Thinking about looking for a Genesis to restore

[Dale Benson]

After seeing a lot of the threads here and elsewhere online about reburbing old Genesis gassers, I've been thinking more and more about taking the step. SixZeroFour's recent post pretty much drove the final nail. :-) I'd appreciate input about cost/value. I know one can be patient and wait for curb alerts and freebies and cheap CL offers of $40, etc.. And there will likely be some parts which need replacement that must be considered in total eventual cost. I'm not necessarily looking for opinions about absolute least amount to spend. What I'd like to know is how much might be considered too much? I plan to use the darned thing (i.e. not flip it) but I don't want to feel that I've way over-spent for it.

So let's take a Genesis 2000 Redhead as a starting example. If I end up with $300 into it but have a beautifully restored specimen as a result, could I reasonably expect to get that much back out of it in the near term? $500? If not, then how much? I realize this is entirely subjective, and everyone has different views, value is in the eye of the beholder, yada, yada, yada. However, members of this forum are more likely to place a higher value on something like this than the average person reading a CL listing - myself included. :-) So maybe a better way to present this question is this: If YOU refurbed this grill, [and, now, thinking of that little ledger we've all got tucked away in the back of our mind] what value would you place on it? If (when!) your spouse were to ask you this question in an effort to have you justify the costs and hours of work you've put into it, what amount would you suggest to her?

Any input or viewpoints greatly appreciated.

[Golly]

in my opinion it would only be cost effective if it was a keeper or for a friend
you will struggle to get your labour back in cash

[MartyG]

I'm with Golly. I've rehabbed maybe 10 or 12 over the years, and gave them away.  (I still have one...) Cost to rehab is all over the map, but one thing to keep in mind is that many "normal" people do not want to cook food on a used grill, regardless how new it looks.

Next time I do it, I'm going to look for a Summit. Not that Genesis are a bad investment, but with all the labor being equal, why not end up with a really nice grill? Cost adds up in a hurry either way: burner tubes, grates, flavorizer bars, regulators, etc. Rusty frames are a pain, so take care to find one that's been covered. Also, a model with a side burner is a plus, and some models came with enclosed bases. Rotisseries work well on the old "North/South  types. Try to find as many features as you can, and make sure everything works before you buy.

Having said that, it's a satisfying way to burn some hours. Just don't expect to recoup what you have in it. I see old Genesis grills offered all the time at $200+ but I doubt they are ever sold for that. If you plan to use it yourself, that amount for a fully rehabbed grill is money well spent in my book.

Keep us informed.

Marty

[dazzo]

I think you should have just asked "what's the meaning of life?" - it'd be easier to answer   

If you're going to use it, how much restoration do you really want to do? 604's is beautiful! I'd be proud to own it. But he's gonna have to use it, and it'll get dirty     

Just my three cents - keep your eye out for the $40 CL offering. The one's I've seen have been pretty solid - meaning burners are good. Your biggest investment would be in flavorizer bars and possibly the grates (like nice SS ones from rcplanebuyer on ebay).

Then the elbow grease.

I picked up an 1100 redhead for $30, with a tank of gas. Spent a lot of time cleaning it and re-seasoning the CI grates. That became my gasser.

Found a 2005 Genesis (stainless doors) for $20. Needed some repainting, but I was lucky, it was hardly used. Just left out in the rain.

I got to the point that I wanted a side burner.

Again, being cheap, I found a black 3000 for $25. That gave me my side burner. It even had a cover.

This is where it got fun     

Took the red lid from the 1100 and moved it to the 3000. Picked up two CI griddles for it and now it's my redhead flattop. The black lid went to the 1100, which was then, via Alvin, moved down south, with new SS flavorizer bars, and is in good hands with Vwbuggin64.

The CI grates went to the '05 Genesis and is a grate cooker.

Guess that was more like four cents. Anyway, my point is that patience can play a big part in getting you to where you want to be.

