting the hauler price down again. It did, but when I tried to buy the hauler, the system said I need to have empty cargo in my Sidewinder!

So in the end I would be able to buy a hauler, but just a few hundred credits in my pocket I couldn't afford to buy any cargo for it.

Is this a bug, or is there something I'm missing?

Sounds like a bug. At the moment, the game discounts the value of your current ship from whatever ship you want to purchase.

Sounds like the game is including the value of your cargo into the trade-in price.

 

[D'Kaeth]

I was about to buy a hauler: it was on sale for 17k. I sold my cargo worth 7k so that I could afford to buy cargo for the hauler. But after I sold my cargo, the price of the hauler itself went up by almost the same 7k, to 24k - I could barely afford the hauler, and no cargo for it.

I thought this was some peculiar form of price discrimination. Went to another station, and the same thing.

Then I tried to game the system by buying some cargo, with the intent of getting the hauler price down again. It did, but when I tried to buy the hauler, the system said I need to have empty cargo in my Sidewinder!

So in the end I would be able to buy a hauler, but with just a few hundred credits in my pocket after that I couldn't afford to buy any cargo for it.

Is this a bug, or is there something I'm missing?

When you buy a ship, the system takes into account the trade-in of your current ship with complete load-out as well as whatever is in your cargo hold. So selling your cargo lowers the trade-in of your ship and, thus, raises the selling price of the new ship you are considering. (As I understand it.)

 

[CaptainSodom]

When you buy a ship, the system takes into account the trade-in of your current ship with complete load-out as well as whatever is in your cargo hold. So selling your cargo lowers the trade-in of your ship and, thus, raises the selling price of the new ship you are considering. (As I understand it.)

Hmm, ok. That is not explained by the UI, poorly designed in that case.

Does this mean I just happen to be right at the threshold of being able to buy the hauler, and if I grind some more credits I will be able to buy the hauler and cargo for it?

 

[D'Kaeth]

Does this mean I just happen to be right at the threshold of being able to buy the hauler, and if I grind some more credits I will be able to buy the hauler and cargo for it?

I think so. Happened to me, too. That is how I learned about it. I'd say if the Hauler is selling for 24K and you have 24K with an empty hold, keep grinding, though. The hauler is useless without cargo to move and you cannot buy cargo without credits.

Here is what I did: Find a trade route that is lucrative at your current capacity (4 tons, I am guessing) and figure out how many credits you need to keep making that run. Then add 10% of the new ship's cost to it so you can cover the insurance in case you get destroyed (that way, you don't have to start over with a sidewinder). Once you have that amount, go ahead and buy the hauler.

 

[CaptainSodom]

I think so. Happened to me, too. That is how I learned about it. I'd say if the Hauler is selling for 24K and you have 24K with an empty hold, keep grinding, though. The hauler is useless without cargo to move and you cannot buy cargo without credits.

Right, that's what I figured.

Thank you, all!

OP updated to make this a suggestion thread.

 

[RAMpack]

Just a tip, don't buy a ship until you can afford to fill it with cargo and have enough left over for insurance, or you'll set yourself back by hours as you're forced to trade in the cheapest cargo. Unless you do missions, if you're lucky enough to get decent ones. This was true of Elite 2 also.

 

[Coolts]

Just a tip, don't buy a ship until you can afford to fill it with cargo and have enough left over for insurance, or you'll set yourself back by hours as you're forced to trade in the cheapest cargo. Unless you do missions, if you're lucky enough to get decent ones. This was true of Elite 2 also.

Is there any insurance formula other than have "a few thousand spare?"

I'm in a hauler and an at the tipping point for a cobra but am not going to get one till I can afford to fill its cargo bay and insure the damn thing. (Cant wait for cargo insurance).

I will then do trade runs to slowly pimp it, or go for a type 6 if the trading bug stays with me. (Am loving it so far).

Also, what's the resale % old ships? It seems arbitrary. I wish the shipyard UI would better show the math involved for us excel geeks.

 

[teamkill]

You'll always get 90% of you existing ship cost back, the purchase price of the other ships seems to vary between stations

Insurance cost is ~5% of the total value of your ship including upgrades.

 

[Coolts]

You'll always get 90% of you existing ship cost back, the purchase price of the other ships seems to vary between stations

Insurance cost is ~5% of the total value of your ship including upgrades.

Cheers. Where did you get that data or is it your experience? 90% is very generous. Lucky its not cash converters!

 

[cmdr awesome]

If you're enjoying trading then the T6 is much better at it than the cobra, and once you've got a 'bra then it doesn't take long to upgrade.

The t6 is pretty fast and agile, and not really any harder to dock.

The t9 on the other hand.... moooo!

 

[Razorwire]

You always* get back 90% of your ship and equipment value.
The actual cost of new ships is always the same.
The apparent cost of a new ship is the actual cost, minus the 90% cashback from your ship & equipment, and minus the value of your cargo (at the current station's market value).

*sometimes Viper equipment doesn't, this is a bug, sell your viper equipment before switching out of the viper.

Beta1 ship costs:

• Anaconda - 6,940,650cr
• Lakon 9 - 3,519,392cr
• Lakon 6 - 212,145cr
• Cobra - 143,303cr
• Viper - 94,131cr
• Hauler - 23,920cr
• Eagle - 16,000cr

These costs are measured from a basic sidewinder, so the ships should never appear more expensive than this.

 

[Coolts]

If you're enjoying trading then the T6 is much better at it than the cobra, and once you've got a 'bra then it doesn't take long to upgrade.

The t6 is pretty fast and agile, and not really any harder to dock.

The t9 on the other hand.... moooo!

That's what I thought. if o get 90% trade-in, my inner accountant says get the cobra and I can easily make 27k profit in a return run as opposed to 11k in the hauler. I can then get to a type 6 in a few runs (more for a full cargo load +ins), so that makes sense rather then plug away in my reliant robin van.

I can always go back to a cobra when combat and bounty hunting are fixed again. (ATM at extraction sites, NPC's have zero legal status).

I'm not seeing the point of a type-9. Same cost as an anaconda, (or so I was lead to believe) and -90% of the fun. At that point more money seems pointless, until more ships are released. ......fer......de......lance.......mmmmmmmmm