If the dealer where I pay for a car runs a needless credit check, I would walk. They do NOT need to run any credit check on a cash sale. Even if you arranged your own financing, to them it's a cash sale. Unless I REALLY wanted that particular car, I would tell him if he runs an unnecessary credit check I'm not buying the car. And so my SSN is none of his business. Heck, I don't even give out my cell number to anyone.

I would never...ever....EVER....keep my SLR in the car. i even carry my backpack in the store with me if its hot out. On the other side of that, I used to keep my sony dsc-w80 in the car year round without any ill effects. I usually kept it in a case, up under the seat, and left a small crack in the window to vent the hot air. It was hardly ever hot when I went to use it. I would keep it down low though, since hot air rises. **This reply is for educational puroposes only. Any use of the advice herein is at the risk of the camera's owner** LOL:) Andy

Answering my own question here, but after a bit of noodling around, I found a cheap (less than $100) security recording system to replace my ancient one, drop in a hard drive, so decided to give it a try. About a fifth the weight, a quarter the size, lots more capabilities, takes both analog inputs and some digital/IP cameras (limited number though). If I were starting from scratch would probably go all digital but being able to use what I already have wired made this an easy decision. Terrible instructions with this unit, but eventually figured it out, and now I can see what's on the cameras from away on my phone. The only extra expense was that it made more sense to replace the ancient monitor (old connections, no hdmi, terrible image and burn-in), so a small cheap digital TV sacrificed, as it also fit the wallmount space and vesa mount perfectly. I had meant to measure the power draw on the old ones and forgot; given how big and old and hot, I could argue that on electricity alone they'll save some money (okay, likely not much). At any rate was only a matter of time with the old system - even the old hard drives it uses are increasingly hard to find and expensive (for what you get). I was pretty surprised at how much smaller and lighter newer gear is in comparison - not to mention reasonably priced.

Well, let me throw in my two cents. I reckon when it comes to keeping an eye on things outside your crib, having a solid CCTV camera is key. It's like having an extra set of eyes that never get tired! Now, about those cameras on the list, they seem pretty slick, but personally, I'm all about finding that sweet spot between quality and price. Ain't nobody got stacks to drop on something that's overkill, right? In my experience, durability is a biggie. You want something that can handle the elements without fizzling out on you when it starts pouring rain or snowing like crazy. Plus, ease of setup and use is clutch. Ain't nobody got time for complicated installations and tech dramas.