My Black Macbook.. How to keep it around longer? (preserve it)

[cootersgarage6]

I have the Black Macbook, the first model ever made, and by that I mean the first blackbooks that they made. I want to make sure that It will be around for a long time, because, well, its clearly worth more now, or is going to be when the Black Macbooks get even rarer because they are in homes, and people are breaking them.

I am going to upgrade my BlackBook to a MacBook Pro this summer, but I want to keep the BlackBook, so that I can always have it, because I like how it looks, and how people look at it in the coffee shops and library

Anyways, so as you might know, the BlackBooks have been known to crack a lot. On mine, on the right corner on the bottom half of the laptop (not the lid, but the part where the keyboard is), the paint has came off. It's still black in that area, but you can tell that a part of the laptop peeled off, like a layer of the paint, where that spot is. It's in a line about 2 inches long, but it's still black..

The CD drive is also broken, and the screen is flickering sometimes..



Bottom Line is, how can I make it so that it won't keep falling apart. I am also going to try to replace the screen and the superdrive replaced. And if it meets OSX Lion specs, I will upgrade it to that..

So, what are some tips?

 

[McGiord]

Give the Genius bar a try, and see what their suggestion is.
Check www.ifixit.com for the spare parts and procedures.

 

[dvh13]

If you aren't afraid to open it up and do your own repairs, Mac Recycling has many used replacement parts rated and priced according to level of prior use. May not be what you are looking for, but their prices are far below that of new replacement parts.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

That cracking should be replaced by Apple. I went to a Genius bar about a month ago and the Genius there told me in no uncertain terms that it would be a free replacement. The catch was their workload was really high at the time so I didn't want to wait a week for it to be done. I'll be going back later to get it done.

 

[cootersgarage6]

Whaaa?

Whaaaa? Lol are you saying it's FREE to get that done?

 

[Apple OC]

I have the Black Macbook, the first model ever made, and by that I mean the first blackbooks that they made. I want to make sure that It will be around for a long time, because, well, its clearly worth more now, or is going to be when the Black Macbooks get even rarer because they are in homes, and people are breaking them.

Personally I would not put any money into it ... it is not worth much.

If it was brand new then yes it might be worth something ... but going up in value ... never

 

[Fubar1977]

I wouldn`t get into thinking that this will become a classic that`s worth a fortune in years to come.
It`s just an old laptop, a nice one, but still it`s not an investment that will pay you in the long run.

 

[7thMac]

Unless truly mint, it's hard to believe that these black Macbooks will be worth an extraordinary amount. They may be getting rarer, but their value is a function of both supply and demand. Are people seeking these out?

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

Whaaaa? Lol are you saying it's FREE to get that done?

Yup, just got it done. Turnaround time was about 17 hours and I paid nothing.

 

[macgeek18]

The reason i bought an Alum MB is so I don't have to worry about cracking...
But BB's are nice, just not as rare as you think, just like my alum MB is not that rare. There's more BB's on my college campus that MBP's!

 

[Darth.Titan]

So you think somehow your old laptop will appreciate in value? Not gonna happen. "Clearly worth more now?" Your current value is about $450 at best, how is that worth more than the $1000+ you paid?

Use your laptop. Don't worry about trying to keep it mint other than just taking care of it. Modern tech is not very collectible. I don't care what color it is.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

Since I haven't actually commented on the "worth more because of rarity" concept going around here, I shall.

Unless you plan to keep it for about 100 years or so, it's not going to be worth anything. If you can keep it in mint condition for the next century, I guess there's a possibility it might be worth something.

It's certainly not a collector's item. It's not exactly rare. Use it as you would a normal computer and then be done with it. And I agree with Darth.Titan's confusion: how can you say it's worth more now? It's definitely worth less than the $1300 it retailed for when it first came out. It's worth less than half that.

 

[Acorn]

i had a 2.2 ghz 4 gb memory 320gb 7200 rpm hd black book. I let it go for 400 to someone. it was in mint condition and a core 2 duo not just a core duo. I think blackbooks are ok machines. The different factor is nice. However the glass trackpad on newer macs really sold me. its just sooooo much better then a separate button. The extended battery life of these newer machines is also really great. Right now im using an 11 inch air which is by far my most favorite machine to date.

I dont think all that work is worth it to fix it up. especially if its only a core duo and not a core 2 duo. sometimes its just better to roll over a machine get as much as you can for it and upgrade.