Feeling Used??? Part 2
by Gary Woods

If you're going to purchase a refurbished computer some of the things you might want to think about are who did the refurbishing? Was it the manufacturer or a third party? Large manufacturers like Dell, Gateway and Apple sell their refurbished products either through their main websites or places like Tiger Direct www.tigerdirect.com.

A second question to ask is if there a manufacturer's warranty, and if so how long does it last? Probably the biggest thing you buy when you purchase from a major vendor is that back end support. The ability to call up somebody on Christmas Eve at midnight and get someone on the phone that actually can fix your problem is a huge asset, so make sure that is part of the package.

The third question is what is in the package? Is there are keyboard and mouse and if so are they new? Is there a monitor included in the deal (usually not) and if so is it also refurbished? Are the original manuals and software included or is this really a "bare bones" system?

Another big thing to consider is was the machine tested before it was sent out and what if it arrives broken? How do you return it and how long do you have to return it after it arrives?

Then finally before you make that purchase it would be good to check sites like www.nextag.com, www.dealcatcher.com and my favorite www.amazon.com to see what a new version of what you want costs. If we're only talking a couple of bucks difference it would be better to go with the new system.

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910