Blueline Blues

[Erik]

I buy mine from Dynalene, Inc. (610) 262-9686, which is the only company in the U.S. that makes it- $213.76 w/ shipping.

Blue line therm oil.....5 gallons....$514.00 plus shipping........

AT Therm oil...(same exact stuff).......$265.00...included shipping to my front door....

I am not trying to bust any body's balls here but that is not a $20.00/$40.00 difference....

 

[Walt]

[quote="Jim Martin":2608bb8e]If AT ever goes out of the business of selling trucks and parts and I cant find what I need else were..I (and probably a lot of others) will be forced to shut down the Vortex and will have to find something else because we could not afford to keep it on the asphalt with blueline prices..............

I guess we'll know in a year or two if AT is making enough on their current margins, or not....and Jim buys something else.

I think $6 a gal. fuel may impact that buying decision 2 years from now.

Fuel I can deal with....you just incorporate it into your jobs...that one is easy.....being anal raped for a part if you break down with no other options is where most will get hurt.....[/quote:2608bb8e]

Certainly you can incorporate the price of fuel into the cost of cleaning - a few pennies per square should do it. However, your customers would also be strapped by the cost of fuel. The increases are on everything when fuel goes up - shipping, food, fertilizer, cleaners etc.

The rich should be able to afford the increases, but the middle class will be strapped. Maybe not the best time to have a price increase?


I agree on the prices of parts -

I spent 2000 bucks on gauges when mine went out after 3 years. They no longer could get the older style gauges and sensors. Additionally, my panel wasn't wired to take the new gauges. So they had to have custom gauges made for my machine (which then didn't fit) and have the entire machine rewired.

I wonder if that affected my purchase decision later? Hmmm....

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Has anyone else seen this UPS transit time double in their dealings ?

nope, the trucks get loaded and unloaded in the same manner as always. The trucks are on the same schedules as they have always been.

 

[GeneMiller]

It's now 11 days, business days, not weekends, and still no part. I guess I need to go through my machine and see what parts might fail from age and order ahead. I still love my machine.

Here is an idea. Manufactures can set it up so we can order the part we need off the internet, we check off who our distributor is so they get paid and we get our part faster. One less person in the pie.

Gene

 

[Bill Bruders]

Here's an update for today, I have Thom Fielding personally looking into why Gene's part has been delayed so long as soon as I have an answer I'll let him know. I'd also still like to know the distributor involved in this transaction so we can look at the order date as well as a few other internal business issues that may be affecting this issue. As for the cost of "Zentherm" oil our current selling price is $302.63, I've put Zentherm in quotes because we actually use a different product today Mobiltherm 30 because it lasts much longer reducing the overall cost of maintenance. I'm looking at some packaging options that hopefully will reduce the cost further.

 

[GeneMiller]

I just got a call from Thom at Blueline and they are going to make sure that this matter gets solved. I've always loved BLueline and this is the kind of service that I have always had in the past. I realize that they are in a transition period but please remember keeping us happy is the best way to be successful. It's amazing how a simple call made me so happy.


Thanks Gene

 

[steve g]

we did have a problem with the Cat pump starting to knock at about 900 hours. I called Ted, and within a couple days a new Cat Pump was at our office, NO CHARGE ! Aero Tech is a dream come true, refreshing, true customer service at it's finest.

what is really funny is our own mikey p couldn't even get a free HX for his vortex after he helped sell half a dozen machines and was promised since his machine was the first FMI he would be hooked up if there was any problems

as to over priced parts this is a pattern from legends brands/drieaz, this is in the same catagory as the $138 air mover motor I was needing. also keep in mind alot of the distributors have hellacious markups on some stuff, for instance I needed a handle for my drieaz 1200, a few years back, I overheard the guy calling drieaz and heard what the cost was, they marked it up exactly 100%. I think that is a pretty high markup personally.

 

[Jim Martin]

Ya have to figure that in a hell of a lot of cases that most distributors are nothing but the middle man.....

you order something...he calls and gets it (or has it in stock) pays retail or what ever for it them marks it up a huge percentage to make his own buck.....But.....if you can find a way to cut out the middle man..........

 

[Ron Werner]

I like a machine where I can just go to the local autoparts shop and buy what I need.

