Pressure washer

[baseballlover1]

Today when i was at lowes i just glanced at there pressure washers. I saw a brand named "karcher", they have a 1500 and and 1800 psi models. Any thoughts?

 

[SVR]

Well many years of seeing a new scratch and marring appear every time I used the washer on my first car. Every week there was a new scratch and a little marring.



Now that's not happening at all. no marring just the rare baby swirl now and then which I fill in by hand (trying to save clear on my 9 year old car)

I mean it's a very fanatical amount but being dark blue and an OCD person, I'll foam gun my car instead.

The slickness loss was even worse with PW than using normal shampoo

The pressure always made the paint feel squeaky clean.



I am using additives in my shampoo to stop the slickness loss and that usually lasts eight months before I clay it

Hey I'm just a mad detailer mate and seen what high pressure can do sometimes

 

[DM101]

I bought one with the intentions of car washing. But never used it. Think of what you really you would use it in detailing your car. Then think you can gor to the car wash and with a few bucks do what you need to do. (washing wheel wells, underbody).

I own a 3200 psi Honda P/W, but I never found it really all that useful for auto detailing myself.



I mainly use it for deck cleaning, blasting siding, occasional gutters etc etc



~John

 

[Accumulator]

baseballlover1- I've had quite a few Karchers and every one of them broke down, I'd never recommend that brand unless you can find their industrial models.



David Fermani- This is the steamer that satisfies me (lesser ones did not): KleenJet Ultra 1500C



BTW, that siphon-feed sprayer I have hooked to my air compressor (half-@$$ed pressure washer system) is working great for my pre-wash. No overspray, no marring (SVR- that could be due to the lower pressure and/or the angle at which I spray, I think you know I'm as particular as they come on this issue ) and having the loosely-adhered "big stuff" off before I start with the foamgun/BHB makes for a little less nerve-wracking wash.



While others here have extolled the merits of pressure-washing, it was *you* who got me motivated to try this, and I want to give credit where credit is due :2thumbs:

 

[SVR]

I actually own a late 90's model Karcher (stand up model) which has a brass pump and after getting a new lance on it so that the O rings don't keep going on me, it's been great

A little APC and 1100 psi water really cleans them wheel wells.



It's good to disagree on things because if we all were agreeing on every issue, we wouldn't have the amazing technology that is common place today.

If your using a PW and your not having marring problems with it on your pride and joy, go ahead and use it



They have their place. If I had a car that got really dirty, I'd probably cover it in suds with the foam gun and then use the PW.

Accumulator : hey mate your even more particular than I am

Whatever works for ya is all that matters



Yes I've had bad experience with these machines but I suppose grit in the water could of been the problem every time. After all, tap water isn't exactly perfectly clean.

 

[Accumulator]

I actually own a late 90's model Karcher (stand up model) which has a brass pump and after getting a new lance on it so that the O rings don't keep going on me, it's been great ..

Heh heh, lucky you... a reliable Karcher!

I've had bad experience with these machines but I suppose grit in the water could of been the problem every time. After all, tap water isn't exactly perfectly clean.

Ah, that *might* explain a lot...the filters I'm using catch all sorts of scary stuff, hard to believe my home's previous owner used that water unfiltered :nervous: