Good price for a used GC2 without dongle?

[longdrivenate]

Hi, I'm in touch with someone who is selling a used GC2 without a dongle. He is asking $3500 for it. Is that a good deal? Also, any suggestions on what to ask before purchasing to make sure I'm not getting screwed somehow? I don't know that much about GC2s and want to make sure I do my diligence before shelling out that much money for a used item.

Thanks for any input.

[andygg1986]

The main things to check are the serial number (as long as it starts with an "A" it will be compatible with Apple products) and the Hardware revision which shows up in the bottom corner of the startup screen (Rev 3 is the latest version). If it has both of those, $3500 is a good price. The only parts that wear out are the flash and battery. I sell replacement flashes for $150 (you can search this forum for "megaflash") and you can get the battery pack rebuilt at batteries plus for around $40. So just be prepared to pay for those at some point down the road.

I would ask to see a video of it working (maybe Facetime or Skype so you can make sure they actually have the unit). And pay through Paypal goods and services to protect both the buyer and seller, or use an escrow service to hold the money until you receive it. If they insist on Venmo, bank wire, or other payment without buyer protection, I would not purchase it. Too many people get scammed that way.

[longdrivenate]

The main things to check are the serial number (as long as it starts with an "A" it will be compatible with Apple products) and the Hardware revision which shows up in the bottom corner of the startup screen (Rev 3 is the latest version). If it has both of those, $3500 is a good price. The only parts that wear out are the flash and battery. I sell replacement flashes for $150 (you can search this forum for "megaflash") and you can get the battery pack rebuilt at batteries plus for around $40. So just be prepared to pay for those at some point down the road.

I would ask to see a video of it working (maybe Facetime or Skype so you can make sure they actually have the unit). And pay through Paypal goods and services to protect both the buyer and seller, or use an escrow service to hold the money until you receive it. If they insist on Venmo, bank wire, or other payment without buyer protection, I would not purchase it. Too many people get scammed that way.

Thanks! That is all super helpful info!

[simmb]

Even an old serial number prior to the A's may be Apple compatible if it's been refurbished by Foresight, so worth checking bluetooth connectivity if you can, even on older models. But basically everything Andy said.