MODEL 4 TRS-80 BOUGHT ON EBAY
We have bought many Model 4 computers from eBay sellers over the years, some with good luck in receiving a computer that worked correctly. That is worked well on the ones we purchased up to two years ago.
Recent purchases have cost us $100 and up, and when checked out upon arrival had disk drives that didn't work or keyboards that did not work. Of course all sellers said "that the computer turned on and seemed to be working but they had no way to tell if the computer worked" it would be listed as an "as is" item.
Can't blame some sellers for not knowing about a computer that was manufactured 20 years ago. They just came across the unit and decided that it would fetch a nice price on eBay. Some do. But buyer beware, if it does not work when you receive it you are out the purchase price.
We do repair these computers and make sure that they work before we list them on eBay. And guarantee that they will work when you receive them. And that they will not be damaged in shipping.
Naturally this runs our cost up per unit. The eBay purchase price, plus shipping that seems to be getting more and more costly by the moment. Then add the cost of the repairs.
Repairs today generally mean taking two computers and trying to salvage what working parts there are from both to wind up with one working computer. Most of the problems today are keyboards that don't work, mainly because they have not been used for ages. And original disk drives that don't work and can not be repaired. Requiring that a new disk drive be installed.
After all this prices for rebuilt computers is in the range of $200 to $250. But the work and you won't throw away you money on one that does not.
Computer News 80
Recent purchases have cost us $100 and up, and when checked out upon arrival had disk drives that didn't work or keyboards that did not work. Of course all sellers said "that the computer turned on and seemed to be working but they had no way to tell if the computer worked" it would be listed as an "as is" item.
Can't blame some sellers for not knowing about a computer that was manufactured 20 years ago. They just came across the unit and decided that it would fetch a nice price on eBay. Some do. But buyer beware, if it does not work when you receive it you are out the purchase price.
We do repair these computers and make sure that they work before we list them on eBay. And guarantee that they will work when you receive them. And that they will not be damaged in shipping.
Naturally this runs our cost up per unit. The eBay purchase price, plus shipping that seems to be getting more and more costly by the moment. Then add the cost of the repairs.
Repairs today generally mean taking two computers and trying to salvage what working parts there are from both to wind up with one working computer. Most of the problems today are keyboards that don't work, mainly because they have not been used for ages. And original disk drives that don't work and can not be repaired. Requiring that a new disk drive be installed.
After all this prices for rebuilt computers is in the range of $200 to $250. But the work and you won't throw away you money on one that does not.
Computer News 80