I got lucky?

Twiggy

I paid (before the international shipping) $110 for my packmate III, the mouse and keyboard, the IBM PS/2 VGA monitor, the user manual, and a boxed IBM PC-DOS 3.3 with manual etc.

When I was searching through Kijiji (local Canadian classifieds),

I came across an add for this:



It's a 286 machine, allegedly working. It's the machine only and it seems to be in dirtier and worse shape than the packmate III was, and it alone is $300!.

https://www.kijiji.ca/b-ontario/floppy- ... -2/k0l9004

Is this the price machines like this go for, even in that condition and I got really lucky with what I found, or does this seller not really know that what they have, especially in it's condition is worth much less than they are asking?

BigCJ

No way. Some people ask an outrageous amount of money for something just because it's old. You can ask however much you want, it doesn't mean anyone will pay it. Just me, but I wouldn't pay $300 for an old computer unless it came with the original monitor, keyboard, mouse, an OS's install diskettes and several good software titles. The reasonable limit for an 80286-based system would be between $100-$125. Any higher and you're starting to get gouged.

SomeGuy

Some sellers do put inflated values on things. Often they see something - new in box, certified as having been stored in the back of a cold server room, still bright white, coming from a trusted big seller, genuinely tested, and so on - and they assume their barn find is worth the same amount.

Something like that picture, I would pay perhaps $30-$40, only if it was local and had no shipping cost, and only because I like the Laser brand.

That machine would need major cleaning, retrobrite, it probably has rust inside, and even if it has a hard drive that powers up it probably won't last long.

jamie1130

That's way too much for a 286. I got one for $15 locally a while back, with the monitor, keyboard and a lot of software. People see a computer that's really old and think to themselves that they've got something rare and valuable. Nope. Turns out to be a rusty box with broken computer components inside.So no, you didn't get that lucky.

yourepicfailure

I've seen assortments of computers this age go for a fraction of the price bei der flohmarkt. And in better condition with accessories.
Judging by the condition of it and its surroundings, the innards may not be decent with oxidation and packed dust.

Do Americans and Canadians have random used ware markets in parking lots and town squares? Or is that a European thing.

Bry89

Got to love that shade of yellow... :P Nice find but, though I don't know about vintage hardware all that much. But I think $300 is a bit too steep for that, as what others said.

[Deleted User]

yourepicfailure wrote:

I've seen assortments of computers this age go for a fraction of the price bei der flohmarkt. And in better condition with accessories.
Judging by the condition of it and its surroundings, the innards may not be decent with oxidation and packed dust.

Do Americans and Canadians have random used ware markets in parking lots and town squares? Or is that a European thing.

My town (somewhere on the US East Coast; I'm not going to tell you where exactly I live) has no such thing like that. (And I haven't seen those anywhere in the US I have gone on vacation to.)

altracker9

yourepicfailure wrote:

I've seen assortments of computers this age go for a fraction of the price bei der flohmarkt. And in better condition with accessories.
Judging by the condition of it and its surroundings, the innards may not be decent with oxidation and packed dust.

Do Americans and Canadians have random used ware markets in parking lots and town squares? Or is that a European thing.

Back in the 90s, we used to have computer fairs regularly. They used to held in the fair grounds.
I used to pick up old Motherboards and mice.
Haven't seen one in quite a long time. Probably because of the obsession with i-everything these days.

SomeGuy

random used ware markets in parking lots and town squares?

No way, around here people would be quite afraid of something like that. If it doesn't look officially sanctioned somehow they would assume drugs are involved and the cops would run over everyone with a tank.

That said, people might want to check out the Vintage Computer Festivals. The one around here has had a consignment area where people can buy/sell vintage-ish computer items.