On 23 Jan 2007 10:34:13 -0500, adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) wrote:

>
>A major store here in NYC always has refurb IBM laptops that seem like
>a pretty good deal. I'd like other opinions.
>
>Yesterday they had a T30/256MB/40GB with XP/Pro (if it had WiFi, I
>couldn't tell by looking) for $400. It looked clean.
>
>90 day parts-only warrenty. two years full warranty for an extra $100
>with a third party.
>
>That machine is a **** sight better than the 1GHz Compaq laptop I use
>now. I'd stuff more memory in that machine.
>
>The store is J&R Music World which has a compter store as big as any
>CompUSA or Best Buy and predictabbly has very competative prices.
>
>http://www.jr.com/
>
>
>I have no connection to J&R other than having been a happy customer
>for decades.
>
>The only think that worries me is that the sales guy I talked to said
>that the store's usual 7 day no questions return policy didn't apply.
>I have a fealing that I could get a second opinion on that if I pushed
>them.

I owned a T30 that had a problem (common to many of that model,
apparently) with the power circuitry on the main board.... It would no
longer operate off the AC lines... wouldn't charge the battery nor
allow AC operation. I used it for several months by buying an external
(IBM) battery charger and a couple of extra batteries (it also had the
ability to remove the CD drive and insert a special battery there).

It was a wonderful machine and I hated to give it up.... but I
eventually sold it to a college student for $400.... I'd paid almost
that much for the extra batteries and charger to keep it running, but
it just got to be too much of a hassle. Repairs were estimated to be
over $1000... it required a new main board.

If the one you found doesn't now have a problem, it probably will
eventually, so definitely go with the 2 year full warranty if you
decide to get the computer.

Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/