MacBook Sale Dilemma

[AppleGoat]

Hey all,

I just recently purchased a 15” rMBP at a nice price — now I must sell my venerable 13” 2011 cMBP, to which I’ve made a number of upgrades over the years (upped the RAM to 8GB and furnished it with two 128GB SSDs). The machine has a few cosmetic flaws, most notably “ghosted out” keys. I believe 9 of them has this defect but could be easily replaced — which I’d do if I were to put it on the market. All and all, however, the machine is peppy and has much life in.

Today, I offered the computer as a Christmas gift on behalf of my Mom for my brother. My brother has wanted a MacBook and I ran it by him today and he said he would prefer that to whatever money my mother gives him. I would consider this recompense for some financial help my parents have provided me over the years.

Still, the likely resale value of the MacBook exceeds the value of whatever it is my mom gives my brother for X-mas. I’m wondering if I should just break it to my brother and then get $600-$800 for the computer on the market. Then, I could repay my parents in other ways.

What direction would you guys go in? How much do you think I could fetch for my computer (once, of course, the 9 keys are replaced)?

Thanks all in advance.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I would let your brother have it

Firstly your parents did you a favour and this would be a nice gesture all round money be damned.

Secondly it's your brother it would make his christmas special you can't put a price on that, nor the disappointment if you let him down, this is the sort of thing brothers are for.

Thirdly I always like to keep good things in the family or to my friends. I always like to sell my old apple tech to them at knock down prices, iphones and ipads around £100 and my last macbook pro 240gb ssd 8gb ram to my brother for £300 ( he still owes me £200 a year later).

Lastly I think that you over estimate the worth of that macbook pro it is becoming old tech and there are not many who will pay more for your upgrades...

 

[saturnotaku]

You would get more money for your system by selling the SSDs separately and putting back the original parts if you still have them. At the very least, you should reinstall the Superdrive. Self-installed upgrades add value to you as user while you still have the machine but do little at resale time.

 

[steveh552]

You already mentioned it to your parents and brother, how is the let down going to make you feel? I know a relative told me they would give me something and then turned around and sold it, id be rather disappointed at the very least.

 

[AppleGoat]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

There are a few points to consider:

Yesterday, I proposed this idea to my mother and she told me the resale value of the MacBook would exceed the amount of money she'd give my brother for Christmas and she suggested I sell it.

I texted my brother last night if he wanted it, to sorta lobby to Mom for it as an Xmas gift, and he said "that sounds good to me" but I don't know if he'd mind if I told him I was selling it.

Unfortunately, while I do possess the original parts (HD and optical drive), I can only install one of them. One of the screws connecting the optical drive caddy in which the second SSD exists is stripped. I know if I bought a 1TB drive and threw in the original HD slot, then ran the system off the 128GB SSD in the optibay, that configuration may appeal to some.

 

[Apple OC]

Gift it to your bro ... you won't regret it.

I bet you will even enjoy Christmas just as much as him when you see how happy he is.

Plus ... you become Mom's #1
Cheers

 

[maflynn]

Give it to your brother - family comes first, especially over money

I think the long term dividends will be better in the short and long term if you did gift it to your brother.

 

[AppleGoat]

After these responses, I've become firm on giving my brother the gift but my Mom objects to it. She says she doesn't want to give my brother a "used gift" and rebukes me for having told him. Just the way things are in my family.

 

[SL4VE]

Sell it. Help your mum out with the cash to buy a new one for your bro

Doesn't matter whatever happens. If I had a bro and he bought me a MacBook I would be extremely chuffed. That says it all

 

[maflynn]

After these responses, I've become firm on giving my brother the gift but my Mom objects to it. She says she doesn't want to give my brother a "used gift" and rebukes me for having told him. Just the way things are in my family.

Sheesh, you can't win.

Well if she shut you down on giving a "used" gift, then sell it. You're free and clear. Just tell your brother what she said (since you told him). Let her buy him a new "gift"

 

[Queen6]

After these responses, I've become firm on giving my brother the gift but my Mom objects to it. She says she doesn't want to give my brother a "used gift" and rebukes me for having told him. Just the way things are in my family.

Well just give it to him now, he`s your brother after all, and let your Mom decide what she wants to give him for Christmas. I just gave my 2011 15" MBP to my daughter and she`s just ten, her ancient 15" Early 2008 MBP goes to my son...

I would rather benefit a family member, it`s not like you need the $$$ towards a new system.

Q-6