Sometimes it pays to shop around.

[Doug Cox]

Today I notice a knocking sound coming from the 5cp Cat pump. I know this because I popped off the belt and the machine was as quiet as can be. The pump clutch and the tensioner pulley turn freely. So I call Powerclean and tell them the symtoms and I decide to buy a new pump "Just in case", but I didn't buy it from Powerclean. Their price was 1,038.00 and Dultmeiers was 617.00. I just don't grasp the fact that we pay 25,000.00 for a machine and then get screwed on the other end buying the parts.

 

[Dolly Llama]

does PC sell you more than just the pump for that price?
(like maybe clutch too?)

I found an e-bay vendor that sells the 5cp 2150 for $750 new
(and I thought that was a good price)

$617 sounds like a great price.


..L.T.A.

 

[steve r]

cheap ass!



better hope your customers dont feel the same way.






i hope you know im just busting your nads

 

[Doug Cox]

Pump only Lar.

Hydramaster as selling the Cat 290 pumps for 650.00 and Dultmeier had them for 350.00. Thats when I wised up on pump purchases.

 

[Dolly Llama]

better hope your customers dont feel the same way.

that's the beauty of being in the service biz and not the widgit selling biz.
all CCers and NOT created equal.
all Cat 5cp pumps are :wink:


..L.T.A.

 

[LeeCory]

For shame......

There are many on here that would tell you guys that shopping for the lower price is the wrong thing to do. What about relationships and helping pay the guys mortgage that has the more expensive price.

Evil price shoppers

 

[shaun]

I had the same problem with my CAT pump a couple weeks back. We took it apart and one side had worn seals that got replaced, valves replaced, and oil change. She runs like a champ now.

 

[TimP]

What kind of maintanance schedule are you supposed to keep on a cat pump. I change the oil in it like I'm supposed to but I'm not clear on anything else.

 

[Doug Cox]

Was yours knocking Shaun?

 

[Jimmy L]

I'm lucky because I have a Dultmeire in town!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ouch...but if they stock it, then they are due a mark up.

It may sit in inventory for some time before it's purchased, it's easy for a lot of money to get tired up sitting on a shelf.

And most people would expect the distributor to have it on hand should they ever need it, yet the distributor's money sits awaiting a buyer.

It would also be hard to compete with Dultmeire just due to the shear volume they buy compared to your distributor.

I think if I were you I would call your local distributor apologize for being cheap and send him a check for the profit he would have made had you purchased it through him! :roll:

OK, but they are due a reasonable markup, or they would never be able to afford to stock anything.

 

[Doug Cox]

400.00 Richard? Thats a pretty big price gap. PC builds "A Few" machines. I'm sure they have plenty of rotating stock. Dultmeier has stock also don't they?

 

[Dolly Llama]

For shame......

There are many on here that would tell you guys that shopping for the lower price is the wrong thing to do.

Evil price shoppers

honeslty, I agree with that "with in reason"

a matter of $30 to 60 bucks difference would be "with in reason" on a hundred(s) of dollar item
but it would seem to be irrispossible buisiness wise to spend $400+ more on a same item


is it that dultmier gets them so cheap?
or are the CCing distys gouging us?


come on Shawn Forsythe, you're one of "them".
You're also one that's a straight shooter.
so what's the poop, Son?

Dultmier happy with lesser profit margins?
and you distys got to have 40 to 59% margins?


...L.T.A.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Doug;

I don't think they are the same pumps !!

The ProChem models come with OPTIONAL Teflon seals that add quite a bit to the price.

Dultmeier stocks the lower dollar "basic model" which has less durable seals as standard.

We use General pumps, but also order the optional Teflon seals for "dry run" protection.

Larry Cobb
Mikey Board Supporting Member

 

[Mikey P]

$400 for some Teflon seals?

 

[Able 1]

The pumps are vary easy to rebuild. Buy the cheap one and do the seals yourself, goes back how it comes apart, not complicated at all.

 

[shaun]

Doug On my Vortex I would turn on the pump and it would be knocking, turn the pump off and the machine would be quiet. We took the pump off and found metallic peaces in the oil. One side was good on the pump and the other side was bad. So we just replaced seals and values and $300.00 later no more knocking.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yea, that's a little much.

Tell you what, send me $100.00 of your savings and I'll be good with your decision! :wink:

 

[KevinL]

I think if the distributors just had a modest mark-up we would always order from them but when the mark-ups are ridiculous, we start shopping around. I don't know about all of you but I work HARD for my money.

 

[Shane T]

I am a very loyal person and take care of all my relationships, but you have to earn my loyalty first.

