Wow, this has been a month of many changes. In short, I sold my lovely 2009 Mini Cooper "S" convertible, affectionately named "Chili," my trusty Canon 5D Mark III camera, my MSI GTX 970 graphics card, and my GoPro Hero 3 Black action cam.
After a few weeks of trying to sell my 2009 Mini Cooper "S" on Craigslist, I tried the cars.com website.
Previously, I tried selling my Mini Cooper "S" convertible on eBay but never had any luck. Craigslist was even worse - as none of the potential buyers seemed severe. Since my Mini had a 6-speed manual gearbox, I had to be sure with all callers that they could actually drive a manual transmission.
Many Americans no longer know or want to drive a manual-geared car. I enjoy shifting a manual transmission and originally bought this Mini for this very purpose. Potential buyers on Craigslist were all offering low bids in the hope that I was in a hurry. Craigslist is not a good place to sell cars (though I previously sold my Lexus RX300 and two motorcycles on Craigslist with no problems). Eventually, I did find two serious buyers - all on cars.com! The first potential buyer was serious until the last minute when his wife decided she would rather have a Porsche convertible. The second buyer liked the car and purchased it the same day. I hope he enjoys the car as much as I did.
I plan to replace the car with a nice dual-sport bike to take to dirt trails, especially in nearby Metcalf or Hollister. As much as I like cars, I like motorcycles much more. I will be taking the two-day "Intro to Dirt" class from Brian Garrahan in Hollister. Before purchasing one, I plan to learn how to handle a dirt bike on actual dirt trails. I am considering the Yamaha WR250R, a 4-stroke dirt bike that is light enough to ride on the street and on serious dirt roads. To tow the motorcycle on my Toyota Sienna minivan, I suggest adding a trailer hitch to attach a bike carrier.
Regarding photography, I sold my Canon 5D Mark III camera on eBay and replaced it with a Canon 5DS that my Dad purchased for my birthday from an outfit called BuyItDigital (eBay). I expected to get an imported Canon 5DS body (imported from Europe and without a U.S. warranty). Because of the exchange rate, camera bodies purchased in Europe can be cheaper than in the U.S. After placing an order, he got a call from Albert, who offered to upgrade me to a U.S. version for an extra $227. I agreed and patiently waited for the order. A week later, I received the Canon 5DS, but it was the European model as it came with a European charger without a U.S. warranty card. I am still resolving issues with BuyItDigital. The Canon 5DS works fine but is slower than the 5D Mark III due to the large 50-megabyte files coming from its 50-megapixel sensor.
After a few weeks of trying to sell my 2009 Mini Cooper "S" on Craigslist, I tried the cars.com website.
Previously, I tried selling my Mini Cooper "S" convertible on eBay but never had any luck. Craigslist was even worse - as none of the potential buyers seemed severe. Since my Mini had a 6-speed manual gearbox, I had to be sure with all callers that they could actually drive a manual transmission.
Many Americans no longer know or want to drive a manual-geared car. I enjoy shifting a manual transmission and originally bought this Mini for this very purpose. Potential buyers on Craigslist were all offering low bids in the hope that I was in a hurry. Craigslist is not a good place to sell cars (though I previously sold my Lexus RX300 and two motorcycles on Craigslist with no problems). Eventually, I did find two serious buyers - all on cars.com! The first potential buyer was serious until the last minute when his wife decided she would rather have a Porsche convertible. The second buyer liked the car and purchased it the same day. I hope he enjoys the car as much as I did.
I plan to replace the car with a nice dual-sport bike to take to dirt trails, especially in nearby Metcalf or Hollister. As much as I like cars, I like motorcycles much more. I will be taking the two-day "Intro to Dirt" class from Brian Garrahan in Hollister. Before purchasing one, I plan to learn how to handle a dirt bike on actual dirt trails. I am considering the Yamaha WR250R, a 4-stroke dirt bike that is light enough to ride on the street and on serious dirt roads. To tow the motorcycle on my Toyota Sienna minivan, I suggest adding a trailer hitch to attach a bike carrier.
Regarding photography, I sold my Canon 5D Mark III camera on eBay and replaced it with a Canon 5DS that my Dad purchased for my birthday from an outfit called BuyItDigital (eBay). I expected to get an imported Canon 5DS body (imported from Europe and without a U.S. warranty). Because of the exchange rate, camera bodies purchased in Europe can be cheaper than in the U.S. After placing an order, he got a call from Albert, who offered to upgrade me to a U.S. version for an extra $227. I agreed and patiently waited for the order. A week later, I received the Canon 5DS, but it was the European model as it came with a European charger without a U.S. warranty card. I am still resolving issues with BuyItDigital. The Canon 5DS works fine but is slower than the 5D Mark III due to the large 50-megabyte files coming from its 50-megapixel sensor.
I am looking forward to shooting with this new camera.
I replaced an old, trusty Bogen Manfrotto Digi 725B tripod with a MeFoto Globetrotter Carbon fiber tripod. This is a much sturdier, lighter tripod with a lovely ball head for shooting nature and still photos. I look forward to using it in the field. It comes with an excellent carry-on bag and packs very compactly.
My CanoScan Lide210 scanner died suddenly, and I needed to replace it with a newer version. I looked at many alternatives but eventually chose a CanoScan Lide 220 - a more recent version of the same scanner. It was inexpensive and well-rated. I had a good experience with Lide210, so I thought I would give Canon another chance.
The GoPro Hero4 Silver is smaller than my Hero3 "Black" and has an LCD in the back. This is very helpful in reviewing past footage. However, I am still concerned that battery life is terrible, though batteries are easy to replace.
I replaced an old, trusty Bogen Manfrotto Digi 725B tripod with a MeFoto Globetrotter Carbon fiber tripod. This is a much sturdier, lighter tripod with a lovely ball head for shooting nature and still photos. I look forward to using it in the field. It comes with an excellent carry-on bag and packs very compactly.
My CanoScan Lide210 scanner died suddenly, and I needed to replace it with a newer version. I looked at many alternatives but eventually chose a CanoScan Lide 220 - a more recent version of the same scanner. It was inexpensive and well-rated. I had a good experience with Lide210, so I thought I would give Canon another chance.
The GoPro Hero4 Silver is smaller than my Hero3 "Black" and has an LCD in the back. This is very helpful in reviewing past footage. However, I am still concerned that battery life is terrible, though batteries are easy to replace.
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