SOLD PLEASE LOCK THE THREAD

[ajkula66]

Up for grabs, a nice T42 (2373-4TU)...no major wear in any spots, very slight keyboard/lid wear, a 9.5 out of 10 overall condition.

Product: ThinkPad T42 2373-4TU [change]


Operating system: All [change]

Original description: P M 735, 512MB RAM, 40GB 5400rpm HDD, 14.1 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, 32MB ATI Radeon 7500, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD, Wireless upgradeable(MPCI), Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, 6 cell Li-Ion battery, WinXP Pro


This one comes with 1Gb RAM (2x512Mb), and original ThinkPad leather laptop case.

Covered under IBM warranty until 05/18/2008

Asking $460 firm plus reasonable shipping depending on where you are. I ship worldwide and accept most payment methods.

Feel free to PM me for high-resolution pictures, or with any questions or concerns that you might have.

[minc3d]

I sold a T40p with better specs for $420 a few months back, I think your price is a bit lofty on this unit. I had a 1GB RAM, 9 cell, XP Pro, and SXGA screen.

$400-420 for this unit is more reasonable.

[ajkula66]

Well...was any warranty left on your T40P? Fine, you had a SXGA+ (obviously) screen, but the processor was definitely inferior..You had a better video card and a 9-cell, but I'm throwing in a case that retails for $99.99...and we both have 1Gb and XP in common....so to each his/hers own..

Regular T40s are still getting $350. T41s vary anywhere from $350 to $450. And a T42 with an extra chip of memory, original leather case and 10 months warranty left (and still extendable) should be pretty close to what I'm asking...

BTW, a T40P sold on eBay a few days ago for $500, so IMHO you could've done better with yours...

And, finally...how many laptops have you sold on this forum? Oh...that's right-I've sold more ThinkPads here in the last month than the number of the posts you have altogether...

Thanks for lowballing the machine, I always appreciate a post or two of that nature and then laugh heartily once the unit gets sold...

[underclocker]

$400-420 for this unit is more reasonable.

I'd say that 10 more months of warranty alone is worth $100, so I think the OP's price isn't that unreasonable. No warranty and no case, and then the this range may be correct.

Don't forget, there are occasional great deals for those that spend time scouring eBay. But a nice unit with a warranty and fair price from a seller with a good reputation shouldn't be knocked.

Best of luck with the sale.

[syedj]

I sold a T40p with better specs for $420 a few months back, I think your price is a bit lofty on this unit. I had a 1GB RAM, 9 cell, XP Pro, and SXGA screen.

$400-420 for this unit is more reasonable.

minc3d, I am not sure where you are coming from. Take a look at the following thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=44986

All three systems were somewhat close in specs with this one and were sold at the asking price - except for C, for which I also got asking price for the stripped out version. Granted all these machines (including the one above) would have brought a few dollars more on eBay but most of us just would rather not deal with scammers on eBay and having to answer/delete spam messages originating from China, not to mention deadbeat bidders.

Any seller can start from whichever price they chose, its what people are willing to pay and are paying that defines the bottom line. If your T40p didn't fetch what it should have please refrain from spoiling it for others.

George good luck with your sale.

[pianowizard]

I sold a T40p with better specs for $420 a few months back

You could have sold it on Craigslist for more than that had you waited a little longer, especially since you live in such a big city.

[Brad]

Good luck George.

Shouldn't last the weekend.

Brad

[scosgt1]

It is a fair price for a retail buyer, I would pay around $400 for that machine, then re-sell it locally for maybe $525

[Brad]

Don't give away your secrets Bruce!

Brad

[SaberX]

George (ajkula66) realy knoews his stuff when it comes to a value of a thinkpad.
And to deal with such an stand up , honest person as George is worth a few extra bux.You know your going to get a good system at a fair price with good shipping and packed good.Just dealing with a trustwearthy person like this is worth something.

Bill

[scosgt1]

Don't give away your secrets Bruce!

Brad

Hey, you are near me, buy something!

[minc3d]

My processor was by no means inferior (Pentium M 730?) and had a year left on warranty too.

I also included three AC adapters with the unit and a port replicator.

Sorry that I dont have years of experience here on TPAD forums as Ive been an ebay guy and seller on Hardforum.com as well.

Wasn't trying to demean your system - was merely telling you my opinion for what I got on a little better system IMO.

Leave it be, I guess.

[minc3d]

$300 for a T42 with almost eye-for-eye specs. Minus warranty that you have.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-THINKPAD-T42-PE ... dZViewItem

Just posting some backup for my initial instinct. Oh, and he doesnt have a bag.

[pianowizard]

$300 for a T42 with almost eye-for-eye specs. Minus warranty that you have.

Are you saying that sellers on this forum should try to match the lowest prices on eBay? It's the average prices that we should compare with, not the rock bottom prices. I bet that $300 BIN T42 was available for only a minute or two before somebody snatched it.

[minc3d]

By no means is that what Im saying. I was merely backing up the quote i put on laptop. If you can make more, so be it, capitalism at its finest.

But I posted a price, and was attacked by the seller, so I had to justify myself. Im open to see what others think this laptop is worth.