 

[STEVEC]

Hey Doug,
You may want to look at the specs on that killer deal pump. Not all Cat 5CP pumps are the same. Like Larry said there are different seals and another thing is that there are different psi ratings, gpm ratings, and rpm ratings. you don't want to put a pump designed to run at 950 rpm (low cost pump) on a machine that is designed run a 1750 rpm pump.

Steve

 

[Greenie]

I think if the distributors just had a modest mark-up we would always order from them but when the mark-ups are ridiculous, we start shopping around. I don't know about all of you but I work HARD for my money.

Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, but I would add I work hard for my money too, and for me to tie up say $2500 in some pumps, those pumps need to make me 40% while they sit on the shelf, or I am just gonna invest my hard earned money somewhere else like chemical or other area that has a daily turn around.

And Steve took the words right out of my mout, learned that trick on a White Magic 5cp, not all are created equal.

 

[Rex Tyus]

Which says to me distributors should be raising hell with the manufacturers. Different specs should require a different friggin model number.

 

[MerCrewser]

7 years ago, Prochem wanted $1000 for a rebuilt carb for the 800A. My boss bought a HM Max 450.

 

[steve g]

I think if the distributors just had a modest mark-up we would always order from them but when the mark-ups are ridiculous, we start shopping around. I don't know about all of you but I work HARD for my money.

Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, but I would add I work hard for my money too, and for me to tie up say $2500 in some pumps, those pumps need to make me 40% while they sit on the shelf, or I am just gonna invest my hard earned money somewhere else like chemical or other area that has a daily turn around.

And Steve took the words right out of my mout, learned that trick on a White Magic 5cp, not all are created equal.

I can follow you there however, what if these types of items our distributors are just having them drop shipped?? here is a case of manufacturer/disty ripoff, the pump clutch on my cat 3 cp on my bpoint saber goes bad, ok a pump clutch is the same thing as a car AC clutch, think $75 part, so I search and search it seems that cat made this pump special for just my unit because it has a 16mm shaft instead of the standard 20mm so I have to buy a new clutch from bpoint for $350, so yeah I really like getting hosed for and extra $250 on a drop shipped part that is not kept in stock there. this is the kinda shit people get pissed about, isn't 100% markup enough for a part like this?? apparently not

 

[TimP]

I do have to agree that anything "for" carpet cleaning or restoration is almost always a rip. They think we are suckers. I think the biggest rip is the e-tes. It's a glorified cloathes dryer. How much does a cloathes dryer cost????? 3-400 bucks. How much does e-tes cost???? 2300 who thinks they should make 2 grand profit for plastic box with a dryer element in it??? I'm not saying it don't have value but what it's composed of and made from doesn't warrant the price based on building cost.

And 2 grand for a procaps machine??? 1600 for a regular and they charge 400 bucks for a freaking sprayer on it that can only be used with the machine. All you have is a motor, a switch and a belt and some brushes give me a break. And not to mention a freaking omni at 450 bucks. All you're really buying is a pump battery and some plastic. Probably worth maybe 200 but it's sold for 450. Just about everything in our biz is a rip. But it makes us money and they know it so they think they should be able to get some of it.

 

[LeeCory]

TimP, I agree 1000%,

 

[Rex Tyus]

As a society we have gotten spoiled because of the Walmarts the Sam's clubs, online shopping, drop shippers,...., in short direct manufacturer to end user. The cleaning industry is one of the few that still operated under (for the most part) the OLD way of retail.
1)manufacturer sells to wholesaler (ie interlink)
2)wholesaler sells to retailer (your local distributor)
3)retailer sells to end user

There is an awful lot of freight involved in many of those transactions. Not to mention everyone actually deserves a profit margin.

That is problem one.

Another is that the volume sold of an item has much to do with how cheap it can be sold. I would venture to say there are thousands more dryers sold than e-tes (not picking on you Tim just an example). I do concur that we pay a premium for anything that is sold specific for our industry. It really isn't however ALL just a matter of price gouging. There are many items that could be sold for much less. There are also many that have to bring a premium price in order to keep the new products becoming available.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Tim;

The ProCaps or ICapsol cylindrical brush machine is a good value @ $1495.

The GLS machine is more expensive initially and much higher for parts.

Larry Cobb

 

[Doug Cox]

Steve- I realize that there are numerous models of 5cp pumps and I believe this is the top model, 5cp5120. I also seen no optional (upgrade) seals or anything offered, which would lead me to believe that maybe there aren't any? Tell me if I'm mistaken.

Although, I do see they sell a 5cp5120J pump. I don't know what the J signifies.