Lime iBook G3 - What's it worth? [Archive]

ddeadserious

May 29, 2009, 04:43 PM

I've got a Lime iBook G3 Clamshell; 466MHz processor, 576MB RAM, 120GB HD, Airport, original yoyo power adapter, a new battery(<10 cycles on it) running os x 10.4.11. It's in 9/10 condition physically, with no marker, etching, or anything like that that alot of these have.

I bought it for my gf, but it just hardly gets used because she mostly uses Facebook and Myspace, both of which have too much flash content to run efficiently on it. So I would like to know how much some people might pay for it, so I can convince her to sell it to get a computer she can actually use.

Any idea what this would be worth?

Thanks in advance!

Hrududu

May 29, 2009, 04:53 PM

Just because its such a rare model, and you've got it maxed out in RAM, it has a new battery and AirPort card installed, I would say its worth about $150 or so.

student_trap

May 30, 2009, 07:20 AM

in the uk, a graphite one of these went on ebay for £150. For the green, i'd say you may get more than that even, over here then, you'd be looking at roughly $275

ddeadserious

May 31, 2009, 02:42 PM

No more input on this? Figured there'd be more opinions, I thought this was a pretty "sought-after" Mac.

SteveG4Cube

May 31, 2009, 02:54 PM

I think it fits into that category of "rare but not desirable". It's basically worth whatever someone is willing to pay, browse ebay and look for similar ones and see what they're going for.

Hrududu

May 31, 2009, 04:20 PM

I think it fits into that category of "rare but not desirable". It's basically worth whatever someone is willing to pay, browse ebay and look for similar ones and see what they're going for.
That pretty much sums it up. Its gotten to the point where its too slow to be very practical for most people (as you experienced with your gf), and someone who just wants a clamshell iBook can pick up a tangerine or blueberry for $30-$60 without much trouble. The only people who would really go for yours is someone who is an avid collector seeking out that color and processor speed. There just aren't many people out there willing to pay a premium for an 8 year old laptop right now, and getting a much faster white iBook will only cost them a few bucks more.

LimeiBook86

May 31, 2009, 07:25 PM

As you can tell by my username... yes. :D You can use Firefox and get and extension to turn Flash off. That will help the machine browse the web more easily. :)

instaxgirl

May 31, 2009, 08:56 PM

You can also use Click to Flash to do the same thing in Safari.

As for what it's worth, I scout out eBay for these occasionally to see what they're going for. When I looked back in March they seemed to be about £100 roughly, but I can't remember the specifics of models etc.

Seemed a fair few people got them for their kids to use, seeing as they're hardy enough to be dropped etc

dsnort

May 31, 2009, 08:59 PM

When I looked back in March they seemed to be about £100 roughly, but I can't remember the specifics of models etc.

Isn't that roughly a gazillion dollars US, given the rate at which we're printing new money?

fun173

May 31, 2009, 09:49 PM

As you can tell by my username... yes. :D You can use Firefox and get and extension to turn Flash off. That will help the machine browse the web more easily. :)

thank you!!!!!!! i just put that on my blueberry and it is so much better:):):):):)

mc68k

Jun 2, 2009, 07:52 PM

No more input on this? Figured there'd be more opinions, I thought this was a pretty "sought-after" Mac.
i did an ebay completed items search and found this
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/2839/picture2nnt.png (http://img268.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture2nnt.png)

fun173

Jun 2, 2009, 09:35 PM

i did an ebay completed items search and found this
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/2839/picture2nnt.png (http://img268.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture2nnt.png)

wow i cant justify spending 200+ for an almost obsolete machine even if it is rare but im sure some people would

Hrududu

Jun 2, 2009, 11:35 PM

i did an ebay completed items search and found this

Wow, I guess if you've got a limebook you're willing to part with, now is the time.

mc68k

Jun 3, 2009, 01:01 AM

wow i cant justify spending 200+ for an almost obsolete machine even if it is rare but im sure some people wouldthat's the weird thing about ebay. i think a combination of perceived need + immediacy of the internet + bidding fever + the amount of 'rare' items that come up is irresistible to some people

from the sound of it, the original poster could get close to what these people got with a good ebay posting

ddeadserious

Jun 3, 2009, 08:20 AM

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it.

