chuck2417
07-17-2014, 08:56 AM
So after awhile of using a leaf blower to remove the pooled water from door handles, front grills, plastic molding etc another member on the forum was using this vacuum`s exhaust port to dry off the vehcile. Well a leaf blower does work, it is a bit hard on the ears which means you should be wearing protection when using it. I will say that a shop vac will not offer the same amount of blowing potential as an electric leaf blower (cheap ones can exceed 220mph). The problem with the leaf blower has been it`s fixed plastic extension on the end and lack of maneuverability. Now I haven`t been able to use a metro blower or vac so I cannot comment on if this system would perform similarily.
Pros:
- at $129 in Canada for the kit from Homedepot or $99 in the US it is cheaper than the metro
- 6 HP motor means it has plenty of power
- both hoses can be connected with the coupler provided in the kit making your hose 17 feet, add that to a 25 foot power cord and you have lots of room to move around ( 7 feet of 2 1/2inch hose and 10 feet of 1 1/4 inch hose)
- lifetime warranty
- lots of attachment in the kit making it great value
- not as loud as most shop vacs
- can be used as a wet vac as well so it offers more versatilty than a metro
Cons:
- does not filter or warm the air like a Metro
- it is a lot larger than a metro blower/vac (this can be good or bad depending on what you use it for) - just detailing it`s a bad thing, but if you use it for household things as well like picking up water or saw dust then it`s great
So since most of us want to clean interiors as well as exteriors this vac makes a great buy. Really the only draw back for me is storing the unit as it`s 53L or 14 gallons. The power though is usually only found in the larger units. My previous shop vac was a 4HP mastercraft which worked well for cleaning interiors, but couldn`t be used to dry off the vehicles. For $10-$15 a muffler can be purchased to help lower the noise even more and reduce the exhaust air when being used as a vac.
Conclusion: While this product does offer great value, I cannot directly compare it to the industry standard (metro). When you compare the cost though, factoring that this is easily available and offers a great warranty it means there are other options out there for those who don`t run a professional shop or don`t want to spend $150-$300 on a metro unit. I have no regrets. The leaf blower was being used to avoid spending a lot of money. But this one unit can replace my leaf blower and shop vac saving space in the garage.
- remember even after drying to still follow up with a clean, good quality mf towel with some form of lubrication on it (damp with water, detail spray, spray wax, nanoskin shock etc)
- dry in a shadded area if possible, washing in a shadded area is even better but for me my only option is washing outside with a hose and then bringing it into the garage to dry off
Pros:
- at $129 in Canada for the kit from Homedepot or $99 in the US it is cheaper than the metro
- 6 HP motor means it has plenty of power
- both hoses can be connected with the coupler provided in the kit making your hose 17 feet, add that to a 25 foot power cord and you have lots of room to move around ( 7 feet of 2 1/2inch hose and 10 feet of 1 1/4 inch hose)
- lifetime warranty
- lots of attachment in the kit making it great value
- not as loud as most shop vacs
- can be used as a wet vac as well so it offers more versatilty than a metro
Cons:
- does not filter or warm the air like a Metro
- it is a lot larger than a metro blower/vac (this can be good or bad depending on what you use it for) - just detailing it`s a bad thing, but if you use it for household things as well like picking up water or saw dust then it`s great
So since most of us want to clean interiors as well as exteriors this vac makes a great buy. Really the only draw back for me is storing the unit as it`s 53L or 14 gallons. The power though is usually only found in the larger units. My previous shop vac was a 4HP mastercraft which worked well for cleaning interiors, but couldn`t be used to dry off the vehicles. For $10-$15 a muffler can be purchased to help lower the noise even more and reduce the exhaust air when being used as a vac.
Conclusion: While this product does offer great value, I cannot directly compare it to the industry standard (metro). When you compare the cost though, factoring that this is easily available and offers a great warranty it means there are other options out there for those who don`t run a professional shop or don`t want to spend $150-$300 on a metro unit. I have no regrets. The leaf blower was being used to avoid spending a lot of money. But this one unit can replace my leaf blower and shop vac saving space in the garage.
- remember even after drying to still follow up with a clean, good quality mf towel with some form of lubrication on it (damp with water, detail spray, spray wax, nanoskin shock etc)
- dry in a shadded area if possible, washing in a shadded area is even better but for me my only option is washing outside with a hose and then bringing it into the garage to dry off