Losing my mind

Hi Ya'll,

I discovered y'all a few days ago and I'm just losing my mind and need some direction from the experts.

Here's the story. I'm not new to computers and don't mind digging in. I've officially trashed the laptop I've had since new in less than a year. Problem is I need a rugged computer to match my lifestyle. So I've settled on getting a CF-29 as it's in my affordable range. With that said I've been watching craigslist ads (with little success) and fleabay which has so many various configurations and prices my head is swimming.

Heres what I want in a toughbook:
CF-29 (Mark 4 or 5) 1.6GHz/1.5GB/=>160GB, CD/DVD, Touchscreen, GPS -internal...I want this unit as tough as possible and can install this myself based on the forums from you good folks.

When I say my head is spinning it boils down to prices, they seem all over the map. What is an fair price for such a machine without a ton of accumulated hours. For example while I don't know the hours this unit on fleabay seems fair but at the same time compared to others I've seen it seems cheap. Granted I've not asked them how many hours are on the clock but I'm having a hard time figuring out what is a fair price for what I'm looking for in decent shape.

Thanks in advance.

 

First of all, that guy on ebay, in my opinion is a RIP OFF... I would NEVER pay that for a CF-29 even if it was gold plated!

You can get DECENT CF-29's with touchscreens with 1.6's for about $400 - $500.

Remember a few things:

1) Don't worry about RAM, it's WAY cheaper to upgrade it yourself later.
2) Same with hard drives. These will ALL come stock with a 40GB drive. Purchase a 160+GB drive from Newegg and put it in the caddy and load windows yourself, you'll save BIG there.
3) Optical drives for ANY toughbook will burn a hole in your pocket! Stay away from them if you are trying to keep the price down. After all, after all your crap is loaded you WON'T NEED IT! Consider spending $60 on a Lite-on, USB powered DVD burner from Newegg as well...
4) Touchscreens can and WILL go out on CF-29 Mk2 - Mk5. The only way to GUARANTEE that a touch panel will last literally forever will be to get a slow, OLD Mk1/1.2GHz model, which the screen brightness and clarity at that point will be LESS THAN DISMAL.
5) I am NOT the expert on internal GPS on the 29's, but there are at LEAST 3 other guys on here that are, so just wait for them. I've never personally owned an internal GPS on my Toughbook because I have absolutely NO need for it as I have GPS on my phone AND in my truck on my little Navigon unit + I have a VERY expensive, top of the line $400 GPS unit that I bought for my fiance a few months back that I can use...

 

One more thing: My father always swore by the "HD" acronym motto in regards to his Harley... HD = Hundred Dollars, NOT Harley Davidson... this is TRUE of toughbooks too...

For example.
1) Emmisive backlit keyboard for the 29 = $100+ (I've been selling for $140 lately)
2) Combo drive for CF-29 = $100
3) Hard drive caddy for a CF-29 = $100
4) Misc stuff/GPS for a CF-29 $100...

It add's up VERY quickly..... If you add what I've got into my CF-30 you may loose sleep at night, as I HONESTLY have $4300 into my CF-30...

Good luck!

 

$400 to $500 CF-29(1.6ghz) just a basic one with 40gbhdd, base ram, lucky if you've got cd rom drive, battery! really used about 300cycle charged or above, TS! not sure if it working or not, case! beat up, and the last but not least no Gps internal. But maybe you were lucky enough to find a good one on that price with your requirements. I sell on ebay more than a thousand dollar unit CF-29 with all of your requirements. Not only me but a few member here and the moderator. We are proud of our product coz we spend sometimes to craft it inteligently and justifiable to its price. We are "not" a bunch of modder and refub...r who only know is to paint the LID by a can of spray paint and add some cheap crap accessories that made in china that last probably one day. Our product and hardware that we added into the unit is a high quality materials like the GPS antena(geohelix S active antena, taoglas antena). They are known manufacturer into this type of product.

More will be coming.....I am not yet done! I need to answer a call, Lol.


Ok! On the photo Gallery find the best setup of internal GPS. The CF-18, 19 and CF-30 will be posted next.

ohlip

 

The overall condidtion of the linked cf-29 looks nice
Its fully loaded so it is priced fairly
Others here will argue perhaps but they are the experts at finding deals

Question
How important is the gps to you
The stock cf-29 gps is just OK

If you can spend more you might be able to get a Rick or Teo custom model with a high performing GPS

Or

If you feel like modding,and have the time to collect the parts, you can do it all yourself and save money

 

I appreciate all the input. This is the quandary what is a 'fair' price. I understand that some products are better than others as this is just like anything else you buy in life but prices seem to be all over the place and that is why I'm trying to find out what 'fair' price for the what I tried to spec out. From what you guys posted so far it would appear a CF-29 1.6 TS in factory config should run $400-500. So what is fair to imagine then that the same model non-TS base config'd model should run?

Now let's talk options. What should be the average price range for options.

CD/DVD
GPS
Etc

Regarding how important is the GPS. Not absolute as I already have other GPS's but I think it would be nice to have one integrated into the TB so I don't have to bring the others with me and I can just grab the TB and go. When I use a GPS it 60% street/hwy 40% topo maps.

