How much do the Neptunes cost?

[ewr1]

How much do the newer models cost?

[Howard]

Too much, buy a real frontloader instead. You can charge more for them and they will last longer.

[Gary_Crosby]

I disagree Howard. I think the new models are a great machine. 2 years and not a problem and the customers love them. I take customers away from the all Wascomat store 7/10 mile down the street all the time. Now I do have to say that I can't speak for 15 years down the road however I can probably by 2 neptunes for the price of 1 wascomat and my feeling is I would like to retool in 15 years anyway the customers seem to like seeing new machines. I paid $1500.00 last time I bought some + shipping The other added benifit I see with the neptune is it's easy to pull out and work on and for $1500 you could keep a spare around and swap them out when they break down and not have to work on it out on the floor.

My 2 cents
Gary

[Howard]

Wow, that means you pay $3,000 for an #18 Wasco - I'd be glad to sell you some at that price ;~}

All kidding aside, they are not commercial machines like a hardmount front loader. You are not going to get 15 years out of them, not 10 and probably not even five.

[Marianne]

Howard, what do you think is the likely breakdown point? I notice that they run very quietly with almost no vibration. They, at least, shouldn't shake apart.

[petefritz]

I am with Howard on this,, the maytag f/l has not proved to be a reliable f/l. For not much more you can buy *real* commercial f/l washers, like IPSO HF-55 12# soft, or 18# hard mounts, I'll bet 2 to 1 life span real vs. maytag to anyone wanting to gamble long term.

[Gary_Crosby]

I guess I am in for the long haul test. I own 17 and I'm not willing to toss them out, so time will tell. I agree with Marianne they run very smoothly. unless your customers abuse the out sides they should last 12 years or more. We all hear of t/l Maytags that old. The f/l has ss tub , DC brushless motor and safty switches to shut it down if it get out of balance. Not much to go wrong. Howard how much is a #18 pd wasco go for new? and pete what makes a IPSO HF-55 12# soft a *real* f/l ?

Gary

[Howard]

You can get them for around $2,000. If you want to save money find one 2-3 years old and you might pick it up for $1200 or less. It will still look new and outlast a Neptune. Everyplace around me that put Neptunes in has been disposing of them, they just don't cut it in real world usage. I know someone that bought one for the home a year ago, and has had the Maytag guy (you know the one that never has any work to do) at her house on three separate problems where the machine has died. You could not pay me (well maybe?) to put one in my store.

[Gary_Crosby]

I ask again what is *real* ? mine have done on average 5-7 turns a day for 2 years now and no problems. That seems like real world to me. I am sure there are some out there that are junk but that can be said of any machine on the market. Maybe I was a lucky one.

Gary

ps
I see more questions about fixing wascos on the board than any other machines.

[Howard]

Well of course you see more questions about wascos, you also see more questions about Fords than Land Rovers - there are a hell of a lot more of them out there!

[petefritz]

Hi Gary
The IPSO HF-55 12# has a stainless steel cabinet front and sides. It has very large iron frame and center bearings, the motor is big, not sure of the HP, but it looks like what is on my Dexter 18#. The inner and outer tub are stainless steel. The soap box and softner dispenser is on top, the coin drop flush mount on front. The machine weighs in at 352 pounds. It has a dependo 1" dump valve. The shocks are the size you see on an SUV. It has a glass door, all in a s/s/frame and chrome ring. It does not bend when you put weight on it. The washer holds slightly more than a top loader, I vend them at the same price. The Ipso uses 17 gals for 1 wash, 3 rinse. The Maytag comes in at 195 pounds. That ought to give you a clue about it's durability. It is missing 155 pounds of metal! I see ads for maytag bearings packages often. I have to guess the bearings are wearing out, and this machine was not introduced to long ago. Maybe in the last 4 years. I belive the problem is the maytag holds the same amount as a double load 18# washer. Same size basket. Go look at a hard mount double loader, SQ, Dexter, Wasco. Check the frames, motors, bearings, and doors. All heavy duty stuff. Last for years and years washing 18# loads. The maytag is a nice washer, but not a commercial grade double loader. And replacing tops with Neptunes does not work becuase you are replacing single load with doubleload washers, you have to raise the price accordingly. And not everyone wants to pay for a double load when they have a single load of clothes. If the Maytag was $800 or so, I would say it is OK for the money. Howard and I are on the same plane here, Spending $1400-1500 on a maytag is crazy when a real commercial washer is $200-$400 more and will last 12,15, 20 years. With many "old" 4 year old maytags needing pumps, bearings, etc, that is scary to me, so for 25% more you can buy a washer lasting 4 times longer. I got rid of some 20yr old Maytag top not long ago, and when I buy new tops I will buy Maytag. That is a proven product. I don't think the netpune is heavy enough for a laundromat. Let's talk in 12 years and compare service records. I may have to replace the belt in that time. After 10,000 washes IPSO recomends replacing the motor brushes. And it has the computor controls, so that might go bad. But I don't see a bearing job in the next 15 years, or much else. I hope your maytags work out, "they" say problems of the earlier ones have been fixed. My IPSO's were around $1600 ea.

