I want to buy a pressure washer to get all the heavy winter crap off my cars before washing. What should I look for? Pressure, hot or cold water,etc. Any help would be appreciated.

 

PSI not as important as GPM. Look for something around 2.5 or higher. I've had an electric and now a gas-powered washer. Former are usually more compact, much quieter, but usually not as powerful and much less reliable (in my experience). Gas powered units are much louder, but def more reliable.

I got this sucker. Manual choke is a bit of a pain, but overall, a great unit so far.
http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Ou...atalogId=10053

 

Oh, and if you do get this or similar, make sure to pick up one of these. Great for pre-wash or as a wash in itself for getting light dust off the car. Best $20 I ever spent
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

 

It all depends on your budget. You can buy an inexpensive unit, they're all pretty comparable, at home depot or lowes and it'll be fine. You should be able to find something for about $100-150.

If you want a unit that's built well, has great features like a reel for hose, a quiet motor, durable engine that lasts for decades, then a nice German unit like a Kranzle would be a great investment. We use our PW daily and it get put through the ringer and it's still running like a champ. A few clients on the board have bought it, and maybe they can chime in.

If you're interested, use your promo code and it'll save you 10% and the shipping is taken care of too.

http://www.glisteningperfectionstore...zle/Categories

Oh, the other benefit of the PW, it doubles the life of the resin in your CR

 

I love my Kranzle that I bought from Moe. It is expensive .... so is your stable of cars. The jet stream from the Kranzle is forceful yet not brutally direct high jet that would damage paint. It sorts of sprays the jet in a way that seems less harsh than conventional pressure washers. I don't know how to explain. Moe do you know what I mean ? It's well worth the cost for me. Solid unit.

 

Thanks for the endorsement of the Kranzle. I've purchased many items from Moe including my CR Spotless, many towels, and cleaning products. I greatly appreciate the help he has been to me and many others. While I have purchased many, many things online, I try and buy items that are somewhat complex locally due to the potential for needing service. Moe, how do I get this serviced if purchased from the other side of the country?

 

A pressure washer's psi rating isn't the whole story. Although it's the pressure that loosens dirt, it's the volume of water flow that washes that loose dirt away. Gallon per minute (GPM) water flow rate, not its pressure is what affects the aerated solution (foam), which is created via a venturi, the higher the velocity of the water through the lance, the greater the venturi effect, which creates the aerated solution.
So flow rate, venturi valve setting will all affect the resultant foam output

 

As always, Glistening Perfection stands behind anything we sell. So no matter who the manufacturer is, you have another warranty from us. These units are built like a tank. We've put ours through many many daily abuse and it's shown it can handle it. Should there ever be a time where your unit malfunctions, it can always be sent to the US factory in Maryland where any and all warranty/non-warranty work will be done.

Hopefully this gives you the assurance of buying this excellent product.

 

Moe - No wonder I had trouble with geography in High School. (couldn't resist)

Since I live in Pa, can this be drop shipped rather than have to cross the country twice and save some shipping? If so, can I order a unit that shows on their web site but not on yours?

 

why do you need a power washer for car wash? i dont see much need for another equipment to worry about. the water from the hose is fairly strong and more pressure may even strip the wax over time.

 

Ahhhh...that's where you're wrong grasshopppaa

The water coming out of the very tip of the pressure washer is as soft as silk. Using a pressure washer simply makes the job more efficient and effective. I too was a skeptic a few years back until I started using them at clients' homes and at the dealerships.

The closer you get to the pressure washer wand, the more power there is. So, you are right in that sense. Improper precaution in using a PW, then you can run into trouble. Most of the time, I'm about 18-24" away from the car and and nice puff of water rinses everything away in less time than a garden hose. You use much less water than a garden hose. If you have a CR Spotless, you'll most likely double the life of the resin.

Also, a pressure washer comes in handy for those chores on a car like cleaning the wheels, wheel wells, engine, undercarriage, etc. A great investment and tool to have around if you want to speed up the wash routine. It's handy around the house too

We went with the Kranzle K1120T because I felt it was the best value. We'll probably pick up the K1700T for the studio in a few months.

Also, pressure doesn't strip the wax. Most synthetic and carnauba waxes have made a small microscopic bond to the car's surface. Factors such as exposure to the elements, heat, strong cleaners, clay, etc. are what removes or minimizes the wax layer.

Hope this sheds a little more light to your comment.

 

Let me know which unit you'd like. We can have it drop shipped. We can get any unit, I only had the most popular ones on the site.

 

The GPM should be below 3gpm when using it with a CR Spotless system.

 

thanks moe. i had a pw from home depot and it failed 2x after initial use. staying away from it for now. i have soft water so no need for CR unless washing under summer sun.

 

Yes..good FYI. Most pressure washers for residential that are electric are around 1.5 gpm.