 

A good 29 is going to cost $500.00 at least
$100.00+ - Emmisive backlit keyboard
$100.00 - Media bay cd-burner with mod done
$35.00 - Restore disks
$200.00 - GPS Kit
$25.00 - OEM AC
$20.00 - Stylus

I started out with a $480.00 CF-29 but as you can see it takes no time at all for it to top $1000.00 and you still have to install it all.

 

I posted my photo Gallery just to give you some insight. As Blair(tough..ls) mentioned. It will added up plus the shipping of the additional components + manhour of course. Our price is Justifiable considering the upgrade. The thing that is not acceptable to me are those unit with full of crap selling on ebay for the price level to our unit that has no real big effort to their setup. I know that only people/buyer bought those kind of unit has no nothing what is the toughbook is all about. I received a few e-mailed from those buyer thats why I know. But its too late coz their is no return except DOA and if DOA just exchange no refund. It means lack of understanding to the part of a seller and the buyer. They just want to have a toughbook.


ohlip

 

A lot of sellers of the CF-29's buy them off of fleabay and give them a cheap paint job, put floor mats on them yes that is what I said...floor mat. Give them a fancy name like "black hawk down" or put a half nude women in the adds just to get you to look at it. Well many that bought from them are members now and the paint chipped off and the floor mats came unglued. These guys try to make a fast buck....get them in and out the door fast and they call this seller refurbished :laugh: . Give me a break. Check out there feedback rating % or better still find someone on here that bought from them.

 

The Toughbook that has been beat up or painted is like a used car
Double the price for condition alone

I have in the past, bought 2 cf-29's to make one good model

The stock GPS might work for you , you can easily add this later if you get a wwan model to start

 

I think I found it.

*Points to small grey lump quivering in the corner*

mnem
I haven't lost my mind. It's backed up on disc here somewhere...

 

Hello
I am getting ready to put 175 Cf-29 L and N models on ebay Monday 12-12-2010. I have some with 5,000 hours to three with 24,000 hours still in very good shape. CF-29 1.5gig ram 80 gig hd that was just put back to factory and I have tested all and have put the ones with the screen not working in there own area. If you like I can send you a link.

 

Do they have cd rom drive, What about a pictures? Also please no color and cheap acc...ries, Lol. I will take care of it.


ohlip

 

Not allowed to do that here
No member is allowed to promote his ,or in your case companies for sale products

Only selling that is allowed is personal items from private sellers in our marketplace area

Now with that out of the way I will pm you for the details
If they are a really good deal I will spread the info around to others
Remember we are well informed buyers ,and know a deal when we see it

 

@ first I thought a panted up Toughbook would be the ish! Then i kinda realized Automotive paint isn't exactly designed to be placed on an object that is going to come in contact with the world around it. As long as your car stays on the wheels and don't get into physical altercations with other cars the paint is safe. You would have to baby it like it was a Macbook air. @ that price I would never let that thing leave the desk of the sealed off a/c server room it sits in.

 

I have now found myself in the same position as supernovatx. I've been trawling through ebay listings for weeks now trying to decide which CF-29 I want or even if I want one at all when there are so many CF-28s about too.

Basically all I want is a complete CF-28 or CF-29 (except that I don't need yet another power supply, battery, or floppy drive). I'm not even certain that I even need a touchscreen for anything either and have no need for GPS or wireless on it. The bottom line is that it's just for my cats to watch their "Video Catnip" avi movie on and needs to be reasonably intact.

Everything I look at seems to be missing hard drives, caddies, RAM or most of the port covers no matter what the price is. It's driving me mad!

 

Well the floppy and cd drive will fit in a 28 or a 29 but the power supply and battery will not. Black tip for the 28 and yellow tip for the 29 power supply.
I have seen 28's for $80.00-$140.00 and 29's for $280.00- $350.00 "Buy It Now" all set to go. There is a 28 on there now that has everything, floppy/cd drive/ac/20 gb hdd/600 MHz for $120.00 shipped. The cd drive and hdd caddy is worth that.

 

@DR BLOOD, what format is the cat's movie? I can hook you up with a perfect CF-28 MK2, just not sure it will play the kittie's video.
CAP

 

@CAPT. DOGFISH. it's just a normal AVI file as far as I can tell. Ubuntu tells me that the codec that plays it is "DivX MPEG-4 Version 5" but the properties just say "AVI video (video/x-msvideo)". I have it running on a CF-27 using VLC Player so I'm pretty sure it will work on a CF-28.

I need a complete unit with all the covers etc. because anything that the cats can pull off, they will probably eat. So far the CF-27s have been ideal but I'm thinking that, since it's nearly Christmas, it's time to upgrade them.

 

@toughasnails. I'm looking at that $120 CF-28 now from the Wisconsin seller. It says it needs a good clean and looks like it's full of dust. I'm tempted by it though.

 

I'm sure that I am not the only curious one.
Video Catnip

PS.
Those baggies of dried catnip remind me of days long gone by. Makes me wonder how or why I lived through or remember it.
Today, I am truly thankful to be clean and sober. 7/4/1985

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son

 

Yup, that's the one. I ripped it to avi due to lack of a CD drive on my CF-27. It keeps the cats occupied while I'm at work.