Safe to buy an Untested XEGS?

[marlowe221]

How hesitant should I be to buy an "untested" XEGS (just the console really) on eBay? It's in great cosmetic shape and will only cost me around $30 shipped.

 

Are the XEGS consoles pretty reliable? Any other warnings/advice?

 

I would have to scare up a power supply somewhere too...

[R.Cade]

Never know... You could be lucky, or not.

[Paul Westphal]

For a total of 30? if it does not work, you can get a new motherboard for it for 50 + ship from Best electronics or B & C Computervisions. It's awesome if it works though.

[Rybags]

If a long time member here offered one up I'd believe them and trust that it'd almost certainly work.

 

But in the world of eBay and generic for sale sites, "untested" is often the special code word for "I know the device is faulty or entirely non functional but I want money for it and intend on duping someone into purchasing it by saying I don't have a power supply and/or video cable to suit it and am unable to test it when in fact I tested it and know exactly what's wrong with it."

[Caterpiggle]

I has 1 XEGS that DOES NOT WORK ! No, I did not buy that XEGS from eBay. It comes with soft of grey screen on the monitor with some white lines there. It is better for you to ask the seller to test in fully tested before you buy on the eBay.

[Bodyshots]

Heads or tails - thats how it goes

 

I always look at sellers other items when seeing something like that

 

If they are selling a XEGS untested and have another fully working one for sale in another listing then you best leave it alone

 

 

might be a good gamble if they selling off a lot of china in the remainder of their listings

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bodyshots

[marlowe221]

Thanks for the advice. I will probably avoid this one. The sellers other items are mostly clothes. Don't see him selling any other electronics

[Justin Payne]

Keep in mind that the XE line was made at the end of Atari 8-bit run and the Tramiel's were cutting costs everywhere, making the XE line a less robust product. If it were an earlier line, chances are that it's more likely to be running and if not, easier to repair.

[AtariGeezer]

But in the world of eBay and generic for sale sites, "untested" is often the special code word for "I know the device is faulty or entirely non functional but I want money for it and intend on duping someone into purchasing it by saying I don't have a power supply and/or video cable to suit it and am unable to test it when in fact I tested it and know exactly what's wrong with it."

Case in Point:

 

Seller sold this 32k Ram Board eBay Auction -- Item Number: 311562748097 as "UnTested".

Also sold this Atari 800 eBay Auction -- Item Number: 371570480192 as "Tested 16K".

 

Seller knew that the 32k Ram Board wasn't working, otherwise he would have sold it along with the 800 for a fully working 48k system...

 

Should have been honest and just list the 32k board as "For Parts or Repair".

[RodLightning]

Heads or tails - thats how it goes

 

I always look at sellers other items when seeing something like that

If they are selling a XEGS untested and have another fully working one for sale in another listing then you best leave it alone

 

might be a good gamble if they selling off a lot of china in the remainder of their listings

 

I bid on and won a boxed C64 last year, listed as 'used untested'. In the description was written "tested within my ability....plugged in and red light comes on". I noticed that most of their other stuff was household stuff from estate sales, so I took the gamble and ended up paying $25+shipping. As it turned out, the original receipt was still in the box from K's Merchandise (a chain store in Illinois) and had belonged to a minister. I could tell from the pristine condition of the computer that it had seen little use. Sometimes a buyer gets lucky that way...part of the fun of bidding I suppose...but yeah, it is like gambling.

[Mclaneinc]

Being a pessimist about ebay I class anything marked sold as seen or untested as faulty and of course you have no recourse on these items because you brought them knowingly..

 

In my book look for it being stated as working, at least you have a leg to stand on..The only time I'd buy untested is for spares...

[+slx]

Bought a rare French SCART 7800 and a light sixer VCS untested and found both to be working. With a 65XE/130XE combo the 130XE had keyboard issues but everything else worked fine. It's a kind of gamble.

 

I find it especially suspicious if sellers expressly state that they have no cables (or even worse, all but one cable).