Ok... On the used or refurbished equipment part of this... you're in a minefield and danger zone, cause you could lose your shirt real quick. Be careful about Ebay!! You're not talking about a small centrifuge (a minor repair, like a compressor-motor is around $2,500.00!). Do The Stuff Below, Before You Buy Anything! (1) Whatever you do.. (A) Make sure you're able to purchase a renewable service contract that includes long-term availability of parts, labor and you don't have to ship the unit to get fixed (like a $1,000.00 in freight charges!!) ( Make sure you get in writing that the service contract is renewable, and how much the increased costs are for future contracts, and for how long you can renew it. © Make sure the company that makes it is still in business, and absolutely get a service-repair manual, a repair manual and contact the company to find out if they're going to continue to supply parts, and give them the serial number of the unit you want to buy and ask them for the sales AND repair-history of the unit!! (D) Contact your insurance carrier, and ask them for a policy-rider that if your centrifuge breaks down beyond repair; will they replace it?? "Business insurance"?? (E) There are 3rd party places that sell service contracts (like "squaredeal"-you'll occasionally see them on Ebay). (F) The dirty secret about the manufacturers is that they have a "secret inventory" of minor scratch-and-dent products that work as good-as-new, but they reserve them for only their "best customers" Ask them for this type of consideration if you're a non-profit organization, or; talk to them before you buy anything because they probably have some old marines sitting around the repair department they'd like to sell quickly, AND they'd give you a renewable service contract. Hope this helps. Dr.
