ok, well here's the story. i bought a game for the ps2 and well i saw it compared to the next gen version. and it was like the only game i've anticipated for a long time and so i was kinda disappointed that it was somewhat a watered down version of the next gen games. anyways, i'm thinking about buying an xbox 360 or a ps3. now, i have this friend who can sell me his 360 for 275 dollars. ok first, he's used it for 3 years and i've seen that it still runs pretty well. he says its a 60 or 80 gig (i forget, but 60 is good enough) and that in 3 years, he's only had the red ring of death once. i trust him, and so i think his 360 might be a bit more reliable than others. however, i can't shake this feeling that it still might have a chance to break down. i'm thinking about the ps3 because i've always had a ps2, and it just seems more reliable. my other friend said he's gone through 3 360's and i don't want to be like that. so basically, should i buy a new ps3 that's almost 150 dollars more, or my friend's used but reliable 360? I would like to save money but i don't want to spend extra money on a 360 that might need repairing in the future. can someone help me? if u guys need any clarification on the situation let me know and i'll try to respond. thanks

thanks guys for all your input (hey, who isn't biased these says lol). i just wanted to make sure the 360 performed better than the ps2 (u know, no glitches or anything, good graphics, good game flow, etc.). i'm just getting the feeling that the ps2 is approaching the day when someone will say "u still have a ps2, that thing is old" or something like that. yet i also don't want to regret buying the 360, but from what u guys say, it seems my fear is too high for what it's worth. thanks for all your input guys.

as for ppl tellling me don't get the core system, i don't think i have a choice.  my parents would never let me spend that much money, and i don't think i have that kind of money.  everything else costs at least $100 more, and my parents would kill me if they knew i had spent that much.  besides, i'm a high school sophmore, so i don't think i will be playing much video games in the future (damn school system).  i just wanted to see if the 360 was worth the purchase.  plus my summer is gonna be packed with other stuff.  but i still think that i'll have time to play the 360 over the summer if i got it.  but thanks for your input anyways.   

thanks julesmaester. glad u guys willing to help me out here.  and i'm glad alot of ppl can relate. well, there are two things i need to know:

is it worth the money ( i have the money, but i feel guilty spending so much money. yeah, i know it seems odd, but i just don't want to make a big purchase that i will regret)? i mean, the core syste, plus 3 games only, costs about $500. is that really worth it?

and, what are the technical differences between the ps2 and the 360? i know there are exclusive titles and such, but i want to know how the 360 compares to the ps2 in terms of performance (besides graphics)

 and i think that's about it.  if i do decide to buy it, i'll buy it this summer when i can get the money.  and, i know that if i do buy it, i'll buy the core package to save money, along with 3 games i might like (well, one i'll buy when it comes out in over half a year).

i've also heard that the 360 makes alot of noise compared to other systems and heats up quickly. is that true?

and i'm also interested in the specifications of the 360.  i mean, besides great titles and controllers and other add ons to the 360, what are the technical differences between the ps2 and 360 (besides graphics, i already know the 360 kicks ass on that lol)?