I know this forum has more educated buyers in it so they have a better idea of what something should go for. You can find laptops all over the board on ebay too.

[pianowizard]

But I posted a price, and was attacked by the seller

I think ajkula66's response was quite reasonable, considering that you were crapping his for-sale thread.

[scosgt1]

That Ebay auction was a home run for somebody. I would have bought that in a heartbeat.

But the price he posted was OK. Your sale was priced too low, although with no warranty I would not have paid $400. My bottom limit for an out of warranty purchase is $300, not a penny more. No matter what the machine, because I may have to eat it, and that is my risk level.

[pianowizard]

My bottom limit for an out of warranty purchase is $300, not a penny more.

That's because you want to resell it and make a profit. People buying laptops for themselves are willing to pay a lot more.

[scosgt1]

that's not the point. If a unit has a bad system board or LCD, that is a major expense, even if I can find the part and fixc it myself. For the retail buyer, it is the kiss of death. If a high end machine is out of warranty but eligable for the $178 extension, it may be worthwhile, more so for the retail buyer than myself. But I learned long ago to only buy with warranty, unless the price can be recovered by selling off the parts. THAT should be the rule for everyone. Not that you can't buy a no warranty unit, but that the price has to be no more than the sum of the parts. That way you don't get stuck.

[KristianJ]

I sold a T40p with better specs for $420 a few months back, I think your price is a bit lofty on this unit. I had a 1GB RAM, 9 cell, XP Pro, and SXGA screen.

$400-420 for this unit is more reasonable.

If you want to question prices, do it via PM. It's far more respectful and as you can see, if it happens the thread shoots off on a tangent as people try and justify prices. eBay is by no means a reliable indicator of market values since each seller has different motives for selling, and if for whatever reason they need to get rid of a machine quickly they'll set the BIN low.

My rule here is if the price is too high, ignore it and let the marketplace decide whether it is or not.

That said, good luck with the sale George. Nearly 10 months warranty is probably the strongest selling point of the machine.

[ajkula66]

minc3d wrote

But I posted a price, and was attacked by the seller, so I had to justify myself.

I don't see that I've attacked you in any conceivable way. Apart from my presence here I've been an eBay seller for years (450+ feedback, 99.2 positive, mostly based on ThinkPad-related items) and will remind you that eBay is, and has always been, a gamble. This forum is not supposed to be that way, although a less-than-perfect transaction does occur here and there.

It is not my fault that you've decided to give your T40P away. Frankly, I have no intention of competing with you-or anyone else-in giving the stuff away. Gifts are intended for family and friends, not for someone whom you've never met before. And a piece of friendly advice: next time you sell something about 20-25% under its fair market value, you may want to keep it to yourself.

People who have bought laptops from me on this forum-be it in $200 or $800 range have spoken for themselves in the positive feedback forum thread. And I value that more than hundreds of positive eBay feedbacks I've accumulated over the years. There is no cheating here-you can only do it once, and then you're history.

All of that said, there is a reason-and most people around here seem to understand it-that I price my stuff the way I do. I have no intention of competing with someone on eBay whose laptop may look similar to mine by specs, that would be a losing battle. Here, on forum, you have to stand behind your stuff. On eBay, you don't. Period.

The biggest similarity, however, between eBay and this forum is the fact that no one forces you to buy anything. I haven't pointed a .45 at you and told you that you had to dish out $500 for this T42...yet one could get that impression from reading your posts without previously reading mine.

The need to be always right reflects immaturity. The very idea of being a responsible forum member excludes it.

All the best.

[scosgt1]

Someone posted a T41 recently on the ThinkPads mailing list for $800. And then someone else posted; "Wow, great price. If you were local I would buy it myself".

So I just had to say, the SECOND poster was drinking Kool Aid! The guy can ask anything he wants for his machine, but when someone says that DOUBLE the market price is super, I just have to chime in.

In the current situation, the asking price was reasonable and in line with current prices. Ebay does in fact make the market and set the prices, becase things will generally sell on Ebay for whatever the market will bear. Of course, you have to throw out the LOW and HIGH prices and use the middle, because there is always someone dumping something to raise cash to pay the rent, and there is always some nut that seems willing to pay $1000 for a T23 (and of course that one usually results in a non-paying bidder). So somewhere in the middle is about right.

Georges price was fair and proper, at $425 it would sell in an instant, at $700 it would never sell, $500 is just about right there.

[minc3d]

George thanks for the response. But when you said:

Here, on forum, you have to stand behind your stuff. On eBay, you don't. Period.

I think both need just as much solid reputation and goodwill. To say such a thing is to say that ebay is made up of fly by night sellers.

Good luck with the sale.

[ajkula66]

Well, that's pretty much the way I feel about most-although not all-eBay sellers....I've been burned one too many times, both as a buyer and a seller. But this forum shouldn't be used for my personal horror stories...

All the best.

[gator]

George is a very honest person and hsi prices are ALWAYS fair. He stands by his words and any machine coming from his stable will be exactly as he describes it. If there is anyone who can say "I stand by the machines I sell", George is the best example.

