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Does Anyone buy the Macbook then sell it back after 1 year??

C

CSilver

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 14, 2009
257
0
Canada
Hi, here is the situation I have. I love my Alum Macbook but unfortunately I will have to join the army after my first year of university 09/10. So basically will be joining in 2010. Ya I know... I am only 19 well will be turning 20 when I do join... Yup... I am a Korean citizen who studies in Canada....

So here is my dilemma....

I will at least have this Macbook for a year...
I have Invisible Shield for Macbook that hasn't been installed.
I have Moshi keyboard cover for anti-shiny keys ;P

A) I could keep it even though I won't be able to use it after I am gone to the Army.
B) I could keep it in Mint condition and sell it right before I go back to Korea to serve in the army.

Some of my friends tell me to just keep it...
Some say in 3 years total... I will probably want something better...

I know some of you normal users still sell it after the first year then buy the latest Macbook/Macbook Pro every year...

What are your thoughts and what would you do if you were me???

Thanks in Advance...
CSilver
 
Sell it. Why hold onto it? Whatever Apple has in three years is going to make the current MacBooks look like... well... the iBooks from 3 years ago!
 
If the computer is getting no use by anyone I would say it's not worth it to keep it around. Sell it while it has some value and buy whatever is new when you finish your service. Computers only lose value over time. If you get no utility from it over that time, no sense in keeping it.
 
Unspeaked said:
Sell it. Why hold onto it? Whatever Apple has in three years is going to make the current MacBooks look like... well... the iBooks from 3 years ago!
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I told to some of my friends disagreeing on "Selling it".
Thanks for the reply!!
But I do wonder... is it really worth to sell it?? I mean... I was planning on buying the extended warranty if I was going to sell it... Does anyone have any experience on this??

Oh and I was wondering how much it could be worth...I am not trying to sell it here or anything.. I just need some estimated value I guess.... Please let me know if I have to remove this question...
 
BayouBengal said:
If the computer is getting no use by anyone I would say it's not worth it to keep it around. Sell it while it has some value and buy whatever is new when you finish your service. Computers only lose value over time. If you get no utility from it over that time, no sense in keeping it.
Click to expand...

2 votes for selling it!! thanks for the apply!!
How complicated is it to sell a Computer/Laptop to someone?
 
Oh... and is it worth to get the Extended warranty if I am going to sell it after 1 year??

Also... I was going to upgrade the ram to 4 GB just to keep the value up when selling it... would that help at all??
 
CSilver said:
Hi, here is the situation I have. I love my Alum Macbook but unfortunately I will have to join the army after my first year of university 09/10. So basically will be joining in 2010. Ya I know... I am only 19 well will be turning 20 when I do join... Yup... I am a Korean citizen who studies in Canada....

So here is my dilemma....

I will at least have this Macbook for a year...
I have Invisible Shield for Macbook that hasn't been installed.
I have Moshi keyboard cover for anti-shiny keys ;P

A) I could keep it even though I won't be able to use it after I am gone to the Army.
B) I could keep it in Mint condition and sell it right before I go back to Korea to serve in the army.

Some of my friends tell me to just keep it...
Some say in 3 years total... I will probably want something better...

I know some of you normal users still sell it after the first year then buy the latest Macbook/Macbook Pro every year...

What are your thoughts and what would you do if you were me???

Thanks in Advance...
CSilver
Click to expand...

Um..... Why wouldn't you be able to use your computer when your in the Army? I don't know how other armies work, but I'm currently in the US Army and after basic training / advanced training, we move on to our duty stations and get to live normal lives, using personal computers.
 
NRose8989 said:
Um..... Why wouldn't you be able to use your computer when your in the Army? I don't know how other armies work, but I'm currently in the US Army and after basic training / advanced training, we move on to our duty stations and get to live normal lives, using personal computers.
Click to expand...

yea i thought the same thing
 
NRose8989 said:
Um..... Why wouldn't you be able to use your computer when your in the Army? I don't know how other armies work, but I'm currently in the US Army and after basic training / advanced training, we move on to our duty stations and get to live normal lives, using personal computers.
Click to expand...

Oh really?? That's something I never knew... What can you do with the laptops when you are in the Army though?? It is just like normal live as you mentioned??

I am currently hoping to get into American Army base in Korea for 2010. But if I get rejected(they do the random draw) I am not sure if I can even have an ipod in Korean army lol...

So ya... I guess something I should consider...

Thanks for the reply!!
 
johndatserakis said:
yea i thought the same thing
Click to expand...

I am not too certain about having a laptop in the Army... Even if it is allowed I don't know what good will it be to me... I mean... I bought Macbook for School...

More suggestions would be greatly appreciated !!

Thanks
 
First off, Which Army are you planning on joining?

Second, are you doing this because you want to or because you have to?

The reason I ask is that you really should get all of the information you can before you enlist. When I enlisted, I knew what I was getting into, while other people that I met while in basic training didn't even have a clue as to what was going on.

As for the US army, I'm not sure how it even works but we do have people who are not US citizens join our army.

Just make sure you know what your getting into because it's definably a change in life, not necessarily a bad one, just different.
 
Sell it if you don't need it/won't use it. There's no use having it collect dust while it would sell for more money 1 year from now than 3/4 years from now.
 
NRose8989 said:
First off, Which Army are you planning on joining?

Second, are you doing this because you want to or because you have to?

