When you come to buy a digital press you will find three choices for the same model: new, refurbished, or used as it stands. The difference between them is not only price. It is who carries the risk.
We sell refurbished machines, so that is what we know well. But we will explain all three fairly, so you can choose what suits your situation.
The three in one table
| New | Refurbished | Used, as it stands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Highest | In the middle | Lowest |
| Condition | From the factory | Inspected, wear parts replaced, and tested | As it is, with nobody vouching for it |
| Warranty | Manufacturer’s warranty | Warranty from whoever refurbished it | Usually none |
| Risk | Lowest | Low, if the refurbishment is real | All of it on you |
| Suits | A large print shop with secured work and finance | Most print shops | Someone with a skilled technician and spare parts |
The new machine
You get the latest model and the manufacturer’s warranty, and you do not think about the condition of any part. In return its price is the highest by a wide margin, and the capital you put into it needs a large, secured volume of work to come back.
If you have steady contracts and finance, new is a reasonable choice. If you are still building your business, that price difference may be working capital you need more.
Used, as it stands
This is the machine sold from one print shop to another, or brought in from abroad and sold without anyone opening it. Its price is tempting, and the problem is that you do not know what you are buying:
- The drums, developer and fuser may be at the end of their life, and replacing them all is a large expense.
- It may have a fault that shows only after continuous work.
- There is nobody to call when it stops.
It works if you have a technician who understands this particular model, a source of spare parts, and are ready to spend on it after buying. Otherwise the cheap price is only the first payment.
Refurbished
A used machine that has been opened and inspected, had the parts near the end of their life replaced, been tested on real work before sale, and carries a warranty. You get a working machine at a clearly lower price than new, and there is someone responsible for it after the sale.
But take care: anyone can say “refurbished”. What separates real refurbishment from polishing is the answers to the questions below.
Eight questions to ask before buying any machine that is not new
- Where does the machine come from? And what grade is it?
- Which parts were replaced? Ask for the list: drums, developer, cleaning parts, fuser parts, transfer belt.
- Can I see it running? Not a video. In front of you.
- Can I print my own file on it? On the paper I use, and in a quantity that shows colour consistency, not a single sheet.
- What is the warranty? Its length, and whether it covers parts, labour, or both.
- Who installs and trains? And is that in the price?
- Do you hold the spare parts and toner? Or will I wait for them to be ordered?
- If it stops, who answers me? And how soon?
Whoever answers all eight clearly is selling you a refurbished machine. Whoever dodges them is selling you a used machine at a refurbished price.
Count it properly: the price is not the last number
Compare on the full cost of the first year, not on the purchase price:
- The purchase price.
- The parts you will need to replace in the first months.
- Shipping, installation and training, if not in the price.
- Expected days of downtime, where every idle day costs you work not delivered.
Counted that way, the cheap used machine often comes out dearer than the refurbished one.
What we do at Makka
We bring in grade-A machines from Germany and the Netherlands, refurbish them with our own engineers, and deliver them with installation and training. Machines installed in Egypt carry a warranty of 6 months or 10,000 copies. After the warranty, service, spare parts and toner continue with you.
And before anything else: come to the showroom, print your sample on the machine, and see the quality yourself.
