Yep. I might drink the coolaid also. It's great to have a shop close to me. Well kind of (35 miles away) But many times I'll do repairs and services my self just to save time. And the Butler seems to have really easy access to everything which my back would love.Tony,
The Everest, though a great machine, is definitely an overkill for what you need.
A CDS, Pro-1200, Cleanco or Butler will be more than you actually need, yet give you plenty of power and in certain configurations- heat.
Richard is right though, as it will take an adjustment. Not necessarily all bad. I personally prefer direct drives (simple, less maintenance, quieter) and maintained well they can last for 10 years.
All beside the Butler reportedly have some issues and then you don't really know if the Butlers don't, as their owners are like a secret medieval society
I am getting a Butler, as supposedly they are more reliable, which is by far the most important factor for me. I hope the myth is right. Their new mid-mount addresses the lack of storage space issue that has always been their major flaw. According to them, if you do not like to do it yourself, any car mechanic can handle their machines. Some say that you will not get parts quickly, so possibly longer down time. Though it seems like that these days most distributors don't carry much in stock either.
Yes. Very good point. And as far as easy to work on the Hydramaster CDS would work great too. All the guts in between the seats. simple and lots of room.If you're alone, get a van powered system. Any of the big names will be easier to work out of, operate, and maintain. They are just nicer to ride in too, as you're not hauling a huge extra engine around behind you for years...wearing on you and your truck.
If you had bigger crews and doing all kinds of big commercial, then Aerotech would be a wise choice along with the Everest for true dual wand capability.
But you sound quite a bit like me. Short hose runs, working alone, lots of residential.
There's a reason the big residential franchises run van powered systems.
Ofer hit on a big one when he mentioned reliability. Easy to use and QUIET are important too!