Workgroup Server 8150 Pricing

[lokster123]

Hi everyone. I have a Workgroup Server 8150 that I am looking to sell. It is in nice shape, has all the front bezels (the 8000/9000 series towers typically have damaged plastic or missing the CD bezel at minimum since the plastics have gotten especially brittle on these), the optical and floppy drives work, it runs fine, etc. I saw that a 9150 sold on eBay a few months ago at auction for $4,822.17 + shipping (not asking price; sold. Crazy times right now...). I also understand that an 8150 and 9150 are not the same, but that's the only point of reference that I am really finding for past solds.

Can I get some input on pricing? I have someone that is interested, and I am trying to figure out a number that would be fair for both of us. I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

 

[ArmorAlley]

I can only slightly help you with a possible valuation.
A PM 8550/200, the succeeding model, went in auction in Switzerland for the equivalent of USD90.
Make of that what you will.
The link to the auction is here: https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/mac-powerpc-wgs-8550-200-1196252772/

Bear in mind that shipping this machine without breaking any of the fragile plastics will be very difficult. It will really need to be a collection only unless you want a disappointed seller or unless you are a master packer.

 

[joshc]

The 9150 is not a good reference point because that machine belongs in a class of its own, hence why the one you found sold for so much.

As I understand it, the 8150 is the server/workgroup variant of the 8100. 8100s are not worth much at all, granted your example looks lovely and is going to be a little more scarce than the ordinary 8100.

The price is also going to depend on how badly the person you're selling to wants it, if you have an idea of that you may be able to get slightly higher.

Someone is asking $800 for a Workgroup Server 60 (the workgroup variant of the 6100) which seems too high to me. so maybe go halfway, $400?

 

[lokster123]

I can only slightly help you with a possible valuation.
A PM 8550/200, the succeeding model, went in auction in Switzerland for the equivalent of USD90.
Make of that what you will.
The link to the auction is here: https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/mac-powerpc-wgs-8550-200-1196252772/

Bear in mind that shipping this machine without breaking any of the fragile plastics will be very difficult. It will really need to be a collection only unless you want a disappointed seller or unless you are a master packer.

The $90 WGS 8550's front bezels are mismatched and the CD or floppy bezel seems to have been glued in with epoxy of some sort (look between the two bezels). It's another reference point at least. And yes, this will be a local pickup, as I am not a master packer haha. Thanks for the info!

 

[cheesestraws]

Another data point for you, though I know little about WGS pricing:

A rather bad condition WGS8250 has been sitting on UK ebay for 80 quid starting bid for ages with nobody biting at all. Much worse condition than yours, but does underline the idea that the PowerPC WGS variants (aside from the 9150, which is a special case) don't seem to be worth that much more than the PowerMac models that they derive from, despite sellers with optimistic BIN prices.

 

[lokster123]

The 9150 is not a good reference point because that machine belongs in a class of its own, hence why the one you found sold for so much.

As I understand it, the 8150 is the server/workgroup variant of the 8100. 8100s are not worth much at all, granted your example looks lovely and is going to be a little more scarce than the ordinary 8100.

The price is also going to depend on how badly the person you're selling to wants it, if you have an idea of that you may be able to get slightly higher.

Someone is asking $800 for a Workgroup Server 60 (the workgroup variant of the 6100) which seems too high to me. so maybe go halfway, $400?

Thanks for the info! Appreciate it. Yes that’s true about there not being a Power Mac 9100. I usually think about the 8500 and 9500 models when comparing the 8 and 9 series since the 8100 and 8500 share the same chassis design.

Thanks for the info about the Workgroup Server 60 as well! That's the asking price so yes I will be taking that with a grain of salt of course.

 

[lokster123]

Another data point for you, though I know little about WGS pricing:

A rather bad condition WGS8250 has been sitting on UK ebay for 80 quid starting bid for ages with nobody biting at all. Much worse condition than yours, but does underline the idea that the PowerPC WGS variants (aside from the 9150, which is a special case) don't seem to be worth that much more than the PowerMac models that they derive from, despite sellers with optimistic BIN prices.

Thanks for the data point! If it has broken bits, it becomes much less desirable as the whole, which could be that 8250's main issue.

 

[Unknown_K]

You are missing the power button in front, plastics broken off and lost?

The only WGS worth much are the WGS95 and WGS 9150. The 95 because of the rare PDS card and optional 5 drive tray, and the 9150 because it is a 950 cased rarity. Every other system is just a rebadged unit with a DAT drive/bezel which you can get aftermarket.

 

[lokster123]

You are missing the power button in front, plastics broken off and lost?

The only WGS worth much are the WGS95 and WGS 9150. The 95 because of the rare PDS card and optional 5 drive tray, and the 9150 because it is a 950 cased rarity. Every other system is just a rebadged unit with a DAT drive/bezel which you can get aftermarket.

The power button is actually on the back. I think that pair of buttons are probably the programmer's and reset buttons/switches. I figured that was part of the design to make those more difficult to access since it is a server, as you can get to them with a screwdriver. There was no trace of the buttons inside, so it may have been removed at one point to prevent the server from getting reset on accident or something.

