Anything you sorry you bought?

**leofry** · 03-18-2009, 12:11 PM

if you could pick one item, machine, tool, which one would you take back, or not buy if you could do it over again... not sure i would not take back the SX 12.. i might either buy a differtant one. I know some of you guys may ask why i would take it back.. not sure i would just look around at others. or like i said not buy at all.. i dont do a lot of tile....really somethings i think i want to be good at just a few things... carpet, uphostery, and water damage.... and charge a very good but fair price, keep it simple

**Art Kelley** · 03-18-2009, 01:04 PM

I thought the RX-20 would be the panacea I was looking for; no more wanding back and forth for hours, no more rotary machine to use beforehand. After a while I realized I still needed the rotary occasionally, and still needed the wand for corners and edges and for getting out the swirl lines. Plus it was slow. It's a $2500 dust collector.

**Rob Allen** · 03-18-2009, 01:14 PM

1) White Magic LS
2) Jeff Ellis Wold of clean ripped me off for 1000's on a truck mount he promised but never delivered. Buyer beware.
3) Tornado hose that Joe B sells. Worst hose for carpet cleaners on the planet.

Great thread!

My #1 mistake was an extremely costly one. I bought a new model truck mount machine (25k). It was one of the first 10 to come off the assembly line. I do sorely regret it and I warn anyone, do NOT buy the first runs of new models unless you KNOW it was field tested. We as carpet cleaners COULD be the guinea pigs. If a machine is not field tested the we as cleaners BECOME the field test and it comes at OUR expense depending on the manufactures reputation. I ended up paying almost DOUBLE for my machine, endured lies of modifying incorrectly and untold heartache. So I warn ALL, never buy the 1st runs unless you know it was field tested. It can ruin the less financially well off.

#2 I trusted Jeff Ellis to build a truck mount to sell co-operatively. He kept the machine and the money. He said his wife was bad off with Schizophrenia and said that he went to same church I did. I later found this to be a lie. Buyer beware.

#3 Joe Bristor said Tornado hose is the sh(t. I didn't know it was really sh)t till I lost a couple thousand replacing all my solution lines. Said it was my fault because I don't know how to reel hoses up correctly. Buyer beware because the unconditional warranty was conditional.

Moral of the story. make sure whoever you do business with has a rock solid reputation before you send any money.

**Jason Whaley** · 03-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Hydro-Force FX 88. Like Rob it was one of the first and oh boy am I sorry. Never ending money PIT!

Good idea for a thread John!

**Vinnie** · 03-18-2009, 04:26 PM

30 in. stair tool used it twice and went back to the hand held tool.

**Sunwest** · 03-18-2009, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

My mistake was an extremely costly one. I bought a new model truck mount machine (25k). It was one of the first 10 to come off the assembly line. I do sorely regret it and I warn anyone, do NOT buy the first runs of new models unless you KNOW it was field tested. We as carpet cleaners COULD be the guinea pigs. If a machine is not field tested the we as cleaners BECOME the field test and it comes at OUR expense depending on the manufactures reputation. I ended up paying almost DOUBLE for my machine, endured lies of modifying incorrectly and untold heartache. So I warn ALL, never buy the 1st runs unless you know it was field tested. It can ruin the less financially well off.

Great thread!

Rob, if you don't mind, What TM was it that you bought?

**Ed Valentine** · 03-18-2009, 06:20 PM

Rob;

Your statement is very, very true:
"I warn anyone, do NOT buy the first runs of new models ..."

Honest and true "Field Testing" sometimes takes a very long time because only longivity thru usage will determine in many cases how good a component or product really is under certain or unusal situations.

I have found that the absolute BEST way of introducing something "new" is through "Up-grades" rather than from scratch. Because one is taking an already proven product and improving upon it to make it better.

That's my 38 years of proven experience.

Very best to all;
Ed Valentine
"Super-Charged" Contractor Series

**kevin mccreary** · 03-18-2009, 10:39 PM

I wish I could take back 4 rotary dri masters. I put two in

the dumpster and two are in the shop collecting dust.

When they where brand new they worked great, the best, fastest,

zero fatigue tool for residential cleaning with fast dry times.

