iBook Apprasial
 

I'm trying to find out how much my iBook is worth. It's depreciated so much for me that I'm considering just getting a new iBook G4.

• Standard iBook 600 with AirPort, shipped with 10.1
• 128 MB module added when ordered, so 256 MB RAM total
• It has 10.3 on it, but I would not include the CDs for it, only the original 10.1 plus the extra CDs and software that came with it like Tony Hawk and Sim Theme Park.
• The CD-ROM drive is mostly hosed; it ejects CDs for no reason, and when it doesn't, it fails to read them
• The AirPort signal cuts completely off when the screen is opened all the way. Otherwise it works fine.
• Now recently, the screen backlight turns off depending on the angle of the screen...and seemingly randomly. Moving the screen a tiny bit fixes it.
• Physically, there are only minor scratches
• The screen other than the backlight problem is fine
• The battery still seems to hold a full charge; when I run it with AirPort on and the screen brightness nearly all the way down, it predicts 4:30 of battery life.

When I called an Apple store, they quoted that it would be $300 to fix the problems (instead of $500 because it wasn't accidental damage). That's too much IMO for these problems.

So, any ideas? I reckon it's $600.

Check the backs of trade magazines and knock 25% off the price. That's probably pretty close to it's worth. eBay is also a good place to look to try and get an idea..

These sound like pretty significant problems that impact the use and performance of the machine. Not having a CD-ROM really reduces it's use. How will people install new software? Play music CDs? Burn MP3s from CDs? Then it sounds like you're having a connection problem between the CPU and the screen, something that's only going to get worse. Personally, I don't think $300 is outrageous to get these problems fixed.

Be sure if you sell it 'as-is', you note all these problems and knock some off the price.

A similar model on eBay is going for $700 like I expected: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=4602 . The problem is finding out how the value lowers due to the broken parts.

Mine has 256 MB of RAM, BTW, not the standard 128 MB. I have an academic version of Office X, but I believe the license agreement forbids me from reselling it.

Re: iBook Apprasial
 

check eBay, but i think you're being wildly optimistic.

i think you'd get about $500 - $600 after you fixed it. if you sell it as is, i think you'd be fortunate to get $300.

and BTW, the eBay sale you link to above is currently $500, not $700.

Re: Re: iBook Apprasial
 

I mean his Buy It Now price is $700, and the final price is usually near that. :)

Re: Re: Re: iBook Apprasial
 

well, in that case, you should sell your iBook on eBay with a Buy It Now price of 4 million dollars.

Regarding the CD problem, would the value be helped significantly if I included a FireWire 52x CD-ROM drive?

Probably not significantly, but it would certainly sweeten the deal! At least the next owner could fix it on their own and then have 2 CD drives.

Hmm...600 sounds wayyy to high for something that doesn't work so well. It also doesn't help that brand new ones are not going for much more than 600 directly from apple.

I would say that it's worth around 200-300 tops. The reason for this is that it seems the connection to the monitor is failing and having the internal CD not work properly is a big problem.

Although you can include an external drive, remember that this is a portable and having a working internal drive is important. Plus what you're including is only a CD-ROM, ibooks with combo drives (DVD/CD-R) are going for around 6-800 bucks. Not being able to burn, or read DVDs and have to carry around a brick to read CDs would not sweeten the deal much for me.

Whoever buys this machine is going to have to fix it as was mentioned, that could mean buying a new internal drive and new parts for the display; we can go with the quote from the apple store but I'm not sure how accurate it is (was this over the phone or did you bring them the machine?).

Plus they'd have to buy an OS and some RAM (ram can be omitted, but it's the smallest expense). Bringing total repair/update charges to around 400 to 600 bucks if the apple quote is accurate.

Of course on ebay you probably will find some sucker to pay a lot more. I'm always quite surprised by the outrageous prices some things get on there. So ya I think you're being wildly optimistic, but you also might find someone to pay for it : \


v

If I buy the AppleCare package even though my original 1-year warantee has expired, will I be able to get the three problems fixed for free?

ummm...

