2010 Trek 8000 or 8500

i use to have a 99 8000 19" it was sweet. very reliable

theres really no pros and cons. same frame, 8500 has nicer parts. The real question is are the nicer components worth the extra grand?

If you want to run tubeless then the 8500 wheels are better suited to this.
i have the Reba fork on my 9.7 and find it as good as the Fox forks i've had before and the general components on the 8000 are fine, the carbon bars and seatpost on the 8500 are nice but you coud upgrade those bits anyway and get riser bars instead of the flats.

I have a new 8000 and I think you should save the thousand dollars and use it to upgrade to the XT shifters, handle bars, pedals, and brakes.