MiSeq PM plan required?

[Ingeneious]

Hi all,
We are trying to decide between Illumina's maintenance plans for our sequencers and wondering what everyone thinks of the basic vs comprehensive plan. Here is Illumina's comparison data sheet.

The main difference is that the basic plan does not include preventative maintenance, however includes full coverage for parts, labor and travel. The comprehensive plan includes everything else, plus a PM.

Is the PM necessary? Does it go beyond simply washing the sequencer(s) or is this something we can do ourselves?

[NextGenSeq]

We get the PM but our MiSeq is old.

[GenoMax]

If you do a lot of runs per year then consider getting the higher level of maintenance. You have to chalk it up to "normal" cost of doing business.

[ScottC]

Until this year, we have had the PM carried out, but have decided against it this year.

If it helps you decided, you can ask your Illumina FSE to give you a list of the things they will do to the instrument during a PM. You can also ask them for the price to have a PM carried out as a call-out.

[NextGenSeq]

I forgot to mention that Illumina farmed out the PM for our MiSeq to another company this year. They are probably doing this in other areas now too.