 

[Greenie]

Just curious......what is a "huge percentage"? If I buy a Gal. of protector for $50 and make $1000 with it, is that a "huge percentage" of mark up?

Most dealers charge what they need to stay profitable, as do most cleaners, and some dealers still "go away" as do some cleaners.

Profit and price gouging threads are always entertaining. I still find that those many cleaners who don't haggle over price, but look for the big picture tend to get fair pricing, better treatment, and are also more successful.
It's okay to ask your dealer for a "deal", but when he says that's all I can do, respect that, hustling your local all the time doesn't make him more successful, he'll just go away, or be forced to compete against you.
not everyone has time or a wife with time to sit at home and price shop on the internet.

 

[Jim Martin]

explain "big picture " what is the big picture of being priced gauged over a part or some type of trinket..

are you saying that the ones that are willing to spend the extra $200 for a part that if they took the time and looked around could probably find it for $50 bucks are going to get better treatment and be more successful....

Success come from taking your hard earned money and being careful how it is spent..and when you need something you should find away to see if you can get the same thing at a better price...Success come from good business management...not a pat on the ass because you are willing to drop an extra 100 bucks for something you could have found cheaper...

 

[Mikey P]

what is really funny is our own mikey p couldn't even get a free HX for his vortex after he helped sell half a dozen machines and was promised since his machine was the first FMI he would be hooked up if there was any problems

1/2 a dozen?



Shawn says 30.


But he may have been blowing smoke up my Dale Carnegie

 

[Erik]

Did you have Single Cog Belt on your blower too? Lots of problems, but Shawn took care of the problem for me.

 

[steve g]

Just curious......what is a "huge percentage"? If I buy a Gal. of protector for $50 and make $1000 with it, is that a "huge percentage" of mark up?

Most dealers charge what they need to stay profitable, as do most cleaners, and some dealers still "go away" as do some cleaners.

Profit and price gouging threads are always entertaining. I still find that those many cleaners who don't haggle over price, but look for the big picture tend to get fair pricing, better treatment, and are also more successful.
It's okay to ask your dealer for a "deal", but when he says that's all I can do, respect that, hustling your local all the time doesn't make him more successful, he'll just go away, or be forced to compete against you.
not everyone has time or a wife with time to sit at home and price shop on the internet.

there is one big difference however, hopefully those of us that are making big markups and charging elevated rates to our customers are giving them their money's worth. however you don't go to a car dealership and pay extra do ya?? the difference with suppliers is they are offering the same products that other suppliers are selling, they also have a right to sell at a certain price or not to. they also have us as a perpetual customer base we keep buying from them, whereas a CC customer uses us once or twice a year if that.

 

[GeneMiller]

As promised by Thom the part arrived today. I think the problem was that they never received the fax order. In my opinion all orders from distributors should receive a confirmation of the order so that these problems don't occur.

Thanks Bill and Thom for stepping up to the plate and overnighting me the part. Job well done in my book.


Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Thom really hates this board...

 

[Bill Bruders]

Gene
I glad we are getting you handled and this put behind both of us. In order to insure that orders don't get lost we fax every districutor a copy of the order immediately after it is entered into the system so they can check to make sure the right products or parts are coming as well as the expected ship date and pricing.

 

[harryhides]

Clearly, there is a lot to be gained on all sides by this sort of dialogue.

I'd like to thank all parties for keeping it civil, productive and constructive.

I hope that Bill B will agree to participating in a "Hotseat interview" soon.

 

[The Wizard]

Hi Shawn:

You know I love you too !!! Yes we enjoyed some good times and good conversations. You invented an amazing cleaning machine.

Not going to argue with you, but I stand by what I wrote about my experiences with Zentherm.

How is everything with you these days. Rebecca is just out of the hospital, after having been diagnosed with cancer 5 weeks ago. Surgery went well, we just have to wait to hear if they got everything.

Take care and all the best.

The Wizard.

 

[hogjowl]

And GreenBean, you know I love you too, but Jim having a wife who can shop the internet for deals on parts and equipment simply puts him in the same business you are in. (ooops ... minus the wife now)

Without your mark-up, of course.

