Should I trade or not? Need your input!

[green2]

Hello everyone! I need your input on a trade that will happen 4 days from now. I got a great deal on a thinkpad600e loaded (except dvd drive) for only $230 2 months ago. Now, I don't use the laptop a lot but I did promise my dad that he will get a used laptop when I go home in January. Now the dilemma, there is this person that wants to trade his Ericsson T68i and Nokia 8390 phones for the laptop. Both are unlocked and are pretty hot phones. Going price-wise the T68i cost around $290 in ebay and the nokia is $180... Hmmm.. Looks too good to pass up. But then again I don't need 2 phones and I will have to get another laptop later... I'm getting a headache...

 

[hbuddy1]

I'ts a pretty easy decision if you don't need the phones.

 

[LarryXtreme]

What does "unlocked" mean?

 

[mastertech01]

and are pretty hot phones

Thats the part that would bother me... Id keep the laptop and give it to Dad.

 

[BIGGDOG]

Here Here!

If a deal is to good to be true it usually is.

I would stay away if it were me....!!!!

 

[green2]

Thanks guys... I need to sleep on it a while. I love my laptop! Never had any problems with it and it really runs XP good. But I was thinking that it's price will depreciate a lot by Jan and I could buy another one for him (if I can find a good deal)... By the way do you think I got a good price on it. 225?

Specs:
PII-366
160 MB RAM
8 gig
Basically complete but instead of DVD I just got a CDrom

As for needing the phones... Well I have been dying to get the T68i for like months now. The Nokia one I really don't need nor want... You know how it is with new toys... First week you're really hooked after that well...

As for the credibility of the trader, we will meet to exchange.. So I don't think I'll get ripped off...

BTW: Unlocked means the phone can be used on any GSM carrier. If you get a phone with a contract it will come almost certainly locked and if you decide to leave your service provider you can't use it for anything else. But all phones can be unlocked for a fee like $30-40.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: mastertech01

and are pretty hot phones

Thats the part that would bother me... Id keep the laptop and give it to Dad.

i agree... especially since u do not need the phones. also... even if u got those phones and ebay'ed them... would you be able to replace the laptop with the money you got? in the end, it seems like too much hassle... that's why i'd just give the laptop to pops.

 

[BIGGDOG]

I definatly agree. But if you MUST do this you need to make sure this person is a highly reputable trader at AT.

Which may be questionable.

 

[green2]

Yeah the hassle is what I was thinking off too. Getting rid of the nokia will be hard even with my Ipaq 3650 in package for trade with a laptop... Been testing if it will get good trades but I never got an offer too. Too bad... The good news though is I have a back-up plan... Hehehe!

By the way, when I said hot phones, I meant popular and in demand... Why would hot phones bother any buyer? Please clarify. Thanks.

 

[CrazySaint]

Originally posted by: green2
Yeah the hassle is what I was thinking off too. Getting rid of the nokia will be hard even with my Ipaq 3650 in package for trade with a laptop... Been testing if it will get good trades but I never got an offer too. Too bad... The good news though is I have a back-up plan... Hehehe!

By the way, when I said hot phones, I meant popular and in demand... Why would hot phones bother any buyer? Please clarify. Thanks.

I'm guessing they may have been referring to the popular slang meaning of "hot", which is often used to refer to stolen items, which is why they recommend you verify the integrity of the trader.

 

[mastertech01]

Originally posted by: green2
Yeah the hassle is what I was thinking off too. Getting rid of the nokia will be hard even with my Ipaq 3650 in package for trade with a laptop... Been testing if it will get good trades but I never got an offer too. Too bad... The good news though is I have a back-up plan... Hehehe!

By the way, when I said hot phones, I meant popular and in demand... Why would hot phones bother any buyer? Please clarify. Thanks.

Meaning they may be stolen merchandise. You may get a great deal on them, but will you get another great deal on a laptop? Will there be a chance you wont be able to aquire the laptop if you trade, that you promised Dad? Life is full of opportunity, but we often fail to take advantage of putting a smile on Dad's face. Phones come and go, always something new, just like computers. Will you be terribly disappointed to settle for a lesser phone you can afford?

Edit... If you were my son I would forgive and love you whether you gave the gift or not. But being an older man I can think of many times I could have done something to please my father, but instead took risks and often failed. I can tell you I would trade all my worldly goods to make just one great day for him in retrospect. Life is a short trip.

 

[green2]

Meaning they may be stolen merchandise. You may get a great deal on them, but will you get another great deal on a laptop? Will there be a chance you wont be able to aquire the laptop if you trade, that you promised Dad? Life is full of opportunity, but we often fail to take advantage of putting a smile on Dad's face. Phones come and go, always something new, just like computers. Will you be terribly disappointed to settle for a lesser phone you can afford?

Well I'm glad even you think I got a good deal on this laptop. As for my dad, he WILL get his laptop as I promised. As for the phone, yeah I could get pretty disappointed coz I'm kind of a phone freak... But what was bothering me the most was that it might be easier to get a good deal on a phone than on a laptop. I've noticed that people don't want to part with their laptops for phones nor for mid-range ppc's. OK... I'm kinda glad I still have 4 days.. As each day passes I see a little clearer...

 

[BIGGDOG]

Well put Mastertech01