As I suspected, according to this Oh-so-helpful link: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=21761 the Symmetry has the better components. With bikes, newer doesn't mean better unless you are talking about the exactly same bike. Compare the Symmetry and the Newest 3.0 on same years and you will see that the Symmetry is the better bike. You have to decide whether what that person is asking for it is fair given the age and condition of the bike. If it's been well-maintained then it may be worth it.