A fool and his money are soon parted.

I will, however, not blame the salesman too much.  He was probable a young kid trying to make a living, and was operating within the margin he was allowed to use for trades.

Of Course, he will be able to sell the II for close to twice what he "traded" for it, but I agree with the OP.  Why would you trade a machine that is relatively new, and pay that much difference for another machine that is roughly only cosmetically different from the one you already had in the closet?

Now if one is a collector, we know he would have had to have had it.  But he would not have traded, he would have kept the II, and probably wouldn't have paid full retail either.