If you’re buying a refurbished C-Arm, new car, or even a lawnmower, understanding various sales terms is a crucial part of the process.
At iRad, we sell new and refurbished C-Arms. Often, we recognize refurbished C-Arms to offer terrific value based on your needs.
But perhaps you’re undecided on whether to go with new, refurbished, used — or something else. To help you sort out the varying types of units you come across in your search, we present the following 5 tips when buying a refurbished C-Arm.
Know What You’re Getting
“Like New” isn’t “New.” As the word suggests, a new C-Arm machine has never been used in a professional setting. Your guess is as good as ours what “Like New” means, and that’s because the C-Arm industry doesn’t have strictly enforced requirements when it comes to the term. “Like New” may mean nothing more than repairs to exterior blemishes and a fresh coat of paint. (Yes, we’ve seen such “Like New” models first-hand.)
Understand That New is More Than Shiny
Everyone likes new things because they have that new item shine to them. But the key benefit of a new C-Arm isn’t that shine; it’s the accompanying manufacturer support that comes with it. A new C-Arm will carry with it less ambiguous warranty support terms than conditions such as “Used” and “Like New.”
When Used Means W-A-R-N-I-N-G
Sometimes, people get lucky. The entire Las Vegas economy is predicated on this fact. There are used C-Arm units out there right now that are in good shape, relatively speaking, and will last a long time for the practice that purchases them. Those people are the lucky ones. Everyone else has to bet their revenue and patient service on a critical tool they acquired “As-Is” or with a 30-days warranty only. So, are you feeling lucky?
How a C-Arm is Like a Car
A retouched C-Arm has received minor updates or repair along in addition to some surface retouching with paint. Not often touched during a retouching process? The machine’s core components. The retouching process is equivalent to someone conducting basic maintenance on a car — like replacing and inspecting the car’s belts, oil, and air filters — but not looking carefully at its engine or transmission before selling it.
Why Pros Like Refurbished C-Arms
Refurbishing a C-Arm requires a thorough inspection — inside and out, top to bottom. If this sounds to you like it requires a significant amount of work, you’d be right. This process includes the inspection mentioned above of all core components, conducting recalibration and replacements as needed.
The C-Arm Market Should Serve You
It would be much easier if C-Arms came with labels such as “This Is the One for You” in addition to “New,” “Refurbished,” etc. Hopefully, these 5 tips when buying a refurbished C-Arm will help you identify the C-Arm that really IS for you. If you’d like additional support from subject-matter experts with decades of experience under their belts, contact us today. iRad is here for you.
