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Finding specs on 5150 with 5161 expansion unit

If i was you, I would have the 5150 w/ the monitor/kb in one auction and the 5161 with the extender/receiver cards in another. You could state in the auction for the 5161 that you are willing to sell the cards individually. Hell, you could even sell the HD from the 5161 in a separate auction since it's an ST-412 and those go pretty high individually.
 
Part of me likes the idea of it being seperate so that marco can get his wish and I do think you'd get more $$ if you split.... but I am a fan of keeping it together as complete system (from a historical perspective). My own machines are 'mix and match' - the idea of having a complete system original like that would be quite awesome and the more which get split up the harder it is to achieve.

What are ST412's worth these days? I got given one for free, and installed DOS on it last week, just curious (you'd need to stab me for me to part with it).
 
While a complete package is nice and ideal for us the OP will benefit financially from the separation. If someone, who has a 5150, want the 5161 they are willing to pay X amount of dollars. They are not suddenly going to pay Y dollars to get a system they don't want/need and have to sell later. The OP can post that she is parting out a complete system in her eBay listing and the system has been tested all together and works. Of course this is more hassle and head ache so it all depends on OPs initial goal.

I personally think she should tell her hubby to shove it, get a nice retro desk and pluck the whole thing down on it! ;) But thats me. I love messing with the old machines. She may not have the same "love".
 
Hmmmm.... Thanks. That does make sense, and it's definitely food for thought. And the card thing hadn't occurred to me.

The only reason I was thinking of a 10-day auction is that I normally list from home, then immediately move things to a location away from home to declutter. If I list tomorrow, Friday auctions really aren't particularly terrific but that way I get the stuff out of here for the weekend. I'd prefer an auction end on a Monday rather than a Friday. And I'm really not a fan of 3-day auctions. The 10-day auction only costs $0.40, which is a small price to pay for family harmony. LOL.
 
I think that there may be more people in my boat who just need a 5161 than who want a complete system or just cards. You'll probably make more money if you separate them.
 
While a complete package is nice and ideal for us the OP will benefit financially from the separation. If someone, who has a 5150, want the 5161 they are willing to pay X amount of dollars. They are not suddenly going to pay Y dollars to get a system they don't want/need and have to sell later. The OP can post that she is parting out a complete system in her eBay listing and the system has been tested all together and works. Of course this is more hassle and head ache so it all depends on OPs initial goal.

I personally think she should tell her hubby to shove it, get a nice retro desk and pluck the whole thing down on it! ;) But thats me. I love messing with the old machines. She may not have the same "love".


I really think that this is a case where the sum is worth more than the parts. It's a complete working unit.

Somebody with the money to purchase a 5161 isn't going to be upset at having to purchase a 5150 with it. You can always use spares. I know it won't be bothering me if I bid. ;-0

It's a beautiful machine, and relatively uncommon. It's going to command a premium.


Mike
 
Oh, and I can't even begin to picture the box-inside-a-box thing. The boxes are so big already I don't think I could find boxes large or sturdy enough to double-box. They do all have the original packing materials in their respective boxes (molded styrofoam for the monitor and keyboard, though the monitor styrofoam has broken a bit; spongy foam for the computer units).
 
Part of me likes the idea of it being seperate so that marco can get his wish and I do think you'd get more $$ if you split.... but I am a fan of keeping it together as complete system (from a historical perspective)..

Yeah, I would really like to accommodate some of the helpful folks on this board, which is why I was willing to do it separately. But I do completely get the historical perspective as well. The boxes even still have the (RIP) "ComputerLand" stickers on them, which is sort of cool as well. And a (RIP also) TWA Cargo sticker, too. A couple of "Remember when's?" just on the box. :)

And much as it has been fun to toy with a bit -- lol less frustrating, even, than my current machines (gotta love a computer that predates viruses and malware...), don't shoot me, but I simply don't have enough appreciation to have any desire to keep it. I completely lucked into this one, and am only fortunate that I followed my gut that it was something that had value and that didn't belong in a trash heap somewhere. I'd much rather convert it to cash and have a bit of mad money to spend with the family this summer.
 
Oh, and I can't even begin to picture the box-inside-a-box thing. The boxes are so big already I don't think I could find boxes large or sturdy enough to double-box. They do all have the original packing materials in their respective boxes (molded styrofoam for the monitor and keyboard, though the monitor styrofoam has broken a bit; spongy foam for the computer units).

I got all of my boxed units boxed in another box. So it is definitely possible! ;D The box itself is rare and will increase the price on the units. Trust me you want to find boxes....
 
Never say never ;).
That is correct. One has to be optimistic.
Here is what I keep telling myself when I think about certain items coming up on eBay:

"I can afford it if I win the lottery before auction end."

"Maybe due to some quirky eBay problem, I'll be the only one who sees the listing."

"Maybe the seller will accidentally list the item in a category that hardly anyone ever visits: Nuclear waste disposal services"

"Maybe after auction end, the seller will accidentally address the item to me."

"Maybe the top ten highest bidders will drop dead just before auction end, thus failing to pay and leaving me as the eleventh highest bidder to win."
 
Trust me you want to find boxes....

Geez, it must have been huge and ridiculously heavy. The three main boxes, stacked on top of each other, are about 4' tall and of course all of the stuff is quite heavy (I was really shocked at the weight of the keyboard, even); if the point of the extra boxing is to add protection, more packing material will just make it taller / bigger. I would think that no extra packing material would just mean one large box that would be more likely to wind up mishandled somewhere.

I'm in a rural area (to my knowledge, I can't even buy an anti-static bag around here if I wind up pulling the card from the 5150; I'm guessing that the couple I have on hand from old modems or network cards would be too small), so there's no shipping store in the (non-existent) mall down the street, though we do have UPS and FedEx in the area. Which shipping service shipped yours?
 
I remember a thread a little while back about someone who got a 5150 with the monitor and KB. It shipped UPS and came to them completely totaled. Now there's one less 5153 monitor in the world. (The others were repaired)
 
Geez, it must have been huge and ridiculously heavy.

The systems are already huge and heavy. The 2-3 pounds added by a box and some packing styrofoam/peanuts is hardly going to make it ridiculous. Let me put it this way if you insisted on shipping in the original box I wouldn't buy form you. Others will, but if you want the premium money for selling a rare item in a box then you need to deal with it. Honestly, if you have a UPS store close by in another town they can pack it for you professionally if you really are adverse to doing it yourself and ship it.


I'm in a rural area (to my knowledge, I can't even buy an anti-static bag around here if I wind up pulling the card from the 5150; I'm guessing that the couple I have on hand from old modems or network cards would be too small), so there's no shipping store in the (non-existent) mall down the street, though we do have UPS and FedEx in the area. Which shipping service shipped yours?

I've gotten them through UPS, USPS, and FedEx. Ask around here and you can find horror stories with each carrier. No one carrier is perfect. I've had the best success w/ USPS and UPS. If the package is too heavy (over 70lbs) or too big USPS won't take it. FedEx has been the worst for me. They did a horrible job w/ my 5162 delivery and although insurance covered it - its not the same. So better packing is always a wise choice!
 
That is correct. One has to be optimistic.
Here is what I keep telling myself when I think about certain items coming up on eBay:

"I can afford it if I win the lottery before auction end."


Yeah i wished for that on a NeXT auction. Although when it sold for almost 10K I don't think even the lottery would have helped.

"Maybe due to some quirky eBay problem, I'll be the only one who sees the listing."

Has happened to me.

"Maybe the seller will accidentally list the item in a category that hardly anyone ever visits: Nuclear waste disposal services"

Has Happened to me.

"Maybe after auction end, the seller will accidentally address the item to me."
Thats just dishonest ;)

"Maybe the top ten highest bidders will drop dead just before auction end, thus failing to pay and leaving me as the eleventh highest bidder to win."

Won't help. At least it never has me. The sellers want to always sell it to you at your highest bid price. I think if a buyer is a non-payer then his bids should be canceled and your bid should be lowered to the actual real winning amount. Of course eBay and the sellers don't see it that way so I always end up passing on it.
 
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The systems are already huge and heavy. The 2-3 pounds added by a box and some packing styrofoam/peanuts is hardly going to make it ridiculous....

I'm thinking more of the size than the weight. I can't really envision how the suggestion of putting them all in one box would work unless it was a wooden shipping crate.

Honestly, if you have a UPS store close by in another town they can pack it for you professionally if you really are adverse to doing it yourself and ship it.

The closest UPS store is a 100-mile round trip (no joke!) but I'll look into it.

ETA: Intellectually, I know you're completely right. But logistically, you're giving me nightmares! I'm almost thinking of just plunking it onto Craigslist with a high price and see if anyone wants to come to me. It would surely make my life a lot simpler.
 
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