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utl768

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 8, 2009
388
0
just got my license and my mom gave me her old car which has no cd player, and only a tape deck so i bought a 8gb nano refurb from the apple store online and plan on buying a tape adapter to listen to my music library out of my car stereo. Im having second thoughts though now as im concerned a refurb will be junk and last a few months only and two most tape adapters reviews ive read have been pretty subpar
 
Keep it. Apple makes sure everything in a refurb works correctly and looks almost like new. Refurbs are sometimes said to be better than new products because Apple does extensive tests on them.
 
I have purchased three refurbed iPods from Apple. The oldest, a 5th gen 30GB model, is still my primary device. I use it in the car, and have most of my collection on it. It looked brand new when I got it. Now, it's over 3 years old, has been dropped several times, and is still going strong. I also on a refurb 1st gen Touch and a 2nd gen Shuffle. All of them looked absolutely brand new and I was hard pressed to tell that any of them had ever been out of the box.

I can't speak for the tape adapter. You may look for an FM transmitter instead. I have a Griffin iTrip Auto, and it works really well. I have had mine for as long as I have owned my 30GB model, and it still works, although it is developing a short from being moved around so much.
 
just got my license and my mom gave me her old car which has no cd player, and only a tape deck so i bought a 8gb nano refurb from the apple store online and plan on buying a tape adapter to listen to my music library out of my car stereo. Im having second thoughts though now as im concerned a refurb will be junk and last a few months only and two most tape adapters reviews ive read have been pretty subpar

Refurbs are always awesome my main iPod - my 5.5gen 30gb White Classic - was a refurbished, and looked brand new. It shows use now, but it still functionally and nearly cosmetically perfect.

The tape deck adapter however is garbage. I hate them. I had one that even whined at a hight pitch as I accelerated. I would rather go with an FM Transmitter. I love mine.
 
Refurbs are always awesome my main iPod - my 5.5gen 30gb White Classic - was a refurbished, and looked brand new. It shows use now, but it still functionally and nearly cosmetically perfect.

The tape deck adapter however is garbage. I hate them. I had one that even whined at a hight pitch as I accelerated. I would rather go with an FM Transmitter. I love mine.

The refurbs can be hit or miss (I got an ipod that was DOA from Apple but they replaced it). I used a tape adapter for years and it won't win any audio awards but is certainly better than the FM transmitter. If you live in the city with a lot of FM stations, it may be difficult to find an empty station. I had to constantly fine tune the thing as I drove around as the stations changed from city to city. It was a pain.
 
I have a refurb iPod Touch, and a Sony cassette tape adapter. Both work fantastically. Since I got a newer car, I no longer use the cassette adapter there, but it lives a new life in the stereo in my room, without any problems. Both the iPod touch and the adapter still work great. (Both are nearing two years old.)
 
Apple refurb:

Looks new
Has warranty EXACTLY as new


Yes, for other companies, refurbs are usually junk, as reflected by reduced warranty on refurb. However apple refurb have full warranty.

You can also extend warranty just like new on apple products.
 
...you're better off with rear RCA aux to mini pin or front mini pin to mini pin plugs if your head unit can support them, the sound quality will be better than any tape or FM adapter...

If your head unit can support an iPod dock cable, that would be best...
 
I've had a refurb 1st gen. Touch for a year now. No issues at all. Look(ed) as good as new. :)
 
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