Should I...?
 

I have a line on a ylod 60GB CECHA01 with 2 controllers and NHL2011 stuck in the drive for $50. My concerns are:

1) It's been repaired already, the current owner bought it used with the knowledge that it was repaired
2) I have no idea what firmware is on it, neither does the non-tech-savy owner. She said they only played Little Big Planet and NHL2K11 on it and never had it on PSN, but it might have been updated before they bought it.
3) I already have 2 CECHA01s that are dead from multiple reflows, and have neither the means or money to do a proper reball on them
4) I know I could get it working again then sell it for $150, but this makes me feel like a d0uche because I know it'll ylod or worse again.

I really, really want a CECHA01, but $50 is $50 and I don't want another doorstop for the collection. Should I buy it?

No. CECHA01 is a crap model. I've got two of them with YLOD. What I suggest is finding a CHECHE01. I've had that one for over a year with no problems. I bought it for $125 off of Craigslist.

honestly, get it

I would get it just for the game and controllers. You could then auction the console on eBay for parts and get your money back.

I wouldn't be buying this to make money off it, plus... ebay. Yuck. Bad experience with those crooks last time. An item that I sold for $152.50 plus $40 shipping ended up generating $16 for ebay and $10 for paypal... and I had to wait a month to get my funds from them (21 day automatic hold on funds, then when you go to withdraw it, it takes 5 days up here in Canada) add to that their criminal exchange rate and I pretty much swore I'd never ebay anything again.

Also, I'd want to keep the machine after I got it running again, of course, but I just *know* it would once again either ylod or get the video glitching/no video glod and I'd have another doorstop... but MAN am I tempted to buy it.

I have a line on another CECHA01 that apparently runs fine and has warranty seal intact, but it won't read discs. That one is $60, just the machine, no controllers. Problem is, it's on 4.00 FW :(

@svenmullet

I was just saying, it would be worth it just for the controllers (especially if dualshock) and game. Then you would still have more than $50 in parts (bd, hdd, psu, etc.) if it did end up as a doorstop.

I have a cecha01 I got for $20. It runs fine but came with no bd and on ofw3.72. Sux my e3 flasher is only for nor. I have a drive for it but can't marry it. I will be purchasing progskeet to take care of the problem. I really want a bc model also.

i wouldn't but thats up to you...

the only machine i would get right now is a slim, but then again they are hard to come by on 3.55, i was lucky enough to find one...
if i was you i would be searching for a slim Sven

My brother recently got the YLOD, but my ps3 which also is a cecha01 has been fine for nearly 3 years since I've had it. Warranty seal intact, and I can leave my unit runnin for days without powering off too. My point is not all Cecha01 units die out so quickly, they're not all gonna die. I do plan on applying paste on it somewhere down the line but for now I'm alright. As for my bro's, ehhh I bought it Christmas 2010 with a free 2yr warranty from GameStop so I just got it switched out last night for a similar model. I think my brother had the YLOD coming though, seeing as how he's been a little self important sh*thead lately.


But yeah, my personal preference is also cecha01, anything else just isn't a ps3 IMO, it's just a machine that plays ps3 software but that's just my opinion.



NOTE: as a request for those reading my opinions and disagreeing with them, that's fine, but please don't start flaming, if I'm not flaming, you shouldn't either. Be warned.

I'm not really "searching" for one, I already have 2 perfectly working machines, a NOR CECHP01 which I've never had a problem with, and a NAND CECHG01 which is in my kid's room (runs perfect, but lost BD playback during a downgrade that I didn't even have to do but wanted to try it :( )
I also have 2 dead CECHA01s, which make me facepalm every time I think of them. The original launch model was the best machine they ever made as far as features; full hardware BC, 4 USB, etc, it's more or a "I want" thing than a "I need" thing.

I believe the very first run, made in Japan were the good ones. When there was a shortage Christmas 2006, and they moved fabrication to China, that's where the problem machines originated from. 15 blade fans instead of 19, poor heatsink quality (on one of my dead ones, the heatsinks look like someone took an angle grinder to them)

I share that opinion!

yeah the good old planned obsolescence the hardware is developed to work only for the time you have warranty.....after that it brokes....