Copier Life Expectancy

There is a great post on this topic on the Ricoh Family Group P4P Hotel Message Boards. The question asked "Does anyone have any data on copier life expectancy?"

Here's what our members answered with:

I would say as long as they have parts available, whether new parts or from old trade ins. One of the conversations that I have with people is that unlike before, our systems now have two lives to consider.

Because our systems are now an integral part of the overall technology of a business or organization, they need to not only realize that there are both a mechanical and a functional lifespan to their system.

As I said earlier, as long as there are parts available, we can keep a copier going, however, because they are asking these systems to be a huge part of their technology they must consider when that unit ceases to be a productive part of the business. When does it functionally become a part of the problem rather than a part of the solution. Just as a business doesn't want to use 5,6 or 7 or older computers because of their becoming obsolete, do they really want a vital piece of their technology to become a drag on productivity. Just my two cents worth.

Indiana

Yes, I agree, most companies outgrow their copier. Obviously, the most important change was in connectivity. Digital technology and modular technology added to reliability and total uptime for productivity. Whereas with analog machines, they are older, cheaper and they can be rebuilt until the cows come home.

DC

Ricoh use to claim that they would guarantee parts availability for 7 years after a product was discontinued. Not sure if that still holds true but that was the standard.

USA

It is actually the law that any manufacturer must maintain parts for 7 years after the last date that the product is sold new.

Texas

What kind of law? How would that be enforced on overseas manufacturers?

DC

It appears that is a legend. I couldn't find any federal law covering that, but here are some state laws covering it...

Parts Availability Laws

Can your item be repaired? If parts are required, are they available to a servicer? In some states, the answer may be "no."

California:
7 years after date of manufacture for goods with a wholesale value of $100 or more, 3years for items valued at $50 to $99.99. This law covers functional parts only.
Connecticut:
4 years after the date of final sale.
Indiana:
7 years after the date of final sale.
Rhode Island:
4 years after final sale.
New Hampshire:
For goods valued at over $100, parts and service info for the period of time covered by the warranty.
BTW, these are enforced on overseas manufacturers because they cover any product "sold within the state".

TN

Is this site great or what? Thanks! I guess if you are an overseas manufacturer wanting to do business in every state, you would probably adopt a policy that would cover the laws of every one. No telling how much the rest of the country is paying for laws passed in the state of California. I bought a stud finder the other day. It came with instructions to wash my hands after every use because the State of California has determined that lead in the plastic may be hazardous to my health.

TX

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That's just a few of the threads on the topic, in my 28 years in the field, I would have to say that we are still servicing some machines that are over 10 years old! It all depends on how long the manufacturer will keep parts on hand for. The average life span of a copier will vary greatly and is dependent upon usage, technical expertise and environment.

-=Good Selling=-