Nuova Simonelli Program VIP

[wallajwu]

Good, bad?? Anyone have any experience with this machine?? We are thinking of purchasing a 3 group that is just slightly used...1 owner. We feel good about the purchase but would like to hear if anyone has a different view. Thanks!!

 

[CCafe]

It's not a bad machine. It is however being phased out and being replaced by the Aurelia.

I would check out a new Aurelia. It has better group head temperature stability, removable collar for easy group gasket replacement, and also comes with a Smart want T system for accurate steaming. Not to mention quite a few other improvements.

The VIP may be a good buy but how old is it and by slightly used do you mean it was turn on, but not used much?

 

[wallajwu]

It's been used until about 6 months ago...but the gal who is selling it just had an espresso tech look at it less than a month ago. Replaced a few things, cleaned it up and now she's selling it. The shot count on the machine is roughly 6,000.

 

[CCafe]

Next question. How long did she use it for and did it sit for 6 months without being completely drained? (Water removed from the boiler and lines)

My definition of light usage is 6000 shots made in 1 year. What is not light usage is a machine that made 6000 shots in 2 - 3 years or less then a year but without water filtration and softening.

Now what's really on my mind. Why is she getting rid of it? Why go through the expense of having a tech work on the machine only to get rid of it in six months.

 

[wallajwu]

She used it for one year...then found out she was pregnant, had the baby and shut the stand down. She was planning on opening it back up but has decided to stay home with the little one. Sooo...she had a tech "clean it up" before she sold it. The machine was drained before it sat. I've talked to the tech and seen all the receipts and maintanence records...I know buying a used machine is always a bit of a risk but its priced right and seems to be what she says it is. There is a nuova simonelli repair guy less than an hour from us that said he'd look it over for us before we buy it just to make sure.

 

[cafemakers]

...so, let me see if I've got this right:

Your seller purchased a new 3-group for her start-up business, became pregnant 3 months later and then proceeded to serve an average of less than 10 drinks a day for a year, then she mothballed the business for 6 months while considering options?

Either this is the worst case of bad planning that I've ever heard in a while or it's some kind of scheme, ala "it was my grandmother's car, she only drove it to church on Sundays." Neither one bodes well for the condition of the equipment.

Proceed with extreme caution.

Call Nuova Distribution (360) 366-2226 with the serial number and confirm the sale date and any warranty service - this can help to confirm the validity of the seller's story.

What's the price?

 

[CCafe]

You can call Nuova Distribution, they may have records but it is doubtful. Only if they sold the machine to the end user will they keep records.

What really makes me nervous is the fact she has a 3 group for a new startup. A lot of people usually start with a 2 group and trade up if needed. It just sounds fishy when you’re getting rid of a very expensive piece of equipment after a year.

I never liked hearing the sob story of how or why they decided to shut the business down. I guess most of the time it never really happened like they first explained it.

I agree with cafemakers, proceed with caution!

 

[beefybean]

You can get a new 3 group Aurelia auto for 7-8K. Not much compared against the rest of your costs. Other comments are true regarding thermal stability, etc.. I have seen more than one convert from LM to Aurelia.

Another inconsistency is a stand having a 3 group. If it truly was a stand, that is a big machine.

There are some reconditioned LM Lineas on the eBay that come reconditioned and some limited warranty. In fact, one is up for probably it's second time in 3 months, a Nick Pratt mod with a PID. It sold for under 2K a couple of months ago. I am guessing the current seller got hold of it, reconditioned it a bit more, then is spinning it at $3500. Never mind, it's gone.

But there are some others up there.

For this piece of equipment, I still say buy new. You can get other fine pieces of equipment for much less than the Aurelia, if you need to keep the price down. The cost of a broken machine will quickly destroy any savings you made on the purchase.

 

[morrisn]

Espresso Machine

We started with a used VIP and when it was working it was a great machine but The down time drove us nuts. We jus purchased a new Aurelia and I wouldn't own anything else. It is an amazing machine. Cut somewhere else but buy the best machine you can

 

[Bean Tech]

An espresso machine in a coffee shop is like a mechanic and his tools, no coffee equals no busines so I would buy a new machine knowing you have a warranty. The program vip and the rest of the machineshave one flaw and that is they use a plastic stop valve in the steam wand to prevent milk from back flushing into the system. This piece gets brittle and will come apart in the machine decreasing the amount of steam that your machine will put out. If your doing about 200 hundred cups a day this generaly will take 2-3 years to happen. Other then that they are work horses and you can down right abuse them. Make sure back flushes are being done every night, blow out steam wand everynight, filter changes/softner every 6 months.

 

[wallajwu]

Thanks to everyone for the info!

 

[cafemakers]

So did you buy it? What was the price?

 

[wallajwu]

We had it looked at by a tech and he gave it the thumbs up. We paid $3500 for it. Our stand opens the last weekend in July so it will soon be put to work!!! Thanks again to everyone for the info.