Maytag or Speed Queen help?

[jjb443]

Help, I need some quick opinions! I was planning on getting all Maytag equipment for my new laundromat, but now am reconsidering speed queen mainly because of price savings. I could save 20-30% in equipment purchase costs with speed queen. What are the downsides to the Speed Queen line? Sounds like dryer fires are a problem? How are the washer front loader door handles now? Need to make decision soon. How are the SQ washer in comparison to the Maytag Neptune? Is Maytag justified for any reason to be 20-30% higher priced than SQ equipment? Thanks,
Jeff

[Kitty]

Heubsch (which is comparable to SQ) is a good machine. We had Maytag, Huebsc, Wasco equip in three different stores. Each machine type was fine and none more worse than the other. Go to a store that your distrib sold to with the equip of your choice. Check it out, talk to the owner and make you own assessment.

I understand Maytag is significantly higher than other brands, but be sure to compare apples to apples. Maytag may offer better warranties or rebates? Understand what you are purchasing, and don't be shy with asking your questions and demanding your answers.

Great luck to you!

[Fred50]

I'm surprised that any equipment out there today is 20-30% more than any other. It may be the distributor that you are dealing with!

Call the manufacturer and get the list price for the equipment and see if you are getting the the same % off list from SQ and Maytag.

BTW, I have an all SQ store and have had none of the problems that you mentioned.

I know that older versions of the dryers had fire problems and the door mechs on the washers were an issue, but I think that has been cleared up. Good maintenance is really the key to avoiding most issues with equipment.

Note that every brand of equipment has their quirks, but most people seem to be happy with what they have.

Better the devil you know...! Good luck to you!!

[jjb443]

Thanks for the responses! Mark, what is your equipment mix that you have of SQ that you have had good luck with. So how often do you have to clean your dryers lint out and clean other places to prevent fires or is this not as critical on the newer machines. Any machines you don't like of SQ? Thanks for the help and yes the maytag dealer is higher than he should be and busier than he should be also but he has an exclusive large area and seems to think he can be. If I can save 20-30% with SQ and get response that problems are not any worse I will probably go with SQ. That's a big difference I won't make that up in brand recognition with Maytag I'm sure, so I would rather have a project 20-30K cheaper! Thanks for the quick responses I meet with the SQ rep this afternoon and they have a sizable price increase on May 1 but he will hold prices till monday. If you can get me the equipment mix that you've had good luck I would really appreciate it! How old is the equipment and do your customers like well. Thanks!
Jeff

[mike]

I suspect you'll find that a lot of the dryer fires
are not going to happen until 5-plus years
of little or no maintenance.

mea culpa :-(

[pete f]

If you are buying new Maytag Front hard mount then you will be getting the turbo wash series. The water savings alone over 3-5 years will pay the difference in pricing. If you buy SQ you will be stuck with replacing face plates every 5 years when they get worn out or damaged, not to mention the on going drain problems and not so easy to use start button, door lock problems, inability to change water levels easy, to name a few things.

I would not even get a quote from SQ on my new store, the equipment just sucks. I have SQ in another store for 5 years, so I know. The older stuff was pretty good, but the newer stuff EC series is not. You have to take the front of the dryer apart to replace a belt. If 20% less than maytag, call maytag distrib and bargain more.

Also, I do know the Maytag 18# hard mount is substainaly more tha a dexter or SQ 18# hard mount, and the 25's are high, bit when you get to the 35. 50# not much difference, and dryers should not be to much difference. Still, a 18# Maytag turbo wash will use 17 gallon compared to near 26 for a Dexter, or SQ. That is about 10 cent per wash you gain. The bigger washers of course will be much more.

Of course this is just my opinion, and it is your money.

[BWJR]

Stay away from SQ and buy Maytag when it comes to Washers.. Get some Neptunes and save some money on utilities. Five year warranty on all Maytag parts. Maytag dryers are made by ADC and SQ Dryers and Heubsch are the same dryer. Personally I think American Dryer makes a better product.

Good Luck,

BWJR

[jjb443]

How does the Neptune compare to the Horizon in your opinions. I met with the SQ dist. today and savings would be over 20% machine to machine. He claimed that door problems and drain problems are on old equipment not the new equipment. Is this B.S? And claimed he does not see problems with dryer fires. I thought I was hearing dryer fires are a common problem with SQ dryers? What happens when the drain is stuck open? Does it continue to pump water or does it try to fill for a certain amount of time and then continue with spin and remaining cycles? Does it flood the washer on the floor? Do the Horizons have the load balance problems of the Neptunes , and does the viewing window on the Horizon eliminate some customer complaints. Finally how close should the Maytag and SQ dist. quotes be for the same equipment? Thanks for all the quick responses, sorry for all the questions!
Jeff

[smellysocks]

i think you need to slow down do some more homework then send alot of money. Remember go big big big when it comes to washers. did you look into dexter, continental, IPSO, and wasco's.they all wash and they all dry it comes down to what kind of service you will get from the dist, the cheapest isnt always the best. hope you have a long lease also, i know two guys who are losing two stores since there lease is up and the landlord said bye bye

[Jim]

Oh well here I go again....Looks like I'm going to go the other way on this one....

I have 2 SQ stores...not one problem other than normal maintenance.

I had 1 Maytag store never a dull moment there.....equipment cost me a small bundle and after all that was said and done, I think I paid twice for the equipment because of all the repairs... most notably the valves on the tops needed to be replaced on all of them.

