grumpyvette Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 well finally got the stucco the lift the bathroom installed in my new garage so Im advancing slowly YEAH! I went with the TWO post,RELUCTANTLY heres a older post from a couple days back explaining WHY Ive spent the last month extensively researching my lift purchase options ,(my budget allows up to a $4000 installed cost) first I refuse to buy a CHINESE MADE lift the lift I purchase must have some important feature,s it MUST be american made! ALI certified/validated by ETL http://autolift.org/ http://autolift.org/purchase_considerations.pdf BECAUSE IM GOING TO BE UNDER IT! and it must have all controls easily acessable from one single main location and have a local service company with parts both two and four post designs are/were extensively researched feature by feature and support/parts availability and service were very important factors. ive narrower the field considerably and much to my surprize this (BELOW) is the lift that currently looks like the winner, its american made and comes with a 5 year warrantee and its certified http://www.ben-pearson.com/9000si.shtml yeah! ITS a TWO post!, Im still looking for a 4 post that costs the same, and has the same features (american made) and I looked into every "lift failure" I could find, most accidents are either on CHINESE made LIFTS or envolve OPERATOR ERROR, since OPERATOR ERROR is not really a LIFT FAILURE UNLESS its a BADLY DESIGNED FEATURE that CAUSED THE PROBLEM, I took that into account also as some of you know I purchased a lift (ON-LINE/OFF THE INTERNET) last year and got charged but the lift never got shipped(FRAUD) luckly VISA reinbursed the cost after it was proven to be obviously a scam another reason I will only deal with a FLORIDA DEALER who will INSTALL,and maintain the lift I purchase it was close but sometimes its what they DON,T say thats important also, heres what the sites say.... I called several companys who could not or would not even tell me where I could inspect one of thier lifts in the area or tell me who was the local service company, or tell me they sold american made CERTIFIED LIFTS cost about $3000 installed Model: XL-9X Manufacturer: Bend-Pak NO LOCAL SERVICING DEALER Weight: 1395.lbs no mention of (Single point safety release ) 9,000 pound lifting capacity Narrow design Dual hydraulic cylinders Electric/hydraulic power system Large, 17" x 17" A36 steel base plate Self-lubricating Dura-Glide polyethylene bearing system Safety locks in each column spaced every 2-inches Automatic arm restraints Heavy-duty chain lifting system Low profile columns for low-ceiling applications Truck and van adapters standard ETL Approved cost about $3600 installed Ben Pearson's LOCAL SERVICING DEALER Ben Pearson's 9000SI Two-Post. ALI certified /validated by ETL Single point safety release Weight: 1700lbs Padded overhead shut-off bar 2-5/8" & 5" truck adapters included Extra long carriage for smooth lifting Convenient stack-pad storage rack on post Automatic engage and release arm restraint Extra large ultra-high molecular bearing blocks Low profile arms for low ground clearance Optional height extension kits for taller vehicles Clear floor design for convenient use of floor jacks now I called and talked to all the companys listed in the first post in this thread to get a feel for the sales/service,and ask questions on features but what clinched it between the two for me personally was calling both companys for locations where each had installed lifts,and finding and looking over both lifts at local shops, I found three shops with BEN PEARSON lifts, THEY WERE ALL VERY HAPPY,so happy they were braging about how trouble free they were! while the two shops I visited with the BEND PAC lifts were happy but found nothing to rave about, now Im not sure thats a valid source of info but it impressed me! since the local shops with the ben pearson lifts also mentioned the local dealer stops by or calls about once every month to check if they need service or shop tools (kind of like the MAC tool guys, the BEN PEARSON GUYS have a route) IVE pretty much narrowed the list at this point, Ill let you know how things work out! once I order and install a lift well I went and did it!. I had one of the local shops put my vette up on his lift, I checked it out, operated it,then I went home and I ordered the lift, it will be installed tomorrow (now thats fast)and total cost will be about $3600(expected) my floor slab is 6"-8" thick 3500psi concrete so it will have a good base for the (16) 7/8" anchor bolts __________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v80z Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Dayum That is very nice. Enterring from the pond side seemed awkward. Will you build it up and put a drive in? Did you consider metal building before going to block? What are the pros and cons of metal vs block. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Looking good, Grump. How did the shingle count work out? jt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted December 29, 2005 Author Share Posted December 29, 2005 "Enterring from the pond side seemed awkward. Will you build it up and put a drive in?" the driveways COMING,and yeah Ill build the area up first, but 800 feet of concrete , 16 feet wide and a pad in front of the garage will cost me over $27,000 so its on hold till my budget allows "Did you consider metal building before going to block? What are the pros and cons of metal vs block. Thanks" I was looking at one of those steel kit garages before building my current CBS garage and while I could have built a larger garage for slightly less money and surely had it up quicker,(and it would have been an excellent garage,)than I finally built (36x74-2664 sq ) vs (40x80 3200sq)17% larger but the long term resale values over time made the decision for me while Im glad I did what I did I would have been far ahead cost wise to have gone the prefab route, my neighbor had a 40/80 built for slightly under $80,000, the metal buildings are considered as TEMP structures by the building department and most guys I know consider 30 years as the average lift span on the steel buildings altho many that are properly maintained last longer "How did the shingle count work out?" thats a SORE subject, I bought 39 sq of 50 year garauntee shingles at $79 a sq , the builder insisted I needed 6 more sqs ...I have 7 sq of those shingles in the garage left over!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Well grump, I'm glad I gave you good info on the shingles, you've given me a bunch. Too bad the builder insisted on more, tell him since he insisted on getting them he can pay for them!!!! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted December 29, 2005 Author Share Posted December 29, 2005 in the long term ,, minor problems like that are just that minor , wasteing $500 0n a $110-$140 thousand dollar project is peanuts, I only wish ALL my problems in life were that minor, in fact Ill probably just give those shingles to someone locally building a garage as a friendly jesture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaysZ Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 NICE wish i had a garage like that! :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 OK, Now that I'm done laughing at you for buying a twin post lift, I'm envious of your huge arsed garage and your nice Crapper! You have the only type twin post lift I'd own, which has all the controls in one location so you can safely raise and lower it by yourself. Mine is OSHA certified and passes ALI standards. It has been a real workhorse. When we sell our place I'm tempted to pull out the lift and take it with me! I'll probably put up a steel building when we do the next one, but you're right about resale. Yours will have much higher returns on the money spent! But you already knew that! Cheers! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 my God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Very nice chewy! Cost more than my house.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 wow its looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Is that you in the pictures grumpy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Congrats you just made me "GRUMPY" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted May 22, 2006 Author Share Posted May 22, 2006 well I got it painted, and YEAH thats the OLD GRUMPY GUY HIMSELF in the garage picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay1970Z Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Add cable TV and a fridge full of beer and you'll never have to leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 It has turned out really nice Grumpy. I wish I'd been able to put a full bath in mine (not just a sink), but I do have that fridge full of beer. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 iam so jelous...........................................looks awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z0wner Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Sweet mother of pear my lanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest l28et Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Must be nice to have money. I'll be there one day. Nice pad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 "Must be nice to have money" "Must be nice to have (HAD SOME) money would be closer" BUT NOT ANY MORE! since I spent it on that GARAGE and needed a MORGAGE to swing the deal...........it always comes down to PRIORITIES BTW I had this change in the paint scheme suggested, while Im not sure the neighbors would approve I thought it was a cute thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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