Advice on Mac Portable selling?

[Mk.558]

They really need an accelerator for them to be really useful. They're kind of like an SE/30 with a 8-bit color card: the speed hit is very noticeable. Worse, it doesn't run System 6.

 

[joshc]

They really need an accelerator for them to be really useful. They're kind of like an SE/30 with a 8-bit color card: the speed hit is very noticeable. Worse, it doesn't run System 6.

Useful is an odd concept in the context of 30+ year old computers.

 

[Joopmac]

I always find the portable BOG slow in comparison with 8mhz SE, which I dont understand

 

[adespoton]

Giving up my Colour Classic was something I've always regretted, but at the same time feel like it saved me a lot of pain and heartbreak.

I always wanted a CCII though. I got my CC in February 1993 within days of release, and was so frustrated in October when the II came out. I still kept it for a good seven years before selling it on, complete with all the experimental (at the time) board hacks and accelerators etc. I'd added over the years.

 

[Juror22]

if you have to ask, it’s 50 bucks

I saw this and found it funny, purely because this is what I paid for the last one (portable) I bought, around 10 or so years ago.

 

[nglayton]

Well, I'm a couple weeks late to this party, but here is my MAC portable story. About a year ago, I was able to buy a non-working 5120. Complete with original carrying case, manuals basically everything for $125 from a local owner/collector. He was moving and wanted to clear some stuff out. ( I got several more thing from him as well for free) He said it used to work when he got it but was obviously dead now. I spent approximately another $250 on recapping, new batteries and an RAM upgrade card from Androda, etc. I DID NOT replace the hybrid module. (I was clueless on those issues) I was able to recap it myself, including the screen and trackball. It was fairly easy to work on. Once I had it all cleaned up, It booted right up with the original SCSI hard drive. Yes, you read that correctly. The original SCSI still worked with no issues, no stuck heads, no work to it at all. The screen was perfect except for one small thin vertical line on the right side. It also had a defective mostly populated AE MacRAM portable card in it that kept it from booting when installed. I listed the AE Mac RAM card on ebay with the bidding starting at $20 with a buy it now of $100. It sold almost instantly for $100 buy it now. I guess I should have asked for more, but as I mentioned earlier, I was clueless. I wasn't sure if there was even any interest in a non working portable RAM card. Oops. After about a month or so , I was tired of playing with this beast of a machine so I decided to list on ebay and move it along to someone who really wanted one. I don't remember exactly what it sold for but it was over $1300. The highest price I've ever gotten for any piece of vintage tech I have ever sold. I was also able to sell a few other related things that came with the portable (extra power brick, ext modem, etc). All in, I cleared over $1000 in profit on that thing and I was just having fun with it, learning a lot along the way.

Yes, I believe I got lucky in more ways than one starting with the price I paid and no hybrid issues.

Since the OP wanted advice on selling one.....
Knowing what I know now, If I stumbled across another one, I might take a chance at $250-$300..... but not much more than that.

 

[Frobozz]

Thanks for that story! I ran into a friend on Saturday and he was actually looking for a portable so I’m going to put him in touch with the seller. I’m sure they’ll work something out and then in a few months we’ll have one more working Portable in the world. If not I’ll maybe get it and bring it to VCFMW and post it on the for sale board.