[pete f]

why are you messing around with soft mount front loaders if you are building a new mat? Horizens and Neptunes are a replacement for tops, sort of..They have some operational problems, but I think hands down the Neptune is a much better machine, both ease of use for the customer and reliability. Again you have front panels that wear out on the Horizen, and a funny start pad. Not to mention that slide out soap/bleach door.

[Alexx5000]

I can't imagine why anyone would consider the Neptune at all. They are built cheap and half the insides are plastic. The fronts do not wear out on the Horizon, I think you are thinking of a problem from over two or three years ago, like back to 1999. Whats wrong with a small front loader, every new laundry has some small front loaders. better than tops and you would be shooting yourself in the foot with all big ones. The front Horizon panels do not wear out, I guess if you beat on them then they might.

[Gary C]

I not only considered them I also bought them. And quite happy with the choice I might add. There are reasons for this choice.

1. short life span I know that sounds like a negative but to me it's a + Here is why. The customers like to see new equipment from time to time it makes them feel you are doing it for them. The Neptunes are cheaper to buy than hards so as time goes by buying two is not bad I can use the capital in other places.

2. They are very efficiant.

3. They are easy to install and get people to use.

4. I have had almost no problems but when there hase been they have been easy to work on.


Gary

[BWJR]

jjb443

You get what you pay for. The Neptune is a much better machine with a proven track record of almost 7 years. I have owned 15 of them for a period of 2 to 6 years. I think they are great and my customers love them.

BWJR

[jjb443]

Thanks for all the help. Questions for those responding. Pete- I have heard you said you would not buy Neptunes for new mat why? You seem to think alot better of them than horizons, what about load balance problems, spinout, etc. that I'm hearing about? What about the customer not being able to see inside the washer? Mike what problems do you have with your Neptunes? You seem to like them well, are you attended or unattended? Alex5000 thanks for the help but are you a distributer of SQ equipment? All other please help me I don't understand how experienced mat owners with the same equipment often have completely opposite love/hate relationships with their equipment. If Maytag was 10% higher priced but warrenty was 2 yrs longer than SQ on all parts would this change anyones opinion. When I started this post I stated a potential savings of 20-30% with SQ, it turned out to be closer to 8-9% savings in reality. Please continue to give info especially those of you that have had recent models of both SQ and Maytag machines. Thanks again!
Jeff

[jjb443]

Question for mike was supposed to be for poster BWJR.
Jeff

[Gary C]

This may not be politicly correct but the answer is

DEMOGRAFICS

Some are not as bright as others.


Gary

[pete f]

>>>>Pete- I have heard you said you would not buy Neptunes for new mat why? You seem to think alot better of them than horizons, what about load balance problems, spinout, etc. that I'm hearing about? What about the customer not being able to see inside the washer?<<<


The new mat is more inter-city type and the neptunes just don't hold up under that type of environment. When designing a new store there is no reason to use them, as you can design and use hard mount 18#'s instead, and the turbo wash use the same water as the Neptune, is slightly smaller, so you could charge similar to top load and not be giving away the store.. The reason is also all the things you mention. I do not have problems everyday, but enough so I don't want to use them UNLESS I have to. And there are places they go in just fine and get used correctly. Also, the Neptune door is much bigger than the Horizon, so that more than offsets any negative 'I can't see the water" excuse you may have heard about. Actually, the most common complaint is "is it running?" because the machines are so whisper quiet, I guess seeing water would be good in this case.

[Fred50]

Originally posted by jjb443
All other please help me I don't understand how experienced mat owners with the same equipment often have completely opposite love/hate relationships with their equipment.

jjb443,

We all know people who love certain makes of cars and other seemingly sane people absolutely swearing never to buy another of the same brand as long as they live.

My father-in-law will never buy another blue car, but that is a whole 'nother story!!

When you deal with mechanical objects, you will always have different experiences. They are never perfect, they never get maintained the same way, and they never get the same usage.

Add to this that laundry equipment can be installed many different ways (read: sometimes incorrectly).

Add it all up and PeteF will never own another piece of SQ equipment and I love them. There are people, like myself, that swear by their brand of equipment.

There could be several reasons:

- Limited life-to-date
- Excellent maintenance
- Light usage
- Luck!

I don't think that you could really go wrong with any major manufacturer of laundry equipment these days. I would focus more on the distributor if you are building your first store than on the opinions of others on their equipment preference.

Good luck!!

[jjb443]

Thanks for all this fast info. Pete what is the going price on the hardmount 18# Maytags? Mark have you had customers complain about the door size of the horizons? Thanks again.
Jeff

[pete f]

the hard mount 18# maytag is probably twice the cost of a neptune.

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by pete f
the hard mount 18# maytag is probably twice the cost of a neptune.

But will last twice to three times as long.

Seriously, I love my Maytag equipment, but If I were replacing stuff tomorrow, the Neptunes would go and I'd get Milnor. Maybe Milnor everything. I loovvee Milnors.

Dave

[Fred50]

Originally posted by jjb443
Thanks for all this fast info. Pete what is the going price on the hardmount 18# Maytags? Mark have you had customers complain about the door size of the horizons? Thanks again.
Jeff


Jeff,

My smallest machine is a 20#er. I have had only one or two folks ask about tops since I opened. I give them the frontload sales pitch and that's the end of the story. Your market may be different.