[tim handley]

 hi all, i currently run a car valeting business and am looking to start carpet cleaning to run alongside, selling it to my existing client base. i am looking at ordering an airflex pro 135 psi, with a view to upgrading to a jaguar if business takes off. would welcome any comments on the air pro. i know its not top of the range, but price wise its pretty much all i can go for at the moment. 

[richie]

Hi Tim.  Welcome to the world of carpet cleaning.  The Airflex pro has decent specs, sure its not a top of the line portable but still a VERY capable machine in the hands of the right person.  Just about any machine will do a good job if used right.  Give me a call if you want 07563 671 554.

Richie.

[tim handley]

many thanks....... will do! machine on order, training course booked as well!!

[feldon]

Hi Tim

I started a couple of years ago and my first machine was the Airflex Pro 130 and it is a good machine but if you can afford a few extra pounds try to get the next one up 200psi or even the 600psi as you will soon find you want more power.   

I upgraded to the Airflex Storm in March and it truly is a fantastic machine and so much more powerful than my previous one.

Your other option would be to go down the second hand route, there are always newly new machines for sale on ebay from new starters who give up after a few months so may just grab a bargain .  If you have booked the training course with Cleansmart and Derek Bolton i can highly recommend it.

[tim handley]

yep thats the course. ive bought the 130 as it fits my current budget, but im very much planning to upgrade it to 200 or even 600 as and when i can. next question; chemicals?  what where??? etc   been looking at solutions in cornwall, but having probs getting the guy to return my calls, so maybe look at the air flex supplier in nottingham which is not far from me for chems....  any advice on chems for a newbie welcome. im going from car valeting where i know my chems inside out to carpets where i have a hill to climb.....

[tim handley]

 clean smart, thats the chappie.........

[Ian Gourlay]

Hi tim

How is the Car Valet Market

How do you get started?

[tim handley]

car valeting market is saturated with our east european frfiends so prices are being driven down!!!!!! also im getting a bit old for it and fancy a change.........

 how do i get started???   well, i usually do the hoovering first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[feldon]

yep thats the course. ive bought the 130 as it fits my current budget, but im very much planning to upgrade it to 200 or even 600 as and when i can. next question; chemicals?  what where??? etc   been looking at solutions in cornwall, but having probs getting the guy to return my calls, so maybe look at the air flex supplier in nottingham which is not far from me for chems....  any advice on chems for a newbie welcome. im going from car valeting where i know my chems inside out to carpets where i have a hill to climb.....

Solutions are very good products and what I currently use and they are usually delivered by courier the next day.  I'm sure Nick will get back to you (unless he is on holiday or something).

[Ian Gourlay]

Ah you  are in Lincolnshire I think Cleansmart is your nearest supplier. Means you can drive over if you have a problem

I know a bloke who made a million cleaning cars

[dan paton]

ian valeting cars takes as much care and training as carpet cleaning , if not even more . most people can wash and polish a car but to macine polish (mop) even a normal family car you have to be an expert . its very easy to take the paint off one if u dont know what your doing . any more than a second or so on one spot and oops its a new paint job . its a lot harder than what people think . as the cc all say on here , anyone thinking about it should get the proper training and experience

[tim handley]

yep a lot  to it, ive been making a living at it 22 years now and work on some top end cars, italian exotica, bentleys rolls etc etc etc........... just getting a bit harder!!!! not quite made a million though............ would that be the guy from autoclenz over rugby way?  contract valeting etc etc etc and selling up at the top??

[Carpet2Clean]

Hi Tim

My background was mobile car valeting (detailing), sadly eastern lot flooded down here in Kent as well....I had the carpet cleaning in with the valeting but with a smaller machine (Prochem Galaxy).

Sold the valeting business a few years ago.

Went down the Prochem route training & machine..Cleansmart are a great place for machines & most important backup from supplier.