The reason I ask is that you really should get all of the information you can before you enlist. When I enlisted, I knew what I was getting into, while other people that I met while in basic training didn't even have a clue as to what was going on.

As for the US army, I'm not sure how it even works but we do have people who are not US citizens join our army.

Just make sure you know what your getting into because it's definably a change in life, not necessarily a bad one, just different.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

1)Well... I am a male Korean citizen which means I have to join the army to get trained for 2 years. Since stupid North Korea wouldn't give up on the war...Yes... It is mandatory... every Korean men have to join the army before age of 26 unless you have serious health issues.

2)I am joining the Army because I have to but it does help my family as in giving them a break especially to my parents from saving up for the tuition. So I guess I do want to join.

3)I don't know exactly but I do know for sure have to go back to Korea to join the Army... And there is one US army base where some of us can serve the time if we get chosen.

I really wish I could get into the US army base just because it will be English speaking and I am used to the western culture now...6 years in Canada...

I heard that US army base in Korea has some what "freedom" compared to normal Korean Army.

I know some of my friends who joined the army already like year ago didn't quite make the cut for US army but ya...

I do really wish that I could just join the army in Canada lol So that I don't have to go back just for the Army...

Anyways thank you so much for your reply ;)
 
Don't sell it!! You'll be glad you have a laptop when you join the Army.

You can bet that when you do your basic training you won't have time to fart, never mind use a laptop, but once you join your unit you should be able to use the laptop in any spare time you have. Being able to kick back and watch a DVD in the evening will be a bonus. Don't forget, you might actually get some leave and you can use the laptop when you go home.

And if you join the Signals rather than the infantry then you might find you have plenty of opportunity to use it.

Time in the Army isn't a prison sentence. (Well, at least it isn't in Western Europe).
 
PhilW said:
Don't sell it!! You'll be glad you have a laptop when you join the Army.

You can bet that when you do your basic training you won't have time to fart, never mind use a laptop, but once you join your unit you should be able to use the laptop in any spare time you have. Being able to kick back and watch a DVD in the evening will be a bonus. Don't forget, you might actually get some leave and you can use the laptop when you go home.

And if you join the Signals rather than the infantry then you might find you have plenty of opportunity to use it.

Time in the Army isn't a prison sentence. (Well, at least it isn't in Western Europe).
Click to expand...

LOL on the last comment ;D

Well... I don't know how the army is like in Korea... I hope it isn't train train train all the time... But something that is keep holding me back from keeping is that once I come out of the Army... I will have to go back to university to study... Meaning I will most likely want something new... If not something that won't die on me...(I heard that most Laptops last around 5 years if not more or less)

Thank you for the suggestion!

I need some more advice!! Thanks in Advance -CSilver-
 
whitemacbook said:
seriously??

and you're going to be in an army possibly armed?
Click to expand...

umm... Thanks for being so rude...
I meant in a way of how the Mac can be cleaned up software-wise... Itunes Account, Warranty ownership, and etc...

I hope that made it clear to you...
 
CSilver said:
I meant in a way of how the Mac can be cleaned up software-wise... Itunes Account, Warranty ownership, and etc...
Click to expand...
I would take the original CD that came with the Mac and do a restore to completely wipe out all data.. of course if somebody REALLY wanted your deleted personal info, they'll still be able to get it through software and deep searching.. but for most people, it's safe enough.
 
Buy a new hard drive. Swap it and sell it. Like new.

Here, why don't you keep the laptop until you get to Korea? If the army doesn't allow you to use a laptop, sell it there. I'm pretty sure somebody is willing to buy a second hand mint condition AluBook with accessories for, say $1000 USD.
 
xkRoWx said:
Buy a new hard drive. Swap it and sell it. Like new.

Here, why don't you keep the laptop until you get to Korea? If the army doesn't allow you to use a laptop, sell it there. I'm pretty sure somebody is willing to buy a second hand mint condition AluBook with accessories for, say $1000 USD.
Click to expand...

That does sound like a great deal to me but something I have to consider is that I won't know if I got into the US army base... When I do go back to Korea the physical test then applying comes after... then its the FUN draw...

Eh... I can't decide...
 
sell it within a year. that way, someone can even buy their own applecare if they want it.
 
It all depends on what you are allowed in the army...

I know with most Western military you have downtime, and are allowed to amuse yourself however you wish exactly like getting home from your normal job - I have seen photos from friends of a group of them stationed on a ship who were playing as a band - all of them having personal musical instruments on board (the photo I am thinking of of them playing on the helipad during a clear time on ship).

I would do a bit of checking and see what you are allowed, if you are allowed a computer ten keeping it is an obvious choice - being able to surf the web, listen to music and watch dvds is always nice.

If you are not allowed it you have two choices. Either cut your losses, sell it now then upgrade when your tour is up - you will then have a current computer when you are out, and lose a lot less money by selling it when it is still a recent model, rather than 3 years old. The downside is that you won't have a computer - so you lose the use of it if you are on a break at home or any other opportunities that a computer would come in useful unless you have other access.
Option #2 is to just keep it, you don't have to faff about selling it and do have it available when it could be useful. The downside is that since you would own it longer, it would depreciate in value more...

Someone did point out a good idea above if you intend selling it - if the army works in blocks, then it may be quite likely that a lot of guys are leaving when you are arriving, and if they are not allowed the use of a personal computer, then some may be on the lookout for a new model for themselves...
 
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