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I'll be listing my G3 "MicroCenter" iBook (I've got a new 12" Powerbook on the way) to ebay soon and had a quick question. Though this has been a great laptop in most respects, it IS on it's second replacement logic board (one new one per year) and I feel I can no longer trust it to not do the same thing again in the future. Am I being a sap for mentioning the logic board problem/replacements in my listing (as well as linking to Apple's page about resolving logic board issues), or am I simply being honest and upfront?
I have no doubt I can get decent money back out of this machine - it's in great condition and will come with it's Airport card and extra RAM, aside from having plenty of excellent feedback myself. I successfully sold a graphite clamshell, for more than I paid for it, a couple of years ago, when I got this iBook.
I can't wait for my new PB to get here! Yay for Small Dog!
Kathy
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I would mention it. People who are into Macs know about the logic board problem anyway, and will appreciate knowing this one is in the program. A couple more replacements and the buyer's up for a new machine, yes?
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That's what I'm thinking too Gutey. Besides, anyone who knows enough could find out about this iBook's previous logic board problems, once they had bought it and entered it's serial into Apple's site. I'd rather just be honest I think, but I don't want to make it sound worse than it is. It's been a nice machine otherwise and the battery still gets excellent life.
Kathy
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I'd turn in into a positive...
"BRAND NEW Logic Board! Installed by Apple!"
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Good idea Paul! They could always email me if they wanted to know *why* or had questions.
Kathy
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hmmm...
"BRAND NEW Logic Board! Installed by Apple!" This is NOT a positive in the minds of ebay buyers. Ebay buyers want a machine that has never had any problems and has never been in the shop.
And you guys and gals are greatly overestimating the avg mac ebay buyer. Most ebayers that will bid on this machine know far less than you'd suspect. I've had people ask me if my mac has winXP installed.
Tough one - usually I wouldn't mention a repair unless asked, but I've never sold a known problem machine before. I guess I wouldn't feel right NOT mentioning it, but even if you do it perfectly, your final price will take a hit.
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"And you guys and gals are greatly overestimating the avg mac ebay buyer. Most ebayers that will bid on this machine know far less than you'd suspect. I've had people ask me if my mac has winXP installed. "
Yeah, I know most of them don't know what they're bidding on. I'd sure hate to sell it (as is, no returns, etc), and have it blow another logic board, and have them NOT know what to do with it, when it's something that they could get fixed by Apple. I certainly couldn't do a "by the way" sort of thing after the sale.
It also could go the rest of it's days and be perfectly fine with the logic board it has now.
Kathy
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"This is NOT a positive in the minds of ebay buyers. Ebay buyers want a machine that has never had any problems and has never been in the shop. "
Baloney.
It's not exactly realistic to generalize so broadly. Such assumptions about "the minds of eBay buyers" suggests they are a uniform demographic.
The fact that the iBook is a G3 should by itself be enough of a disadvantage, to a sensible computer user who expects to use it for any length of time. But a lot of potential buyers aren't that bright. Since you've had success selling a Clamshell for a good price, you can never second-guess the gullibility of eBay buyers.
I'd say you're in a good position. eBay in general is a seller's market more than a buyer's market. People routinely overpay for both used and new equipment.
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If you look at how well older (than mine) G3 iBooks are moving, they are indeed selling for very good prices. Makes the price of my new PB much more palatable, by (hopefully) off-setting some of that expense.
My iBook does indeed run very well, and would make most casual users very happy.
Kathy
