My old Karcher gave up the ghost last year (or before), it actually caught fire and luckily the hose was there, so had to put the thing out!!! (unplugged first). Been surviving without for a bit, but new car to keep clean and my daughter turns out is a total petrolhead and washes her car 3 times a week, and the house needs a repaint (this is how I sold it to the wife), decided time for a new one. After extensive research I decided to go with Nilfisk, specifically their C120.7 model. Cost me £80 off of Amazon, instead of £115 retail and in fact £125 in local places. Only basic model, but does what I need. Unboxed was surprised how small it is, but on use, happy as. Loads of power from the spinning nozzle and the car wash nozzle shifts baked on bugs easy. Great storage for the bits, (which my Karcher was shite) and the gun can be easily placed when you not actually using it, as opposed to having to lay on the ground. The wee bottle with some car shampoo worked great as a snow foam thing, which my daughter thinks is ace, and it too, has a storage hook. Only downside is nowhwere to store the hose, but more expensive models come with a reel thingy. Plenty of power, more than my previous larger Karcher, so guess technology moves on. It has a decent long wire and the pressure hose is longer and a bit more flexible than the Karcher ones, so doesn't get twisted up as easily. The small size is actually a bonus - my gagege is so full of bikes and Kayaks and stuff. The biggest seller for me was being made from metal, the impeller housing, etc. Having performed an autopsy on my Karcher (as you do), was amazed at how much plastic was used. Definitely designed for light consumer use, not for cutting 8" thick mud off of a trialled Land Rover.
If they are used little and not very often, think they last fine. But with consumer products, once they are running for an hour at a time, they don't last long. DO you know the life expectancy of a 240v hammer drill ? It's something like 1/2 an hour You think, you use it for 10 seconds per hole, 30 holes a year, last you a good 6 years, your happy with that. When I restored the Land Rover, I was on my third angle grinder by the time I was finished. Ended up buying a cheap-ass one, as they were throw-away items.
got the exact same model I have used it once every week for the last 6 months no problems what so ever, for the price you cant go wrong. karcher I think your just paying for the name.
Consumer durables......not. Neighbour used to be a design engineer with Ryobi parent company. Design life of their strimmers? 120hrs. The price differential to a Stihl or Husky is peanuts compared to their reliability, durability and willingness to start at all.
Pressure washers should always be used with an RCD for your protection ......... Buy one and make sure everyone uses it, electricity and water do NOT mix well !! And the Nilfisk is a descendant of the old KEW pressure washers if you can remember that far back ( early 80's ) in a slightly lighter blue, they brought out the first home pressure washer the "Kew Hobby" which had a water cooled motor. Worked for them, Karcher, Gerni, Wap & a few agents back then.
The cycling on / off is due to the system not holding the pressure, either on the internal pressure relief valve or more usually leakage at the gun or one of the hose connections. You are meant to run them dry or drain them after every use. When dissecting them you will find nearly all now have plastic valves in the pump, the early ones had stainless steel valves & seats set in a bronze head.
Same here expensive Karcher broke 10 years or more ago so I replaced it with a Nilfisk which is a much better machine
Three cars cleaned and one side of the house. That keeps SWMBO happy. Saves me having to paint that side this year!!! (took pic half way thru job)
Already spotted a metal chassis Lance attachment on ebay. Aftermarket solid looking bit of kit for around £20. +1 on the slab cleaner, I have a brand new karcher one somewhere in my garage too !!
its the smaller nilfisk i bought 4 yr ago still going strong,machine mart is another stockist for these and lots of other good tools free large catalogue to pass the time.
I was told, not to run them dry! But I see advise to run them dry ??? I can see both sides of the argument.
Pushed the boat out and bought myself a new Lavor jet wash. It wasn’t the model I wanted although my old one was a ‘lidl’ Lavor which I had for 14yrs with only a pressure drop switch playing up. I was going to treat my self to a Lavor 1108 diesel baby hot water one but swmbo had to interfere and I ended up with a cold one!
So your saying you did the same with your tractor and still waiting on forgiveness from the forum?? Heh heh heh.
So, having sold you on the Nilfisk Pressure washer, I had a problem with mine On standard variable nozzle the pressure kept dropping and the unit was constantly trying to pressure up and failing !!! High pressure turbo spinny nozzle was fine ??? Got in touch with Amazon, they didn't have a replacement - so got a FULL refund Got in touch with Nilfisk (based in Penrith, just down the road, where I got the Tuono from), and told them of my problem. They offer to collect the unit and repair or would I like a new nozzle to try first, but doubt that will fix it, but worth a try! Arrived today, fitted and problem solved So I have a perfectly working pressure washer for free Gotta like that for a deal. I also bought a wet & dry hoover from Nilfisk, bit noisy but its got the suction of two ladyboys from Bangkok!!!! (Alledgedly, never been further east than Skegness) Was looking for one for work, as ours old unit died, and found this from wholesalers for £65 exc VAT, then online for £53 delivered. No brainer, so bought one for home. Think I'll get another for work.
