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[Midorime]

Hello, I'm new here and don't own a Pleo yet. I've been reading up on these little guys for a bit of time now but have been somewhat leery of purchasing one for many reasons, one being the hefty price tag, and other because of the horror stories I've heard with broken cables, joints, malfunctions, etc. Regardless, I'm still very interested in a Pleo so long as the price is decent and the chances of damage minimal at best. Now comes the decision of which model to get, and I would like to hear the pros and cons of each as well as recommendations if at all possible. There are a few things I'm interested in specifically when it comes to getting one, so I'll list those:

• Something more autonomous--I'm a very busy person with both work and school, so I want something really stimulating in the actions it does and how it goes about the world around it
• If programming is incorporated, I want it to be as easy as possible--I hate math and complicated computer language, so the simpler the better
• Durability--I like my stuff to last as long as possible, and sadly I heard the older models have more issues than the newer, is that really true?
• Longevity--I want the most out of it for as long as I can
• I am not too keen on micromanagement--I do like extra features and voice recognition and all that, but I'm not keen on something that needs to be watched like a hawk the entire time it runs, too

Sadly I recently missed a chance to get a used Pleo for a steal of a price, but I'm keeping my eyes open. Are used Pleos recommended, or would one recommend a new in box one for their first purchase to avoid any problems/hassles that may occur? Also, do ALL Pleos have the battery issues with losing charges? So is it a must to get that egg charger? (Does the egg charger work on the RBs?)

Thanks for any and all help you guys can provide me.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

If you want something which requires less looking after then your only choice is a Ugobe, 2009 or Merlin model Pleo (all essentially the same thing but each successive model had some minor hardware upgrades.) Pleo RB's require care and feeding.

You don't need to know any programming to own a Pleo.

Stimulating is a matter of opinion, this is not a real animal, so don't expect it to do something completely random.

Durability/longevity are complex, these are very complex things with thousands of moving parts, wires, sensors etc, things go wrong from time to time. Remember people are more likely to come online to complain/seek help and this does not represent accurate data. For every complaint there may be a dozen others who are happy.

The green batteries have not been made for a couple of years now, so any Pleo you get is going to have a battery that has been rotting for at least two years. And NiMH batteries do not like to be left sitting. So yes, many are dead now. The white li-poly batteries are for Ugobe/2009 Pleo's only (not sure about Merlin but assume they are compatible). Pleo RB comes with it's own brown li-poly batteries.

Any Ugobe Pleo sold as new in box is still over two years old. So just bear that in mind.

[Midorime]

Hm, that makes a lot of sense, thank you very much. So with this in mind, would you recommend version 1? Just not sure which one to go for though, you said there were minor hardware updates, which is the most current?

[kat]

Ugobe pleos are the oldest but also the cheapest and most plentiful, I think the 2009 pleo and the Merlin pleo came out about the same time - in 2009.  They were both done by Innvo and you will find are both quite expensive considering that they are effectively the same thing as a ugobe pleo.  The only real difference being that they have newer parts as they were made at a much later date. 
If it is cost effective that you are after I would recommend going for a Ugobe pleo maybe look for the ones sold on ebay as new in box (nib) this means they have not been played with by anyone else, they are not new but also not used.  There is one company who sells these on ebay for $200 with free shipping and an extra battery.  I bought one of these in the past and he works great, even both his batteries worked fine when he came so I could take my time ordering an egg battery for him. 
If you go for a nib pleo then his skin should be perfect with no signs of wear and tear and as he has never been turned on his inner workings should be in good condition too also with no wear and tear. 
Going for a second hand pleo can work out to be a cheaper option but not always and with second hand you have to expect wear and tear on the skin and paint and also the insides.  So if you go this route then be sure to ask for lots of photos showing  the pleos outside from every angle, and a video showing him working.  Also ask lots of questions about his condition before you commit to buy.
Hope that helps

[Midorime]

That actually helps a lot, kat, thank you.

I currently only see the Merlin Pleos for sale right now, and a few new ones being sold, but for a hefty price. There's also an RB, it's been used, though. Sadly they didn't take a picture of the eyes, (they're closed), but it looks almost new from the pictures. Another seller took pictures of their NIB for me to see the skin condition to make sure there was no dryrot. Looked great, but there's bidders already, and I might not want to go for a fight if it goes too high in price.

I'll keep an eye out, though. Maybe I'll get randomly lucky, if I even have any luck.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Also take a look here http://bobthepleo.com/forums/index.php?topic=3635.0 Frontbate have good deals and if you spend a few minutes googling you'll probably find a coupon

[Midorime]

Ooooo do those work? If so i am very tempted, could get an RB at a real steal of a price! Has anyone purchased from Frontgate before?

EDIT: Tried applying various codes while in the checkout part just to see if it'd work, and nope.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

If you sign up for an account they'll send you a code for free shipping, otherwise keep looking for codes that work or just wait for a sale.

Even without coupons it's a great price.

[kat]

At least one person has purchased from frontgate before so we know they are legitimate

[Midorime]

That's good to hear, thanks guys.