Humor me: heated or not....

Wetstuff · 02-02-07, 07:57

I'm quite sure this is old ground... I'm going to buy an extractor. I found (what looks like..) a great buy on a 2/3gal. cold water at kleanfreak.com

...but when I told a long time detailer friend, he said; "Send it back! Useless!" Yet, I'm not about to bury $1k in my business account just to clean my car. I read the posting about the Durrmaid and would never buy anything from a company that treated customers that way. There's an Aztec heated for about $700. - anyone use this?

Still, the elementary question remains open: Cold or Hot. ...I am quite happy with a 95% solution to a problem in the event cold water and proper chems is just that. Thanks in advance for the advice.

j i m

Danase · 02-02-07, 08:09

Aztec is an excellent company with excellent service. We have never had a problem with them. The only complaint I ever hear is that the machine is a little loud but it doesn't bother me. A heated extractor will clean a little better, hot water is a plus.

the other pc · 02-02-07, 09:38

I hear where you’re coming from.

Those non-heated spotters at cleanfreak.com look to be functional, professional machines, at a substantially lower cost than heated units. And the chemicals that are available today can do a good job without heat.

Still, If my Aztec got eaten by sharks today I’d buy another one immediately.

PC.

smprince1 · 02-02-07, 10:10

Just as an aside .... I have one of those non-heated spotters.

You can buy a plug-in submersible heater that heats a few gallons of water to about 180-200 in 15 minutes. That's what I use ... it's probably not as effecient as one of the more expensive heated units, but the cost is less than half.

Wetstuff · 02-02-07, 12:03

Danase & PC: I appreciate your replies and I'm confident from the specs that the Aztec Mini may be the best for the size/price. ...and Danase simply has the best price (+free shipping) for the Aztec, so the rest of you can quit Googling. The specs for the Aztec are clearly the best for its size: 60psi out/102" lift.

Because I'm maybe a 4X a year user (don't tell me to go to my friend the detailer either.. That's too smart/easy ..besides, I like tools too much) I'll stick with the CleanFreak Eraser (55psi/91" lift ..pretty good for a cheapo) and do a classic Macintosh workaround like SMprince. It may give me the incentive to put one of those Japanese wallmount water heaters in the garage...'nother tool, eh?

Anyway, thanks much.

j i m

Wetstuff · 02-10-07, 01:45

....it turns out the wall-mount, instant water heater is Polish. ...not pawl-ish! ...Pole-ish It's pretty cool and looks like real to add to the garage. It was $300 delivered and can crank out some hot water. Given that it's damn cold here now - this will have to wait 'till my fingers are limber enough to hook it up.