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Thread ID: 67266 2006-03-22 20:46:00 depreciation/fair market value of laptop? (USD) tjhsu (10044) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
439975 2006-03-22 20:46:00 i paid $1173.19 from best buy on 9/5/04. replaced the hd a few months ago.
Compaq laptop (don't know model)
operating system: windows xp home
memory: 512 mb
hard drive: 40 gb
processor: 508 mhz
wireless card installed
usb 1.1
cd rw/ dvd player
ms office

i know these are incomplete specs, but based on purchase price and age, what do you think is the FMV of this laptop?

I would peg it at $563, but want to do a sanity/reality check and get your opinion. THANKS!!

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my calculations:
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computers depreciate completely over 5 years. laptop is 1.5 years old

using straight line depreciation methods, this would equal a value of ~$820 (1173 * 70%)
using declining balance depreciation methods with a factor of two, this would equal a value of ~$563 [average of (year 1 = 1173 - 1173*2/5 = 704) and (year 2 = 704 - 704*2/5 = 422)]
en.wikipedia.org
tjhsu (10044)
439976 2006-03-22 21:12:00 personally i wouldn't even pay NZ$500, (quite a bit less than US$), for a lappy with only a 500Mhz cpu......I can get a NEW one for twice that price that's FAR superior...... drcspy (146)
439977 2006-03-22 21:16:00 forgive my ignorance, but is upgrading processing power possible/difficult/expensive? tjhsu (10044)
439978 2006-03-22 21:27:00 not impossible but we cant really say what is possible without knowng the model of the machine.....you might want to download and install aida32 that'll give you LOTS of info.....the motherboard model type will help anyone tell you that... drcspy (146)
439979 2006-03-22 22:03:00 forgive my ignorance, but is upgrading processing power possible/difficult/expensive?
Don't know if it is possible but it would probably be far more expensive than it is worth, particularly for a laptop as the prices for newer and much faster ones have come down a lot in the past year or so.
FoxyMX (5)
439980 2006-03-22 22:13:00 yeah, that's what i thought.

so ... $1200 laptop that's 1.5 years old...but not great specs. prolly worth something more like $400 ?
tjhsu (10044)
439981 2006-03-22 22:24:00 It is probably better for you to look at the prices of similar second-hand items locally rather than ask us here in New Zealand because we are two different markets. If you want to get a rough idea of our used prices you can have a look at www.trademe.co.nz.

Are you wanting to sell it to a friend or family member? If not then just try and get as much as someone is prepared to pay for it. ;)

Sorry that I'm not of much help. :)
FoxyMX (5)
439982 2006-03-22 22:33:00 yeah...i'm selling it to a friend. just trying to get an idea of what it's really worth and then going to discount it. but also want to get a fair price out of it too.

maybe i'll try ebay. (altho that site is blocked where i am right now).
tjhsu (10044)
439983 2006-03-22 23:33:00 why is there only a pcworld forum for NZ? how come there's none for the US?? ...weird! tjhsu (10044)
439984 2006-03-22 23:54:00 your best bet is to find the model number and see what there are going for on ebay and other such sites (also pc shops). at the end of the day its only worth what people are prepared to pay for it.

its a little odd that its a 508mhz, i didn't think they sold any that slow 1.5 years ago. unless your reading the MHZ when the pc has slowed the cpu down.
tweak'e (69)
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