DC 8000 Service Lifetime

[Joe Arseneau · Accepted solution]

The diagnostic tool is not available to the public. I don't even have access and I'm with Xerox.

I can't really comment on anything else though, possibly somebody else will, btu I'm in Canada and can't even give hints on how stuff works in other companies, especially third parties, in other parts of the world .

Sorry.

[nuketank]

Hi Joe, thanks again for the very informative explanations. 

Maybe I should explain a little bit about my terms/contracts. As there is no FX as a company here in Indonesia, another company under the name of Astragraphia is a partner and sole distributor for all FXs machines. Upon purchasing and installing the DC 8000 in 2007 I was given a sure term of total service guarantee (spare parts, service, etc) for 5 years. With a yearly agreement for similar service guarantee every year ever since. This yearly agreement is not on paper and its just base on a continuation of support for spares from principal Fuji Xerox (as a company/not regional). 

This year I was given a letter saying support for the 8000 is terminating in 2016 and therefore they will have to do the same for my machine. FYI, it has been very hard getting slow moving spare parts here. The last time a controller unit was fried and they need to send spare from the Netherlands instead of Singapore where FX asia pacific is suppose to cover.

So base on this experience how do you see the continuation of such contract/agreement or whatever they call it? I still have till the end of the year but what happens after that. Is it possible to service the machine as a consumer? I realised the tech guy always brought in a laptop with a diagnostic tool to see what is wrong with every error. How can we get such diagnostic tool? And is it suppose to be available for consumers? I dont mind purchasing spares on my own including the toner catridges. FYI also I am charged about $0.06 per click and can certainly afford buying my own spares. But I suppose I need to have the diagnostic tool to know what spares is needed.

The termination letter is under the distributor here and not actually from FX. I have pressed for the same letter from FX as a principal to be able to accept the termination letter. It has been 2 weeks and they cannot produce such letter. I have a feeling this is a one sided termination because they are somehow forcing me to buy a new machine and or the operating cost for the 8000 is so high for them to keep maintaining.

Hope you can shed some light on the matter and thanks again for all the informations and help you have given. Really appreciate it. Cheers.

[Joe Arseneau]

I work for Xerox, not Fuji Xerox, so again, nothing I say is official.

There are absolutely still people running an 8000, and still will be for some time.

The contracts are binding though, they can't just cancel your contract since you already paid for it. I imagine in some places they could buy out your contract, but the more likely option is they support you until the current agreement ends. Just because FX stopped manufacturing parts doesn't mean there are none left, there are parts in boxes on crates in Warehouses all over the world collecting dust.

Think of it like cars, The Manufacturer is legally mandated to produce spares for their cars for 15 years. At the end of 15 years you can still get parts, it just gets much harder over time.

[nuketank]

Hi Joe, thanks for the quick reply. Just wondering what do you mean by running its course. I realised that on average a production machine would have a 5 years contract. Then this usually will be renewed every one year automatically and has been for the past 3 years for me. Its only this year that they are letting it go saying due to the discontinued support from Fuji Xerox and they could not supply the necessary spare parts anymore. My question really is does anyone else with a DC 8000 still have it under maintenance from Fuji Xerox or at least still running them? Cheers.

[Joe Arseneau]

I imagine they are stating that development has officially ended. So if you can't print when the next PC OS comes out you can't expect a fix.

But that is just a guess.

If you have a Xerox contract (Maintenance agreement), at least in North America. They do not cancel it, they will let it run its course, you just are not able to renew it after it expires.

To get a response from Fuji-Xerox you really need to ask Fuji-Xerox. You won't get legal advice on a forum post. Best to call.

[nuketank]

Hi All, this is my first time posting on the forum. I am a proud owner of a DC 8000 and had it for almost 8 years. I have received a bitter letter from Fuji Xerox in Indonesia saying that the service contract is being terminated. What I want to find out is whether this is a one way breach as Fuji Xerox does not sell directly but via a reseller. I want to confirm about the service lifetime of such machine and/or Fuji Xerox machines in general. Thanks.