Price check on new unit!

**Richard Baldwin** · 02-16-2010, 03:09 PM

Im working on a quote from my local supplier on a new unit and they have come back with a figureof around $25000 for the unit, installation and fuel kit, does not include shelf, reels or freshwater tank.
This is Canadian Dollars, so I just want to check if this is a little high or not.

Note: No I do not want to buy your old used truckmount that is 3000 miles away, but thanks for the offer.

Here is the system Im working on:

Sapphire Scientific 454SS system
100 gal freshwater poly tank
Shelving either SS or powder coated aluminum
The SS wand and CDV inline filter box too
250ft hose reel
250ft live solution reel
No hoses required

**Jason Whaley** · 02-16-2010, 03:17 PM

Go ElDiablo and all of the extras and you will save at least 5K off the top..... Just my opinion!

But really.... I would be a little worried about buying a machine that is brand new. It hasn't had time in the field to be properly tested.

I guess the price sounds OK. That is the unit with the 35 HP motor isn't it?

35% smaller footprint means a real PITA to work on!

Just my .02

**Richard Baldwin** · 02-16-2010, 03:37 PM

Good points Jason. They have designed the machine so that all servicable parts are within 8" reach from the outside. That will be a dream from working on the peak. Yes this one is a 35hp, more power and heat, Im a little concerned that the machine is air cooled, but it does come with a full 2 year warranty.
Glad to hear you like your Diablo, you went from a trailer setup to a box truck and I bet you are loving it. If I can get a bigger shop built to park one in, I'll be doing
a box truck too! I dont think trailer idea is going to be the best, too hard to maneuver in many places.

**locko-fabara** · 02-16-2010, 03:53 PM

I don't have a TM so i cant say anything so
Question?
Is the machine is working fine and gets the job done, why invest the money in another equipment? will be better to invest in marketing and when you grow or be more busy then have another machine as a back up or even like a help?

I dont have a real big carpet biz, i do janitorial mostly, and i use my portables once or twice a week. do i need to get more portables? no, i need more biz, maybe a small tm, but really for commercial portable is enough.

**Jason Whaley** · 02-16-2010, 04:26 PM

Locko,

I look at a TM like I do a car..... It needs replacing every 5 years. Eventually you will start to run into maintenance problems and that is a headache I can do without! Its better IMO to recoup some money from the old machine to purchase a new one. Unless of course you are planing to add another truck to the fleet.

**Carpet Cleaning Fool** · 02-16-2010, 06:56 PM

Not sure about price but I like the 2.5" plumbing and hose that comes with Sapphire Scientific.

How many mfg's offer that?

Says to me they are focussed on performance.

**joeynbgky** · 02-16-2010, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Carpet Cleaning Fool

Not sure about price but I like the 2.5" plumbing and hose that comes with Sapphire Scientific.

How many mfg's offer that?

Says to me they are focussed on performance.

All TCS units have 2.5 inch plumbing now.

**able 1** · 02-17-2010, 12:51 AM

I will run my current unit into the ground, then rebuild it as a back up. I think I can make at least another $250.000(I have 3000 hours on mine) before any big problems. If you take care(I think you do) of your tm why sell it for the same as those that don't. In this market, you will never get what your set up is really worth just too many deals out there. Is your TM/van worth 25,000 absolutely probably more like 30,000 but it's only worth what those will pay. ;

**Richard Baldwin** · 02-17-2010, 01:30 AM

The type of customer that calls you and books a $300 job is also the type that buys name brand ketchup in the grocery store.

**able 1** · 02-17-2010, 02:16 AM

Yup.... and how many look at your tm...? For me maybe 2 a year(and just love how clean the van is) . It's way more about how you interact with the custy then what you are using to suck their rugs... Although you can always brag to women how big your TM is, surely they will be impressed.

**Richard Baldwin** · 02-17-2010, 12:43 PM

Dont kid yourself! Even without being obvious, they KNOW what your package is!

**Jason Whaley** · 02-17-2010, 02:17 PM

I am very surprised at the comments that say my truck only gets a look every so often. (Not just in this thread but others too.) I have a customer at least once a week that sees the inside of my truck! Probably more times than not.

**Richard Baldwin** · 02-18-2010, 11:23 AM

They dont have to come out and climb around inside your van to know what your equipment looks like. It starts with seeing your van drive by, or when you are setting up in their driveway, dont think they dont have a look while you are working either! Especially the men!

**cosway-canada** · 02-25-2010, 12:02 AM

Probably a good deal. Our PTO start at $30,000 before installation.

