Buying used systems

How do you feel about buying pre-owned systems? The reduced price tag is the obvious selling point, but do you mind that the life-expectancy may be shorter?

After my DSlite crapped out (It crapped out hard. The L button not working at all was the least of my worries after the thing that makes it snap in place broke off and the top screen started turning all the red to 255. Seriously, top screen randomly turned red every now and then until I guess the wiring deteriorated enough that it was red all the time... and sometimes blue and gray) I decided to buy another one, but used. I felt good about it's life-expectancy after noticing that the serial number wasn't yet rubbed off. That means it wasn't used much.

Thinking of buying a used PSP-3000 in the immediate future. I might even have it before I check this thread again.

Anyway, thoughts or stories about pre-owned systems?

I bought a refurbished ps2 and it's worked out wonderfully for the past year.

I'd be more worried about the handhelds though.

A lot of what I buy is used because I'm cheap and most of the stuff I get works. Just make sure where ever you're buying from gives you a receipt and has a return policy and check it as soon as you get home. Even pawn shops usually have return policies so unless you're buying it from a crack addict, it shouldn't be a problem.

Anyone who won't guarantee their product is probably trying to swindle you.

Buying used systems is a waste of money, in my opinion. Especially if they're from Gamestop. I sold them my DS Lite with a broken L button, would you wanna be the person that got that? Personally, I'd just spend the extra money on getting a new system, it's pretty much guaranteed that it will last longer than the one you might buy used.

The only used system I've ever purchased was a used SNES after my old one nearly caught fire twice (well, the AC adapter almost did. The slot for the power cord in the SNES also had a broken pin and it was almost impossible to even get the system to work). It's been working fine ever since, almost like 6 or 7 years later.

I did not however, buy it from a Gamestop. I don't buy anything used from Gamestop just because of some of the stories I've heard of people trading in broken stuff. I have a friend who actually peeled off the plastic layer of a game's disc, glued it back on with glue, and returned it while it was still wet and claimed it came like that. (Then again, I don't buy anything at Gamestop...but meh).

Just make sure they have a good return policy if it stops working. Rhino used to have a lifetime warrenty on used stuff (before Gamestop bought them out). Local stores are really pretty good with their policies too.