Today the neighbours have the builders in and they have been cutting a doorway into a brick wall next to our drive.  So when I went and looked at the car tonight which needed washing anyway it was covered in brick dust! 

 

So out with all the gear loaded up the foam lance and got out the extension lead and the pressure washer connect to the water and the electric and managed to blast the car down all over.  Was just about to put the lance on and the pressure washer died.  Checked fuses and all I could and to no avail.  It looks like it has died and gone to pressure washer heaven.

 

To be fair it is quite a number of years old and the hose had a bit of a kink in it which may have assisted it on it's way out.  So I am now looking for a replacement.  Will it be Karcher or what else do you folks use instead?  Yes I have searched but thought I would ask the question as there may be some of you that know of some real bargains out there at the moment.  I don't need a patio cleaner as most of them have and quite a cheap one would do really as it isn't going to be used that often as I don't use it for anything else and the bike never goes near it.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Something like this maybe.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-Compact-Air-Cooled-Pressure-Washer/dp/B009QX8ANQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439408722&sr=8-3&keywords=karcher+pressure+washer

Nilfisk. Job done. Topic ended.

Not a fan of Karcher, my parents bought one a few years ago and despite not much use the thing is now kaput. It works, but its suffered the common issue of the plastic pump cracking and leaking. Result is the machine pulsates and leaks water internally from the motor when idle, and there is almost no pressure when you pull the trigger.

http://thegardentoolshed.co.uk/923/fix-pulsing-leaking-karcher-pressure-washer/

 

Whilst is can be fixed, it should not fail after such little use.

+1 whatever you buy make sure it doesn’t have a plastic pump.

There are some that swear by Karcher

Having had a few over the years...I wont ever buy another

Compared to my Nilfisk, they are just lagging behind in ALL areas

So...I gather you've guessed...Get a Nilfisk

Quite a few models to choose from...If you can afford it, get the E-145

http://www.cleanstore.co.uk/products/Product.asp?ID=13384

You will also have to get a Nilfisk adaptor...easily available

Cheaper ones are really recommended too

Based on the advise of others here I went for a Nilfisk after my last PW disappeared in a ball of smoke. Mine's the Titan 120, which is sold by some of the big retailers, rather than as a standard Nilfisk model. It's got an extra long hose (8m) and car specific nozzles amongst others. It was £99 at Argos last year, then jumped to £125, then back to £99 a few months ago and is now £125 again!

I had my last karcher for 17 years and only got rid because the aluminium connector corroded , you've had at least 2 problems with your new nilfisk Chris . Karcher developed it then nilfisk copied it . Just don't buy a super cheap basic model . It needs to be water cooled

Nilfisk, end of.

 

I have a little row of soldiers in my garden shed of 3 Karcher machines - K2 variety, was going to get round to trying to repair them, but will just bin them now as I've given up with them. Not one of them went over 15 months without throwing their internals out the door. The Nilfisk is still rocking along after nearly 3 years

My dad has had a water cooled Karcher for years and years. I managed to pick up a k4 compact for £100 and it hasn't let me down yet and that was 2 years ago. My old k2 broke when my mate used it to clean his drive. A plastic cog overheated and exploded. The motor was still fine though. Heard decent things about Nilfisk mind and they are reasonably priced.

Nilfisk, end of.

I have a little row of soldiers in my garden shed of 3 Karcher machines - K2 variety, was going to get round to trying to repair them, but will just bin them now as I've given up with them. Not one of them went over 15 months without throwing their internals out the door. The Nilfisk is still rocking along after nearly 3 years

. Of course they broke they only cost £50 online ! You get what you pay for . If you detail every day the nilfisk plastic hose kinks and leaks , happened twice to Chris and a pain in the arse to wind up each time

Alan
I had problems with my hose. Yes, but it never leaked
Nilfisk admitted a design fault and replaced it free
It's now twice as long and rubber coated. They all come with this now and it's easy to wind up
Karcher just don't do it for me. As I said earlier.. We all have our favourites and brands we will not buy

. Of course they broke they only cost £50 online ! You get what you pay for . If you detail every day the nilfisk plastic hose kinks and leaks , happened twice to Chris and a pain in the arse to wind up each time

I agree they are cheap and built cheap, but as I foolishly paid over £90 on each one at different shops, I did expect more. My Nilfisk was £99 in Argos, came with arch nozzles, rubber 15m hose and all the usual garden cleaning stuff. After 3 years having paid nearly the same for both, the Nilfisk is still going, the others aren't, even had a refund on the repair from B&Q on one Karcher as it only lasted 12 weeks.