After about 500 hours of operation the belts slip, they wobble,

they make loud noises and the spray bars get plugged up beyond

repair. That was 12k I could of lost in the stock market.

**Willy P** · 03-18-2009, 10:50 PM

My PB Ultimate. I swapped it for a tool box vac booster for my Ninja. Horribly underwhelming. The booster was a gem.
My Castex flood pumper.

Whoops. That's two.

**Matt Strader** · 03-18-2009, 11:20 PM

A glide.
I hated it.
Not much $$ but still a waste.
I guess some of you like them.
Corners were a nightmare.

**SeriousHeat** · 03-18-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by 561Cleaner

A glide.
I hated it.
Not much $$ but still a waste.
I guess some of you like them.
Corners were a nightmare.

I agree! I just do not like glides.

**able 1** · 03-19-2009, 12:00 AM

A glide was your worst thing you bought?? You have to be kidding me! Don't tell me you run your wand w/o one!! I don't care what glide you have but, you need a glide!! All a glideless wand will do is lock down on the carpet and you will have NO air flow. I'll spend extra time on the corners if the carpet feel dry before I leave.

Just like the marble under the vac. cuff it (water) won't move till you crack the seal...

Oh yeah worst thing I bought last year was Bridgepointdirect, and a rug rat... I think I even bought that 360 last year, maybe not.

**lccleaner** · 03-19-2009, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by SeriousHeat

I agree! I just do not like glides.

Thats my thoughts also I've tried them Two different brands took them off and there on the shelf somewhere

**able 1** · 03-19-2009, 12:45 AM

What kind of wand do you have? If it's a Ti I might be interested to buy them from you... What glides did you try?

**leofry** · 03-19-2009, 08:14 AM

oh man i love the glide. i wonder if its just because you got used to not having one, I tried it with out the glide the first 2 or 3 weeks when i started, but then i went to the glide not turning back.. i love because its so much easier to use.... i tell you if i could not sue it, i would have to think about giving it all up... that much of a differance, for me

**JCoviello** · 03-19-2009, 09:16 AM

My box truck.

I love, LOVE working in a box, but 20K miles later and about 10K in repairs I've had it with this thing. I would can it but I just paid it off so I'd like to get some mileage out of it.

Now the rear pinion bearing just went bad and the new power steering pump is leaking.

Those two should add another $1000.00 to the tab.

I purchased it used with moderate miles, mildly used by a catering company. Everything checked out at the time of purchase.

Oh well...just shows you can't always predict everything.

**Bluevictory** · 03-19-2009, 09:24 AM

rotovac 360 1800$
slower still have to edge with wand dry times are not as expected....wait a minute i didnt buy it the boss did. i still use it rarely.

**edgar76** · 03-20-2009, 10:56 PM

this thing is heavy and hard to move to the 2 or 3 floor but does have a great heater and vac? i have a husky by namco and love but hate that it does not have a heater. i am saving money right now to buy a truck mount soon.

**floorguy_724** · 03-21-2009, 02:35 AM

Hate to be the odd man out here but, I am not sorry for anything that we've bought (carpet cleaning wise).

We are very new to the trade (5 mos.) and have loved every single thing that we have bought. I think that being newer to the trade we are very, very lucky to have a site like this around to here the good and bad things about products, machines, etc...

We would like to give a special thanks to Rob, Tre, Ed V, SeriousHeat, Scott W, Rickie F., Locko and all the rest of you guys that have helped us in starting and growing our business for many years to come!

**aspenedelen** · 03-21-2009, 11:18 AM

My Genesis 59. Like Rob said it was one of the very first ones off the lot and in four years and 3200 hours on it I have switched out all belts at least 10 times. All high psi water and solutions lines have been replaced after the first year because they could not handle the psi pressure the machine would put out. My exhaust diverter went out and my water pump has gone out at least twice. The actual mounting of the Cat Pump and Roots blower were put on the machine at a incorrect angle during installation. I have had a horrible experience with this machine. I can not run it past 2200 rpm ( it goes to 3200 rpm) without feelings of utter dismay that the machine will fail. The cpu of the system has gone out at least twice too which has cost me some serious money. Maybe they have worked out the kinks in it now with the newer model but I'll buy a Promchem 650 next. At least reliability has been stated with that machine.