Should I Buy new or Repair?
ireid (1283 points) | Wed, 2009-09-02 13:24I am just mulling over this and was wondering if anyone has any additional thoughts on my situation.
My iMac G5 17" has seen a lot of repairs since I've had it for the last 4 years or so. Just this week it suffered from the "Swollen Capacitor" syndrome, i.e.. it needs a new motherboard. . . at my expense as its not covered by the iMac repair program. Prior to this I have replaced (within the last few months) the DVD burner and the power supply. (I also had to replace the HD as that was the first thing to fail within two years of ownership) I did not have Applecare and obviously the warranty is up so ANY repairs will cost me.
So the question is:
Should I continue to try to repair this sick machine at this stage or put the money into a new one?
Thanks :)
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
I say get it fixed. You got all those other repairs done, try and make it last another year or so. Four years for one computer doesn't really seem that much to me. But, if you think you need a more powerful machine, new is the way to go. I'm going through the same thing too I just think I'm going to upgrade and repair and try to get another two or three years out of it; my machine is 4 years old.
Leaky Penny
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I'm going to print it out and eat it.
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Ebay. That particular machine is going for $250-$350 right now (about the same price as the motherboard).
However, if it were me - I'd just buy a new one since you're already 1/3 of the way to a similar new machine and my guess is you somehow ended up with a lemon. That's a lot of repairs for a Mac. A good place to look is the ClubMac closeout page. I see a 20" iMac for $1080. right now.
Yes when I did the calculation I realised that myself.
I can't even sell it and regain the cost to repair it. If I repaired it I would "maybe" get a year out of it, MAYBE. That's looking less attractive than a machine from ClubMac.
Do they do international sales?
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Unfortunately it usually costs less to just get a new machine than to repair an old one. Sell your old one on eBay - plenty of gear heads out there willing to tinker and get your machine back up to speed.
Unless you are one of these gear heads, of course. :)
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Dirt and Rust
Don't know if ClubMac is international, but I can recommend them as a place to buy. The last two machines I purchased were thru them and they were very helpful with compatibility issues, etc...
You changed so many parts inside. That's actually almost the whole computer :)
My friend's MacBook Pro died few weeks ago. First the DVD Rom then Graphic Card and some problem with motherboard. Mac guys fixed the problem for free but still, what's going on with that Macs?
By the way, today if you buy a PC with compatible hardware, you can install retail OS X on it. I know it's not legal but it's works. And I think PC is cheaper than Mac. And there is no problem with hardware.
fedora FREEDOM. FRIENDS. FEATURES. FIRST.
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Gasp! Oh no u didn't! LOL
(My life is quite happy not dealing with that kind of stress! thank you :))
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
:)) haha
That's not stress at all. It's a game :)
fedora FREEDOM. FRIENDS. FEATURES. FIRST.
fedoraproject.org
Just an update:
If I sell the machine after repairing it I will basically just recover the COST of repairing it, no more. I am currently deciding whether to just sell it AS IS (with the workable parts inside of course) and see if those funds can go into the "piggy bank" for a new machine.
Thoughts?
@Nato. Good to see you're still alive! I've been remiss logging on to Twitter these days. . . lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Sell it as is and move on.
So far as PCs are concerned - I wouldn't switch to a PC if Bill Gates were giving them away two to a customer. But - as always - that's jmho.
I was just reading MacRumours Buyer's Guide.
Says to wait to purchase an IMac (which is within my limited budget right now) as updates may be coming soon. (http://guides.macrumors.com/Buyer%27s_Guide_%28time-ordered%29)
So what do you think? I've heard the argument b4 that regardless of what I buy will become obsolete soon after, but since they haven't updated that line recently and they DO update would I get the machine I want now, for a cheaper price? ( I'm looking at this one: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001U0OGZ4/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance#moreAboutThisProduct)
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
That's good advice if you can determine how long the wait will be. Whenever Apple updates they cut the prices of existing models and the newer models are priced in generally the same ballpark as the old models, so you'll get either one of two things... a better machine for the same price, or the machine you're looking at now for a lower price. That's why I always purchase right after a product announcement myself. Tomorrow Apple has some kind of conference thing where they're announcing new products (usually it's iPods and iTunes stuff this time of the year, however) - so wait to see what happens tomorrow if nothing else.
Don't know if I mentioned it before, but Apple has a credit card deal on their website which will give you 12 months same as cash if money is the problem. They also have a closeout/special page that you might want to check out as well before deciding.
Good luck.
Ha-haaa!
It's ironic how many of you guys are having troubles with apple machines but still you are prepared to defend with your teeth. It must be the UNI brainwash syndrome...
I suggest you build yourself a very fast PC for 1/3 of the price. If building is not your thing, I strongly suggest a company called PC specialist in the UK. I've used them in the past (5 years ago)) and the PC I bought from them is still running in my office. NEVER had to fix or replace a single component.
Brochure Printing by 10th Way
Your attempt to create a flame war will be met with an ignore.
