is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

[protossf]

any advantage of using one of these below? or not worth buying it?

[TimG]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

. looks like a PW. FMPOV, I been using them say 10years or so. Cleans wheel wells and undercarriage fairly quick. Love the suds it can make if you shoot them in a bucket with soap.

The water pressure at my place is not that strong so thats why been using them.

Search through the site as few threads are talking bout them



Tim

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

Pw work great the only thing i don't like about the non commercial units is the stiffness and length of the hose but that can be changed out so go for it you wont be sorry and lots of other uses.

[RickyLee]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

I love my Karcher PW and never wash my car without it. I agree that is cleans wheels/wells/undercarriage really fast and effectively.

[3Fitty]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

I use mine in two ways.

I use it as an initial rinse and soap dispenser while it is on it lowest setting. I still use the traditional two bucket system to wash but this gives me a bit of added lubricity when I wash. I never use it at full strength on my paint.

I use it at full strength on my wheels, wheel wells and tires. I like the results and it makes things go pretty quick.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

Might want to ask about the guarantee with the product and their return policy if you're not happy with the unit in the picture and then keep your receipt if it doesn't perform to your expectations.

[b2bomber]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

any advantage of using one of these below? or not worth buying it?

advantage - you can do your own underwash and other household uses that may require PWs (cleaning the driveway, etc., etc.)
disadvantage - may harm your paint if used inappropriately
worth buying - well, IMHO if you'll be able to utilize it alot and won't become faulty in a short time, it'd be worth it.

.02 hth.

PS: I've got a BnD PW1300 -- was it worth it? yes.

[Wraythe]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

To answer your question: YES. Its worth purchasing a pressure washer.

You need to identify what will the pressure washer be used for. If you only use it to wash your vehicle, I would strongly suggest an electric pressure washer. Purchase a high quality pressure washer otherwise you will purchase a pressure washer every other year.

Keep in mind the operating pressure, water volume and attachments when comparing pressure washers. I have been very happy with Karcher residential pressure washer

http://www.karcherresidential.com/en/index.php

I hope this helps

[3Fitty]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

I should've added that I got mine free and I do use it around the house for washing the siding on my house and the deck etc... but if you ask me if I would go out and buy one, I'd probably say no, especially if your ONLY going to use it on the car.

When I say that... what I mean is, if money is an issue (and it usually is) and lets say you had to choose between a PW and a G110 (I have both), I'd choose the G110 ANY day of the week.

[Sprzout]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

We had a similar PW but had to get rid of it. San Diego County has gotten anal about using them because the wash water runoff can get into storm drains, and the storm drains are untreated and run out to the ocean. It's illegal to wash a car with a power washer here unless you're diverting the wash water into a treated sewage line, or reclaiming the water to dump into a sewage line.

However, it's legal to spray down your car with a hose and wash it with a bucket of soapy water, so...go figure.

Our neighbors are kind of eco-nazis about this, and I think one of them may have turned us in a while back, so now I stay within the confines of the law, wash my car on my front lawn so that any runoff actually helps to water my lawn and they can't say anything about it.

Long and short is, check local laws regarding pressure washing before you buy one.

[Ryan L.]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

We had a similar PW but had to get rid of it. San Diego County has gotten anal about using them because the wash water runoff can get into storm drains, and the storm drains are untreated and run out to the ocean. It's illegal to wash a car with a power washer here unless you're diverting the wash water into a treated sewage line, or reclaiming the water to dump into a sewage line.

However, it's legal to spray down your car with a hose and wash it with a bucket of soapy water, so...go figure.

Our neighbors are kind of eco-nazis about this, and I think one of them may have turned us in a while back, so now I stay within the confines of the law, wash my car on my front lawn so that any runoff actually helps to water my lawn and they can't say anything about it.

Long and short is, check local laws regarding pressure washing before you buy one.

Wow, I better watch what I do. I'm constantly powerwashing the under body of the Jeep after we go out to the desert. My street turns sand color from all the sand/mud that comes off. But the street cleaner comes by and takes care of that for me.

Back to the topic about pressure washers. I say yes, they are well worth the investment. I bought mine then after my dad realized how much we could use it around the house, he paid me for the pressure washer.

If your doing a car other than your own, always look around and make sure there isnt any paint chipping off or bubbling as a pressure washer will most likely take that paint right off.

Ryan

[protossf]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

K 3.85 M 1714 Libras - Karcher


is this worth buying? is this a good product/brand?

I am probably getting from an online store, most of them has teh 3.85m, but one of teh stores claims to have the 3.85m plus, looking to the pictures the only difference is an extra item, but I don't know what that is for, can anyone tell me? pic is below:

[drculinarian]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

Not a great picture but it looks like the unit used to clean sidewalks and tile. You can actually use it in the house to clean ceramic tile. It is designed to keep the water focused inside and as it spins, with one jet or two, it removes the soil and stains. I have only used the large units on commercial pressure cleaners so I can't advise on this units ability.

Dr. Maurice

[Sprzout]

Re: is it worth using those water machines to wash the car?

Wow, I better watch what I do. I'm constantly powerwashing the under body of the Jeep after we go out to the desert. My street turns sand color from all the sand/mud that comes off. But the street cleaner comes by and takes care of that for me.

Back to the topic about pressure washers. I say yes, they are well worth the investment. I bought mine then after my dad realized how much we could use it around the house, he paid me for the pressure washer.

If your doing a car other than your own, always look around and make sure there isnt any paint chipping off or bubbling as a pressure washer will most likely take that paint right off.

Ryan

I think the law is mostly aimed at mobile detailers using pressure washers, i.e. the ones that go out to office buildings and bring their own water supplies to hose off the cars. However, several of my neighbors belong to the Surfrider Foundation, and watch EVERYTHING that goes into the storm drains because they don't want to surf in it. So, they've called the Water Authority on us to come out and inspect our usage.

Anyway, back on topic of pressure washing - they're nice, especially if you're using it to clean off something big (i.e. a boat, RV, etc) but as Ryan mentioned above, too much pressure can pull things off of the car, like emblems that are glued on, chipped/bubbling paint, trim, etc...

The one thing I hated about the pressure washer I had was that it only dispensed soap at low pressure, which was akin to pouring soap onto your car and then putting running water straight from the garden hose (no nozzle). It didn't really do much in the way of scrubbing power, so I still had to go over the car with a mitt in order to get some of the crusted on stuff, like bird droppings, tree sap, road tar/mud, etc.

That seemed like extra work to me when I DID use the pressure washer, so I couldn't justify using it all the time. Bucket of soapy water and a hose with a nozzle worked just as well, if not better, and cost me probably $20 at the local Home Depot (approx. $15 for the nozzle & $5 for the 5 gal empty paint bucket).