Jim Coleman Fresh-N-Vac & Scrub-N-Vac...Are they more trouble than they're worth?

[pgrzes]

Dont even think for a minute, for $100 buy them. I have 9 of them and I love them. You can get the coin drawer for them and weld them under the cabinet. They all should have heater in them, so I always use KR summer concentrate in the shampooer. They make the best shampoo handle, but the worst shampoo hoses. Usually get a year or so out of them. Motors seem to last longer in these vacs then the old Monorails I used to have. I think I am going to start changing timers to dixmoors??

 

[slash007]

constant tone when it happens to mine has always been the timer. I just replace it with a spare then get it repaired. Could also be something shorting the horn, but probably the timer. Throw another timer in there to check.

 

[pgrzes]

Hey cfcw, do you know what he charges for the decals? Coleman is high for them. I would think any local print shop could do a nice custom decal reasonably.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Dont even think for a minute, for $100 buy them. I have 9 of them and I love them. You can get the coin drawer for them and weld them under the cabinet. They all should have heater in them, so I always use KR summer concentrate in the shampooer. .... but the worst shampoo hoses. Usually get a year or so out of them

Sorry to disagree.

1. Heaters are great BUT IF THEY FAIL or use lose power in freezing weather you will have an expensive problem. (Guess how I know) Winter formula is cheap insurance.
2. I bought spiral wrap hydraulic hose protectors and use them on the center 6 feet and this seems to help where they wore and broke in the center.

 

[MEP001]

Hey cfcw, do you know what he charges for the decals? Coleman is high for them. I would think any local print shop could do a nice custom decal reasonably.

http://www.stagraphics.com/coleman.html

The Coleman meter box decal is $22 from STAGraphics, 80 something from Coleman - I'd guess the vac door decal would be under $100 and they will make them custom.

 

[mac]

I'll echo some of the comments about their complexity. Why any manufacturer would put a frigging plc in a vacuum is beyond me. I recently rehabbed a Coleman self serve pumping stand, and ripped the plc out. Just rewired so that the bay timer controlled everything. Tore out buckets of parts and now it's simpler and works fine. Took the control panel for the RO off and threw it away. Now the float switch turns on the production pump and opens the supply solenoid. Again, it works fine that way.

 

[slash007]

I think vac decals are around $60 from sta. Winter shampoo is a must, I've had many heating pads fail. My hoses seem to only break right at the handle, not in the middle. I have been taping the hose protector to the grey part to help keep it from slipping down.

 

[soonermajic]

trs (Tx Retirement System?)

How'd you find these vacs? I pride myself on finding incredible deals on eBay, C-L, etc...I just bought a 3 gang Tempest dryer, in NICE condition, for $1500! I live in Texas & knew nothing about these vacs. lol
shoot me a text soon as you can 409-200-4667 (hoop)
coach Bowles

 

[Mbalboni]

I bought one carpet and one fresh n up machine used. Got about $1000 into with purchase and parts. Scent machine seems to get good use with little to no hic ups. The carpet machine seems to hate me though. Thought they would make good $ but it's just ok. My out look it's a convience for a customer rather then a profit cente.

 

[trs246810]

I'm also a Realtor...I look for washes that are soon to be no more. They're usually all stripped down by the time I find them. I ended up with 4 combos...2 of each. I passed on the plain vacuums, but they sold while I was loading the last two. I still can't get over how substantial they are. These aren't just pick up and carry like any of my others. I just wanted to thank you all for your input. I won't have time to clean them up and start going through them for a few weeks, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[trs246810]

I also like metal detecting...and artifacts. I guess trs was my abbreviation for treasure. I'm not feeling the Bern...so, probably not going to be able to retire anytime soon.

 

[trs246810]

That's interesting about your carpet experience. I guess it really is demographics...so many different takes on fragrance and shampoo on here. The guy who bought the the plain vacuums was really nice. He had also bought all 6 at another wash exactly like this one. He said he converted the combos to plain vacuum only...and got graphics from STA to allow for the cover up. Everyone on here has recommended that place, and I'm definitely going to be using them. I've never used them for anything, and they're easy driving distance from here.

 

[trs246810]

...and no, I'm not converting the ones I got to plain...I really want to see what the fragrance and shampoo are all about. I grew up using self service car washes, but I've never tried either at any wash

 

[MEP001]

I also like metal detecting...and artifacts. I guess trs was my abbreviation for treasure. I'm not feeling the Bern...so, probably not going to be able to retire anytime soon.

I assumed it was sort of play on TRS-80.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I don't know if I should get another one of the Fresh...or Scrub??? It's my choice...and I guess I'd better make up my mind soon.

Fragrance is used more at my inner city washes
Shampoo is used more at my suburban washes

 

[soonermajic]

Trs, shoot me a text , will ya
409 ) 200-hoop (4667)

 

[trs246810]

I'll definitely report my experience with both when I get to that point, and take pictures along the way. You may see a new thread when I get to the refurb process. I can say it took me longer to clean them out than to uninstall and load them. I've never seen so much in a vacuum. The one piece doors are pretty amazing though. My car wash is in a downtown country town. It's 6 miles from a much larger city...with several $3/free vacuum factory style washes. They haven't affected me nearly as much as I thought they would...possibly because of being able accommodate larger vehicles...along with much dirtier!!! I have one bay that can accommodate semis...it's bitter sweet. They drop 15 to 25.00, but at least once a week there ends up being a greasy mess truck slip in that makes me wonder why I opened the height back up to larger trucks? Now I remember...a truck clipped half of it in the middle of the night, and I said why not give it a go again? (5 or 6 years ago)

 

[soonermajic]

Trs, check your PM & EMAIL

 

[Greg Pack]

Hey cfcw, do you know what he charges for the decals? Coleman is high for them. I would think any local print shop could do a nice custom decal reasonably.

I don't remember, but they are a good bit less. They are the high quality lexan. The last batch (admittedly four years ago) I bought from coleman were not He will also customize them at no additional charge.

The folks are good to work with.

 

[Greg Pack]

Fragrance is used more at my inner city washes
Shampoo is used more at my suburban washes

My experience exactly