Well I'm just checking every possible avenue...and now I know the answer.

if you can really get Apple to fix your machine (both CD & display connection) for $300, that's a bargain. they're going to have to replace the motherboard and CD. without that, the display connection will eventually fail, rendering the machine useless.

the paperweight sitting in front of you is basically worth about $200, give or take $100. if you fix it and put up a superb eBay ad, you might find a sucker willing to pay $600. but they'd truly be a sucker, considering what Apple is selling new G3 iBooks for with considerably better specs and a warranty.

and let's not forget that you can find used TiBooks on eBay for $500 - $700.

including info in your eBay ad about installed software that you are not actually selling the licence for (ie MS Office) tends to increase the price, if your ethics permit that type of illegal behavior.

of course, the best way to sell old laptops is to get rid of them before Apple introduces a newer model. if you had sold your machine before the iBook G4 was introduced, you would have gotten a much better price.

Actually, they might not replace the logic board.

If he moves the display and the backlight goes out, the most likely cause of the problem is a chewed-up cable that runs through the display hinge. Ditto the AirPort problem, since the AirPort antenna cable goes through the display hinge, too. If you get a good signal until you tilt it back all the way, chances are your antenna cable is frayed a bit.

Does the iBook ever suddenly go to sleep on its own?

Anyway, a new logic board is more expensive than these two cables, but the price you were quoted from Apple is flat-rate, so it doesn't really matter too much what gets replaced. This also applies to whoever buys it. If good iBooks are going for $700, set your buy now to $300 or $400, 'cause the buyer will have to send it to Apple to get the parts replaced, and since the repair is flat-rate, it's fairly irrelevant if it's the logic board or those two cables. Same cost. Just remember that new iBook G4s can be had for $999, so if bids come in slowly, there's a reason. ;-)

this is an incredibly common problem with the iceBooks, and the problem is almost always not the cable itself, but the cable/motherboard connector. every repair i've heard about of this problem involves replacing the motherboard.given his config (RAM, optical drive, and what i'm guessing is a 10GB HD), i think $700 is wildly optimistic.

you can get a refurb iBook G3 700 from Apple with 1 year warranty for $679.

a new iBook G3 900 40GB/Combo with 1 year warranty goes for $800...

Actually yes, but not that often. Usually right after unlocking the screen from sleep.

I've seen a /lot/ of broken iBooks, Petey. (Thousands, literally, because of my job.) The cable that controls the sleep function also routes power to the LCD's backlight. It tends to get pinched and frayed where it goes through the display hinge. It /can/ be the logic board, but the "tilt the display and it comes back to full brightness" symptom means it isn't the logic board, nine times out of ten. Not saying that it can't be the MLB, just that when display movement cuts the backlight on and off--and if it sends itself to sleep when it shouldn't--the problem tends to trace back to a hosed reed switch cable.

But like I said, the repair fee is flat-rate, so it really doesn't matter what part is busted.

I didn't say /his/ iBook was worth $700 on eBay. Just said that iBooks in general can go for that much. He won't get that, no. Not even close. $300 is optimistic at best because of the low cost of brand-new iBooks. I'm about to buy a new iBook for my mother as a Christmas gift, and I'm lucky enough to be able to go through the Apple Store for Education and save $50 or more. New 'Books are cheap these days.

If he knew for certain what part was hosed, he could part out the unit on eBay and make a decent amount, I bet. Sell the plastics, the LCD, the MLB, the modem, and the HD individually to those looking for parts to fix or build something. I bet he could make a little more from that. The problem is that he won't know what parts are good until he starts testing with known-good parts, which he can't do at this point, really. :-/

i've seen about 5 cases of iBook display connection weirdness, and Apple replaced the motherboard on all of them.

but i certainly defer to your thousands. FWIW, i'm way out of my depth trying to sound even vaguely intelligent on this topic. i've never even dared to open up an iBook other than the user-serviceable stuff under the keyboard.

Yeah, I've seen odd cable connection issues, too. It's just usually the wire itself. What makes it worse is that when the wire goes bad, it can hose the logic board, too! :-(

If he had a way of knowing if his logic board was okay, he could sell that individually on eBay and I bet he'd get a couple of hundred for it. Parting out always seems to net a little more.

I've decided to sell it as it is. I won't be able to get my money back in the sale if I repair the problems, and the laptop is no longer desireable for me. At least it will be $300 more than I have now.

Thanks for the advice, all. :)