I bought it off eBay for $275 about a year ago(running OS 9.2) and installed 10.4 on it. So with what some of those went for, I could probably re sell it and make 90-100% of my money back...

Now... just to convince the girlfriend that it's essentially useless to her(albeit cool as heck)

ddeadserious

Jun 29, 2009, 12:22 PM

Alright, magically convinced her. Will be purchasing a Macbook for her this week.

Should be up for sale soon, thanks for the input guys/gals.

Cassie

Jun 29, 2009, 01:04 PM

Something I've always wondered; why is this model so rare? Just a short production life?

GimmeSlack12

Jun 29, 2009, 01:07 PM

No more input on this? Figured there'd be more opinions, I thought this was a pretty "sought-after" Mac.

I would consider this iBook as almost completely useless. But maybe you can sucker someone into giving you $50 - $100 for it. I'm not really a sentimental one for computers, because all they do is take up space.

ddeadserious

Jun 29, 2009, 04:31 PM

Something I've always wondered; why is this model so rare? Just a short production life?

Apparently, it was only available online, and not in stores. And since it was so "loud" and obnoxious looking, few were bought, and thus few were made, making them somewhat of a rarity.

I would consider this iBook as almost completely useless. But maybe you can sucker someone into giving you $50 - $100 for it. I'm not really a sentimental one for computers, because all they do is take up space.
Perhaps you shouldn't be looking around the "Apple Collectors" forum then, this is where discuss collectible models and "almost completely useless" Apple products. Generally, people don't purchase collectibles to use them, but more to have them.

GimmeSlack12

Jun 29, 2009, 04:41 PM

Perhaps you shouldn't be looking around the "Apple Collectors" forum then, this is where discuss collectible models and "almost completely useless" Apple products. Generally, people don't purchase collectibles to use them, but more to have them.

Fair enough, but I was trying to give an honest perspective on how much you may be able to get for the iBook (regardless of my cynicism).

ddeadserious

Jun 29, 2009, 04:55 PM

Fair enough, but I was trying to give an honest perspective on how much you may be able to get for the iBook (regardless of my cynicism).

I'm aware, but as you can see by the eBay screenshot, people are willing to pay a pretty penny for them, fortunately(for me, that is).

Thank you for your input.

coupdetat

Jun 29, 2009, 05:15 PM

ddeadserious

Jun 30, 2009, 11:39 AM

Clamshells can sometimes be a goldmine :D I picked up a couple of 466 Graphites with Airport a few years ago for around $40 each from a library and flipped each one for over $200 immediately after.

People just don't realize they are becoming classics, plus they are built like tanks.

That's awesome

I wish they could handle flash content better, because they'd make excellent kid-on-the-internet computers with how durable they are, but most kid sites like disney and nickelodeon are filled with flash based content and games.

Side note: now for sale in the marketplace.

Rodus

Jul 1, 2009, 05:44 AM

You see clam shells going for about £200 on ebay in the UK all the time. You have a top of the line one in one of the most sought after colours so you should get a nice price for it. A 466 G3 is by no means useless (95% of users dont actually need more power then that) and its' bulletproof design makes it great for children. Stick it on with a reserve of $250 and you should easily get it. Lovely machine though, seems a shame to part with it.

ddeadserious

Aug 5, 2009, 05:36 AM

Last day of the auction on eBay if anybody is interested in picking it up....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=320405691556

fun173

Aug 5, 2009, 02:22 PM

wow!!!! 250 dollars thats alot congrats and the auction was nicely made

Hrududu

Aug 5, 2009, 05:57 PM

Last day of the auction on eBay if anybody is interested in picking it up....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=320405691556
You did good selling it for $250. Granted, you already had the RAM and whatnot, but $250 for a 466MHz G3 iBook is insane. I guess they really are collectors items.

ddeadserious

Aug 5, 2009, 06:53 PM

Unfortunately, the winner was from Japan, and I don't ship overseas, and he didn't clear anything with me first, and had no reason to believe I'd ship to him. :mad:

ddeadserious

Aug 5, 2009, 10:07 PM

Reposted. 5 day auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320408912838

fun173

Aug 5, 2009, 11:06 PM

Unfortunately, the winner was from Japan, and I don't ship overseas, and he didn't clear anything with me first, and had no reason to believe I'd ship to him. :mad:

o......