Buying used vs new with student warrantee welch allyn set

[kelzie]

I have noticed quite a few panoptic sets for sale online that have only been used for school purposes. I'll be starting school this year and current students recommend the panoptic set; they said a rep will come to the school to offer student discounts, including a warrantee that covers anything while we're still in school.

I was wondering what other's experiences have been with buying used (and saving a couple or more hundred dollars) or new and having to use the warrantee. What are opinions on if it is it worth the risk to buy used and not have the warrantee?

[fishbum]

The warranty might be useful if you were going to use the thing more than a dozen or so times before you turn around and sell it after graduation. I say buy used. 

[gc8]

If the company can justify sending a rep to your school, it is a sure sign that their products cost way too much. 

Every program has different requirements, and I followed the advice of my classmates who were a year ahead of me in my program, and I bought the cheapest otoscope and opthalmoscope I could find, which was an off brand on Amazon. It did not at all affect my clinical skills learning. The only medical equipment I spent a substantial amount of money on was my stethoscope. So far in my clinical year, every clinic has the fancy Welch Allyn equipment in each exam room, and the only equipment I bring to the clinic is my stethoscope. 

[jpshoe]

I'm selling mine, PM if interested lol. Used probably 3 times the entire time I was in school, all of our practice rooms had equipment in them already, and I have no use for them in practice. 

[ProSpectre]

I don't disagree with those telling you to buy it used if you can get a great price on it, but I will say that the warranty on a new one can definitely prove useful. I bought my kit new through the rep they sent to our school, and my otoscope broke while I was performing an H&P in the ER this semester (normal use, not dropped or banged up). It was probably only the 5-6th time I had used it, and the first time on a real patient (the others were all on standardized patients or during practice labs). 

I just contacted Welch Allyn directly today, and they are sending a new one out immediately and free of charge ($160-210 if you bought that part individually online), with no hassle or questioning about how it broke. It may be worth it to see if the warranty is transferable if you were to buy a used one.   

[JD2012]

I have heard from prior year students that the warranty is no questions asked and very good.

Just curious how do they know if you bought it used?  

[kelzie]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I did end up buying a lightly used set (only used for PA school and for less than half the price of new), and everything seems to be in working order. I will look into seeing if it's possible to transfer the warrantee =-)

[JD2012]

On 5/3/2018 at 7:22 PM, kelzie said:

Thanks for the advice everyone! I did end up buying a lightly used set (only used for PA school and for less than half the price of new), and everything seems to be in working order. I will look into seeing if it's possible to transfer the warrantee

Keep me updated on warranty.

[JD2012]

Update - spoke to the welch allyn rep who came and spoke to our class about our kits. He stated, that if you have even a handed down Welch Allyn product it is covered under warranty, within reason as long as it isn't something that was handed down to you by your grandfather that he purchased in 1970.  But if it was something purchased in the past few years its warranty-able.