And I agree with all that Golly and MartyG have said - start with solid stock, build it for yourself, and enjoy it. I enjoy mine after resto/rehab. And I'm always on the lookout for a "value priced" Summit to get me some N/S burners   

[mike.stavlund]

What they said. 

My Genesis was a give-away from the house where I used to be the caretaker-- the homeowners saw me cook so many meals on it that they thought I should have it.  Now that I can use my kettles though I hardly use the thing, and I was actually trying to sell it when my wife realized that it has a lot of sentimental value for her (and for me, once she said it) in that it is a reminder of a great afternoon we spent with our son shortly before he died, so I decided that I'd rehab it.  It was functional, but needed flavorizer bars (they go North-South and East-West on mine) and a few other things.  In a pretty epic turn of events, someone in my neighborhood left the very same model (same year, too!) at the curb and so I had a whole grill's worth of donor parts.  Took the best from both, stripped and painted the firebox and lid sides, and had a pretty nice red Genesis.  I was working on making some oak slats and handle with @Bman when @Jeff found the thermoplastic parts on a clearance at a hardware store in Spooner, Wisconsin so I went that way.  Then a few weeks ago I found a $12 NIB rotis kit on CL and added that accessory.  Yet even with all of these free or cheap parts, I'm sure I've still spent way more than this thing would sell for. 

I guess what I'm saying is that I seriously doubt there is money to be made-- or even value to be added-- in rehabbing gassers.  I mean, I know others pick up freebies and flip them, but not many folks are buying old red Genesis models (or if they are they're like us and want them for free/cheap).  If you want one, great!  Be patient to find one that's free or cheap, and then be even more patient in fixing it up.  They are great grills and I find them iconic and really fun to look at.  Hope you are able to put one together!

[Dale Benson]

in my opinion it would only be cost effective if it was a keeper or for a friend
you will struggle to get your labour back in cash

I appreciate the feedback, Golly. This would definitely be a keeper.

We likely all have a figure in the back of our minds as to the value we'd place on our individual pieces. I have a feeling it will be difficult for many on the forum to offer their opinion - not wanting to offer up a price that others would think "that's too much". I'm not trying to incite a heated discussion or raise anyone's hackles. But if I obtained, for example, a Genesis 2000 Redhead for $20 and then put another $100 into parts and ended up with a beautifully restored specimen, I personally do not think I would sell it to the next person that walked up and offered $150 - even if that did represent a gain. And I suspect many folks on this forum wouldn't either. If that were the case, at what price WOULD you expect that you might let it go? Maybe I should be asking for a range of prices? Recognizing that there will ALWAYS be special circumstances, I'm hoping to come up with an idea of what is fair to spend in total on a grill like this, with no expectation of making a profit but not wanting to grossly over-spend. I'm not saying that I WOULDN'T over-spend if necessary, but I'd like to know going in. Would it be reasonable to expect something like a range of $200 - $300? Lower? Higher? Maybe slightly higher for a Genesis 3000 or 4000?

[Dale Benson]

Cripes, I didn't realize you all had responded before replying back to Golly. Thanks for all the input.

[ECinEI]

I recently bought a 2005 or so Genesis Silver B off CL.  I took it down to pretty much it's component parts, did some rust repairs, had to buy a new cart bottom piece as that was rusted out.  I bought new burners, Weber charged me half price as I wasn't the original owner and I was happy about that.  (Having said that, if something's warrantied for 10 years why does it matter how many owners it's had?).  I also bought a new igniter, new wheels, one of the side tables etc.  I painted the sides of the lid with BBQ paint.  I also found a griddle, rotisserie and even one of those stainless steel smoking boxes.  I bought most of this stuff as NOS off eBay where if you watch prices you can get some items fairly cheaply.

I spent around $300-350 over-all and two weeks of working on it on and off. The thing cooks great and that equivalent Weber grill today new is probably $500-800 for one not built as well.  I got some accessories to mess with as I want to try using the griddle as a flat top.  That was my whole point of doing the rehab.  I probably wouldn't be interested in doing it again.

