I like the ability to lift the reels out of my van and point them in the direction of travel. Wor Lass goes one way with her reel hose, I go the other, we meet in the middle.
I tried them fixed for about a week and just didn't like it. Quite often I'm parked in one direction and I want the hoses facing the other way; so I lift them out and point them that way.
Occasionally, for awkward corners or multiple cars in the way, I'll unhitch the hose reel from the van and carry it beyond the obstacles, unreel the hose and then carry what's left on the reel back to the van and hitch it up.
When your hose reel is fixed, it seems like a lot of fannying about to me.
Luckily enough I don't find lifting a hose reel a problem.