My Dilemma

[Gator5000e]

Morning. I have a dilemma. I have been using a ResMed Airsense 10. The motor is going bad on the machine as it's making a whinning type sound mostly when I breathe in. My backup machine, of course, is a Dreamstation 1. So of course I really shouldn't use that machine. So I am between a rock and a hard place. So a couple of questions, if I may:

1. I found a place online called Accurate Biomed Services that will, allegedly, fix the ResMed. Apparently there is a $65 service fee no matter what. They get the machine, estimate the cost of the repair. If you pay it, fine. If you don't want to pay it they will keep the $65 and if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well (they probably fix it anyway and then sell it); So I was hoping to get any thoughts on this company if anyone is familiar with them.

2. I guess my other option is to buy a new ResMed. The CME I have used (who has always been pretty useless IMHO) says the have absolutely no options for patients other then to call Phillips and get in line for a repair. They have no ResMeds or any other machines for customers. So my question, what are reasonable prices for a new machine? And are there reputable sites to try to find a low usage machine?

I realize all this timing sucks but what can I do? The ResMed is squealing loudly at night and the PR might kill me (ok, a bit dramatic!). But I kind of need to find a solution.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[RNeil]

If I had that trouble with my machine, I would buy a used one. DotMed seems to have some good deals.

[Dog Slobber]

If you pay it, fine. If you don't want to pay it they will keep the $65 and if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well (they probably fix it anyway and then sell it)

That can't be right.

Anybody that keeps your machine, after charging you to inspect can't be trusted.

Would you accept that policy from your car mechanic? Appliance repair?

[Pugsy]

I have used acbio.com to repair a machine. To be fair though...it was still under warranty which isn't the same as your situation.
I know of other forum members who have used them as well and in fact the owner is a forum member here.
So other warranty repairs as well as repairs out of warranty like your situation.
The $65 diagnostic charge...it's a fair charge because it does take time to go through a machine and figure out what might be wrong.
Time is money when in the repair business.

Don't forget to factor in cost of shipping to them and back to you in your estimate of expenses.
I have no idea what the repair cost will be but others here have used them for motor/fan replacement and maybe they can chime in but I expect at least 200 bucks. Sometimes it costs more to repair a machine than it is worth.

There are a few online sellers who offer used machines. I am really familiar with only one and that is secondwindcpap.com.
I know of several international buyers who have used them and have been extremely happy with their purchases. I have bought humidifiers from them in the past but not a blower unit myself...but I did recommend them to various international buyers and one in Australia accidentally bought the wrong model after I called secondwind and spoke to Mark (owner of secondwind) to alert him to the upcoming order. Long story there but the short version is that even though the error was made by the guy in Australia in the ordering process ....Mark immediately shipped the correct machine overnight to the guy...or as overnight as you can get with international sales..and didn't make the guy wait until he got the first machine back.
In other words...they do their best to help and make things right even when they didn't make the error. That goes a long way in my book.
They also offer a limited warranty on their used machines and a full warranty on new open box machines.

As to what a fair price is.....that's a tough one because there is this thing called supply and demand that drives prices in our US economy and the fact that for new machines ResMed pretty much sets the prices. Online retailers like cpap.com that sell new machines...ResMed sets the prices and it looks like they realize the old supply and demand thing as well.

My own personal opinion FWIW....I would plan at least 300 bucks for repair of the AirSense and then decide if I wanted to put that money towards repair or a newer machine (used or brand new).
Me....I would be contacting LSAT for a used machine because I have bought from him in the past. And his machines aren't much more than 300 bucks and I get a low hour used machine.

[Pugsy]

If you pay it, fine. If you don't want to pay it they will keep the $65 and if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well (they probably fix it anyway and then sell it)

That can't be right.

Anybody that keeps your machine, after charging you to inspect can't be trusted.

Would you accept that policy from your car mechanic? Appliance repair?

Actually...it's a common practice...and very fair. They will ship the machine back to you (you pay for shipping) without fixing it if you want them to but why would you want it back unfixed??? They only keep it if you don't want to pay for fixing it and don't want it back.

[Dog Slobber]

The OP did not say "They will ship the machine back to you (you pay for shipping)", which I do agree, is fair. He said, "if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well".

Which is why I said, "That can't be right.".

I would want the machine back, for spare parts. I have no problem taking things apart and repairing them myself. I do understand many don't.

[Pugsy]

The OP did not say "They will ship the machine back to you (you pay for shipping)", which I do agree, is fair. He said, "if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well".

Which is why I said, "That can't be right.".

I would want the machine back, for spare parts. I have no problem taking things apart and repairing them myself. I do understand many don't.

I know the OP wasn't clear but this is what I had a bit of a problem with

Anybody that keeps your machine, after charging you to inspect can't be trusted.

