The Hydramaster 4.8 CDS with the "salsa" kicker is "Top Notch" :biggrin: great vacuum, plenty of heat for my single wand operation, and the space it leaves in the cargo van!! lots of room for hoses, shelves, air movers, everything you need. And plus its great on gas to boot! I just upgraded from an old 1987 Hydramaster CDS 4.0. It was a tank, and I never turned a wrench on it once, only to change a belt, and reg. maintenance. (oil, grease, etc). So I had to get another one. Been using the new unit for over 2 weeks now, so far so good, I am impressed.
Talked to a local supplier in Phoenix who told me direct drives aren't good for the hot climates in the south. Said it plays havoc on power steering, transmission etc. but in the cooler northern climates it seems like an excellent type of machine.
