Refurb from Apple.com: Can I BTO?

[furrina]

Anyone have any advice on whether it is recommmended to buy a refurb g5 for example on the Apple store site? They sure do offer quite a savings (there's a dual 2.0 up there now for 2,399).

The second question I have is, if I want to have more ram, bluetooth module, etc. and refurb airport card installed, can they do that to a refurb model as they would for a new one? I don't see that option on the form, but maybe someone knows something I don't.

I know I should buy the memory separately and put it in myself, but I figured I'd save myself the trouble, and not sure about the internal bluetooth mod -- are they difficult to install?

thanks!

 

[kbonnel]

Nope on the BTO

 

[Jovian9]

Refurbs are AS IS. No add-ons will be made. They are great deals though. I just bought a 40GB iPod today for $399. My wife has a 20GB refurb iPod and we have a 17" Aluminum PowerBook refurb...no complaints other than the fact that you get the brown refurb box instead of the normal product boxes.

 

[djbahdow01]

BTO cannot be done on refurbs. Also for the internal bluetooth option i believe it is a BTO only piece as they have to put it on the motherboard or something. For a refurb i believe the only way to get bluetooth on the G5 is to buy a usb bluetooth or something of the like.

 

[pbailey]

You can't purchase everything as you would with a new unit but there are many items that you can purchase at the same time: refurbished Airport Base Stations, refurbished Airport Cards, refurbished 17in - 20in or even a 23in monitor, AppleCare Protection Plan, 4x DVD Media just to name a few.

 

[IndyGopher]

No BTO on the refurbs.. pity, too.. it has kept me from recommending the refurb iBook G4's for a couple people I know.. they actually would make use of the BlueTooth option.

 

[Koodauw]

Seeing as how your question has been answered..... I would get the refurb. Seeing as how it is a tower, adding the items you just mentioned will not be hard at all. The internal bluetooth will not give you any advantage really, other than an extra USB port. I would say save the money, buy a refurb, and you can easily add on these extra features, with little to no problem.

 

[Sun Baked]

BTO cannot be done on refurbs. Also for the internal bluetooth option i believe it is a BTO only piece as they have to put it on the motherboard or something. For a refurb i believe the only way to get bluetooth on the G5 is to buy a usb bluetooth or something of the like.

Yes the little card plug into the internal antenna and the motherboard USB port.

For desktop machines, external USB isn't that much worse than internal. For portables it's a PIA for some people.

As far as the video card on the dual G5s, you may want to take a look at the ATI retail cards. Even though they are 4x -- they have tested faster than the OEM cards in some of the tests.