Secondhand Konica Minolta bizhub 550i on the Gold Coast

In plain terms

Konica Minolta placed the bizhub 550i in its bizhub 300i to 750i range, as the model that prints 55 pages a minute. Sister models and their A4 speeds: bizhub 300i (30), bizhub 360i (36), bizhub 450i (45) and bizhub 650i (65). Useful to know: it reads both sides of a double sided original in one pass, at as many as 140 images a minute, has room for 1,150 sheets (or 6,650 with extra paper options) and copes with card stock to 300 gsm. In Konica Minolta's range it has given way to the bizhub 551i.

Is it the right fit for your team?

Its natural home: thirty or more people, or a print room that runs much of the day. Plan on no more than 50,000 pages a month, which is the volume Konica Minolta recommends. If the business is growing, the bizhub 650i gives you 65 pages a minute in the same family. If your team prints less, compare it with the bizhub 450i, which manages 45 pages a minute.

Picking a grade, then a way to pay

A secondhand bizhub 550i comes in one of three grades. Renewed is the top grade, with more parts replaced so it looks and runs close to new, and it costs more than refurbished. Refurbished, the most popular, is cleaned, serviced and tested, with its worn parts replaced. Used is checked and working with less work done, for the lowest outlay. Rental, a lease or finance can run for as long as 60 months if the machine's age allows, or you can buy outright. Delivery, setup on your network, scanning setup and a run through for your team are in the price.

Bought outright without a service agreement, its warranty depends on the machine, and we tell you in writing what it is before the sale. With a service agreement, it is replaced if it fails, for the whole term. The lowest weekly rental, from $15 a week plus GST, is for selected machines, subject to approval.

Four things to ask about a secondhand machine

• The page count. Ask for it in writing; we give it before you sign. Pages printed tell you more about wear than the year a machine was made.
• The options on it. Find out what is attached, such as a stapling finisher, more paper drawers or a high capacity feeder. Each one changes the jobs it suits and the figure you pay.
• Who looks after it. A machine nobody can repair is no bargain, however little it costs. We only sell what we can service ourselves, everywhere we deliver.
• The running cost. Have the black and white and colour page rates put in writing, along with what each rate includes.