buy local or off internet

Mark 8262

Mark 8262

Residential and Commercial Pressure Washing Specia
I am looking at new equipment. Did you guys buy from a local dealer or from the internet? I seem to get better pricing from the internet rather than local dealers and don't have to pay sales tax.

Thanks
 
I buy locally. I have a place I buy which is 5 minutes away. He will rig stuff for free if you just buy the parts. He carries everthing I ever need. He even has 12.5% SH for $1.25 a gallon.
 
Definetly buy local. Support your local distributor and they will be there for you when you need them the most. You can save some money by buying online but they won't be there to fix it when it breaks and machines do break. In most cases anything you buy online is cheaper, UNTIL you include shipping. Then you can end up paying quite a bit more money than you would spend at a local store. A lot of PW chems require hazmat shipping fees and the only way you can save money then is buying in bulk. That saves money in the long run but it also ties up your money in materials. Not to mention storing hazerdous chemicals in your home or shop!
 
I would always buy expensive machinery local ... if possible. I wish I had the money to buy a whole rig from SunBrite when they were still open here in S'ville, SC, now nobody is around here, so when I get around to gettin another setup, I'll be forced to buy out-of-state
 
Just remember, all of your service needs will be local,. So...if you buy online, and there is a local dealer of the same equipment my guess is that they will come close on the price.

When it comes to sales tax, let your conscience be your guide, but most states require businesses (individuals too!) to pay sales tax on all items purchased out of state.
 
envirospec might be close to you... I live in fl and order from them because they seem to have good prices
 
My local (large) PW dealer told me you can't change the PSI on a PW'r by changing the nozzle size. All you could change was fan degree. His "Top" 25 year sales person told me the first number in a nozzle chart has nothing to do with GPM. I tried to ask why it matches the number on the 4,000 psi column and he said it was just an arbitrary number? Since then I will buy small items if I can't wait. Otherwise since I get parts in 2-3 days I buy on line. Even the head of the parts department could not read a nozzle chart.

I swear this is true.
 
I have 4 different dealers here that sell products. Everyone of them is about 4.00 higher per barrel connector or plug or tip. The small things are definatly ordered over the internet. The larger items should be purchased locally except I got my Pressure Pro skid for 5700 shipped and the local guy told me he would not sell it for less than 8k. Thats alot of money to throw away just to purchase it locally. On the other hand he is selling big guy;s for 1050 and we can get those online for 800 shipped most of the time if not cheaper. I would support my local companies more if they were not trying to make me blow an O ring
 
IndyExterior said:
My local (large) PW dealer told me you can't change the PSI on a PW'r by changing the nozzle size. All you could change was fan degree. His "Top" 25 year sales person told me the first number in a nozzle chart has nothing to do with GPM. I tried to ask why it matches the number on the 4,000 psi column and he said it was just an arbitrary number? Since then I will buy small items if I can't wait. Otherwise since I get parts in 2-3 days I buy on line. Even the head of the parts department could not read a nozzle chart.

I swear this is true.
Click to expand...

hahahahahahaha, I know EXACTLY who you are talking about. I buy from Pressuretek
 
These local guys are totally ripping every one off. If i have something tear up then I will buy a replacement part from them but nothing that I can save alot of money on and not be in a real hurry to get it. To get 1/4 meg tips you will spend 6.50 plus tax here. No wonder guys try washing with home depot equipment. One of the local guys sells their own brand of pressure washers using a honda gx13hp motor and a cat pump. They want 1600 for a 4gpm at 4 unit. I purchased one with an AR pump same specs at a pawn shop for 250, changed the oils and she has not let me down yet. I also purchased a karcher before that one and got my o-ring ripped out again. I felt like those funny looking monkeys at the zoo with the hemroid problems when I got done with that purchase
 
I buy internet almost exclusively. My local vendor doesn't know anything about cleaning. I completely understand paying a bit more for a product if it comes with good service, but when you get told you can't lower pressure with a tip, then why pay more for the equipment and parts. Local would be my first pick if I had a GOOD local to buy from. I really have tried but always end up leaving empty handed. They don't stock large tips. Don't carry the better brands. All I have had luck with is mechanical fixes. They know how to work on equipment and that's it.

The closest good vendor (Russ Johnson) I have is a little over an hour away. Not so good when you need a part NOW. So I buy in advance online.
 
My answer is both. There are several distributors around here but the nearest one to me is 70 miles away. If I just need some small stuff I buy it online but that online purchase may be from the local guy, its just cheaper to pay the freight than drive there. If I am in the area or need enough stuff that the freight will be high I drive and get it.

I bought my trailer rig from a company out of state. When your talking a difference in price of thousands of dollars its worth the drive. If it needs work local companies can still fix it.
 
When I suggested buying local I didn't realize how bad some of the vendors were that you might have in your area. In Maryland we have I think 4 companies that sell machines.

They sell Alladins, Hydrotecks, Black Knights (pressure pros) and some off name brand I never remember.

Most of them sell some chems but are pretty limited in what they carry. All of them charge from 20-50% more than the Sun Brite store which is where I buy stuff from. Their prices are very similiar if not the same to the web store. For example they have the Pressure Pro 8GPM machine for $5,599.00 which is about 3,000 cheaper than other local vendors. I guess it just depends on the vendors in your area.

BUT, all of them in my area are very knowledgeable on equipment repairs and know the basics of what we do and all of them are great guys.
 
I needed to get a "Big Guy". Local dealer quoted me $1499.00. I got it online for $850.00. I would like to keep it local but thats a bit extreme.
 
I was quoted $6200 by my local Alkota dealer for a 4000 psi 4 gpm with an
11 H.P. Honda. I must really look stupid.
 
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