Buying from Refurb Store UK

[MacSA]

If you buy a Mac from the refurb store in the UK, will it come with the latest versions of iLife etc - iLife 06. Or would it come with the version it had when it was originally made, probably iLife 05? They don't list the software included at the refurb store.

I've noticed there are alot of minis being sold with 256MB ram which would make them quite old. I think Apple might be fibbing a little with the orginal prices, Im really not sure there was a £429 mini that came with 256mb? This priced model appeared after the upgrade to 512mb ram I believe.

 

[stevep]

I bought a refurb mini a week or two ago and it came with iLife 05, a trial version of iWork, 10.3 installed and on disc, 10.4 on disc and some software coupons which say 'iLife 05 and OSX 10.3' on them (!). Apart from iPhoto occasionally I don't use the iLife stuff so it didn't matter to me, but I can say that I got a Mini that has a 12 month warranty, absolutely perfect condition and none of the hassle of an eBay purchase.

ps mine was exactly as advertised, ie standard 1.42, 256mB ram etc, but I already had a 1gB stick lying in wait for it....

 

[Gordy]

If you buy a Mac from the refurb store in the UK, will it come with the latest versions of iLife etc - iLife 06. Or would it come with the version it had when it was originally made, probably iLife 05? They don't list the software included at the refurb store.

I've noticed there are alot of minis being sold with 256MB ram which would make them quite old. I think Apple might be fibbing a little with the orginal prices, Im really not sure there was a £429 mini that came with 256mb? This priced model appeared after the upgrade to 512mb ram I believe.

Sometimes refurbs are higher spec than what the site says so you may get the 512mb version I think its luck of the draw.

I've got a mini coming tommorow hopefully so I can let you know exactly what it comes with

 

[MacSA]

I bought a refurb mini a week or two ago and it came with iLife 05, a trial version of iWork, 10.3 installed and on disc, 10.4 on disc and some software coupons which say 'iLife 05 and OSX 10.3' on them (!). Apart from iPhoto occasionally I don't use the iLife stuff so it didn't matter to me, but I can say that I got a Mini that has a 12 month warranty, absolutely perfect condition and none of the hassle of an eBay purchase.

ps mine was exactly as advertised, ie standard 1.42, 256mB ram etc, but I already had a 1gB stick lying in wait for it....

10.3? Thats from nearly a year ago.

 

[MacSA]

Refurb Mac mini 1.42GHz G4 /256MB /80GB /Combo /56K
Save 36% off the original price
Original price: £429.00
Your price: £278.85
(£237.32 ex VAT)

Where's the BT and Airport card? - the £429 mini had them, it shouldn't have a 56k modem either or 256mb RAM. Original price is £399. I suspect these minis are in fact VERY old.

The same is true of this refurb Mini:

Refurb Mac mini 1.25GHz G4 /256MB /40GB /Combo /56K
Save 31% off the original price
Oiginal price: £359.00
Your price: £251.30
(£213.87 ex VAT)

The original price was in fact £339 not £359

All these refurb Minis are the orginal ones released at MWSF 05.

 

[liketom]

i bought my powermac on there ages ago that came with 10.3 , a phone call later and i got tiger10.4 and ilife 05 (at the time) in the post o and a mighty mouse

 

[gnasher729]

I've noticed there are alot of minis being sold with 256MB ram which would make them quite old. I think Apple might be fibbing a little with the orginal prices, Im really not sure there was a £429 mini that came with 256mb? This priced model appeared after the upgrade to 512mb ram I believe.

The original price is the price that the item was sold for when it was brand new. Items that are still current usually sell at 20% below original price. When an item is outdated, someone at Apple figures out what would be a reasonable price to sell these specs for if it was brand new, and then they take off 20 percent.

So you might find a laptop that was sold for £999 when it was brand new. This might have been replaced with better models twice, so someone says that a reasonable price for this laptop today would be £749 if it was brandnew, then they subtract £150 because it is refurbished and offer it for £599. It will show as £999 original price with 40 percent off.

Basically you should assume that everything is exactly 20 percent below brand new price, no matter what the "original price" is.

 

[stevep]

The original price is the price that the item was sold for when it was brand new.

