Had to choose between a 14 year old gearless and a new MRL for a retrofit last spring

I was bidding a job at a 12 story office building in downtown Portland. The old geared traction unit was shot, bearings grinding like gravel. I had to pick between a used 2009 Otis Gen2 that was sitting in a warehouse or a brand new MRL from a smaller supplier. I went with the Gen2 because I knew the controller layout like the back of my hand. Saved the client about 8 grand upfront but I spent an extra day sorting out a bad encoder that the warehouse didn't tell me about. Would you guys ever gamble on a used unit again or stick with new every time?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_king2322d ago

Did the owner sign off on the used Gen2 knowing it was sitting in a warehouse that long? I've seen those units come with hidden issues nobody talks about like worn belts or software that hasn't been updated in years. The encoder problem you ran into is exactly the kind of thing that kills your margin when you have to eat the labor to sort it out. Sometimes the "savings" upfront just get eaten by your own time troubleshooting. What was your total cost difference after factoring in that extra day and the encoder?

kevin_sullivan22d ago

Wait, isn't that the whole point of buying used though? You're supposed to trade a little risk for a much lower upfront cost, otherwise everyone would just buy new. The encoder thing is annoying but it's a known failure point on those Gen2s, not some hidden secret. And honestly, one extra day of labor versus the price difference between new and used still probably comes out way ahead if you bought it right.