Have a nice day. :)
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Just an update.
Amazon is shipping my new Macbook Pro 15" 2.66 on Tuesday.
Can't wait. . .
Now I have to figure out what works on Snow Leopard and what doesn't. . . :)
thanks for all the advice guys.
I also am selling the parts from my old iMac.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=8939879&l=5a7c79bcf9&id=693110496
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Here's my question for PC folks - how come you never mention the money you MAKE from using a PC instead of a Mac? Sure you "save" a couple dollars on the front end (for a machine that lasts 1/3 as long as a Mac) - but it's been my experience that all the good paying graphics jobs are on the Mac - NOT the PC.
Just wondering...
i've made money on both platforms. they're tools.
you don't make money with tools, you make money with skills.
"...it's been my experience that all the good paying graphics JOBS are on the Mac - NOT the PC."
You also make money by paying attention to details.
*shrug*
i've made well above median money on work on a PC.
once again, it's just a tool. you can pretend it makes you better, but good concepts are good concepts and bad concepts aren't better when executed on either platform. very few clients actually care.
Your argument would have been better if you had focused instead on the fact PC's require much more maintenance time which adds significantly to their cost. I've NEVER had to call an IT person over, anywhere I've worked, to help me with my mac.
I'd say that's worth the extra upfront cost.
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Dirt and Rust
Agreed. Support is a huge issue - bigger than Mac vs PC or OSX vs Windoze imo. And not just for maintenance, but for graphics advice/support as well because the Mac graphics community is so much larger (and better informed... imho:)
But the bottom line is we know Macs rule. How? Do you ever see Mac users looking over their shoulders to see what Microsoft or Dell is up to these days? No. We don't care. We're happy with what we have. PC users? They spend ALL their free time reading up on the latest happenings with Apple and/or Steve Jobs... poking, prodding, trying to find the little faults that will bring down Apple and justify their poor decision making skills. You know how I find out about the latest Mac products? My Microsoft Engineer brother. He's right on top of everything Apple - best source of Mac info on the planet.
Hey - I'm not selling computers, so it makes no difference to me what you use. My point was ad agencies, production houses, etc... (the "good jobs") tend to be Mac based. In-house agencies (the not so good jobs) are the ones that tend to be PC based (usually because IT guys don't want to mess with Macs). There are also plenty more Mac-based graphics companies than PC based companies, which means jobs are easier to find on the Mac as well. Maybe it doesn't affect freelancers like us as much as younger people starting their careers - but it does make a difference whether you want to believe it or not.
Creativity level has nothing to do with it.
*shrug*
you asked the question, i answered. i've never had any problem making money on either platform, either freelance or working for a company, in-house or studio. and i've generally made *more* money working in-house than i have in a studio, along with the additional benefits. the work may have had more drudgery to it, but the financial compensation was better. but that's a different answer based on what you consider "good" vs "making more money."
and in the end, you have the best potential for opportunities if you're not tied to either. the software works the same either way. biggest difference is remembering the differences in the keyboard and printing dialogs. being capable on both makes me more marketable.
You're obviously tied to the PC and you're happy, so I'm happy for you. I accept your explanation at face value. My story would be the total opposite - using a PC would have been a career killer, or at the very least - an incredible detriment to getting ahead. Conversely - NOT knowing anything at all about the PC (except that they suck, of course:) has never made a lick of difference in my career one way or the other. So - getting back to the original point - whatever small change I would have "saved" on the front end buying a PC would have been lost (10x over and then some) on the career end. We can agree to disagree (which I think we just did).
So now that we've answered that question, my next question would be... If PCs are so great, why do you guys always feel the need to push them on us Mac users, when we never even think about switching platforms since we're happy as clams with our Macs? Don't you realize PCs are not even on our radars? Or is that why you bring it up all the time - to try and PUT it on our radar? Just wondering...
hrm... i'm not sure where you're getting i'm "tied to the PC" from. i'm completely cross-platform. not tied to either and own both. as i've said several times, i work on both and have had jobs requiring one or the other (or in two of my previous jobs, both, where i've had a mac and PC connected to the same monitor/kbd/mouse by KVM switch).
i'm not actually pushing PCs on anyone. i'm just saying that all the hateraid on *both* sides comes across a little silly on some levels. they're both tools. they can both do the job. whatever makes you happy is probably the best one for you. i just don't see either as "wrong" so much as "different."
I just meant you use PCs as well - no harm no foul. And I'm like you - there is no hatred here. I'm very much a live and let live kind of person. Use whatever makes you happy and keeps you gainfully employed. That's all there is to it in my book.
But I do like to have a little fun with you guys once in awhile. :-)
Once you've had Mac you never go back.
Damn...I'm startin' to spam.
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
if its the mainboard it will cost half the price better yet buy a new one. as a recommendation buy a macpro tower if your using it often. factor is, it will be easy to replace parts even just by yourself (cd rom, hdd, ram) and get an apple care as a full one so that your expenses is covered for the years to come.