LONG POST
I have the 3800 and it's a nice machine - all the comments above ring true re: print quality, cost, low wastage of ink swapping between PK and MK, small foot print (relatively speaking), etc.
There is one BIG caveat - which is not unique to the 3800 by any means. Scratches on glossy paper due to the feed mechanics used. The issue varies by printer - likely due to manufacturing variances, humidity, paper choice, image printed (heavy blacks, etc) etc. When we're talking the tolerances involved in inkjet aka glicee printing, it doesn't take much to cause an issue.
Many 3800 users have no issue, some with only specific papers, some with every delicate paper. Some no issues for a time, then they rear their heads (my case)[/b]. Epson service is of no help - and for me, the closest center is 1200kms away. You can imagine the shipping costs for an out of warranty printer. Paris would be far less of an issue.
The 3800, like all printers it's 'level' and below, and unlike the 4800 and above. Uses the 'pizza wheel' style paper transport vs a vacuum system - and there are LOTS of sharp bits in the paper path associated with the feed mechanics as a result. If I were a delicate sheet of glossy one look inside that feed area would give me the willies.
In an ideal world with papers that stayed flat thru the inking process and the proper paper thickness/platen settings all should be fine. It's not an ideal world.
The best papers like Harman FBAL and GFS and others have two things in common - delicate surfaces and the tendency to see inked areas swell/buckle during printing (take a just-damp cloth to either side of a piece of your fave 13x19 or larger glossy or SG paper and watch what happens). The paper starts to take on a wavy profile due to inked (thus damp) areas buckling/arching as the print passes past the head. These areas then start contacting the glorious sharp bits I mentioned earlier.
If you print via the front feeder and watch with a flashlight as a sheet of glossy or SG paper emerges you can see the issue. Print starts out of ok, then inked areas start to swell, paper starts to take on wave-like shape and crests start climbing skyward. It's actually kinda cool to watch happen.
If unlucky, the crests start to contact the wheels (sometime enough to turn them, sometimes just enough to scratch) and various plastic bits (the purpose of which seems soley to mark paper) on the upper side of the feed area. Two big causes for me of marks (other than the wheels) are two white square plastic 'tabs' on partial swivels attached to the upper feed plate that seem to the be designed to slide along the top of a paper (switches of some sort?) - great idea.
The heavier the ink lay-down in a given area (e.g. heavy black) on a given paper, the more likely the issue. Head strikes are never an issue with proper (or more aggressive) thickness setting - problem happens AFTER areas are inked.
My 3800 was iffy out of the box with 13x19 and larger Harman FB AL (awesome BW paper) - doesn't matter what I tried (and I tried all the recommended solutions). It WAS ok with Ilford Gold Silk - up to 17x 22. Smaller sheets of glossy - no issues.
Unfortunately now IGFS scratches like not tomorrow. Have tried cleaning printer, every driver adjustment anyone's ever recommended, wetting back of the paper, more aggressive platen/thickness settings, use custom profiles, drying times, etc - no go. Even the usual 'front feed on a backer stock' technique of Eric Chan's site (wonderful resource and great custom profiles BTW) didn't solve the problem. I even removed the pizza wheels (non reversible) from mine - took care of some scratches but not all.
I've NEVER seen any issue with any matte papers - though have as yet to try USFA.
The 4880 and higher with it's vacuum paper retention system is another matter. The paper is held flat throughout the printing process.
The 3800 is a GREAT machine for sheet-cut matte and CAN or MIGHT be a great machine for glossy depending on what copy you get, what papers you print, what size you print, etc.
Long story - but my advice would be to think ahead. If you print primarily sheet matte, the 3800 is wicked. If you do glossy as well, you MAY have issues. Issues that apply to ANY printer with a pizza-wheel style feed system.
However, iF you EVER see your self moving to a more 'pro' printer that could use roll paper, the lower ink costs/ml,like the 48xx and above, but don't want to do it yet, or don't have the space yet and can get by with 13x19, I'd recommend buying a lower-end unit like the 2880, etc.
Versus the 3800 you'll pay more for ink/ml but sacrifice nothing notable in IQ and save some space. But IF you have a scratch issue (just as likely/unlikely as with the 3800), it's much lower investment to get upset over. Resale on printers, partially due to their shipping costs, is non-existent and chasing scratch problems, IF THEY ARE AN ISSUE, a fruitless exercise (assuming all paper and platen settings are proper). You eiether have or will have them or you won't.
As much as like my 3800, I will NEVER AGAIN buy a printer without a vacuum retention system. Nothing like watching a gorgeous B&W or color print on a higher-end "smells like my old darkroom" paper start to roll out the ejection slot only to see all sorts of fine scratches down parts of it's length and knowing there is nothing left to try to cure it.