HP-48S vs. 48G vs. 42S

[JDW]

I am aware the 48GX is the cream of the crop in the 48-series, but I wish to focus on comparing the slimmer and lighter HP scientific models in this post.

4 questions:

1. Was there a black LCD edition of either the 48S or 48G?

2. Are the physical dimensions and weight of the 48S and 48G exactly the same?

3. Are there any "must have" reasons to choose the 48G over the S?

4. I hear the 42S is "the best calc HP ever made," and yet many I see on EBAY, selling for $230 to $330, have chipped paint or dents in what appears to be a metal plate in the calculator. How does it sell at those prices despite unsightly cosmetic damage? I've owned a 28S for 26 years and never had such ghastly damage even after a drop. So with that "negative" in mind, what would make the 42S superior to the 48S? Sentimental value alone? Or is it that the 42S is simply thinner and lighter than the 48S? Something else?

Thank you.