Carpet Cleaning Issues - Carpet construction, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, equipment, events, etc.
Buying new or second handPosted by joemarriner (joemarriner), 10 January 2004
What are peoples thoughts on this spoke to a carpet cleaner who paid £2800+vat for a Host freestyle 18 months ago to be told by Host it was only worth £600.HWE machines seem to go for over half the cost after 12 months there is a ninja advertised on this board before xmas was 3800 now its advertised at 2800??Any thoughts? Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 11 January 2004
Hi Joe
This may once again be just my warped thinking... but I always am a little sceptical when buying second hand...unless I know precisely who I am buying off and I have some faith in them...this applies to buying cars/vans or equipment.
It is my belief rightly or wrongly that 'no-one sells something if it is running well!' ..unless of course there is an upgrade in the offing.
There is a saying...'let the buyer beware'... its a good saying to reflect on.
DerekPosted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 11 January 2004
How much was the Host Freestyle when it was new?
To be honest it takes a bit of a stupid person to pay £2800 for something thats only worth £600 
, thats if Host are telling the truth I've bought things from host, £600 does'nt buy you a lot. Are they saying they sell these machines for £600 or was the machine so knackered it was only worth £600?
If he bought it off a company and was mislead about its value then he could have some legal recourse.
or he could do what i would do, go round to whom he bought it from and threaten to smash his skull in with a clawhammer if I did'nt get his money back 
MikePosted by joemarriner (joemarriner), 11 January 2004
He purchased the Freestyle brand new for 2800+vat and hardly used it he contacted host to see how much it would be worth second hand and was told 600 if it was in good condition.I think the moral to this is look at all machines new and used for future resale value if the venture does not take off. Posted by ALEXDH (ALEXDH), 11 January 2004
I am running off entirely second hand , perhaps i was lucky as those i bourght off are all decent chaps.
I did my best to find a bit out about them from people though before i bought though.
For example my ninja was one third what i would have paid new, but before i bought it i checked as best i could what i would have to pay to refurb if it was a lemon.
Please note i have not had to do a thing to it and it has ran 25hours plus on jobs now, if it breaks now i feel i was sold it fairly.
My Humble opinion is with carpet cleaning machines you are really buying the chassis, if you know where to go 95% of everything else can be replaced with little or no technical knowledge from other sources.
My robin was never intended to be a heavy runner its a backup, that has nearly paid for iteslf spotting. I would have had to get something much less powerful if i had gone for new.
If you are starting up, i have been told by many the money needs to go on selling yourself first and training.
I'll be relativley happy having a full book and have to repair the machine than have a mint machine and no customers.
I know as much as possible about anything before i buy and let the seller tell you about it , if its dodgy they will dig themselves into a hole.Posted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 11 January 2004
AlexDh
How much to refurbish a Ninja.
DIY
or service engineer ?Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 11 January 2004
Joe, if they are only offering £600 its so they can re-sell sell it at a big profit.
I'd tell him to put it in the Clean-it-up for sale section.
Slightly off topic but are the Home & Dry Franchise still going strong using this equipment?
MikePosted by ALEXDH (ALEXDH), 11 January 2004
Hi
DIY
I have been quoted 105.00 for new vacumm motors 3 stage.
and i think it was £80 for a 100 psi solution pump.
The internal hoses and stuff i can get from my local hose and hydraulics for free as its only a few feet or inches they cant be bothered to do a ticket 
The thermostat i can get from RS i think it was for about 20. the heater elements are about 20 too i think , the reed switch in the tanks shutoff is about a fiver.
As long as the tub is in good condition there is not much else major that can go really wrong on them.
so if i was unlucky and everything had been knackered i could have had to spend two/three hundred quid and couple of hours fitting the new parts.
The heater element looks the hardest bit but with care thatcan be done alright I think.
Worth remembering to look up your local hose and hydraulics i just got a 15meter solution and vaccum hose all fittings/ Cuffs for 105.00 including VAT about £80 quid cheaper than anywhere else i had seen.
Quids in i reckon
All the best
AlexPosted by Scots_cleaner (Scots_cleaner), 11 January 2004
Hi Chaps
I started five years ago with the home & dry *&^^%%
Sorry about said bad words.
But yes my machine still runs very well you need to change the belts on the pile lifter but other than that it a great piece of equipment.
1. Use it for pre-vac for HWE
2. Dry cleaning carpets with fibredry (prochem)
3. pre-vac for bonnet cleaning
So yes its a good investment but i paid too much for it.
But if it last ten years well worht it.
happy cleaningPosted by Ivar_Haglund (Ivar_Haglund), 11 January 2004
Is it used or used up
Used can be a great way to start making money faster
CAVEAT EMPTOR
IVAR 
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