I have no interest in selling it and I suspect the market for rehabbed Weber grills is somewhat small.  I think as the comment above mentioned once you try getting your money out of an old grill people would buy new.  I can't imagine anyone buying this for what I have in it.

[Sramsey]

Right of the back your looking at New grates.like one posted.most people are not going to cook on the used grates, unless the car iron and you season then so they look New..if it is cheap, old, bad shape, I'm pretty sure it will need New flavorizing bars.that alone is pricey. I thought of it to but only if I did nt have a gas grill already

[jcnaz]

Dale are you in Tucson this winter?
I may have a spare Silver C lying around...

[Dale Benson]

Dale are you in Tucson this winter?
I may have a spare Silver C lying around...

Hi JC. Yes, we're in Tucson again this winter. And thank you so much for the generous offer. I'll PM you.

[demosthenes9]

I've refurb'ed a number of Weber Genesis Silver/Gold B's and C's and I always shoot to keep total cost under $200 or $250.  Realistically, that's the most I've found someone willing to spend for a used/restored Genesis.   I get replacement Flavorizer bars from RCPlanebuyer on Ebay.  Better quality and lower prices than Weber.   


@MartyG, be careful getting into a Summit refurb project as the cost for replacement parts borders on the ridiculous.  I recently did a Summit Gold D 6 burner and new flavorizer bars alone were around $150ish.   A new igniter system was $70ish.    Also, be very sure to check the grill box very carefully.   Unlike the Genesis line, the entire lower grill box isn't cast aluminum, just the sides are.  Front and back of the lower box are sheet metal that is prone to rusting out. 

[demosthenes9]

After seeing a lot of the threads here and elsewhere online about reburbing old Genesis gassers, I've been thinking more and more about taking the step. SixZeroFour's recent post pretty much drove the final nail. :-) I'd appreciate input about cost/value. I know one can be patient and wait for curb alerts and freebies and cheap CL offers of $40, etc.. And there will likely be some parts which need replacement that must be considered in total eventual cost. I'm not necessarily looking for opinions about absolute least amount to spend. What I'd like to know is how much might be considered too much? I plan to use the darned thing (i.e. not flip it) but I don't want to feel that I've way over-spent for it.

So let's take a Genesis 2000 Redhead as a starting example. If I end up with $300 into it but have a beautifully restored specimen as a result, could I reasonably expect to get that much back out of it in the near term? $500? If not, then how much? I realize this is entirely subjective, and everyone has different views, value is in the eye of the beholder, yada, yada, yada. However, members of this forum are more likely to place a higher value on something like this than the average person reading a CL listing - myself included. :-) So maybe a better way to present this question is this: If YOU refurbed this grill, [and, now, thinking of that little ledger we've all got tucked away in the back of our mind] what value would you place on it? If (when!) your spouse were to ask you this question in an effort to have you justify the costs and hours of work you've put into it, what amount would you suggest to her?

Any input or viewpoints greatly appreciated.

Dale, to address your question more directly, no, you aren't going to get that kind of money out of it.   As for justifying the hours worked, you have to look at it as a hobby where the hours invested won't be recouped.     That said, you'd end up with a great grill for $300, one that is nicer and has much more character than grills today that would cost you much more.

[MartyG]

@MartyG, be careful getting into a Summit refurb project as the cost for replacement parts borders on the ridiculous.
[/quote]

Thanks, but I'm thinking of the current generation Summit. Just waiting for the right one at the right price to come along. Once they get a little dirty, people seem to lose interest and run out to buy another one. Hope to find one that needs nothing but a good cleaning.

[swamprb]

The early 1000-3000, and Genesis series are a piece of cake to work on and so plentiful in craigsland. 2 wing nuts are all that secure the manifold. Replacement parts are relatively cheap.
My coffee roaster is a 3 burner 1000 and it gets hotter faster than my Genesis Silver C. I bought some of the custom stainless steel rod grates that the Summit uses and they will certainly outlive the grill itself!

Go for it!