Question Oce Arizona 480 GT feedback (second hand)

[ImPeter]

Greetings, my first post here.
I was offered a 5 year old Oce Arizona 480GT (installed 12/2017). The price is quite nice compared to a new machine hence I'm considering buying it. The machine was under a maitenance contract, so supposedly it has been regurarily maintenanced.
I have zero UV/flatbad experience, been printing with HP Latex 300 series for some years and 700 now.
I looking for advice what to ask or what to check to be as sure as possible about its state?
Also I'm looking for info about its weaknesses, what are the most problematic parts? What is the real life expectancy of the heads, as their are expensive?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Pauly]

Most problematic parts are your white ink pumps. once they're swapped over to a modern brushless version, they'll never need to be changed.

other than that, ours has been a tank.

 

[edcooleyar]

Is the machine currently used daily? You should start with a nozzle check and ship print. If these have problems you could be in for big $$$ getting it running.

 

[ImPeter]

Is the machine currently used daily? You should start with a nozzle check and ship print. If these have problems you could be in for big $$$ getting it running.

I don't think that it is used daily. It least not for some time. Canon is to move the printer to us, install it and put it into working condition.

 

[edcooleyar]

Are you purchasing it from Canon? If so, that is good news. They routinely sell used machines they take as trade-in and agree to a fully functioning machine. Main concerns obviously are the ink systems. If a machine sits for an extended period the printheads are most likely shot.

 

[ImPeter]

Are you purchasing it from Canon? If so, that is good news. They routinely sell used machines they take as trade-in and agree to a fully functioning machine. Main concerns obviously are the ink systems. If a machine sits for an extended period the printheads are most likely shot.

I'm thinking of going for the maintenance contract that canon provides but it is quite pricey (it is around 10k/yr but includes printheads too).. If they have to change 1-2 printheads /year then its worth the price but if they only gonna perform the quarterly maintenance cleaning and nothing fails, its a lot of money.

 

[edcooleyar]

According to Canon guidance, you are going to replace .7 printheads per year.

That said, I know of many who have not had to replace printheads for years. It all depends on use and daily maintenance procedures.

$10k a year is not bad if it includes 2 printheads.