Good luck in the world of carpet cleaning

P.S doing a interior valet (seats) in a Mini plus also doing the lady 3 bed house carpets tomorrow 


Richard

[dan paton]

if its me your asking about tim its not me im on the south coast  good luck in carpet cleaning though mate . not been in it too long myself but one thing i will say is read all you can about marketing. u already got a good base of customers to start with and u can make even more by offering new ones a full car valet not just a quick wash and polish
                                                    good luck mate
                                                                        dan

[Simon@arenaclean]

You can always upgrade the pro as you go, they are the same casings the pumps, vacs etc are all interchangeable, have a chat with them very helpful.

[john martin]

You can always upgrade the pro as you go, they are the same casings the pumps, vacs etc are all interchangeable, have a chat with them very helpful.

I agree with this , u say u might upgrade to a jag in future ... well the body sure wont be an upgrade  
You could either get all the bits from cleansmart or just get the manifold to easily fit 6.6 motors which are occasionally available from accessoryplanet.co for 140
You could also fit this 200psi pump without any of additional plumbing needed for bigger plunger pumps .
http://www.polarbrite.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_95&products_id=1055

I think the airflex should have at least an in tank heater though ...  you have to spend an additional 450 for the external inline heater  ,   not quite a bargain then ,
Alltecs plastic machine includes a 3000w internal inline or an intank or both for less money .
If u dont have heat u will come across situations you'd wish u did , be it a restaurant , a greasy couch headrest or just a general pigsty .  

[richie]

I agree with the comment regarding the Jaguar body wont be a upgrade.  Yes the machine performs very well but OMG just look at it.  Got to be one of the worst looking machines on the market today.  Plus they are a pain in the a$$ when it comes to servicing.  You have to unbolt the tanks to get inside and that can be a right ball ache.  The one cleansmart sell has the same specs and build quality is far far far better.

[SteveAllan]

You can always upgrade the pro as you go, they are the same casings the pumps, vacs etc are all interchangeable, have a chat with them very helpful.

I agree with this , u say u might upgrade to a jag in future ... well the body sure wont be an upgrade  
You could either get all the bits from cleansmart or just get the manifold to easily fit 6.6 motors which are occasionally available from accessoryplanet.co for 140
You could also fit this 200psi pump without any of additional plumbing needed for bigger plunger pumps .
http://www.polarbrite.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_95&products_id=1055

I think the airflex should have at least an in tank heater though ...  you have to spend an additional 450 for the external inline heater  ,   not quite a bargain then ,
Alltecs plastic machine includes a 3000w internal inline or an intank or both for less money .
If u dont have heat u will come across situations you'd wish u did , be it a restaurant , a greasy couch headrest or just a general pigsty .  

Alright John I have a pro 130 is it easy to change the pump to a 220 psi myself. I only ask as I'm useless at DIY lol, also is it ok to fit that as the 130 pro has no adjustment for the pump so it would be always at 220. Hope that makes sense

[tim handley]

ill just get clean smart to upgrade it for me i think!!!!! very handy being 25 minutes away from them!!!

[john martin]

You can always upgrade the pro as you go, they are the same casings the pumps, vacs etc are all interchangeable, have a chat with them very helpful.

I agree with this , u say u might upgrade to a jag in future ... well the body sure wont be an upgrade  
You could either get all the bits from cleansmart or just get the manifold to easily fit 6.6 motors which are occasionally available from accessoryplanet.co for 140
You could also fit this 200psi pump without any of additional plumbing needed for bigger plunger pumps .
http://www.polarbrite.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_95&products_id=1055

I think the airflex should have at least an in tank heater though ...  you have to spend an additional 450 for the external inline heater  ,   not quite a bargain then ,
Alltecs plastic machine includes a 3000w internal inline or an intank or both for less money .
If u dont have heat u will come across situations you'd wish u did , be it a restaurant , a greasy couch headrest or just a general pigsty .  

Alright John I have a pro 130 is it easy to change the pump to a 220 psi myself. I only ask as I'm useless at DIY lol, also is it ok to fit that as the 130 pro has no adjustment for the pump so it would be always at 220. Hope that makes sense

That pump should be just a matter of unbolting the mount and fittings of your old pump and reattaching ... a straight swap .
I'd say most could live with 200psi without adjustment , might depend on your choice of upholstery tool or wand but would also depend on you total jet size ,
Its doing 150psi in this vid with a no3 jet for eg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTXaNEvgfRU