Status
Not open for further replies.

alx

alx

Soldato
Joined
10 Aug 2003
Posts
6,068
Location
Dubai, UAE
Anyone got recommendations for a pressure washer + accessories for snow foaming a car? Nilfisk C110 seems to be popular, what other accessories/snow foam lance would I need?
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Posts
8,442
Location
Ceredigion
Anyone got recommendations for a pressure washer + accessories for snow foaming a car? Nilfisk C110 seems to be popular, what other accessories/snow foam lance would I need?

C110 and the cheapest compatible lance you can find on eBay. Thats what I have at any rate. That is all you would need (plus shampoo/foam of course!) for snow foaming.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Posts
8,442
Location
Ceredigion
In what way is it worth three times the amount? Cheap ones the exact same design and construction, produce the exact same amount and thickness of snow (because that's controlled by dilution ratios and psi of your pressure washer), and can also be easily repaired or cleaned.

If it was just a few quid in it then I would probably suggest it, but for three times the amount of an average UK based one on eBay?!

You can get them from Hong Kong for £4, so you can buy ten for the price of one Autobrite lance, I highly doubt it is going to break ten times more often either, given the sheer simplicity of what a lance is.
 
Sgarrista
Commissario
Joined
9 Aug 2013
Posts
10,448
Location
Bromsgrove
Soot Marks! I have tried everything under the sun to remove them, but could never get them entirely out until today. The stupidest thing is the product was in my arsenal the entire time.

AutoGlym Intensive Tar Remover. No idea whats in it, but applied liberally directly to the paintwork, and then used a good helping on a microfibre cloth to wipe it off. Cut through it like a hot knife through butter.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2010
Posts
2,643
Location
North Staffs
AutoGlym Intensive Tar Remover. No idea whats in it, but applied liberally directly to the paintwork, and then used a good helping on a microfibre cloth to wipe it off. Cut through it like a hot knife through butter.

I found that Autoglym Super Resin polish is really good for getting those types of blemishes off. Rather than just polishing it on, dab it on the spot generously and leave it for 10 minutes. It generally just wipes straight off.;):)
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Nov 2005
Posts
5,709
In what way is it worth three times the amount? Cheap ones the exact same design and construction, produce the exact same amount and thickness of snow (because that's controlled by dilution ratios and psi of your pressure washer), and can also be easily repaired or cleaned.

If it was just a few quid in it then I would probably suggest it, but for three times the amount of an average UK based one on eBay?!

You can get them from Hong Kong for £4, so you can buy ten for the price of one Autobrite lance, I highly doubt it is going to break ten times more often either, given the sheer simplicity of what a lance is.

Two reasons.. The cheap one I bought had its plastic perish and crack just after 12m of ownership. I got a replacement off eBay that was supposed to be a direct replacement and had to machine part of it so it would fit. I also had a temperamental valve which meant that sometimes you had to turn the top dial out and back in before it would suck up any of the solution.

I’ve had my autobrite one for years and it’s still perfect. It’s also got a wider base and is less tall so it’s very stable unlike the cheap one that’s tall and thin. It’s also got residual value unlike the cheap one.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Posts
8,442
Location
Ceredigion
I still don't see it, from an economy point of view. I've also yet to have issue with my £7 3 year old eBay lance, or my £9 2 year old lance, plus the issues you've described can also be found occurring within the Autobrite lances, based off of a few forum posts on detailingworld and the like. You can also get cheap lances with the wider base, or indeed just buy one separately for less than a pint. IIRC, its only the HD veresion of the Autobrite lance that has the wider base anyway, which has an even higher price tag. There is no residual value in a lance, they are so cheap in the first instance no-one will decide that a used several years old one is worth buying over a new one. Pop on fleaBay and tell me how many used snow foam lances are for sale.

"Buy cheap buy twice" does certainly apply to several things in life, and there is no doubt that there are quite a few false economies in detailing, but I really don't see it applying to a lance. It's a bit of brass with two valves and a plastic bottle...
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Oct 2002
Posts
4,168
Location
Norwich
Totally agreed @Cookeh these things are a rip off. They're all made by one company in China and the only difference between the £10 I bought 2 1/2 years ago and the Autobrite one is the colour of the plastic twisting section to adjust spray width.

That’s wrong, the Autobrite (and others with red plastic) are made in Europe and the Black ones made in China with inferior materials (you can feel the weight difference for a start) of course they basically do the same job (loads of comparison vids and reviews and all seem to say the European ones are better but expensive and the Chinese ones are cheaper but not as good) and are cheaper but they are not the same product.
 
Associate
Joined
16 Mar 2009
Posts
1,905
That Carplan mo.1 supergloss for £7.50 is a great deal, thanks @Vita

Regarding the snowfoam lances, I use autobrites heavy duty snow foam lance which comes with 500ml of magifoam which is £10 itself so the snow lance in essence is £24 at the minute. I have used other cheaper lances and found them to be problematic so £24 on the Autobrite lance was great value for me!
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jul 2008
Posts
4,912
That Carplan mo.1 supergloss for £7.50 is a great deal, thanks @Vita

Regarding the snowfoam lances, I use autobrites heavy duty snow foam lance which comes with 500ml of magifoam which is £10 itself so the snow lance in essence is £24 at the minute. I have used other cheaper lances and found them to be problematic so £24 on the Autobrite lance was great value for me!

Where are you seeing this deal? My snowfoam lance is about a decade old now, and has seen better days.
 
Associate
Joined
3 Sep 2012
Posts
361
Location
Yorkshire on side of hill
Two reasons.. The cheap one I bought had its plastic perish and crack just after 12m of ownership. I got a replacement off eBay that was supposed to be a direct replacement and had to machine part of it so it would fit. I also had a temperamental valve which meant that sometimes you had to turn the top dial out and back in before it would suck up any of the solution.

I’ve had my autobrite one for years and it’s still perfect. It’s also got a wider base and is less tall so it’s very stable unlike the cheap one that’s tall and thin. It’s also got residual value unlike the cheap one.

well my 2 pence on lances is autobrite is overpriced and just the same as most of the others seems your paying for red plastic and a fat bottle .I have had a lance off eBay for over 3 years just a cheep one and the only thing i have changed is the gauze in side the lance as it blocked up.if unsure of ebay quality try in2detailing there prices start at £18.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom