360 sales are inflated due to redundant purchases from impatient gamers.

[welshbloke]

If current 360 died I would probably buy an arcade whilst I waited for the original to be returned assuming it was a RROD incident.

Why? I was already thinking of getting a second console due to the low price. I am lucky enough to possess to HD ready TV's. So all this would do is trigger me to purchase early.

The only thing I get out of your post here is a kid may or may not of bothered to replace his Xbox which he may or may not of been able to replace under warranty. You ever hear of clutching at straws.

If Microsoft have consumers who would rather purchase another console than get it repaired then Microsoft have got more going for them than I give them credit for. If what is more likely he loves his Xbox so much he cannot live or sleep at night (probably because he used it to warm his room up) then the sale will go into the melting pot either via Ebay a friend or simply a second console.

Of course if your more expensive console was to fail then I suspect this would be a more unlikely outcome although I do know at least 2 people who own a PS3 because it came free with the Telly and the TV purchases did not want it. How does that affect the numbers I wonder?... I know I will start another thread on that very topic.