[mattyb]

I'm tempted to get a second hand MacBook but wanted some advice on what I should look out for, test, get the seller to show me before I purchase it.

I'd also like to know how a buyer can verfiy if they can get Apple care for the laptop. The seller can always say that they bought it a year ago, but I'd like to know if there's some sort of official way to verify that I can get the extended Apple Care.

I presume that I need the serial number, but from what I've seen, one shouldn't give out a serial number just like that.

[SpaceMonkey]

If they are trying to unload the computer anyway, I don't know what harm giving out the serial number would do.

Anyway, you are helped here by the timing of your purchase, assuming you obtain one in the next month or so. Since Applecare can only be bought in the first year of ownership, your options will be limited to the "Penryn" model (released February 2008*) or later. So if it's not 2.1 or 2.4 GHz, it's probably too old for Applecare (with the exception of the new 2.0 GHz aluminum unibody version).

It's possible that someone might have bought an earlier model MacBook in January/early February that would still be eligible for Applecare. Then I guess you would need the serial number or to just trust the seller.

*U.S. release date. No idea if it was different in Europe.

[mattyb]

Cheers SpaceMonkey, yeah release dates should be the same.

[The Godfather]

Macs lose a fraction of their resale value with every Macworld. Better for you if you wait and let the laptop depreciate while owned by someone else. Use your judgement on how much to lowball him/her after MW.

[mattyb]

I checked ebay in France and a few other sites for second hand MacBooks. Basically people are taking the piss. For 900€ I can get a brand new MacBook with Apple Care for a year.

Most of the people selling MacBooks seem to think that they can ask for 900€ for theirs. Amazing. It doesn't matter if its the first gen C2Duo with a poxy 60G hard drive, the plonker wants 900€. Some idiot spilled 'punch' onto the MacBook, its discoloured the screen and he still wants 400€. The thing is over two years old as well.

Theres the odd dodgy quote as well, 1000€ for a 15" MBPro that is under a year old. Too hot for me.

[seanc]

The 2nd MacBook in my sig still has some Apple Care on it, ~20 days I think. Nothing wrong with it except a small split in the palm rest - common with MacBooks and Apple should replace it for free warranty or no warranty.
I keep meaning to sell it since I'm not using it. Interested?

[amazing]

The main thing with a used laptop is that you're better off if it comes with Applecare. Laptops are like sports cars, some will have been used very hard, others will have been used very lovingly and possibly hardly used at all. Unless you know the seller and can get reliable and honest reports, you need Applecare.

If you can get a serial number, here's the website you can use to find out if it's still under applecare:

https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

With the Euro being so great right now, many people are finding discounted flights to NYC and picking up laptops and blue jeans or other luxury items, discarding the packaging, etc. Whether all these items are declared to customs as they return home, that's an excellent question. There's a long and honorable tradition of cheating the taxman in France!

What's the refurbished pricing like in France? At least you'd have a one-year applecare, with the option within that year of buying the additional 2 years...You'd also have a new battery, new system software, and a new power supply.

Main things to check on a used laptop:

--visual inspection. If it looks like it's been thru the crusher, that's a good reason to stop then and there.

--make sure all the keys on the keyboard work. Are the keys sticky? Could someone have spilled a soft drink on it? Bring headphones and a CD and check the audio. Try to burn a DVD.

--download and put on a flash thumbdrive things like CoconutBattery to get the stats on the battery (which will also give the age of the laptop and the number of battery load-cycles. You can use the flash drive to make sure all the USB ports are working.

--does the HD sound like it's got bearings loose, grinding, etc?

--and is the wireless card still in it?

[mattyb]

seanc, how much? Need to get it shipped to Toulouse in France as well.

amazing, I've been looking at the Marketplace forum and saw some very interesting prices (interesting for me as a Euro earner). If however the MacBook doesn't have Apple Care then I'm not interested. AFAIK one cannot get the extended Apple Care once the one year has run out - correct me if I'm wrong.

Refurbs prices are high. Not that I'd buy just before Macworld, but I rarely see a MacBook on the refurb site. The second hand market isn't much cheaper.

[Spheric Harlot]

If you get anything shipped from outside the Euro-space, make sure to figure import duties and sales tax, as those WILL be charged when you pick up your package from the customs office.

You can try and smuggle stuff when you travel, but getting stuff through the mail is a surefire way to get nailed (at least here in Hamburg).

If you can't produce correspondence or a bill, they'll actually scour the web for similar offers (while you wait at the counter) and figure an average for you.

[mattyb]

Right, hopefully seanc is making his way to an airport right now to deliver by hand my first ever MacBook.

Cheers for the advice guys.