[luckylingy]

Originally Posted by Limegrntaln

There is a whole pressure washer series. Check Obsessed garage youtube. Just search Obsessed Garage Pressure washers.

Great advice. I stumbled upon OG a year ago while I was awaiting my M4 and was shopping for a pressure washer. Matt's videos are instructive and convinced me to spend the extra money on a quality solution.

For half of the year I'm cleaning salt spray off two BMWs in the confines of our garage (with no floor drain but with a soft water source); results, ease of use, and water conservation are all important. (During cold snaps what drains onto the driveway freezes.)

Owners who live in other climates deal with other "dirt", so their priorities are different, understandably. Like GoBlue0310, a pressure washer may not even top the list for maintaining a clean car.

[Limegrntaln]

Originally Posted by luckylingy

Great advice. I stumbled upon OG a year ago while I was awaiting my M4 and was shopping for a pressure washer. Matt's videos are instructive and convinced me to spend the extra money on a quality solution.

For half of the year I'm cleaning salt spray off two BMWs in the confines of our garage (with no floor drain but with a soft water source); results, ease of use, and water conservation are all important. (During cold snaps what drains onto the driveway freezes.)

Owners who live in other climates deal with other "dirt", so their priorities are different, understandably. Like GoBlue0310, a pressure washer may not even top the list for maintaining a clean car.

Some people like his videos, some people don't, but one thing is for sure, going through the series, you get to see pretty much every pressure washer on the market, and he tests them all.

[luckylingy]

Originally Posted by Limegrntaln

Some people like his videos, some people don't, but one thing is for sure, going through the series, you get to see pretty much every pressure washer on the market, and he tests them all.

I agree he's an acquired taste. Subjective style aside, I appreciate his testing thoroughness and consistency, then voicing his unvarnished observations. I relied on his comments for choosing which drying towels and wash mitts to purchase, and I generally concur with his recommendations. He removed a lot of guesswork and trial-and-error from the selection process.

[TomzBmw]

Thank you for this post. I just ordered mine along with a ton of accessories and supplies. I would have given you a shout-out on their site but it never asked how I learned about them, etc. Appreciate all your guidance on this site.

[Limegrntaln]

Originally Posted by TomzBmw

Thank you for this post. I just ordered mine along with a ton of accessories and supplies. I would have given you a shout-out on their site but it never asked how I learned about them, etc. Appreciate all your guidance on this site.

I hope you got everything you needed. Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between what quick disconnect fittings you need. The packages can get expensive, but at least it’s all bundled and you don’t have ti worry about missing anything. You know where to come to ask the questions if you need anything.

[Game]

I really wanted to go with Active, but what really scared me off is their customer service, lack of inventory and bad reviews. Convenience and reliability were huge factors for me. If something goes wrong I want to be able to go to a Home Depot and have it replaced. I don't want to spend weeks or even months waiting for a resolution and be out of a pressure washer for an extended period of time.

I called Active twice to ask them about stock...even left a voicemail and both calls were ignored.

I'm sure it's a great unit, and one that I probably would have paid for if I got to speak with someone, but for now I'm happy with my cheap-o Ryobi with some upgraded accessories.

[asianF22]

Originally Posted by Game

I really wanted to go with Active, but what really scared me off is their customer service, lack of inventory and bad reviews. Convenience and reliability were huge factors for me. If something goes wrong I want to be able to go to a Home Depot and have it replaced. I don't want to spend weeks or even months waiting for a resolution and be out of a pressure washer for an extended period of time.

I called Active twice to ask them about stock...even left a voicemail and both calls were ignored.

I'm sure it's a great unit, and one that I probably would have paid for if I got to speak with someone, but for now I'm happy with my cheap-o Ryobi with some upgraded accessories.

Same, I wanted to get one after watching some videos online and bro-in-law has one and he loves the setup he built in his garage for his needs. I'm happy with my Ryobi as well as it suits MY needs, hell my next door neighbor bought one since he saw me using mine and he loves it...

[shimmy23]

Originally Posted by Game

I really wanted to go with Active, but what really scared me off is their customer service, lack of inventory and bad reviews. Convenience and reliability were huge factors for me. If something goes wrong I want to be able to go to a Home Depot and have it replaced. I don't want to spend weeks or even months waiting for a resolution and be out of a pressure washer for an extended period of time.
.

Isn't that when you just tell the wife, "welp, my pressure washer broke. its out of stock so i'll have to get the Kranzle."

[Game]

Originally Posted by shimmy23

Isn't that when you just tell the wife, "welp, my pressure washer broke. its out of stock so i'll have to get the Kranzle."

And then mumble some nonsense when she asks how much is it

[jsf721]

I’ve had the Kranzle 1600 psi electric for years and it’s rock solid. Whatever you buy get swivels before the quick connects or swivel connects to save you from kinking the hose.

Also make sure the pressure washer has a brass pump and serviceable oil.

[snareman]

I went with the Active 2.0 and have been very happy.

[chefwong]

I'm on the opposite realm when it comes to an electric washer or just pressure washer in general.....there are 2 things that make up a pressure washer - the pump/motor. North of 1K or close to it, above or below that, for an electric unit, I would look at cam spray, MiTM. It's all standard industrial grade stuff on those 2 components with easily replaceable serviceable parts...being the key IMO. Stubby - setups- seem to be the most recent fad and I was using standard 1/4 disconnects with a ceramic tip and Shrouded Rubber Hooded Nozzle 18 years ago. There is nothing new in the pressure washing world but has become the -new- for auto detailing.

Anti Swivels are nice but a good Goodyear, Continental heavy duty *thick* industrial pressure washer hose generally doesn't kink. It's mainly the cheap thinner stuff that does.

[GrussGott]

I'm gonna say the unpopular thing:

DIYers don't need pressure washers to wash a car well, and they generally train bad habits that lead to more paint marring rather than help wash your car safely. In the best case scenario they're a fun toy for car washing. They're really only needed for pros looking to optimize $/hr versus DIYers who are looking for quality/$, i.e., they help pros do a lot of cars in 1 day, but we don't care about that.

The minimum viable safe carwash setup is:

• De-ionized water from the grocery store
• High quality "rinseless" wash (e.g., ONR, McKees, P&S)
• Good wash media, i.e., chenille mitts
• Mister / sprayer: could be a cheap spray bottle from Despot, or a great pump sprayer like a Marolex, or a Hydroshot, ideally with the "shower" watering wand that comes on the low power versions
• High quality microfiber drying towel or blower

Unless the car is super dirty, i.e., caked on mud from off-roading, then the process is pretty simple and can be done anywhere without access to running water or a hose:

1. Spray down the car with rinseless solution (de-i water + RW)
2. Use the Garry Dean Method, working panel by panel
3. Dry with a good drying towel or a blower

Originally Posted by Aalfred

thought it was environmentally friendly and much cheaper

If you're worried about being environmentally friendly, i.e., water usage, why are you getting a pressure washer? (see above for how to wash your car w/o running water, i.e., better than with a PW)

Isn't that like picking between insecticides because you want to avoid chemicals?

At the point you're hooking up a pressure washer, just get the baller-est one you can afford!