**Gnu** · 02-25-2010, 05:40 AM

If your looking for a sales pitch with the 2.5 hoses. its the same as the guys who advertise in the yellow book pages about how massive their van mount is.. Sad thing is The realtor that hired them for their big ol truckmounted monster system always end up calling me to suck up all the water left behing and to Reclean the traffic areas the spots and to get the red out. even sadder yet.. zI can get almost all of the traffic areas cleaner with one of my portys. but holy moly they did get the job done in under half hour...

also if your really looking for a good deal. try a chem-tex outta texas. they are not all frills and glamor. but I unded up with one a year ago I rented. and that son of a gun wasnt fancy but it did in fact mean business. did the job better than I thought it would. ya know cuz I also like the fancy things in life. but it did in fact perform great. and it was beat to hell rental

**Richard Baldwin** · 03-08-2010, 07:27 PM

If anyone has a SS system please let us know if you are happy with it. They are a new line and it will take some time for them to get around in the market. I have a good feeling about them, but that's all it is, just a feeling.

**Shawn Abbey** · 03-08-2010, 08:48 PM

Richard:

I know the guy who designed the Sapphire line of Truckmounts, and I trust him completely! I've seen the units when I was last down in AZ and have been quite impressed with them.

I'm not a fan of the filter, nor the Stryker wand. Having said that, I haven't used them personally, but have had a chance to handle one. I'm concerned about the jetless technology on a heavy soiled carpet (like with the Rotary Drymaster RX-20!). As far as the filter, you can probably save a few dollars by an inline pre-filter for $70 - $90.

I was impressed with the demonstration at Jon-Don Portland with the vacuum on the smaller SS units. The heat was also impressive. I asked Mike Roden, of SS, about the use of air cooled vs, liquid cooled engines. He mentioned that the air cooled engines are not under Federal regulations for emissions, like the liquid cooled. If he used a liquid cooled power plant, he would have to include a Catalytic Converter with an air pump ($250 to replace!). So, while the air cooled engine may not last as long, it IS cheaper to replace! Also, the air cooled is more efficient in this application from the liquid cooled. To overcome that concern, remember that the RPM from the engine is quite low. As long as you keep up on maintenance, the air cooled engine should last for a long time.

Price? I didn't look up CAN vs. US rate. But, it seems to me with an investment of $25K US dollars, you should be close to everything on your purchase list.

Hope this helps...

Shawn

**Richard Baldwin** · 03-08-2010, 10:38 PM

Thanks Shawn. It's interesting that you are not sold on the wand or inline filter. I've been using the inline Hydro filter, you know, the standard one that everyone has and put a Stainless basket with a knee-high to filter and clean it, change the knee-high after every job. It seems to be working ok, but even partway through your job the nylon stocking starts to clog up a bit from mixing soap suds with dust and dirt and you start losing airflow. Im wondering if the CDV would give better airflow as it is a bigger box design with a removable basket. I like the poly case too.

http://www.sapphirescientific.com/Co....aspx?cid=1201

The drawback to the CDV thats been keeping me from buying it is the price. $500 seems like an awful lot to pay for a poly box with a filter basket. Im hoping they come down a bit because it seems like a lot to gamble on something youre not sure of.

As for the wand, I've been looking at it, from what I'm seeing the technology is somewhat like a drymaster upholstery tool. The water flow is constant and probably uses a shearing method as opposed to a direct nozzle spray. If it works anything like the drymaster It should actually clean better but I can see it consuming a lot of water and as you said, would not be as effective on extremely trashed carpet or a deep pile carpet. Ive never been able to test one out so its hard to make a decision on buying one.

I hope someone from Sapphire reads this!

The units look good tho, Im a little concerned about the air cooled too, but I'm told even my liquid cooled Peak is not a true liquid cooled. Whatever that means. Im finding it doesnt get hot enough unless you suffocate it, I wonder how it will behave in the summer on a hot humid day after the modification.

**Shawn Abbey** · 03-09-2010, 06:43 PM

Good points, Richard!

Ever hear of the Hydramaster ROTARY drimaster? A colleague of mine here had one in each of his vans. His reviews were:
1. Works great and dry on lightly soiled short pile carpets.
2. Worked awful and ineffecient on deep pile and heavy soiled carpet. -- he ended up pulling out his RX-20 instead!
I would only assume the Stryker wand will give you similar results, since the technology is the same.

Also, about your filter.....
Have you considered the soft screen that comes with those filters? We tried the stainless steel baskets, and for the same reason, came back to the soft white screens. Here's what we do....

We worked up a pressure washing gun with a short high pressure hose to connect to the TM. Instead of a wand, we installed a jet right out of the gun. When the screen gets full, we plug in the gun, open the filter lid, and starting from the top of the filter, going in circles, wash all the debris down to the bottom of the screen (of course, you know the vacuum hose is still attached, AND running!). We then lift the screen out, grab a small garbage bag, and invert the screen into the bag. Using the plastic bag as a barrier to the debris, we pick off any stubborn fibers off and reinstall the screen. By using the soft screen, you'll keep your airflow high and find it easy to keep clean.

Just a thought....

Shawn

**Richard Baldwin** · 03-11-2010, 12:30 AM

Any possibility you can make a video of this process with your CDV?

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