WTB: Canon Pixma Pro9000 or Pro 9000 Mark II

[Artur5]

After my old Pixma Pro9000 died recently, I'm looking for a compatible replacement so I can use my current printhead, CLI8 cartridges and bulk ink. I'm not interested in other models like the pro9500, pro100, etc.
Due to shipping costs and Customs fees, only offers from Europe, please.
I wouldn't mind if the printhead wasn't in top shape, but the printer itself must be working fine.
Thanks for your time and best regards
Artur

 

[The Hat]

I am sorry to hear of your great loss, but the only model that I know of that will come near to your criteria is a i9950.

It uses the same print head as the 9000 and BCI-6 cartridges, but can and will accept your CLI-8 cartridges flawlessly and without the need to reset the chips, these printers are still out there and can be found for sale second hand, I also still use one, even dough I have two Pro 9500...

 

[Artur5]

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't thought of the i9950. Yeah, chipped cartridges are a PITA
To be fair, I'd prefer a pro9000, original or Mark II. I checked Canon's web and there're still i9950 drivers for my current OS (Win7) but not for Win8/10. Besides, I have a fair amount of bottled CLI-8 ink that would be wasted,
Anyway, the problem is that I can't find any pro9000 in Europe, neither locally nor in ebay or other online sites. Buying from the USA is out of the question for the added costs, therefore maybe it's worth trying to find a i9950 in good working order. I have also a ip4000, so I can use my existing BCI-6 inks and I'd need to buy only Photo Cyan, Photo magenta, green and red BCI-6 inks.
Cheers
Artur

 

[The Hat]

@Artur5, please keeps us update on your quest to find a i9950..

 

[Artur5]

Update:
Finally I found a Pro9000 not far from home, so shipping cost was reasonable. Today arrived the printer carefully packed and wrapped in bubbled plastic sheet, but the sender must have switched it off simply pulling the power cable because the printhead wasn’t safely parked at right but sliding freely along the shaft. That wasn’t good.
All cartridges genuine Canon ( good) and totally empty. Upper side of the sponge still white, so probably never refilled. No ink in the cartridges prevented inks leak during the transit. I resetted them without problems.
I removed the printead. Nozzles seemed OK, no dried ink visible, Nevertheless I dropped a bit of cleaning liquid over the intake filters and also put paper towel soaked in the same liquid, under the nozzles region.
I reinstalled the printhead, and used my old cartridges (leaving the new ones for refilling later).
First standard nozzle check was good but an extended test in service mode revealed a few missing nozzles here and there. A couple of standard cleaning cycles and almost perfect. Just one green and one black nozzles stubbornly clogged, but 1 out of 768 is very good. My old printhead, that I carefully cleaned and stored, has around 15 green nozzles and 3 or 4 cyans clogged. Anyway, green ink is not used in most types of paper.
I printed several DIN A4 photos and saw no symptoms of starving ( no banding )
Printing the Eeprom info in service mode revealed that total pages printed is only 396. Waste ink pad info : D=004.6. So it seems that the vendor was right when he said that he had the printer for 7 or 8 years but it was scarcely used. Outside it’s in great condition, looking almost new; no scratches or damages. The CD tray wasn’t included but I have the one from my old printer.

For 120 euro I got a printer in good shape, an almost new printhead and one set of spare genuine Canon cartridges with working chips.
A new printhead costs as much, when shipping is included. So far, it seems a good deal.

 

[The Hat]

@Artur5, it sounds like you’ve landed on your feet with your newly purchased printer, I’d suggest you sit down with a glass of good red and have someone pat you on the back for a job well done, congratulations...

Thanks for the feed back...