[Jim_F]

Dear Pete,

I have read a number of posts around where you say you are a big fan of the IPSO. I can understand where you are coming from. I do think that people need to clarify between the Neptune MAH14 and MAH20. The older MAH14 had many problems but the newer MAH20's have not. I have 15 of them at two stores and have had no problems at all. The regular top load customers love them and the higher price does not seem to bother any of them.

As for IPSO, it has always been my understanding that they are not built to the same standard as Maytag, Dexter or Wascomat. I had two 35 # IPSO's in one store and I got rid of them as soon as I could. They were only about 7 years old and they were having the bearings go out. As for the 12 lb IPSO's you speak of, I do not know if they are built any better than the ones I had, but they are only 12 lb and sell for around $1600.00? My Neptunes are 18 lb and I got them new for $1495.00.

My feeling is the Neptune is a good replacement for the top loader, but not for an 18lb hard mount. I guess just my two cents.

[Gary_Crosby]

Jim, How old are your mah20's ?

Gary

[Jim_F]

One store two years and the other about 18 months.

[petefritz]

Hi Jim
As they say, time will tell. About either of our machines. The problem, as I mentioned, is the neptune is an 18# soft mount machine, I did not want to replace tops with it becuase it would steal hard mount 18# biz, and just basicly double what I already have. I wanted a heavy duty front load single load machine, and IPSO, and wasco are the only ones out there right now. Wasco w-16 has a security problem as I see it, and the soap/bleach dispenser is ackward.(sp?) So the IPSO fit my needs. If I had no 18# hard mounts, I might buy neptunes to replace some tops. For the money, I think they are priced high comparable to hard mount 18#'ers. But if you have high drain problems, or floor problems, then the neptune might be a great choice. Alot depends on your mat layout and machine mix.

[Charlie]

I have 8 of the Neptune MAH20 which are about 10 months old and do about 2.5 turns daily. I've had a door switch problem on one. The only other problem is that I have replaced 4 of the 8 rubber seals around the front of the tub. They keep tearing for no apparent reason. Its a 30 minute job, but these seals seem to be very fragile.

My customers prefer the tops, which do about 5 turns daily.

[Gary_Crosby]

Charlie
It sounds like your customers are not filling them up enough and the seals are ripping from out of balance problems. I have 12 that are 2 years old and no problems with the seals yet 4-6 turns a day and three of them do at least 7 turns a day.

Pete, I see your point about competing with your #18 hard mounts. In my case I built new and my only hard mounts are Dexter #40 Because my store is small if I had small machines there would always be a backup. I have no T/L's at all.

Gary

[Jim_Young]

I don't know if this will just add fuel to the fire but these are the facts from a mat I bought 3 years ago. It was run down when I got it but the guy made me an offer I could not refuse! I am a domestic appliance repairman by trade and when I saw these 19 comercial Wascomat W73's in the mat I was impressed! When I checked on them I found that they were made in 1973-1976 era and most were still working I figured they are a tough machine. It took a little time & some training(that Wascomat supplied for free)but these machines are running every day and I have only lost 3 in the last 3 years to bearing failures(too expensive to rebuild at this age). I have replaced them with W 74's built in 1985 that I bought for $175.00 each. Yes I do have one break down once in a while but it is usually just a diaphram in a water valve or a drain valve failure. I will eventually upgrade them to newer but they are still in excellent shape so I can't justify just trashing them. Wascomat tech told me one time these machines were designed to last for 10 years & I told him they really screwed up on my batch! They are 25+ years old & I still love them. Enough said.
My 2¢