I've got 10k cash or less to spend on a truckmount, suggestions welcome.

[Mrice]

Need suggestions. I've got 10k cash or less to spend on a truckmount and I'm in south Florida. I do not need a vehicle just the machine and waste tank and maybe fresh water tank.

I want it to be...

(in this order)
1. Reliable
2. Easy to work on
3. Have good heat (I'm in south Florida, not Minnesota)
4. I talk a lot while on the job sometimes so it's got to be able to run while I'm gabbing for without building excessive heat and exploding or dumping 50 gallons of water into the waste tank.

Any thoughts on what might be a good fit? I don't care if it's older and used or new/newer.

Yes I'm already busy, not crazy busy, but busy.

 

[SamIam]

But a used prochem

 

[Mikey P]

Who had those private labeled Prochem Legends for $9500?

 

[Mrice]

janatorial direct tampa beach, they have the whole 9 yards AND an electric hose reel this month for 15K. Fresh water, waste water tanks, hose, battery, battery box, installation...the whole 9. I just can get myself to go 16K deep.

 

[SamIam]

You work year round it will pay for itself!

 

[Mrice]

I know, I know, but if I use that reasoning I can justify purchasing just about anything. I've got to draw the line somewhere and I'd like to get a high top van and ditch the trailer...so I'm saving for that too. I could just go out and buy them both...but I try to pay as I go.

 

[Cleanworks]

That janitorial Direct place has a Prochem Peak with 401 hours for $8,900. Might be room to negotiate.

 

[SamIam]

And you'll save more money i the long run

 

[Russ T.]

I know, I know, but if I use that reasoning I can justify purchasing just about anything. I've got to draw the line somewhere and I'd like to get a high top van and ditch the trailer...so I'm saving for that too. I could just go out and buy them both...but I try to pay as I go.

If only our government would have this mentality.

 

[Mrice]

I've got a lead on a sapphire 454? any good? It's at my local supply shop they are doing some major engine work on it before selling it.

 

[steve_64]

For $10000 I would think you could find a good DD that would meet your requirements.

 

[dgardner]

Don't know where you are in Fl., but a quick look at Craigslist turned up this Prochem Peak with waste tank with only 401 hours for $8900:

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/hvd/5946853263.html

 

[Mrice]

Thanks @dgardner . @steve_64 no pto or DD, looking for a slide in!

 

[dgardner]

That janitorial Direct place has a Prochem Peak with 401 hours for $8,900. Might be room to negotiate

Oops - the craigslist I posted is the same unit! Sorry for the dup....

 

[Larry Cobb]

We have new Honda TM with warranty & install for $13.9K

Easy to work on, and most reliable components . . .

3 year warranty on Honda engine . . .

No HX water bypass . . .

http://www.cobbcarpet.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=1258

 

[Mrice]

@Larry Cobb , close but out of my range this time. I'd sent you an email a week or so ago about 2" hose. You had mentioned a while back that the hose that was smooth inside helped significantly with vacuum. I was wondering if you carry it? and if it seems to last as long and be as flexable as other hose. Thanks. Matt. Nice TM there, Larry.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

A $5000 used 405 with a "forever" Nissan engine will blow the doors off any tm powered by a lawnmower motor.

 

[Mrice]

@Lee Stockwell, I keep hearing that, but they never seem to have much history on these machines so total hours are hard to determine. How much do you think a 505 consul weighs?

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Hey Matt,
If you have the work, the I would keep the 10k cash and finance a setup. I put off getting a payment on a van for many years. It really held my business back.
My business went up $42k the first year I had my new setup. I didn't have to worry about things breaking and I was proud of the new van. It made me work harder and sell harder.
$40-$50 more per day will make your payment. Charge a little more. $10-$20 per job will do it. If you are doing 5 houses a day, get $10 per house. It's easier than you think.
I made a choice, I can lay awake at night and worry about my used equip not working the next day or I can lay awake worrying about making a payment. I chose the payment. I've never slept better.

 

[SamIam]

Hey Matt,
If you have the work, the I would keep the 10k cash and finance a setup. I put off getting a payment on a van for many years. It really held my business back.
My business went up $42k the first year I had my new setup. I didn't have to worry about things breaking and I was proud of the new van. It made me work harder and sell harder.
$40-$50 more per day will make your payment. Charge a little more. $10-$20 per job will do it. If you are doing 5 houses a day, get $10 per house. It's easier than you think.
I made a choice, I can lay awake at night and worry about my used equip not working the next day or I can lay awake worrying about making a payment. I chose the payment. I've never slept better.

WORD!

405 weighs about 1200 lbs.

I trading mine in soon with a van for $11 k with 90k miles.

I bought it used in 2011 with 650 hours but it say for years!

Put 5200 hours on since I bought it so it's at 6289 now.

Gets hot stays hot every bit as hot and almost the same vacuum as my 570.

 

[SamIam]

To tell the truth I'm so tempted to take it to Utah give it to Olsen, sell the van its in have Olsen do a rebuild on the 405 from the ground up. Buy a new van and go from there.

Because like Lee said nothing with a lawnmower engine beats it!

