Which combo vac brand do you prefer?

[slash007]

I am wanting to add a combo shampoo/vac to my wash and was wondering what your opinions where in regards to brand? If you have combo vacs now and could start fresh, what brand would you go with and why? I wanted to do a poll but wasn't sure how. Which of these brands would you use?

IVS
Jim Coleman
Fragramatics
J.E. Adams

Any others? Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[MEP001]

If you want to keep it simple, go with Fragramatics over IVS. The latter is way more complicated than it needs to be, and the box/vac tank is exactly the same between them.

I'll recommend the Doyle unit again. There are a lot of things I like about them over the others, only one I don't that I fixed with some aluminum angle (The suction collapses the square tank and it leaks under the top door). I just wedged the angle between the bottom of the opening and the opposite wall. They're very simple, it has an oversized compressor, it holds five full gallon bottles of chemical, the parts aren't hard to find and you can use a number of different shampoo/fragrance hoses with it.

 

[pgrzes]

I have had a Coleman Shampoo vac for over 8 years and just added 6 more(4frag and2 shamp.) that I picked up and am refurbing. I had 6 monorail 3 motor vacs and was always replacing brushes and motors. I had a Fragramatics fragr. vac. that blew a timer, and always had to fix things, The coleman maybe 3 motors and a few brushes in 8 years. I dont know if its the cannister size, the bags or the wiring setup but these vacs are great, I know there timers are suspect, but I have to say, I really like the dependability, and ease of working on these things. Cleanouts are easy with a huge side door large capacity shampoo, most parts are avail. anywhere. I would highly recommend Colemans.

 

[slash007]

I have had a Coleman Shampoo vac for over 8 years and just added 6 more(4frag and2 shamp.) that I picked up and am refurbing. I had 6 monorail 3 motor vacs and was always replacing brushes and motors. I had a Fragramatics fragr. vac. that blew a timer, and always had to fix things, The coleman maybe 3 motors and a few brushes in 8 years. I dont know if its the cannister size, the bags or the wiring setup but these vacs are great, I know there timers are suspect, but I have to say, I really like the dependability, and ease of working on these things. Cleanouts are easy with a huge side door large capacity shampoo, most parts are avail. anywhere. I would highly recommend Colemans.

At one of my washes I have all coleman vacs. 2 shampoo/vacs, 2 frag/vacs and 3 super vacs. I have had them for just over a year and they have been pretty easy to maintain, but in regards to parts aside from the motor and some plumbing fittings I have been buying everything else from Jim Coleman directly. Where are you getting your parts from?

 

[Earl Weiss]

15 Coleman combos at 3 locations. Some in service morre than 20 years. Few issues. What I would call routine stuff. Every vew years a Hose, Vac Motor, Every 10 years maybe a compressor, timer, acceptor, float switch, solenoid, Estheticaly they are (I think) some of the best. Others have more noticeable scrolling displays. I have converted the color tubes in the frgrance disply to a flashing light string from novelty lights.com. Get Bill acceptors unless you have huge vandalism issues.

 

[pgrzes]

Shampoo motors, compressors and Mercury switches thru Kleenrite or Grainger, The yellow Push Buttons(most common issue cover breaks off) Kleenrite has for 1/2 the price of coleman, motors Kleenrite. As much as I dont like Colemans Shampoo hose I still use them. Their Shampoo Heads and Fragrance Heads are head and Shoulders Way better then anything else I have seen out there, just the hose they use "BITES" Cost now seems in line with everyone elses. Overall a great unit. I am going to start to update a few machines to bill acceptor machines.

 

[slash007]

15 Coleman combos at 3 locations. Some in service morre than 20 years. Few issues. What I would call routine stuff. Every vew years a Hose, Vac Motor, Every 10 years maybe a compressor, timer, acceptor, float switch, solenoid, Estheticaly they are (I think) some of the best. Others have more noticeable scrolling displays. I have converted the color tubes in the frgrance disply to a flashing light string from novelty lights.com. Get Bill acceptors unless you have huge vandalism issues.

Sounds like a good idea on the frag lights. I do think the scrolling displays on the other brands were very nice which is one reason I was looking at other options. I also don't like that on the Jim Coleman you can't check how much shampoo you have in there and just have to rely on the indicator lights. There is also no easy way to drain the shampoo should you need to replace the float switch or empty the tank for any other reason.

 

[Earl Weiss]

....use "BITES" Cost now seems in line with everyone elses. Overall a great unit. I am going to start to update a few machines to bill acceptor machines.

Let me know how the bill acceptor upgrade goes, Been thinking of doing it. What extra security are you adding to the door?

