My 27" 2009 iMac has a video card on the fritz and the LCD needs to be replaced. Total cost: $751.00.
A new Mac, similarly equipped, costs a little more than $2000. What would savvy apple users do in this instance. I wait for your opinions.....
iMac (27-inch Late 2009), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
New iMac.
New iMac.
New iMac. Those repairs are impossible to justify.
The call is yours but my vote is a new Mac. You can buy a refurbished iMac from Apple, these have no downside. They are identical to new, have the same warranty as new, are eligible for AppleCare and can save hundreds! If you are in the USA, click
http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals
If you don't find one you like, check frequently because they are constantly updating the site. If you see one you want, don't wait, pull the trigger for the same reason.
Go with a refurbed one from Apple, if you find one that meets your requirements.
27" i7 iMac (Mid 2011) refurb, OS X Yo (10.10.4), Mavs, ML & SL, G4 450 MP w/10.5 & 9.2.2
Buy a new iMac or refurbished iMac from Apple.
Also, for the price of the repair, you can find a later
model used one. Of course, you should only consider if
you can personally inspect/test/use the item that interests
you. Buying one sight unseen from Ebay or similar is a very
chancy proposition.
Personally, if the budget can handle it, get a brand new one.
New Mac, and don't forget, sell old one on eBay to recuperate some of your money. Explain in ad what is wrong with it!
Thanks for the advice. Is there really a market on eBay for 6 year old iMacs that need a new video card and a new LCD?!! Also noticed that the refurnished units from apple are only a few hundred bucks less than new ones. Most start at 1600 to 1700 bucks. New ones seem to be 2100 to 2200
JJGordon1953 wrote:
Thanks for the advice. Is there really a market on eBay for 6 year old iMacs that need a new video card and a new LCD?!! Also noticed that the refurnished units from apple are only a few hundred bucks less than new ones. Most start at 1600 to 1700 bucks. New ones seem to be 2100 to 2200
That's right, you save several hundred dollars by choosing a refurbished unit.
Advertise it for spares
When my 2007 Macbook died with a failed logic board, I took it apart using the illustrated guide at ifixit.com and sold the parts on ebay. I made enough that I was able to buy an absolutely pristine 2009 Macbook that we're still using. Yes there is a market.
If an Apple Imac is 6 years old and the repair of a video card and the LCD is going to cost 1/3 as much as a new computer, what's the call?
