My big white paperweight

I'm back and I have a dead eMac.

I took pity on a departing WestConn student a few months ago. He was selling his nearly-year old eMac on eBay for a reasonable sum. I managed to get a good deal and acquired it in earnest.

Just a few weeks ago, I turned it on during a mildly humid morning, to have it short out on me (along with a beautiful, plastic aroma from the back of the unit). Two days later it was at my local Apple Store. The nice Genius Bar-tender postulated replacing the power supply, not ruling out any further damage past that analysis.

Two weeks go by, with no follow-up call. Hmnn.

Then I went to the Cape last week.

Checking messages while out last Thursday, I find that the store called twice once Monday, stating that there was a bigger problem and asked for further authorization to repair or they would cancel the order; then another message on Friday morning mentioning replacing the logic board and once again asked for authorization to continue the repair or they would cancel.

Needless to say I freaked.

I return late Saturday from the Cape and leave a message letting them know I would be in the store that Sunday morning, knowing that by now they have cancelled my original repair order.

I get to the store today and despite the one year warranty still in effect, it was my worst fear realized -- the logic board. They also cited the damage to the bottom lid that was already present when I bought it on eBay (and accepted; having been described by the seller), citing accidental damage in their reasoning. I'm guessing a bit of rough shipping may possibly have been partly to blame. The machine was working fine from the day I set it up, around mid-May.

Of course you can guess my reaction when they announced how much it would cost for replacing it, not to mention warning me of possible damage to other components connected to it. The board alone was quoted at $528.35, slightly less than what I had paid the seller for the machine, and with labor added, came to $671.45

At this moment it's back home sitting near my trusty, Blueberry 333mhz iMac as I write this; in effect, a big white paperweight.

I'm not PO'd; as I learned a valuable lesson in this. Caviat Emptor and all that...

So what next?

What would you do? I'm just curious.