And yes, the 9150 is in a Quadra 900/950 case. Definitely a funky one.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Unknown_K]

Reset/Interrupt buttons:

https://wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=Power_Macintosh_8100&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop

The 9150 is the only PPC systems with 4 Nubus slots (custom board).

 

[lokster123]

Reset/Interrupt buttons:

https://wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=Power_Macintosh_8100&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop

The 9150 is the only PPC systems with 4 Nubus slots (custom board).

Nice! Yeah Interrupt button = Programmer's button.

Oh ok interesting.

 

[macuserman]

I’ll say this about it and leave it at this. There seems to be two types of collector the ones who are more on the practical side and will hack and flash and make observations like the ones made above here that performance wise the machines are identical. Then there are the whale collectors that have deep pockets and pay crazy amounts for things. The two groups tend to be in disbelief of the others existence, and you get very different answers on value from the two groups.

 

[macuserman]

For whatever it’s worth.

 

[cheesestraws]

There seems to be two types of collector the ones who are more on the practical side and will hack and flash and make observations like the ones made above here that performance wise the machines are identical

This feels a trifle condescending perhaps, or at least carries a—perhaps unintentional—assertion that you are the only person in this thread who understands how the world works?

OP asked for a fair price. If you wait long enough on ebay and talk enough rubbish, you can convince anyone to buy anything for any price. This is the entire mechanism of cons. And if it was about 'how do I maximise the value of this', then the way to do it is to court the horrible techbros with deep pockets and nasty nostalgia. But that isn't the question that was asked.

This kind of thing is why threads about prices are a bad idea.

 

[macuserman]

This feels a trifle condescending perhaps, or at least carries a—perhaps unintentional—assertion that you are the only person in this thread who understands how the world works?

OP asked for a fair price. If you wait long enough on ebay and talk enough rubbish, you can convince anyone to buy anything for any price. This is the entire mechanism of cons. And if it was about 'how do I maximise the value of this', then the way to do it is to court the horrible techbros with deep pockets and nasty nostalgia. But that isn't the question that was asked.

This kind of thing is why threads about prices are a bad idea.

Sorry if it came across that way, I didn't mean it in a bad way at all. Pricing is very subjective and not a super useful question to ask I agree on that, but people asking about a price are usually looking to maximize what they get for it. In any case I tend to fall into the resourceful former group myself, but I'm fully aware that people who are not me are more than willing to pay a lot more than I am for things. I am sorry if I've offended anyone with my response. Just wanted the OP to be aware that if he did intend to ask more he likely could and would get it from the right folks. For me that's a $200 machine and I would be happy to have it at that price. I say that as an owner of one already myself.

 

[cheesestraws]

Sorry if it came across that way, I didn't mean it in a bad way at all.

It's also fairly likely I'm just grumpy and tired and prone to misreading mood in bad directions. Sorry about that.

For me that's a $200 machine and I would be happy to have it at that price.

That probably sounds about right to me too, but that's a wild guess as I have little data.

 

[Cory5412]

Take a quick look at terapeak. The most recent sales for these things were $200 and $334. (Ignore the $1600 listing on worthpoint, that's almost certainly a fluke, and ignore that an AWGS9150 went for $4000, that's both a fluke and a completely different scenario.)

Acknowledging that yours is in similar condition to those, I'd say you're looking at $200 on eBay, $150 if you can pack and ship it outside of your local area well, and $100 if you require local pickup, to preserve that easily damaged case. You may be able to fetch more value for it if yours was really in "collector" condition, like if it had its original box, accessory kit, the original OS install media and documentation, etc.

Just as a heads up for everyone, these threads tend to go poorly so I'm keeping my eye on this one for a potential lock. It would be a shame though because I feel like there's some potential for some super interesting meta discussion about what drives "value" provided we don't run afoul of the rules about discussing specific ebay sellers.

(For reference, I know the page is down, we have a site rule that says this isn't an ebay seller feedback or appraisal forum and I tend to lock/hide rules that talk about specific ebay sellers. This is a fine line of course and if things are constructive and generic it can be interesting.)

 

[MacKilRoy]

I agree with the values above in the $200+ range. I was going to say that it could be valued around $300 maximum. If I collected WGS models that’s where I’d be.

 

[cheesestraws]

@macuserman I definitely owe you an apology for snapping at you upthread. My fault, not yours. I'm sorry.

 

[macuserman]

@macuserman I definitely owe you an apology for snapping at you upthread. My fault, not yours. I'm sorry.

Not at all, I am an opinionated person and have been known to rub folks the wrong way from time to time. I'm a recent user to the forum here but have really been enjoying it so I'm trying not to step on to many toes.

I did feel like maybe this thread was getting hjacked so I made a new more general topic for us to talk about without further derailing this specific thread if anyone is interested.

@Cory5412 https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?thr...r-groups-like-the-forum-or-low-end-mac.40114/ I started a thread more specific to what you hinted at over here.