Anyone have any advice on buying used equipment? Are there any specific components which you wouldn't buy used (e.g. pumps, injectors, detectors)?

Here are a few sites I've found on Google which list prices. Can anyone add to the list? (Not interested in sites that don't list prices -- they don't seem honest.)

http://www.usedlabequip.com/hplc.html
http://www.aironline.com/category/lc/lc/eqp-lc.htm
http://www.gcmsservice.com/equip_hplc_waters.htm
http://used-line.com/cgi-bin/test/used-hplc.cfm

I just purchased a refurbished 1050 HPLC from Alpha Omega last fall, with one year warranty. It's been fine.

Here is an additional link: www.triadsci.com. I have used them in their past with much success. Not affiliated, just a satisfied customer. Whomever you decide to use, try to find out from others what level of service should you expect from that vendor. Some vendors will sell you a used instrument, ship it to you in a wooden crate, and then it's up to you to put it together and make it work. At the other end, some vendors will sell you equipment, then will set it up for you and ensure that it works to spec. Good luck

Noname,
In general with any used equipment, electronic parts have few problems and mechanical parts many. If you buy any equipment with moving parts you can expect to replace them periodically.
Your question showed you have already started thinking about the problems. Of course, pumps and injectors might have worn out, and the detector cell might leak. Many sellers of used equipment rebuild them before resale. For example, change the piston, seals, and oil in the pump. If the motor and gearing are sound, the pump is nearly as good as new. The seller should offer a 6 month guarantee on moving parts and a year on electronics, (lamps excluded,) if not the price should be cheap, (from 50% to 15% of the new price depending on the age of the equipment and the guarantee.)
The history on the equipment may help you make a decision if you can get it. I had a friend at Genie Scientific in California for years, (I don't know if they are still selling instruments.) and he wrote American Laboratory type articles on how to buy used equipment. Some of the stuff I bought from them had sit around a lab for years with very little use. Other stuff I could see was worn to the state of requiring constant maintance. Before you buy used equipment, either find a local dealer with a good service and repair department, or learn to be a good repairman yourself.
Before you go the used equipment route, write a business plan for the equipment, what you will do, and capital, installation, predicted repairs, and labor costs. Compare that to sending out the work, buying new, and renting equipment.
Jim

Anonymous,

A good general forum for buying used lab equipment is: http://www.labx.com/ I have purchased a number of items from this site and never had any problems although I've never purchased any big-ticket items from this site. Many of the used items come was limited warranties so I'm not sure I would totally steer clear of used equipment. A lot of the equipment is available for just pennies on the dollar!

I have used Chromatographic Technology Associates when I've had a limited budget and needed good reliable instrumentation. In my experience, they refurbish instruments to the point of looking and operating like new with quality parts and their warranty equals that of a new instrument. They're knowledgeable and willing to describe in detail what they do for any particular refurb. In short, I would do business with them again in a heartbeat and recommentd them highly.

Contact info follows:

11975 Portland Avenue S.
Suite 116
Burnsville MN 55337
800-682-6480
952-895-8292
Fax: 952-895-8493
www.ctshplc.com
Contect: Brian Johnson (nice guy!)

Hope this is helpful.

This site has a refurbished HPLC system for $3000.It's a single pump Thermo 3500,Variable Wavelength Detector SP 8450,Column oven/injector ABI 112A manual injector, electrically activated.

All you need is an integrator/recorder and a column. It's right here:

http://www.lchromatography.com

The best place to buy used equipment is LabX. I've been using it since 1995 and the site is great. They feature classified ds (that list prices) and they also have online auctions. I always seem to find used equipment in great condition for amazingly low prices. Registration is free and at LabX you post post a wanted ad for free. The link is:

http://www.labx.com