When was the first model of

[dook43]

300 GB Sata 16MB cache hard disk released by Maxtor? What warranty would apply to that? There is someone here trying to sell me aforementioned drive at a decent price, but his warranty information only shows 7/06 as the expire date. Something smells fishy.

 

[kush]

AFAIK, not that long ago - mid '04'ish or so..So most likely 5 years, maybe only 3..But with an exipration like that, perhaps it's a refurb drive they're selling? Regardless, I think you'd be screwed on an RMA anyway, as I doubt they allow warranty x-fers between parties, only to original owners. I'm not sure though - I a) haven't owned a Maxtor, and b) don't know if they'd even ask for a bill of sale or something during RMA.

 

[DougLite]

Maxtor retail drives only have a one year warranty. Ask the seller if s/he acquired it in a retail box.

 

[Bullitt]

Maxtor retail drives only have a one year warranty. Ask the seller if s/he acquired it in a retail box.

We have a winner. You are being offered a retail boxed drive instead of an OEM drive. Its kinda weird, but hey, I'm not into marketing (why pay more for a retail drive, cost for boxes, manuals, cables, jumpers, screws, mounting gear, labor to pack it up and get 2 or 4 years less warranty?).

 

[DougLite]

Eugene Ra at StorageReview suggests that Maxtor and WD are in cahoots with Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry's, etc to help the latter sell more high profit extended warranties on the retail drives.

 

[zandor]

(why pay more for a retail drive, cost for boxes, manuals, cables, jumpers, screws, mounting gear, labor to pack it up and get 2 or 4 years less warranty?).

Fat rebate. That's about all I can come up with. It seems those $100 drive for $50 after rebate deals pop up pretty often. I've only ever seen them on retail boxes though.

 

[Bullitt]

Fat rebate. That's about all I can come up with. It seems those $100 drive for $50 after rebate deals pop up pretty often. I've only ever seen them on retail boxes though.

Ahh I didnt think of that... However, the price differences for the rebate'd retail and OEM normal prices seem kinda tight. Then again, I havent seen too many 16MB cache drives on rebate sales. However, very good observation. I still would only buy a retail box if the rebate was uber-phat.

 

[dook43]

He claims to have purchased it OEM from Newegg.

 

[DougLite]

I call shens.

 

[dook43]

Well I've called him on his warranty and I doubt I'd be hearing back from him.

 

[zandor]

Ahh I didnt think of that... However, the price differences for the rebate'd retail and OEM normal prices seem kinda tight. Then again, I havent seen too many 16MB cache drives on rebate sales. However, very good observation. I still would only buy a retail box if the rebate was uber-phat.

Last year I picked up a 160GB Seagate PATA drive for $49.99. It was the cheapest drive I could find for the budget build I was doing for a relative, and was a hell of a lot bigger than anything else I could get around the same price. I don't remember if it's a 2MB or 8MB cache model, but either way it's a hell of a lot better than the 20-40GB drives that were normally in that price range at the time, particularly since the system in question is only running basic office & internet apps and the guy's a bit of a pack rat.
I don't think I've seen a half off rebate deal like that on a really big drives though. I think the biggest I've seen a close to half off rebate on was a 250GB for $70 after rebate(s).

 

[Bullitt]

Well I've called him on his warranty and I doubt I'd be hearing back from him.

The model numbers on the drive do not lie. Besides, if you attempt to RMA it, the model number is going to be your only recourse with Maxtor. You will not have the original purchaser's sales receipt, etc etc to have a snowball's chance in hades to argue with maxtor.