 

[EDS]

Get a liquid cooled engine. I would get a used APEX (our side biased). Bought mine almost 4 years ago for 7500 with 3200 hours. Works like a champ!

 

[Larry Cobb]

I'd sent you an email a week or so ago about 2" hose. You had mentioned a while back that the hose that was smooth inside helped significantly with vacuum. I was wondering if you carry it? and if it seems to last as long and be as flexable as other hose. Thanks. Matt. Nice TM there, Larry.

Matt;

We do carry the smooth interior 2" vac hose, and it is the most flexible TM hose we have found to be durable enough for years of service.

http://www.cobbcarpet.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72&products_id=3620

Also, the new Honda GX630 engines with larger oil cooler have outlasted the water-cooled Kohler engines we tried. Our first TM's with the pictured Honda engines are over 2500 hrs and still in top operating condition.

 

[Chris Howell]

So how many carpet cleaning jobs do you have to do to pay for a truck mount, even a $10,000 unit? Honestly, I can't understand for the life of me why you people spend this kind of money on a machine that cost so much to purchase and so much to maintain, yet is so prone to breakdowns. On top of that you're competing with umpteen other companies to get the job, meaning that you'll likely have to slash your prices to get it.

The most expensive piece of equipment that we use for spot dyeing to repair bleach spots is a $40 shop vac.

Can someone please enlighten me here?

 

[SamIam]

50k truck and unit now about 65k

5 years of use 750 k in sale resale 15-20k

I don't know everybody cleans they're carpet not everybody needs spot dyeing.

 

[Cleanworks]

So how many carpet cleaning jobs do you have to do to pay for a truck mount, even a $10,000 unit? Honestly, I can't understand for the life of me why you people spend this kind of money on a machine that cost so much to purchase and so much to maintain, yet is so prone to breakdowns. On top of that you're competing with umpteen other companies to get the job, meaning that you'll likely have to slash your prices to get it.

The most expensive piece of equipment that we use for spot dyeing to repair bleach spots is a $40 shop vac.

Can someone please enlighten me here?

You wouldn't be able to perform your service with your $40 shop vac if someone wasn't able to clean that carpet with their $65,000 truck mount. If people weren't able to get their carpet professionally cleaned, they wouldn't be buying it and you would be out of business. Having said that, you don't always need a truck mount to clean carpets. The truck mount is for people that have a business plan that involves cleaning residential homes and commercial buildings that are accessible to that type of unit. It is simply the fastest and most powerful cleaning that you can achieve. Some one with the energy and a plan can easily make $1,000 or more per day per unit. We all don't make that and we all don't own brand new units. Without carpet cleaning, there would be no carpet dyeing.

 

[Chris Howell]

You wouldn't be able to perform your service with your $40 shop vac if someone wasn't able to clean that carpet with their $65,000 truck mount. If people weren't able to get their carpet professionally cleaned, they wouldn't be buying it and you would be out of business. Having said that, you don't always need a truck mount to clean carpets. The truck mount is for people that have a business plan that involves cleaning residential homes and commercial buildings that are accessible to that type of unit. It is simply the fastest and most powerful cleaning that you can achieve. Some one with the energy and a plan can easily make $1,000 or more per day per unit. We all don't make that and we all don't own brand new units. Without carpet cleaning, there would be no carpet dyeing.

Agreed. People will always need carpet cleaning services. We provide the services (carpet cleaning) as well, but obtain all of our jobs as a result of repairing color issues on carpet that no one else can address. We stay busy with our services and are typically booked 2–3 months in advance at all times.

I also agree that a truck mount does the job much better and much faster and efficiently. Nevertheless, I maintain that the cost of purchasing and maintaining one of these machines doesn't seem worthwhile to me.

We charge $1.50 - $2.00 per square foot for our services. For spot dyeing we charge $375 per hour for residential work and $900 per hour for commercial work. If people are happy getting $40 per room, that's great. No issues there. Just seems like way too much physical labor and equipment expense to me.

Whatever pays the bills. Win-win.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The question asked at the top of the thread was about an under 10k truck mount.

Note the sales spin of the 2 salesmen who didn't HAVE one to offer.

 

[Spurlington]

Agreed. People will always need carpet cleaning services. We provide the services (carpet cleaning) as well, but obtain all of our jobs as a result of repairing color issues on carpet that no one else can address. We stay busy with our services and are typically booked 2–3 months in advance at all times.

I also agree that a truck mount does the job much better and much faster and efficiently. Nevertheless, I maintain that the cost of purchasing and maintaining one of these machines doesn't seem worthwhile to me.

We charge $1.50 - $2.00 per square foot for our services. For spot dyeing we charge $375 per hour for residential work and $900 per hour for commercial work. If people are happy getting $40 per room, that's great. No issues there. Just seems like way too much physical labor and equipment expense to me.

Whatever pays the bills. Win-win.

Damn .. $1.50 - $2 per sq foot .. for cleaning? WOW !! And booked out for 2-3 months .. super wow !! Forget about how cheap you wanna go on equipment .. Im impressed with your ability to rake it in and be so busy !! How do you do it?

 

[FB7777]

Jon Don has a lot of. Used truckmounts

You could call your closest one and see if they can keep an eye out for one in that price range