What it is: Used Macintosh dealers provide a trusted place where you can buy used Macintosh computers under limited warranty.
Macintosh computers tend to hold their value better than ordinary PCs. That’s why many people sell their used Macintoshes so they can use the money to buy a newer model.
If you’re willing to do a little research and don’t mind getting a slightly older Macintosh, buying a used Macintosh can save you money. Just like buying a used car, buying a used computer means taking the time to understand exactly what you’re getting for the price.
A used Macintosh may work just fine, but it will go out of date faster than a newer computer, which means you may not be able to upgrade it to the latest version of OS X. If you are able to upgrade it to the latest version of OS X, it may not be able to accept next year’s version of OS X.
Just be careful when buying a used Macintosh. If you’re wary of buying a used Macintosh from eBay or Craigslist (be careful about buying stolen merchandise), you might feel more comfortable buying a used Macintosh from one of two reputable dealers.
PowerMax (www.powermax.com) sells both new and used Macintosh computers as shown in Figure 28-4. When you buy a used Macintosh from PowerMax, they’ll give you a 120-day warranty so you can be sure it will work correctly. If you’re in the market for a new Macintosh, you can trade in your old one to PowerMax so you don’t have to sell it yourself.
Another retailer of used Macintosh computers is Mac Of All Trades (www.macofalltrades.com). Like PowerMax, Mac Of All Trades sells used computers with a warranty so you can be sure your used Macintosh will work correctly. By buying a used Macintosh (or trading in your old Macintosh) through reputable used computer dealers, you can buy a used Macintosh without worrying about getting cheated.
Just compare prices of used computers carefully because many times you can buy refurbished computers (which are practically new) for slightly more than an older, used computer.
To learn more about buying a used Macintosh, click here.