MacSA's point is that the original item did not sell for the price quoted by Apple on the refurb store page. In this case it actually sold for £399, only the later model with more RAM etc sold for £429.

So you might find a laptop that was sold for £999 when it was brand new. This might have been replaced with better models twice, so someone says that a reasonable price for this laptop today would be £749 if it was brandnew, then they subtract £150 because it is refurbished and offer it for £599. It will show as £999 original price with 40 percent off.

I haven't seen this on Apples website. Where did you get this from?

Basically you should assume that everything is exactly 20 percent below brand new price, no matter what the "original price" is.

Again, not seen on the Apple site. Why should I not assume that both the original price of the specified model and the discount percentage as displayed by Apple are not absolutely accurate?

 

[dcv]

Refurb Mac mini 1.42GHz G4 /256MB /80GB /Combo /56K
Save 36% off the original price
Original price: £429.00
Your price: £278.85
(£237.32 ex VAT)

Where's the BT and Airport card? - the £429 mini had them, it shouldn't have a 56k modem either or 256mb RAM. Original price is £399. I suspect these minis are in fact VERY old.

Yeah I spotted this very Mini in the refurb store a few weeks ago and was quite tempted by it, especially as after the £23 Apple discount and then Egg cashback it works out at £240ish

However... the fact that there is only 256MB RAM and no mention of BT and Airport means it must be the very first release from January 2005, in which case it may well ship with Panther not Tiger. I don't know if you can add an Airport card yourself; from what I've heard the minis are not user-serviceable apart from the RAM slot, is that right?

And you're right, the original mini (with 256MB) wasn't £429. I remember they put the prices up by £20 or £30 last Summer when the 512MB RAM became standard.

 

[MacSA]

Can't see an email address to enquire about this........

 

[dcv]

Can't see an email address to enquire about this........

No neither can I... but the Apple Store phone number is 0800 039 1010. I don't think you can order refurbs over the phone but they might be able to give you another contact number/email address...


It's crap that they don't list more information, such as the OS & bundled software versions etc.

 

[MacSA]

No neither can I... but the Apple Store phone number is 0800 039 1010. I don't think you can order refurbs over the phone but they might be able to give you another contact number/email address...


It's crap that they don't list more information, such as the OS & bundled software versions etc.

Yes, seems like a bit of a gamble software wise.

 

[liketom]

No neither can I... but the Apple Store phone number is 0800 039 1010. I don't think you can order refurbs over the phone but they might be able to give you another contact number/email address...


It's crap that they don't list more information, such as the OS & bundled software versions etc.

i tend to phone them up and then get them to e-mail me the quote and then i can reply with any questions direct to the person on the refurb team

 

[stevep]

I've just rung Apple and queried this point - I didn't get a definitive answer because no-one I spoke to has an encyclopedic knowledge of the models and prices (unlike most of the posters here!) but the last guy I spoke to didn't totally disagree with the 399 vs 429 discrepancy. His (polite) observation was that I got what I ordered, which I agree with, and I made the point (also politely!) that if you advertise an original price and a % saving, they should apply to the model in question and not some later improved model. I think if pushed he would have agreed to take it back and give a full refund, but I didn't want that. He offered to credit my Apple account with £20, which I thought was fine in the circumstances.
I mentioned that I'd be spending it as soon as Apple release a small MacBookPro and 'by the way when is it being released?' but he wouldn't be drawn on that one.
I suggest that if anyone is thinking about buying a refurb (DCV ???) that you give Apple a ring first to question the wording on the Refurb store page - you might get a further discount.

 

[Gordy]

Well the refurb I ordered arrive yesterday and it was the exact spec they say in the description (1.42ghz 256mb 80gb), it came with panther installed but with a tiger and ilife 05 disc in the box.

I'm just upgrading to tiger now or I would find out the manufacturing date.

256mb of ram doesnt bother me as I will be upgrading it to 1gb anyway.

 

[MacSA]

Well the refurb I ordered arrive yesterday and it was the exact spec they say in the description (1.42ghz 256mb 80gb), it came with panther install but with a tiger and ilife 05 disc in the box.

I'm just upgrading to tiger now or I will find out the manufacturing date.

256mb of ram doesnt bother me as I will be upgrading it to 1gb anyway.

Panther?.... WOW... those minis are really old.