repair costs

[framah]

My 11880 has had a stroke and  the matte black channel is 80% gone, never to come back.

Does anyone have a general idea of cost for a tech to come out and repair it.... parts cost.. labor costs?  I know the labor depends on how far they have to come and I'm at the end of the Earth in Ellsworth, me.

Not sure if it is worth fixing or just sell it as is and then get a Canon 44" printer.

This hasn't been the best printer I've owned, the 9900 was the best Epson. I could let that one sit for a month and throw a file to it and get a clean print every time.

This one needs to be tested and cleaned almost every time I go to print. Besides the permantly clogged channel, I'm getting a black mark 3/4" from the edge of the image all the way down the paper.

I'm fed up  enough with this printer that I'd rather switch companies.

Thoughts?   

[dgberg]

Know exactly what it costs for a 9900 repair.
Just had Decision One here for my 9900.
First call was $175 for the tech to come out, then $125 an hour from there.
My yellow channel was intermittent. Had a leak in the left ink bay and thought that was letting in air.
The tech had the left ink bay assembly along but that did not fix the problem.
Ordered the head and a replacement docking station per his suggestion as my 9900 was well used. (7 years of moderate use.)
He came back a week later for the docking station and head replacement. No second callout fee.
This guy was really sharp. He was here and gone for the head replacement/docking station in a half day.
Total bill $2900. Head was $1600. Cost around $2200 to replace the head and DS.
The other $700 was the first callout including parts.
Makes sense for me because I wanted to stay with K3 inks.
We drain k3 inks from dozens of carts we purchase used.
We have refillable carts for 3880,9890 and 9900 and about 10,000 ml of that ink on hand.
Not sure if it will make sense for you but for me it worked.
It is amazing how reasonable the cost of the parts are excluding the head.
Looking at the complexity of the ink bay and docking station you would think they would be $1000, instead they are a third of that.
The head price at $1600 seems out of line.

Ps: My guy was out of Lancaster, Pa and I am near Reading, Pa.
Maybe all of a 35 minute run for him. So I am guessing you will pay more based on where he comes from.

[framah]

Thanks, Dan...
Yeah, the techs would be probably coming from Boston so that is about 6 hours away.
With parts about $2,000 plus the 6 hours each way and the 4 hours actually working... possibly another $2,000, it doesn't sound worth it.

Almost better to put that much onto a new Canon 44" printer.

[Peter McLennan]

My 9800 suffered a head failure. I took it in my Sprinter van three hours drive to Spokane where I got the new head.,the dampers, the pump and the docking station replaced for about $2K  The head was $800.

I use refillable carts and 3rd party inks, so it was worth it to me.

[dgberg]

My 9800 suffered a head failure. I took it in my Sprinter van three hours drive to Spokane where I got the new head.,the dampers, the pump and the docking station replaced for about $2K  The head was $800.

I use refillable carts and 3rd party inks, so it was worth it to me.

Peter,
Do you think the price was only $800 because the age of the printer and they are trying to clear some stock?
Wasn't third party or used was it?
That is a great price regardless and is probably all they should cost.

[Peter McLennan]

It was ordered by a supposedly-certified Epson tech.  It was shipped from somewhere in the midwest - Michigan? and came in a branded Epson box, so it looked like it was authentic. 

Note that's for a 9800.  A pretty old printer.

Glad you think it's a good price.  It didn't strike me as very cheap.  I'm sorta wishing I'd bought one of these currently on sale HP Zxxx (can't recall model number accurately) printers for $2900 new instead.