It's comical to me that the customer "happened" upon a new ACS. How lucky is that? Oh sure, I might "happen" upon a quarter that someone dropped in the street...but a brand new Partner ACS with the LATEST software release AND telephones? Have her call me if she happens upon an S8300!
Why is this lady bashing you for a dead 509 processor that she came about posessing on her own? I'm with
aarenot on this one; bill her out on T&M! Personally, I'd rather not install a whole system unless I sold it anyway. To me, it's also a little disrespectful to buy a PBX on eBay and then expect a seasoned tech to put it in for cheap.
Dexman is probably right about the instruction sheet referring to an upgrade card.
You can know Metroline's repair "secrets" by reinspecting the processor when it has come back (provided that no tamper-proof stickers have been applied). Added wire traces or component replacement is usually pretty obvious, since it's all done by hand.
In general, I do not like to use hardware that's been repaired. Solid-state electronics is one of those technologies that either works, or it doesn't. You either have a DOA, or the stuff just sings for 15 years without incident. Loose connectors are one thing. But by the time a board needs this kind of repair, it needs to go in the ground so that a new school can be built over it.
The story that
lopes1211 tells is sad. I've only had one similar incident, which did not involve Metroline. The board I got stung on was a Merlin Messaging; talk about a costly mistake! In regard to the Partner 206 boards that his friend keeps sending in for repair: I'd say go buy a new refurb. These boards are now less than $90, so it wouldn't makes sense to spend $185 to repair them.