It is the first Edge, not the 2 or the FX. Also it is not an envision plotter that is included, it appears to be an older model. If he doesn't have the software available, what should I expect to pay to get software? The biggest thing I am scared of is the printhead going out, from what I have read they are not cheap. Here is a picture of everything:
Actually what you have in your pic is the Edge LE which is the second model ... The Classic being the first. The plotter is not older necessarily, just not as expensive as an Envision. I've owned an Edge LE since 1998 and can only tell you that mine cost me $16K and my Envision plotter $10K. My two seats of Omega cost $3,500 each. I can't tell you the current value but I can tell you that I replaced my original Edge LE a couple of years ago with a factory rebuilt one that came with a 90 day warranty for $4K.
Guessing at current values, I would put the LE at $1500 to $2K and the GS15 plotter at $500 to $800. A copy of Omega 5 is around $3,500 and worth every penny. Frankly, however, I would counsel you that if you're worried about the possible cost of a repair or hung up on equipment costs then you are looking at it all wrong. You should instead be looking at what kind of items you can produce with it at better than average prices and what you should be doing to put yourself in the best position to attain a profitable return on your time and investment.
So let's examine that. I will start by telling you that since getting my Edge in 1998 I have produced about $900K worth of output with it. My original investment, including an Envision 375 plotter, software and supplies was $35K. I have since spent $3,500 for a second seat of Omega, $4K for a replacement printer, about $2K for repairs and sold my original Edge for $750. That's a total of $43,750 for 15 years of use and my setup is in perfect working order. I would guesstimate that my gross profit after materials consumed has been about $750,000, making my original investment in equipment and supplies about 6% if we counted the system and supplies today as having no value at all.
So if you're getting my drift, what I'm trying to say is that your concerns should be with getting up and running and profitable without regard to whether or not you're getting a good deal or not. Concern yourself with how you are going to learn how to get profitable production from a reliable setup as quickly as possible. An Edge system should put $50K to $100K profit into your business every year ... once you have it up and running and have learned the software.
Sign on the wall of a doughnut shop:
As you go through life my son,
Whatever be your goal.
Keep your eye upon the doughnut,
And not upon the hole.
