HP Store Online - When you buy a new printer, do you need to buy its cartridge as well?

When you buy a new printer, do you need to buy its cartridge as well?

I'm thinking of buying a used 'PIXMA MP480' printer for $20. The seller says he's almost out of cartridge. It seems that the cartridge costs a lot (black- $25/ color-$30 or more). Not sure if I should get a new printer instead. The new printer on Amazon.com is, $60 (free shipping). What do you think I should do? When you buy a new printer, it comes with the cartridge as well?

Public Comments

All printers come with cartridges. The cartridges that you get initially are sometimes only half-full (which is ridiculous). When I purchased my Pixma Mp140 the cartridges were full, but this wasn't the case for my Lexmark.
A new printer will come with starter cartridges. No need to buy them right away.
no, all new printers will come with cartridges inside the box anyhow.
yes usually new printer comes with catridge as well.
The cartridges which come along with the printer are usually having less ink than the ones you buy. I would recommend you to first empty the cartridge which you got bundled with the printer and then you are free to buy new one. Make sure you buy genuine cartridges. If you want to buy a new printer just because the cartridge is not available is certainly not the correct thing. I think you must confirm with the technical support to check whether they have discontinued the product or not. If they have discontinued it then you can go for a new printer because you wont get any support for that. If support is available, go ahead and ask the same person where you can get the cartridge. Most of the vendors provide service where you can ask them to send the cartridge to your address. Good Luck!