Choosing between 2 FACScaliburs

Dear friends:
A local company has closed and they are offering their 2 caliburs for sale. 
We are jumping on the opportunity to have something to "bridge" until we get 
the real money for a new multicolor machine.

We are going to see them in 2 days and have to decide which one to take, 
more or less. I would be very grateful if you could help me with a list of 
things to test in order to decide. I won't have the time nor the experience 
to do a thorough test, but a simple list of things to look for that takes 
5-10 min would go a long way helping us which one to choose. They are both 
~4 years old, +- 1y. They are both 1 laser, 3 color machines without sorting 
or multiloader. We will be taking beads (one size, 6 peaks, fluorescing in 
all channels) and an unstained B cell line to test them.

As always your help is greatly appreciated!

uriel.

Uriel Trahtemberg, M.Sc.
MD/PhD student
The Laboratory for Cellular and Molecular Immunology
The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical Organization
Jerusalem - ISRAEL


"We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the 
beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields 
and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
 Winston [Leonard Spencer] Churchill