Extended Warranty?

[Colin]

In a month it will be one year since buying my new Roland SP540i, so I just received a note in the mail with the extended warranty options (Silver: $1795 / Gold: $2395 / Platinum: $2995).

I like to hear your opinion on this. Given that I'm not a high-production shop, and that I am quite fastidious about maintenance & cleanliness, it seems like it would not be a wise expenditure for me.

 

[brush1]

My experience.
I have 2 SP 540V. One is 6 years old, another around 4.
I didn't spent any single $$$ for warranty issues after warranty expired.
I replaced head in one but it was my fault.

 

[Colin]

Ya, the general consensus on buying ext'd warranties on any household electronic device (TV, phone, fax, toaster, desktop printer, etc) is not money well spent, but I guess I'm wondering if that also applies to these printers.

 

[Gino]

Ours came with a two year warranty and never needed a thing. After three and a half years, we replaced the encoder plastic strip which was a piece of cake. Much later then, we had a problem with contour cutting dead balls on. The tech couldn't fix it after a few tries and actually ruined some other things in the process, but we switched to DRamm and his dad came to our rescue and now it's running swimmingly well.

I'm always hesitant of extended warranties.


Bedsides, you'll probably be swapping it out for another one in three or four years. Once ya have one, you're always upgrading and technology comes with a price.... and usually a new printer.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Our machine is about 3 years old, we are in the same boat as you, we are not a high production shop. I have yet to need any type of maintenance on the machine outside of the usual.

I would do the same thing I do when asked if I want an extended warrenty at Future Shop, take the money it would cost and put it in a savings account, if you don't end up needing it, great, if you do need to repair something, chances are you will have a good chunk of the cost already in the account.

 

[brush1]

It is about luck. If you are lucky is usless.
If I will do this for 2 printers it will cost fortune.

 

[bob]

Never ever buy an extended warranty on anything. You're always better off working without a net in this regard.

Since the people offering the warranty at $X per time period are making money doing so, this unequivocally states that the probability of your doing $X damage to whatever it might be that you're warranting is small.

The purveyors of extended warranties are always fond of telling horror stories of how some customer or another of theirs was saved from certain destruction when his warranted machine melted down, was carried off by dwarves, or whatever. What they don't tell you is how many warranted customers experienced no problems. The ratio of the latter to the former is thousands to one.

 

[TheSnowman]

My Mimaki is 6+ years old and the only trouble I ever had was at the start of it's life right out of the crate, and they stood behind that. I felt like those prices were outrageous, but I as well am a small shop.

I'd say I've MAYBE spent $700 in repairs since I bought it initially, and all the repairs I was able to do on my own w/ the help of an Advantage Tech helping me.

Maybe it's luck, and maybe it's maintenance, and maybe it's a well built machine. Just depends what you feel like you've got...but something would have to go MEGA wrong to cover 3K on a one year old machine.

 

[Colin]

They are certainly using the old tool of fear as well. Here's one line from the letter:

"Note that your unit has 2-4 heads. With the average cost of a single service call at $985 - $2390 for one print head replacement, you can see that this service plan offers a very cost-effective way to extend your warranty for an entire year. You'll be glad to know that the service plan covers parts, labor, and travel."


I hate it when large companies do this. In their advertising lures to get you to buy their product, they boast about how reliable, solid & dependable their product is, then once you buy it, they attempt to instill the element of fear into you by suggesting how their product might fail and cost you big bucks.

 

[signage]

When I am asked about extended warranties I reply with "are you telling me I am buying a piece of crap"

 

[EricRamse]

In place of paying for a warranty, you could set aside a cost item monthly for non-warrantied and non-service contracted equipment. When something does go wrong you've got cash on hand to take care of it, or you could re-invest those funds. Nothing worse than PAYING hundreds or thousands for a warranty and never using it, just pay yourself a fixed amount instead.