Please do not compare this forum and ebay ... it is not a fair comparison by ANY standards.

[ajkula66]

Price reduced to $460 from $500 and original post updated to show that fact.

If I can't get this much, my wife will be happy to keep it.

As always. PM with any questions.

[SkiBunny]

How hard (and how much) would it be for a non-technician to install thinkpad (atheros) 802.11abg into this machine?

[ajkula66]

If you have the original card that won't require a BIOS hack, all you have to do is lift the palmrest (once you've removed battery, keyboard and drives) and slip it under the touchpad. Instructions, in PDF format, are readily available from IBM/Lenovo website. My opinion, 15-20 mins if you've never done it before, and have the guide open in front of you on another machine...

If you still don't feel comfortable doing this, I can throw in an Intel 2200BG card for additional $25.

Let me know.

[brainpicker]

Maybe this is out of place but I had to rant.

For some reason I decided to read all of this thread and many others, and it seems to be the same sad story played over and over and over whether buying or selling any item these days. There are people who are smart, and people who think they are smart. I'm not making judgement on specific forum members, but think about this when buying or selling, reading posts, or posting yourself. I am in support of the seller here as I have had fair trading with him and when I read his sales threads his pricing always seems fair to me, someone who trades a LOT.

Smart people know that value is in the eye of the beholder, as many factors determine a fair price. People who think they are smart only look at the price vs. what others have paid for what they believe to be a similar item.

People who are smart know that the quality of the seller is often one of the most important aspects of the purchase and thus adds value, whereas people who think they are smart discount this heavily. Whether you are a buyer or a seller a smooth transaction has enormous value that only smart people realize.

People who are smart know that a delivered price is a true price. People who think they are smart are busy telling fair sellers how the item price is too high compared with deceptive sellers (and their outrageous delivery charges).

People who are smart know that 500-watts doesn't make an amplifier better, a speaker is not just a speaker, RAM is not all the same, etc. People who think they are smart think most everything is a commodity these days. Quality parts, quality build, reputation and track record mean little to nothing to these people.

People who are smart treat rebates like playing the lottery (if you really DO receive it in a reasonible time with little effort then yippee!). People who think they are smart treat rebates like they are an important part of their long-term retirement saving plan!

People who are smart see a fair deal quickly and spend their time USING the item purchased. They know time is money. People who think they are smart have no comprehension of this. They will search and search, hour after hour, to find something, anything, "cheaper". They have to brag about getting a better deal! It's their thing and their way. They don't realize that if they value their free time at only $10 an hour spending an extra 10-hours looking for that "deal" costs them $100 plus time they could have had using the item (assuming they find it in only 10-hours). I can't value another's free time, but I can say that most people undervalue their own!

People who are smart know that there are "blips" in any market, sales that go off at prices much higher or lower than others in the whole of the market, and while they pay attention to these blips they give them proper weight when determining value. People who think they are smart live by these blips and feel if they don't buy (or sell) at these prices they feel they are truly being cheated. These people will wait so long to be able to get the same "deal" that someone else bragged about receiving (whether true or not) that they may never buy (or sell). They are paralyzed by constantly comparing market price to these unusual sales and can't act. If they can't get that price or better then [censored] it they are not going to buy (or sell)!

People who are smart all but ignore the advertised price for an item that is not in stock (or is seldom so), and they ignore retailers who regularly live by the practice of claiming the "best price" by selling a couple of items before stock mysteriously dries up (but the advertised price stays). People who think they are smart will always use these artificial prices to tell legit sellers how high their prices are. People who think they are smart all but worship sellers who offer low prices with little or no stock, while complaining how legit retailers are cheating their customers.

People who are smart know that ANY difference in the sale of two seemingly similar items can be important, to them or someone else. A minor issue to one buyer can be a big issue to another, therefore no two sales are really the same unless all details match. They are good people to buy from or sell to. People who think they are smart also know that differences have value, but they drastically overvalue differences when they sell and heavily undervalue them when they buy. Their items are priceless (and seemingly never depreciate!), while other seller's items are highly inferior. And while they want all the extras and goodies top line items include, they never want to pay for them so they will do their best to tell a seller how little value they add. These people are like ticks and whether you buy from them or sell to them you will be lucky to end the transaction without an issue (blackmail and fraud are serious issues that are far more common in transaction with these people in my experience). It's truly buyer (or seller) beware, and my level of desperation (and medication!) determines if I pick one of these folks as a trading partner.

These are just a few examples I felt I had to state. I'm sure there are more (and possibly better ones). I frequently buy and sell all over and these observations were formed after much experience.

I apologize to the OP, but he at least got a free bump out of this! I also consider him a smart person !

- Yak

[scosgt1]

[People who are smart all but ignore the advertised price for an item that is not in stock (or is seldom so), and they ignore retailers who regularly live by the practice of claiming the "best price" by selling a couple of items before stock mysteriously dries up (but the advertised price stays). People who think they are smart will always use these artificial prices to tell legit sellers how high their prices are. People who think they are smart all but worship sellers who offer low prices with little or no stock, while complaining how legit retailers are cheating their customers]

We just had another whole thread about this issue. Were you when we needed you?