Help Toshiba e-Studio353 Reliability

[mdcrazy]

I have recently been quoted for 8 e-Studio353 MFP's. The salesman has specified that we would be on a 2hr red flag response time.
1. Are the e-Studio 353's reliable. I have read that the e-series mfp's aren't so good.
2. Is a 2 hr response time legitamate or is this a sales trick?
Thanks,

[mo0651]

Salesman are to sell machines. Call the service dept. ask how many techs are factory trained on this model. Gets you a realistic picture.

[ivovb]

Concerning reliability - it is quite good (nobody perfect), more than better than average. It is better to compare to another brand/model.

2hr response time - how far is service dept.? is it response time for service man call back or service man on place? It is short time but not impossible?

BR

[ToshibaTech]

IMO the 353 series is a very reliable machine. In a lot of aspects it is the basic same design that has been used since the e45/35 series (several many years.) Do yourself a favor and get the salesman to throw in waste toner bottles, or if he won't; just buy them from your service company instead of emptying them out. It will keep the machine a lot cleaner and run a lot longer in between emptying waste toners. Make sure you set up one user to know everything about his/her machine: adding toner, clearing jams, changing paper sizes, changing waste toner container, ... --everything-- That will go a lot further in how "reliable" the machine is than how it is actually built, most problems I come across are either induced by the user or magnified by the user not understanding anything about the machine. Make sure they train you well.

2hr response is pretty quick, I bet that is only if the machine is shut down.

[Golfnut27]

Having been in this business for 30 years, I will state I am not a Toshiba fan.
Several questions pop into my mind about this post:
1) What is the Image Volume on these machines? The range? How much is copy vs print?
2) What options are on the machines? Finishers, Scanning?
3) 2 hr response is impossible to Guarantee..period. I would question other claims this salesman might have made.
4) Number of Technicians is a factor, but how long have they been with the organization? Experience in both the Mechanical & Network level of the machine.

Lastly, I think other choices of machine would be a better solution.

[ivovb]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Golfnut27
	Lastly, I think other choices of machine would be a better solution.

Like what?

[blaineV]

	Quote:
	Having been in this business for 30 years, I will state I am not a Toshiba fan.

Obviously you wouldn't recommend it.

I have maintained and networked many Toshiba's, and most with well over a million print/copy, and no issues, as long as you maintain them.

All salesmen are clearly gonna use the best possible numbers no matter the make of the machine. It's the service guys that will dictate your experiences.

[hoff247]

I have been working on toshibas for 10 years and the e35 series up to the e353 are some of the better machines. Almost identical design, using mostly the same parts through the whole series. Drums and fuser rollers will last over 400k. I would rather have a 453 over one of the consoles.

[_CopyGirl]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by hoff247
	I have been working on toshibas for 10 years and the e35 series up to the e353 are some of the better machines. Almost identical design, using mostly the same parts through the whole series. Drums and fuser rollers will last over 400k. I would rather have a 453 over one of the consoles.

Yep I 2nd this.
Good machine as long you use Tosh parts and it is serviced when asked at the correct PM and someone good at the job they do.

[alanroper]

Agree they are a good machine, but basically obsolete now as they have been superceeded by the 355 455 series based on the e Bridge 3 architecture. Lots of new goodies in these with colour scanning, scan to usb, Slim pdf etc...
Untried hardware as they are so new but look good..
Reckon they will be a belter of a machine, but if you dont need all the bells and whistles go with the 353s if the price is right.
Good Luck