new or reconditioned console

You would recieve a refurbished console. Not a new one.

You seem to be working on the assumption that MS are using the same components as the 360 for their next console, and that it is more cost effective to pay to ship the older consoles, pay for an engineer to disassemble the components, ensure any personal
data is completely erased, assess and recondition components and then send them on to the factory to be used to assemble the new console, than to use completely new components.

Hi, the console is free on four sides, has been sent by Microsoft as reconditioned; but the same problem also had the first console that changed me.

And sixteen dead consoles isn't a waste of money?.

I agree that is a waste of money but it is just a waste of money sending it off, as I said they are more than likely to send you back someone else's old reconditioned console and that in itself is a gamble. Why bother putting up with an endless cycle of
sending consoles back and waiting only to have the reconditioned console to fail a week later, id rather be gaming. Most of the time the fixes they preform are cheap and only work for a certain amount of time until they fail again.

Did it state you were buying a new one, or a used? (maybe even reconditioned, if they do them?)

I cant see Amazon selling non official drives as official ones to be honest with you. Maybe you should post in technical help.