Insinuating that acbio.com can't be trusted and all that stuff. Perhaps different wording would have been more appropriate or clarification request before such a statement.

I realize that the OP may not have full stated or understood what happens if someone decides after having the diagnostic test that repair is simply too costly so I wanted to clarify that little bit.

I know people will read that you said "they can't be trusted" and then pass it on without the full context of what was being discussed.
I can just see it now. It's just what people do. Cherry pick the stuff they pass on and not the full context.
Acbio.com...they are good guys and they can be trusted. They are in business to make money though and that's entirely fair. People have to make money to stay in business.

BTW....car mechanics...I have personally done the take the truck to multiple repair shops to get the best price for fixing my problem.
Got bids from 1100 to 1700 to "I won't even work on it" for a truck heater problem I had that involved tons of labor and a cheap part.

[Gator5000e]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I wasn't trying to imply the company was not trustworthy. I am sorry if my post came across that way.

[Dog Slobber]

The OP did not say "They will ship the machine back to you (you pay for shipping)", which I do agree, is fair. He said, "if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well".

Which is why I said, "That can't be right.".

I would want the machine back, for spare parts. I have no problem taking things apart and repairing them myself. I do understand many don't.

I know the OP wasn't clear but this is what I had a bit of a problem with

Anybody that keeps your machine, after charging you to inspect can't be trusted.

Insinuating that acbio.com can't be trusted and all that stuff. Perhaps different wording would have been more appropriate or clarification request before such a statement.

I realize that the OP may not have full stated or understood what happens if someone decides after having the diagnostic test that repair is simply too costly so I wanted to clarify that little bit.

I didn't insinuate acbio couldn't be trusted. In fact, I was pretty deliberate to remove them from my post and to highlight the action that couldn't be trusted, not the entity.

The OP stated very clearly that the policy is what he understood the policy to be, yet you're suggesting that I should have asked him for clarification? What could I have possibly asked him to make him understand something that he already stated he understood?

I think your overreaction to me (without asking for clarification, BTW), is more is more off-point than any statement I made.

*fully preparing myself for a have a nice day response*

[HairyReasoner]

Apparently there is a $65 service fee no matter what. They get the machine, estimate the cost of the repair. If you pay it, fine. If you don't want to pay it they will keep the $65 and if I understood correctly, keep the machine as well (they probably fix it anyway and then sell it); So I was hoping to get any thoughts on this company if anyone is familiar with them.

Seems like a red flag to me. What's to stop them from telling you some huge price to repair it they know you won't do? Then they have your machine, with you paying them to take it, and they can fix it and sell it for more money yet. They'll make more money on the resale than they'd likely make having you pay them to repair it, so guess where their incentive is.

I presume the $65 fee pays for their time to take it apart to diagnose, so there's no reason they should keep the machine.

[Pugsy]

*fully preparing myself for a have a nice day response*

What makes you think that would be my next response. I know I am a bitch and it's a bad pain day but I don't even want to go there.
I was just explaining how acbio.com does things...and while I did think "insinuating" fit...maybe you didn't mean it that way but that's the way I took it and when I "take" something one way....I tend to think others will as well.
Like the road Hairy just took. I am continually amazed at the conspiracy theories that people come up with.

I flunked mind reading 101 in college....sometimes my ESP fails me but it is what it is. I am a grumpy bitch today. Just ask hubby.

You don't get a "have a nice day" message with any hidden meanings. I think way too much of you to do that.
We have a slight difference of opinion about something. People have those and unless someone is disrespectful or just an asshole...they get to have that and I move on.

To everyone here...
Acbio.com doesn't inflate a repair price just to piss you off so you tell them to keep the damn machine so they can then fix it for cheap and sell it and make lots of money. They actually aren't in it to sell machines...most of the time what they do when people don't want a machine back is they go ahead and fix it and then they DONATE the machine to one of the organizations that provides free or low cost machines to people in need. Their inventory of machines that they offer for sale....extremely low inventory.

[Dog Slobber]

To everyone here...
Acbio.com doesn't inflate a repair price just to piss you off so you tell them to keep the damn machine so they can then fix it for cheap and sell it and make lots of money. They actually aren't in it to sell machines...most of the time what they do when people don't want a machine back is they go ahead and fix it and then they DONATE the machine to one of the organizations that provides free or low cost machines to people in need. Their inventory of machines that they offer for sale....extremely low inventory.

I endorse this message.

[Gator5000e]

I received clarification form the company on my misunderstanding. This is what I was told. Based on this I will ship them my unit and see what the repair costs are. Again I apologize for the any hard feelings my misunderstanding may have caused.

Keep in mind you will not be charged for shipping the unit out to us. If you decide the repair cost is too great after receiving the estimate you can choose to have the unit sent back to you and that’s when you would be charged the $65 return fee. Otherwise we can dispose of the unit for no cost.

Thanks.