As far as the hose goes, they seem to break in the middle from the flexing and bending after about 2 years, I have added an extra cover in this area but don't like what I've done so far. I wish they would make them with a second hose over that area.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Sounds like a good idea on the frag lights. I do think the scrolling displays on the other brands were very nice which is one reason I was looking at other options. I also don't like that on the Jim Coleman you can't check how much shampoo you have in there and just have to rely on the indicator lights. There is also no easy way to drain the shampoo should you need to replace the float switch or empty the tank for any other reason.

There is a clear vertical hose that runs from the top to the bottom of the tank inside the door. As long as the shampoo has a slight color you can see the level. There are push lock fittings at the top and bottom of the hose. You can disconnect it at the top and put that end in a bucket to drain the tank. (Or do what I do and just be real quick in swappinght float switch.)

 

[slash007]

15 Coleman combos at 3 locations. Some in service morre than 20 years. Few issues. What I would call routine stuff. Every vew years a Hose, Vac Motor, Every 10 years maybe a compressor, timer, acceptor, float switch, solenoid, Estheticaly they are (I think) some of the best. Others have more noticeable scrolling displays. I have converted the color tubes in the frgrance disply to a flashing light string from novelty lights.com. Get Bill acceptors unless you have huge vandalism issues.

Sounds like a good idea on the frag lights. I do think the scrolling displays on the other brands were very nice which is one reason I was looking at other options. I also don't like that on the Jim Coleman you can't check how much shampoo you have in there and just have to rely on the indicator lights. There is also no easy way to drain the shampoo should you need to replace the float switch or empty the tank for any other reason.

Is there a way to add bill acceptors without changing the door?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Is there a way to add bill acceptors without changing the door?

Some of my newer doors llok like they have a place for the acceptor already marked. The others look like there is room. The red and green lights may have to be moved but that is simple. Otherwise you just need to make holes for mounting bolts and bill insertion. How to secure the door is something else. I have ideas but I am looking for othrs.

 

[cwguy.com]

I would cross off Fragramatics. They might look the best by far.... but if you have used any other vac it is the worse to maintain. Also Fragramatics uses all those expensive displays and why on earth is so much stuff under the motor dome? Plus van-locks, fuses and that coin chute... really? (Maybe they changed all this stuff?

As for adding bill acceptors on any vac without bill acceptors... The doors open so easy I think it is a bad idea. The bill vacs are designed differently.

 

[slash007]

What do you guys think of stand-alone frag or shampoo units? I feel like it might be more user friendly to have the combo unit, but with a stand-alone I wouldn't have to get rid of any existing vacuums and could just add them on.

 

[cwguy.com]

With those units you might be making your customers move their cars though? But you could pick up those units cheap used if you want to refurb them? I even have 3. I would think you could purchase a crappy one for $250 all day? Nice around $400 used?

 

[slash007]

They would be mounted on the side of the vacuums, so no moving of the car is needed.

 

[cwguy.com]

I can only think of positive things: Like more visible additional options, less clutter at the vacuum... so isolated options, if something breaks the option is isolated, cheaper timers..... so lower maintains cost...

Some negatives are your not using the most up to date vacuum and defiantly not conforming to the marketing! Also more stuff to break into and run power to.

Also with a combo unit a customer can swap between options after putting money in.... this might not be bad if they are separate?

 

[slash007]

I figured from a convenience standpoint that a combo unit would be easier as they could switch between functions. I could also have a digital timer and bill acceptors, maybe even throw a cryptopay on the unit. For standalone you would have cheaper timers and less clutter, plus they wouldn't be tied together and one could function without the other. Any recommendations on stand alone units to consider? Did you have 3 units that you are using, or 3 that you were selling?

 

[cwguy.com]

I just use combo vacs. If you want digital timers on your vacs just add them? Just replace the door.

Also cryptopay works with anything via pulses.... right? so it would work with any vac? I would think? I don't have that either.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have standalone fragrance machines and also a couple of shampooers. The fragrance machines make no money at all. Mostly I blame that on the stupid bubbler. They are always broken or leak, which makes the machine look like it is broken. I know I wouldn't feel comfortable sticking money in most fragrance machines I see, mine included. Standalone fragrance is a total waste of money. I don't have any fragrance combos so I can't comment on that. I do have shampoo/vac combos, which do far outperform the standalone shampooers. I have one Coleman and three Fragramatics. From a maintainence standpoint, I prefer the Coleman. My $.02

 

[cwguy.com]

I'm not really sure how you can test your theory. But mine are always broken... I can see that point. But I am missing fragrance.

So what would your theory be on the stickers instead of the bubble display? Or that led light display instead?