OK Nilfisk it is then.  Ta very much.  Off shopping now.

What model are you going for Chris?

Nilfisk with car soap bottle and rotating brush attachments, driveway cleaner and standard straight jet nozzles, paid around £90 for it 2 or so years ago, never missed a beat. Everything well put together. Can't go wrong

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

I'm using a Bosch and have been for 3 years.

They were so relatively cheap that I bought 2.

The second one is still in its box!

OK Nilfisk it is then.  Ta very much.  Off shopping now.

Check out cleanstore they usually have some good deals

Alan

I had problems with my hose. Yes, but it never leaked

Nilfisk admitted a design fault and replaced it free

It's now twice as long and rubber coated. They all come with this now and it's easy to wind up

Karcher just don't do it for me. As I said earlier.. We all have our favourites and brands we will not buy

. You never had a problem with your karcher , you just did not drain it after use and frost damaged the motor . The same would happen if you did that to your nilfisk but you drain that now and have not had a severe winter either . And all metal pump karchers have a label on saying protect from frost . Karcher sent o rings free of charge and no postage when my machine was 12 years old

What model are you going for Chris?

Not sure Chris.   Just looking but Argos is down so looking elsewhere at the mo.  I won't need anything as fancy as you as I won't be using one as much as you do.  It was a pain tonight though as I really needed to foam it as it was covered with brick dust so I had to spend a lot more time hosing it down.

Just buy from here Chris:

http://www.cleanstore.co.uk/products/Product.asp?ID=7506

Hi Chris w,

 

if it helps, I only use mine about twice a month in the summer months and about once a month in winter on the car, plus the odd couple of times with the path cleaner at beginning and end of summer.

 

My one came from Argos and has been very good value for the limited use I give it. You do have to drain it down in winter just like the Karchers, but if you intend to use it any more than me, you may want to consider the slightly bigger model than my C-130.

 

Hope it helps

 

Edit, just seen ChrisRs's post, that is good value with all the kit, have you checked Maplin as well, as they have their mad moments on Nilfisk stuff like this -

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/nilfisk-c120-6-6-pca-x-tra-120-bar-high-performance-pressure-washer-n49qh

OK had a look at Cleanstore and they look to be good on prices and with free delivery so that will be the place I think.  Am I being daft getting the cheapest?

How many times a year do you think you will use it Chris?

Phil that is the sort of question that will get me in trouble!  If I said I will wash the car every week it would be a lie.  So it certainly won't get used that often and sometimes I will just hose it down before I TBW it rather than use the pressure washer.  I don't think it needs to be foamed every time but this is probably where ChrisRs will come along and give me some gyp!

 

I won't need the patio washer but I may need a longer hose than 5m as I don't think that will reach round the car.  I shall measure the Karcher one tomorrow before I bin it as it isn't long enough and I had to keep moving the unit around which was a PITA.

Not sure Chris.   Just looking but Argos is down so looking elsewhere at the mo.  I won't need anything as fancy as you as I won't be using one as much as you do.  It was a pain tonight though as I really needed to foam it as it was covered with brick dust so I had to spend a lot more time hosing it down.

It was up when I posted about it - typical! They have the same one on their eBay store - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nilfisk-Titan-120-Pressure-Washer-1400W-120-Bar-/351279668409 to see what's in the supplied kit. Argos have adverts saying there is a £10 voucher given for spends over £100, which I got when I bought mine.

 

That C120 is the same as the Titan 120 but with fewer accessories and no hose storage reel (I don't use it anyway). It does have the metal pump which is the good thing about them.