Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
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Ben Myers wrote:
> Right. So any Slot 1 system is useful for spare parts and not much else. A
> Socket 370 slower than 800MHz is not sellable either. Socket 423's, although
> Pentium 4's, I steer away from. I still sell some nice small refurb Compaq
> DeskPro small form factor boxes with Win 2000 stickers for around $100, just to
> get somebody started. $25 to $40 additional for a decent 17" monitor. But I
> don't rely on this stuff to make a living. It's more a matter of seeding
> systems with new or existing clients, who will then outgrow the computers after
> a year to 18 months, and doing the service and upgrade work.
>
> Then you look at today's Dell low-ball "Outrageous Deals" and see a $329
> Dimension 3000 including 17" flat panel LCD monitor, after instant savings and
> mail-in rebate, and it's easy to see that Dell is trying to kill off the market
> for refurb systems. Not sure what they ding people for shipping, but that's a
> terrific system for someone who can do nicely with a low-end system. A 17" LCD
> monitor alone is around $300 retail in the stores. One of my clients bought a
> nice Sony 17" LCD for that sort of money. Distributors nick you for almost as
> much for the same quality of LCD, so there's not much margin in selling LCD
> monitors.
>
> As Mr. Dylan says (not cowboy Matt Dillon), "The times are a'changin..."
>
> ... Ben Myers
>
> On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 10:10:15 -0500, "S.Lewis" <stew1960@mail.com> wrote:
>
>
>><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>>news:42f21bda.6659275@nntp.charter.net...
>>
>>>Exactly! This is why it is very painstaking to refurbish a computer
>>>system. My
>>>business model for reselling a fully warranteed refurb system says that
>>>the sale
>>>price of the computer compensates me for my time, with pennies left over
>>>for the
>>>cost of hardware itself. Depending on what is wrong with a system when I
>>>get
>>>it, I may have to sink a few bucks into replacement parts and I end up
>>>making
>>>maybe $10 an hour. This is rare, and I often simply tear down a system
>>>and sell
>>>the boards for electronic scrap when I know that I cannot sell a system
>>>for more
>>>than $100 including licensed operating system... Ben Myers
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Preach on, Benjamin.
>>
>>I no longer place older Dell beige boxes, preferring instead nowdays to pair
>>folks with mid to upper end used P4s, which can be had at a reasonable
>>price.
>>
>>I can't, in my mind, justify placing even a 1GHz PIII with a licensed OS for
>>$150-200 when I can come close enough to that now on a used P4....
>>
>>And as you said, then there's *my* time spent verifying that the system is
>>worthy of placement at all.
>>
>>
>>Stew
>>
>>
>
>
Well friends this is pretty much a done deal as the kids and their dad
came over and took the unit away. Dad saids he knows someone who can
take care of the problem and how I've been taking too long anyhow. Last
time I do anyone a system's favor.
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