A factory "rebuild" question

Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as being
a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than regular
production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum cleaners,
carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have all worked
fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here to
share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other sites at
bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks

Larry wrote:
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as
being a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than
regular production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum
cleaners, carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have
all worked fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here
to share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other
sites at bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks
Pretty much the same. The factory rebuilt camera or other electonic device, may be one
that was a display model, a customer return, etc. Sometimes, it is a way to sell a
discontinued model or an overstock. I've done well with such purchases. Just make sure
it has the manufacturer's warrantee, not the stores.

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Larry wrote:
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as being
a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than regular
production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum cleaners,
carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have all worked
fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here to
share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other sites at
bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks

I checked into this option when I bought my digital camera last month.
Be very careful. There are lot of ways to get burned. Some companies
take a camera that was returned and just turn around and sell it as
refurbished. Often without the accessories that originally came with
the camera. As someone else said, there are often warranty issues. Ask
a lot of questions about the product before you buy. And check their
rating as a seller.
Hope this helps in your world.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as
being a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than regular
production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum cleaners,
carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have all worked
fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here to
share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other sites
at bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Generally, no, they are not "rebuilt" in any sense of the word. At best the
cameras have been tested by a technician and pronounced to be functional.
The warranty is the only thing that matters. Also, be warned that several
folks have posted that their rebuilt packages were missing items.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as
being a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than regular
production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum cleaners,
carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have all worked
fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here to
share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other sites
at bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks

Consumer Reports magazine commented on this about a year ago. They
recommended against buying "factory rebuilt" electronics, especially
cameras.

Some of these "rebuilt" cameras were actually returns from customers, and
they were simply repacked with little or no inspection.

Even the cameras that were actually inspected may have had a shoddy job done
in terms of being "rebuilt."

The warranties on rebuilt cameras are typically much shorter than the ones
offered on factory-fresh cameras, and often the warranty is issued by the
company that did the rebuild, not by the manufacturer. When a camera is
returned to them for repair, they typically just ship out another "rebuilt"
unit--and there is no assurance that the replacement is any better than the
item that you returned for repair. And there is virtually no chance to
return the replacement and get another one, because the warranty will have
run out by the time you get the first replacement. Some of those warranties
run only 30-60 days from the date of the initial purchase.

Most importantly, Consumer Reports stated that the prices for these
"rebuilt" cameras were no real bargain, relative to the prices of fresh, new
merchandise. They may exhibit scratches, fine cracks in the plastic
housings, and the buyer gets a short warranty period. Only the buyer can
determine if the risk of getting stuck with compromised merchandise is worth
the savings.

I can only comment that every time I have tried to save a buck by buying
compromised goods, I ended up paying double in the end, not counting my time
and aggravation. I usually stick to legitimate sales and I steer clear of
gray market, odd-lot jobbers, and any retailer that offers prices that seem
too good to be true. That's just my take on this--others may have an
entirely different viewpoint. I happen to be one of those people that will
regret getting second-rate merchandise more than I will regret the extra
cost of buying new, with warranty. The price is soon forgotten; the quality
is long remembered. I paid full retail price for my Spotmatic and ES
bodies, and all of my prime lenses, and they are all still working
splendidly after 30+ years. I received much more than my money's worth on
that equipment and I assure you that I don't remember (or care) about the
fact that it cost me a little more.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances as
being a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than regular
production models. This has saved me a lot of money on vacuum cleaners,
carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They have all worked
fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story here to
share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay and other sites
at bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks
Larry, thanks for asking that question. I wanted to know as well. Looks like
you have got some good responces.

If you do buy from ebay, check the sellers feedback history. Below 98%
starts to look questionable to me. Also watch for a lot of neutrals and
recent negatives.
John

Larry wrote:
Many years ago I read about factory re-built small home appliances
as
being a real bargain as they were tested much more thoroughly than
regular production models. This has saved me a lot of money on
vacuum
cleaners, carpet cleaners, power washers, etc. over the years. They
have all worked fine and lasted for years.

Does it hold true for digital cameras? Anyone have a success story
here to share? I see a lot of re-builds now being offered on eBay
and
other sites at bargain prices and with full factory warranties.

Thanks

I bought two "refurbs from B&H: each came with all included items in a
factory "sealed" package, looking new. The first was bad on arrival
(unintelligible LCD). B&H stopped selling the item, refunded very
quickly, including postage and insurance both ways.

Second one was at a 40% approx savings, and is still chugging along.

That's 50% positive experience with the items, 100% positive with B&H.