Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

White Macbook - too good to be true?

Eanair

Eanair

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 27, 2009
283
1
Whoops. Stupid double posting and strange other things. Computer's acting weird today.

Anyways...lets try this again.

I found a 13 inch white Macbook on Craigslist.

---

OS 10.4.10
13 inch screen
2 GHz Core 2 Duo
667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
80GB Hard Drive
No charger

$425.00

3m83pb3l5ZZZZZZZZZ95s7cf429074a6b172d.jpg


---

Good deal, or stay away?
 
how much RAM? and how much do chargers cost? Would you upgrade anything? Is the delta between final prices really that much more than buying a new $999 white one?
 
It's on the low side, but not to the point I would say "too good to be true". That said, the lost charger is suspicious - who looses their charger and does not replace it? Find out if they have the OSX install DVDs - if those are missing, then chances are the computer is stolen.
 
I vote "STOLEN." No adapter screams stolen. Ask about the discs, though...
 
flopticalcube said:
Not with Tiger it isn't. That's probably a Late 2006 model with GMA950 graphics. Pass.
Click to expand...

:confused: You think thieves are so discerning that they won't steal a machine because it has crappy graphics? :rolleyes:

striatedglutes said:
After you add charger, ram upgrade, and leopard upgrade, you might as well buy new.
Click to expand...

Charger is only $100 new, probably can be found cheaper used. $525 is a lot less than $850 (+ tax) for a refurb, and Leopard and more RAM are hardly requirements.
 
I'd be on the cautious side and say if there's no charger and no disks it's proooobably stolen. And just as people have said, go for a refurb and it'll be the same price (after the computer, RAM, etc etc etc) and better quality...and not (possibly) stolen!
 
striatedglutes said:
how much RAM? and how much do chargers cost? Would you upgrade anything? Is the delta between final prices really that much more than buying a new $999 white one?
Click to expand...

1 GB of Crucial RAM, according to their website, is about $16.00. A charger would be (I think) $80.00.

If I add all that up: 425 + 16 + 80 = $521.00. Even if you add in shipping and tax for the extra components ($30.00 maybe), that bumps the price up to $531.00. That's still much less than $999.00 plus tax new.

If I add in Leopard ($129.00), that makes the price ~ $660.00 which is still less than refurb or new.

But Leopard isn't a requirement, and if I find I don't need more RAM with my use, I won't get it.

Demosthenes X said:
It's on the low side, but not to the point I would say "too good to be true". That said, the lost charger is suspicious - who looses their charger and does not replace it? Find out if they have the OSX install DVDs - if those are missing, then chances are the computer is stolen.
Click to expand...

I was thinking it is straddling a thin line between acceptable price and scam. It's low, but not quite low enough to immediately send me running in the opposite direction.

I emailed and asked about the install disks, and am waiting a reply back.

EX1127 said:
Question am i the only one who sees the charger in the background?
Click to expand...

I was wondering about that too. I was thinking, perhaps that isn't the charger for the Macbook being sold? Perhaps the seller has been borrowing a friend's charger? I have no idea.

I do think it's a bit odd that it doesn't include a charger.
 
If you can meet the guy, check the MB, check the HD (can he, for instance, show an original invoice), and everything looks clean, I'd say go for it.
If legal, it could be a great second, or backup, machine.
It also depends upon your needs.
 
Eanair said:
1 GB of Crucial RAM, according to their website, is about $16.00. A charger would be (I think) $80.00.

If I add all that up: 425 + 16 + 80 = $521.00. Even if you add in shipping and tax for the extra components ($30.00 maybe), that bumps the price up to $531.00. That's still much less than $999.00 plus tax new.

If I add in Leopard ($129.00), that makes the price ~ $660.00 which is still less than refurb or new.

But Leopard isn't a requirement, and if I find I don't need more RAM with my use, I won't get it.
Click to expand...
Ah, thinking of price only?
One thing you forgot is PEACE of mind.
With a refurb, for a couple hundred more you get a ONE year WARRANTY and the newer nvidia integrated graphics with a LOT more vram.

With this one, it could die next week and you're up a creek without a paddle.

Or if you buy new for 300 or so more, you can get a free touch if you're a college student or have a friend who is one :D
 
macrumorsMaster said:
Or if you buy new for 300 or so more, you can get a free touch if you're a college student or have a friend who is one :D
Click to expand...

:rolleyes: I love this logic. Hey, did you know if you double your budget you can get a better machine? Why not just be straight? Hey, if you quadruple your budget, you can get a MacBook Pro! What a deal.
 
That is 99.99999% stolen. Seriously, don't fund them because you could be next.


Demosthenes X said:
:rolleyes: I love this logic. Hey, did you know if you double your budget you can get a better machine? Why not just be straight? Hey, if you quadruple your budget, you can get a MacBook Pro! What a deal.
Click to expand...

:D. Just :D.
 
it is a great deal, provided you get some peace of mind about where it came from. that would be a great laptop, period. Who cares if it isn't the newest, most mac owners don't have the newest.
 
EX1127 said:
I think you should ask the person thats selling why cant you have the charger in the background ;) and see what happens
Click to expand...

I'm still waiting on the answer as to whether the person still has the original install disks that would have come with the Macbook originally. ;)
 
Demosthenes X said:
:rolleyes: I love this logic. Hey, did you know if you double your budget you can get a better machine? Why not just be straight? Hey, if you quadruple your budget, you can get a MacBook Pro! What a deal.
Click to expand...

If you compare spending a little more now for

(1) an item WITH a warranty. (refurb/or new)
(2) better resale value
(3) better future proof(and better specs - nvidia(up to 256mb vram, compared to crappy intel gma)
(4) and get a free touch(if you go for the new and not refurb route)

Than spending a couple hundred more is actually the SMART thing to do. Also, who knows what will happen to this laptop, or what this 'used, no warranty' laptop has been through?

If you can't afford that, then I would say to wait and either:
(a) save your money for the better one
(b) get an MS wind and hackintosh it :D
(c) or forget full portability and get a mini for about the same price!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back