Answered by Vantix
Comparisons
Only after pricing the whole picture. The sticker price is usually lower; before deciding, price the answers to five questions: who installs it, who trains operators, where parts ship from, who you call during a production stop, and what recourse you have.
The purchase price will usually be lower, and for some buyers that is the correct trade.
The questions worth answering before deciding are practical ones. Who installs and commissions the machine. Who trains your operators. Where replacement parts ship from and how long they take to clear customs. Who you call at two in the morning on a production night. And what recourse exists if the machine does not perform as described.
Shops with real in-house maintenance depth often absorb all of that and do well. Shops without it frequently do not discover the difference until the first unplanned stop. The honest advice is to price the answers to those five questions, not just the machine.
