When we go through difficult economic times, everyone looks for equipment at a ?bargain price? for sprucing up the wash to get an edge on the competition. That ?bargain price? usually means that some of the quality (not obvious at first glance) gets downgraded with plastic parts and/or thinner materials. The equipment manufacturers believe after these changes, the product is just as good as it used to be. The descriptive phrases used to describe equipment get more vague and ?half-truthy? (is that a word?), but the bottom line is that the equipment quality ain?t what it used to be.
We at ShurVend have sold a vendor made by our manufacturer that was designed and built for installation outside and, ?guess what?, was named the ?Outsider?. We have never taken this machine to a show because we thought there were weak spots in the design that made it vulnerable. The unprotected plastic bill validator mask and the thin 24-26 gauge steel on the door made us very nervous about its security in the car wash environment.
Mega-Vendor has re-branded the ?Outsider? as Mega-Vendor III and showed it at the recent WCA show in Las Vegas. The Kleen-Rite website, in the Mega-Vendor section, claims that one does not need to purchase a weather/security enclosure for this machine because it is already weather and vandalism protected. Dultmeier has the same machine on its website, but it is called the ?Ultimate Outdoor? vendor. All 3 companies can sell this vendor at a ?bargain price? against one that is protected by a heavier gauge steel weather/security enclosure, a stainless steel mask, and other designs that make security the number one issue.
ShurVend sold an ?Outsider? to one of our customers in Wichita, Kansas that lasted for about 18 months and then ?whamo?, the thin material in the door was opened up like a tin can, most likely with some of these new cordless power tools that are now available. So, since a picture is worth a thousand words, look at these pictures and judge for yourself.
Uncle Sam
We at ShurVend have sold a vendor made by our manufacturer that was designed and built for installation outside and, ?guess what?, was named the ?Outsider?. We have never taken this machine to a show because we thought there were weak spots in the design that made it vulnerable. The unprotected plastic bill validator mask and the thin 24-26 gauge steel on the door made us very nervous about its security in the car wash environment.
Mega-Vendor has re-branded the ?Outsider? as Mega-Vendor III and showed it at the recent WCA show in Las Vegas. The Kleen-Rite website, in the Mega-Vendor section, claims that one does not need to purchase a weather/security enclosure for this machine because it is already weather and vandalism protected. Dultmeier has the same machine on its website, but it is called the ?Ultimate Outdoor? vendor. All 3 companies can sell this vendor at a ?bargain price? against one that is protected by a heavier gauge steel weather/security enclosure, a stainless steel mask, and other designs that make security the number one issue.
ShurVend sold an ?Outsider? to one of our customers in Wichita, Kansas that lasted for about 18 months and then ?whamo?, the thin material in the door was opened up like a tin can, most likely with some of these new cordless power tools that are now available. So, since a picture is worth a thousand words, look at these pictures and judge for yourself.
Uncle Sam
