Printer Repairs

Analyze the pros and cons of out-of-warranty printer repairs.

As with other aging hardware assets, many times it doesn’t pay to spend money on an out-of-warranty printer repair.

Estimating the Value of an Aging Printer vs. Printer Repairs

Before agreeing to an expensive, out-of-warranty printer repair, always factor in the age of the printer, how it stacks up against newer models on the market and the replacement cost of the device.

For example, if my Hewlett Packard LaserJet 5 were to need a major repair, I’d have to investigate whether the repair would be a worthwhile investment. In 1997, the LaserJet 5 cost around $1,000. So I definitely got lots of good years and volume out of the device. Moreover, for around the same price I paid, I can get a new replacement laser printer, with a one-year warranty, that’s a minimum of two to three times faster than my existing printer.

Cost of a Printer Repair vs. Putting That Money Toward Replacement

So if I could repair my LaserJet 5 for $100 to $200, I’d probably make the investment and consider it a good spare printer for the future. If the cost were considerably more, I’d probably opt to purchase the newer model.

 

Printer Repairs Action Items

Are you aware, for budgeting purposes, that one major out-of-warranty repair on an aging printer may be more than the printer's book or depreciated value?

Do you have an idea of what it would cost to replace each of your printers with a newer, more up to date model, in the event that an aging printer was to suddenly break?

If an unexpected failure occurred on a printer you purchased several years ago, would you be prepared to replace the printer with a more current model?

Do you have an idea of what features you'd get in a newer printer that would be a substantial improvement over your existing printer?

Do you know what an average out-of-warranty printer repair costs on each printer that your company owns?

 

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