Love,
Marty

 

[steve g]

[quote="The Wizard":36zjowjd]After reading this post, I am so glad that we purchased two new Aero Tech's last year instead of two new Vortex's ! Our Aero Tech's are amazing machines and the three main people at Aero Tech, that being DeEtte, Ted & Vlad have been awesome to work with.

So happy to be as far away from the Zentherm oil, as we are. After having just one oil explosion (we had more than one) in the box of one's truck, not to mention a fire, you could not pay us enough to have an oil heated water system. Vlad's patented heat transference system, just doesn't get any better.

We have had no problems with our Aero Tech's and contribute this to Aero Tech's desire to provide a superior truck to their customers. Sorry, we did have a problem with the Cat pump starting to knock at about 900 hours. I called Ted, and within a couple days a new Cat Pump was at our office, NO CHARGE ! Aero Tech is a dream come true, refreshing, true customer service at it's finest.

Not a day goes by, that I don't tell someone in our company how much I love our Aero Tech trucks.

The Wizard.

Wiz,

I loves ya. You know that. We've shared some good times and there is very little you could do to make me mad. So please don't feel like I'm beating you up here or calling you out. I consider you a friend. A freakshow, but a freind none the less. But I do have to clarify your statement so that people don't make the wrong assumption.

Your complaints about your experience with your Xentherm fluid (Also known as Dynalene SF or Mobiltherm) heating system are completely isolated and entirely due to your spraying expanding foam insulation under the machine and covering up several components including the vacuum solenoid breather that controls the exhaust diverter.

As you were.[/quote:36zjowjd]

you know shawn you really aught to visit us more often around here, believe it or not it was nice having you on the boards more often like back in '04 ish. have a good one. that is a funny story about wiz, nothing like a box truck on fire, that happened to me once with an isuzu box truck only it was a transmission cooling line that busted spewing fluid all over the exhaust, couldn't find the fire extinguisher so I used a pump spray with microban in it to put it out, I guess you could say we wizzed on it.

 

[ronbeatty]

I haven't had any problems with my Vortex's heating systems, no stuck diverters, no leaks and no fires :roll:

 

[GeneMiller]

As promised the part arrived at my house today at 10. Thanks Bill for getting involved and solving my problem.

Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Wiz,


Your complaints about your experience with your Xentherm fluid (Also known as Dynalene SF or Mobiltherm) heating system are completely isolated and entirely due to your spraying expanding foam insulation under the machine and covering up several components including the vacuum solenoid breather that controls the exhaust diverter.

As you were.

Wizz you asshole.

You have the nerve to bash on the Xentherm system when it was YOU who fooked it up by spraying foam insulation all over the HX?



Man are you a piece of work.

 

[dealtimeman]

:shock:

 

[The Wizard]

Mikey ... We both know it to be true, that you feel the exact same way about Zentherm as I do.

The Wizard.

 

[Mikey P]

Regardless, you're still a moron for spraying insulation on a HX.


I dare you to try that on Vlad's Heat Seeking Missal HX

 

[The Wizard]

Dearest Mikey:

You have been mis-informed regarding issues related to expanding foam under the box of our Vortex, which was completely unrelated to the concerns and issues I have with Xentherm fluid, including the fire I experienced directly related to Xentherm fluid.

I took pictures of the aftermath of the fire, and sent them to Shawn York, so at a latter date the fire we experienced directly relating to the Xentherm fluid on our Vortex, could not be denied.

I would be happy to explain in great detail my concerns and issues I experienced first hand with Xentherm fluid, which ultimately was the reason for purchasing two new Aero Tech's a year ago as compared to purchasing two new Vortex's.

Just for the record, both our new Aero Tech trucks are both sprayed with expanding foam, and we have had no issues with "Vlad's Heat Seeking Missile HX"

With regards to you calling me names, have you looked in the personality mirror lately???

The Wizard.

 

[Chris Muetterties]

Wiz
Good idea foaming the AT HX it might freeze if you didn't

 

[Richard Crawford]

Way to deflect a thread guys.

I was just having fun reading how you guys like to slam on BlueLine and now you're picking on this nice polite gentleman who hasn't posted around in here in ages.

Small point though Wiz:

Don't have an avatar of a guy in a dress and say "dearest" to any man on this board. Its just kinda "Broke Back" if ya know what I mean......