Pixma Pro 100's on eBay, why no print heads?

[RomansFiveEight]

Hey folks!

This is more of a curiosity than anything.

I bought the Pixma Pro 100 on the B&H Photo deal that runs a couple times a year. I know that people buy these up when they go on sale like this, cannibalize the ink and then put them up on eBay for next to nothing (There's one right now for $14.99 with free shipping; I'm not even sure how you ship one that cheap.)

It would make sense that they don't include the ink, since people are presumably cannibalizing them for the ink (though hopefully, they're at least installing the ink in the printer before using it because apparently they won't work without first running the setup ink? Some sort of built in DRM type thing to avoid the cannibalize / eBay flip thing?) But why are almost all of the Pro 100's on eBay sold without printheads? How long do the printheads last? Are people really keeping spares? Are they using them that often?

(Personally, floating $250 for 4-6 weeks, the headache of eBay and shipping, etc., would make me just pay full price for ink before doing the cannibalize thing...)

 

[kdsdata]

Hey folks!
...But why are almost all of the Pro 100's on eBay sold without printheads? How long do the printheads last? Are people really keeping spares? Are they using them that often?...

I suspect the print head issue comes up when users try to get the last little bit of ink out of carts, and a channel runs dry. That's fatal. No chance to recover from that. If you are diligent and check the ink periodically, and especially when you print a lot, then I am inclined to say that a print head can last a long time. If I get any sign of a missing channel in a color, I change cart, uncompromisingly. It's a cheap investment. I then go through the cleaning of that cart with windex, the drying, refilling, etc. This happens, with my 4 cart sets, at most to about 1-2 carts per year. I am set up for it and find it's no big bother. It's been cost effective, but it does take a while to get the wrinkles sorted out, before you have your own routine laid down.

I have had my Pro-100 for around 6-7 years. I use it 3-4 times a day for regular printing (text, emails, newsletters, etc.). This takes very little ink. Then, once in a while I get into printing a batch of photos. This takes a lot of ink, but because I may do say 300 plus photos. That's when I have my 3 sets of refill carts lined up, all filled (double inspected, nice and handy to insert when needed, etc.)

Good luck with your printing .

 

[RomansFiveEight]

Thanks!

I don't really plan to do refilling. I have a laser printer as well which will handle documents and the like; this will be used exclusively for photos. So I suspect I won't have any issues with the printhead then. Which is good to know!

 

[kdsdata]

Thanks!

I don't really plan to do refilling. I have a laser printer as well which will handle documents and the like; this will be used exclusively for photos. So I suspect I won't have any issues with the printhead then. Which is good to know!

As I said, just don't let the cart run dry. That's the most important rule.

 

[SkedAddled]

It would make sense that they don't include the ink, since people are presumably cannibalizing them for the ink (though hopefully, they're at least installing the ink in the printer before using it because apparently they won't work without first running the setup ink? Some sort of built in DRM type thing to avoid the cannibalize / eBay flip thing?) But why are almost all of the Pro 100's on eBay sold without printheads? How long do the printheads last? Are people really keeping spares?

There's no DRM-like setup that I've ever heard of.

Considering the cost of a replacement head OR cart set exceeds twice the cost of an after-rebate
printer, people are doing exactly what you think they are:
Cashing in on the rebate offer for hugely discounted inksets,
and obtaining spare replacement heads as a bonus.
This yields both an inkset and printhead for roughly 1/4 the cost
of outright purchasing both.
The printheads are kept as insurance against future trouble,
or as a necessary replacement for an already-owned printer.