Gutted - what would *you* do in this situation?

Hi all!.

A good friend of mine recently accquired a dual G4 733Mhz PowerMac Quicksilver... but sometimes it wouldn't boot up, but 99% of the time it would.

Said friend is a PC user of a long time. Having used the Quicksilver for 2 months, he has set his mind on getting an Intel Mac; this is where I come in:

I agreed to let him have my C2D Mac Mini for £200 + Quicksilver (as part payment). I took a deposit of £80 for the Mac Mini, and earlier this evening, took delivery of the Quicksilver.

Said friend is expecting Mac Mini *TOMORROW*, and to pay me the balance (£120) of the deal. Problem is this - the Quicksilver, RANDOMLY shut down on me during file transfer over firewire - I turned it on again - BOOM! - it conked out... AGAIN.

I have done all the usual, predictable things; CUDA reset, PRAM reset, Open firmware reset on command line... checked PRAM battery (ALL OK) left it unplugged etc etc, and every conceivable combo of the above resolutions.

I cannot use this machine now, but I am annoyed because he has been using it every day for 2 months almost. What said friend has told me, is that Quicksilver WILL NOT boot first time in the morning, but WILL boot, usually on the next try.

I am getting a VERY bad feeling over this deal - the guy is 110% genuine, but I am already giving him a £100 discount ON TOP of the deal, because I wanted to tempt him towards Macintosh, and away from Win32. The deal was a losing one for me, which I chose out of free will (my Mini is only 2 mths old!) and now this - QUICKSILVER IS NOT RELIABLE.

I'm unwilling to spend out on such an old G4 *at all* - I was willing to part-ex it for a mate, but now it's screwed, I feel like I owe the guy a G4, but I am VERY tempted to call time on the deal, and refund him the deposit; it's only £80, after all.

What would you chaps do, in this predicament?. I am very reluctant to proceed regardless, because I would be LOSING £200 *and* a new Mini, and gaining a dead G4

Thanks.

My 2 cents:

glosswhite said:

I agreed to let him have my C2D Mac Mini for £200 + Quicksilver

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Your first mistake. Trading a practically brand-new machine for an almost 6-year old machine was not a very wise decision.
If your friend wanted an Intel Mac, then he would have every opportunity to get one himself, without any "aid" from you.

glosswhite said:

I am getting a VERY bad feeling over this deal - the guy is 110% genuine, but I am already giving him a £100 discount ON TOP of the deal, because I wanted to tempt him towards Macintosh, and away from Win32.

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Your second mistake.
Let people make their own decisions. Do not get too involved and try to push your preferences on them. How do you know what works best for another person? This isn't a contest. There is no prize for "converting" or "switching" a person from one platform to another. Just because you like Macs doesn't mean that the rest of the world does or that they even want one or have any interest in getting one.

Let.

It.

Go.

glosswhite said:

I'm unwilling to spend out on such an old G4 *at all* -

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Your third mistake. If you weren't willing to spend any money on an older machine, then why did you ever agree to take it?

glosswhite said:

What would you chaps do, in this predicament?. I am very reluctant to proceed regardless, because I would be LOSING £200 *and* a new Mini, and gaining a dead G4

Thanks.

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Hopefully it isn't too late. Return the money and computer that you have already received if the other person will let you. Then get your computer back.

I agree with db: Approach your friend and explain to him that the Quicksilver just won't work reliably for you...

I agree with DB and Apt. I still wonder though what is wrong with the Quicksilver. Almost sounds like Power Supply dying but that is a guess or maybe overheating. Not worth a working Intel Mac Mini, or even a G4 Mini. Not to me, and if it does not even work then even with the $$$ he is giving you are getting stung.

I know it's a close friend so handle it carefully.

Agreed with the others. Sounds to me like a part of the deal was a working (99% of the time) G4, if it does not work - this in itself should cancel the deal.

=== Resolved ===

G4 is being picked up in an hours time, and deposit refunded, tomorrow.

I'm glad it worked out for you. Sometimes business transactions between friends don't go to well.

Cherokee said:

I'm glad it worked out for you. Sometimes business transactions between friends don't go to well.

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No - the guy is a very good mate, and he said that - to be honest - he wasn't too happy with me losing out on this deal, and because he got the G4 free anyhow, he doesn't mind spending £100 or so, on a new PSU.