The outrageous asking prices for PS3's with FW 3.55 or under

[VitaGenic]

Sorry about the whinge thread guys but I just have to get something off my chest...

A few weeks ago my CECHA01 launch PS3 died... As some of you may know that this particular model has hardware PS2 emulation, so i used it to play all my PS2 games naturally. It was on cobra 3.55 fw with the dongle, so i also used it for PSX, PSP along with heaps of other homebrew emulators. It was essentially my "emulation machine". It was on 3.55 cobra FW already (with no dongle) had the adjustable fan speed mod and arctic 5 thermal paste applied to the usual places. I paid $280 with postage to my house. This was back in June last year.

So with my heart broken, i headed on down to good old ebay to see if I can find another backwards compatible machine on 3.55 or lower to replace my 3-beeper-flashing-red-light-of-death CECHA01.... Boy I was in for a surprise!

I'm from Australia and the prices for "buy it now" and the "starting bids" for machines that fit my search criteria are seriously out of control!

A few examples here from eBay Australia today (17/02/13) I won't bother linking them coz some idiot will pay these ridiculous prices and the ads will be taken down AND technically it is advertising: (all prices in AUD)

RARE PS3 60G CECHC02 3.55 - $375 with $35 postage = $410 Buy it now
*RARE*PlayStation 3 60 GB *3.55/4.31 FW - $460 with $25 postage = $485 Buy it now

Annnndddd finally, we have right here, a SLIM console:

SONY SLIM PS3 BLACK CONSOLE VER 3.55........ Wait for it....... $498 with $88.50 postage = 586.50!!!!!

They are the 3 worst that I can see on Ebay Australia but most I have seen hover around the 300-350 mark for used phats and used slims are 350-400, both on 3.55.... Don't even get me started about brand new slims!!!! A few Limited edition slims from the UK are on there right now and are asking AUD $599.99 with $44.99 postage!!!

Another market place that has outrageous prices for PS3's is gumtree.com.au!

(Slim) Ps3 console for sale 3.55 - $500 without postage!!!

Another classic listing i found a few weeks back on gumtree was some bloke who was asking.... Drum roll please!...... SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS for a slim with CFW and no postage..... *insert facepalm smiley here*

Another story I also can not provide proof to because the listing is not there anymore.... A limited edition phat (can't remember which livery it was coated in but it was a game) was fetching in AUD OVER ELEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS from the states!!!!!

Obviously every countries currency is different and what sounds expensive to one locality may sound cheap to another, but I can reassure you that the prices I have shown you above are absolutely ludicrous to an Aussie.

With a bit of knowledge, one could find a down-gradable console above 3.55 and pay someone with a flasher, or even better yet, buy their OWN flasher and revert it back to 3.55 and still be well below the asking prices of these consoles!

So, there we have it, that's my drunken little rant for the night.... What are these supposedly "Rare" consoles on 3.55 or the limited editions fetching on your local online marketplaces?

NOTE TO MODS: I hope you don't censor out the names of the online market places I have used here. I am well aware of Wololo's stance on advertising but it is not my intent for that to happen

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[SMOKE]

It would probably be cheaper if you buy PS3 that's not on 3.55, and then get a E3 Flasher / Progskeet to downgrade it.

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[jd20dog]

60's in the US are going around $150 usd
if you find a good clean new in box unit its worth it
if its security sticker is been moved or fully removed, dont touch it , someone dosnt want that hole in they're pocket anymore

just git a late model fat and a ps2 for around $175 together
or any slim (3.56-4.00)and a flasher and instal 4.21.02 rebug rex directly using the 3 musketeer patch
slims are hitting $120-$150 usd if you use crlist or ebay, and flashers are starting to float around used for about $30 to $100 new

[jayfelice]

Those people are scamming mainly because you get nothing with a 60 gig one and my Nephew was sold a cfw 3.55 true blue one(we updated his to newest cfw since true blue is old news) for 250 bucks with an 80 gig harddrive. He than updated it to a 750gig harddrive. 400-500 bucks for a tiny 60hd is a rip off.

I could understand if it was my PS3 which is a 500gb, filled with games, movies, and so on for those prices, but a tiny 60 gig harddrive!?1

What type of love went into a tiny 60gig ps3 3.55 or cfw for it to be worht 400-500 bucks?

[FBJ]

The absolute best deals are to be found on Craigslist and the like. I found a rare TB303 there for nearly $600 less than the average price you'd find on eBay.

[Acid_Snake]

the best backwards compatible ps3 out there is the european 60gb model and american 80gb mgs4 bundle, they have better components than the other ones and overheat less, of course they have a bit less compatibility since they use software for the EE, but it's just a few games that lack with it, most games run fine. As for people asking too much money for hackable ps3s, let them do it, they'll get tired of trying to sell it soon

[jd20dog]

reflow your old unit or have it reballed
reflow is about $25-$45usd (verys depending on how well the reflow takes effect)
reball is about $90-130usd(perma-fix)

do not try the hair dryer in the back of the system trick, it cooks the sata control chip and will stop the system from reading the hdd

@snake
the older units do heat up worse but the later bc models have the ps2 backup swop-out trick blocked, something else to chalk up to the ps2's aging EE drive and its physical limitations in a ps3

[jayfelice]

My ps3 80gb model version CHECHK01(that is updated to a 500gig harddrive now) has had 0 heating issues. I did buy it refurbished for about 300-400 bucks back in 2008 tho. Maybe if it did have any problems they fixed it almost entirely? Is there some advantages buying refurbished PS3s(from reputable sellers, not ones who claim to be refurbed but are really just used) as if it originally had problems some console expert fixed it so its actually almost better than if it were brad spanking new? Or is that a myth?

[azrayl]

I bought mine with 4.21 rogero preinstalled but with only a 40gb HDD for 160$ from ebay last year.
I changed the HDD and have 4.30 rogero running now.

[jd20dog]

Maybe if it did have any problems they fixed it almost entirely? Is there some advantages buying refurbished PS3s(from reputable sellers, not ones who claim to be refurbed but are really just used) as if it originally had problems some console expert fixed it so its actually almost better than if it were brad spanking new? Or is that a myth?

it really depends on who refurbed it
gamestop in the states, internally refurbishes all consoles they get non working and ill tell you now, they will rig the *** out of it to work long enough to sell it to you with out a care

never ever touch a refurb from gamestop, every model i git with a gamestop rf sticker on the back is almost always going to guaranty i have to put a new mother board (+daughter board for fats)in it before i can sell the poor raped things, these gamestop people don't know how to properly repair an untied shoelace or even Velcro straps

if you find a re-balled ps3 in good shape, they are worth they're weight as its the best repair for physical problems with the units, and if its advertized as a reball, it better have a receipt for the re-balling