new water hose

**PA DETAILER** · 07-02-2011, 05:15 AM

well, the hose finally burst after my friday detail session. not worth fixing because the length would be too short. went to sears friday and picked up this premium rubber hose. 50"x 5/8. $31.99 on sale for $18.99. got great reviews.

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

lifetime warranty. guess i'll see how it does next wash. hopefully i picked a good one!

**dougaross** · 07-02-2011, 06:27 AM

An idea for defunct hose. This is especially good if you have quick disconnects already on your existing hose system. Take short piece of hose and female connector and use it to water sheet dry your car.

This is not my original idea, but I don't remember who first provided it.

**Brace1** · 07-02-2011, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by GMC

well, the hose finally burst after my friday detail session. not worth fixing because the length would be too short. went to sears friday and picked up this premium rubber hose. 50"x 5/8. $31.99 on sale for $18.99. got great reviews.

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

lifetime warranty. guess i'll see how it does next wash. hopefully i picked a good one!

I've got a couple of those, very good and durable hoses. The only thing I see is that they start out with an almost white color and odd smell when first turned on. Just let the water run for 20 seconds and it's all good.

**kronos** · 07-02-2011, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by GMC

well, the hose finally burst after my friday detail session. not worth fixing because the length would be too short. went to sears friday and picked up this premium rubber hose. 50"x 5/8. $31.99 on sale for $18.99. got great reviews.

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

lifetime warranty. guess i'll see how it does next wash. hopefully i picked a good one!

It's a very good hose. You'll like it. Unfortunately their lifetime warranty may not be so lifetime as we hope. Sears is in financial trouble and may go the way of the dodo. I have no idea who, if anybody, will take over claims.

**PA DETAILER** · 07-03-2011, 08:00 AM

got a chance this morning to use it on the better halfs corolla. nice hose! did not kink. a little hard to roll up, but i am sure after time it will be better. for that price, and the quality of the hose, you cant go wrong.

**Flash Gordon** · 07-03-2011, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by GMC

got a chance this morning to use it on the better halfs corolla. nice hose! did not kink. a little hard to roll up, but i am sure after time it will be better. for that price, and the quality of the hose, you cant go wrong.

Staple your receipt to the original packaging so they want hassle you when you return it

**PA DETAILER** · 07-03-2011, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Flash Gordon

Staple your receipt to the original packaging so they want hassle you when you return it

odd you mention that. at time of purchase the clerk mentioned you will never need your receipt. just the hose. of couse i did what you mentioned above. i think this is the last hose i will need in awhile!

**Hoytman** · 07-03-2011, 09:05 AM

I'm not a detailer, but it always pays to know your tools and know them well. I'd guess this is an often overlooked detail in the detailing business.

We use rubber hoses in the greenhouse industry quite often. They'll last you a long time...

...and that's really the only thing good about them I can say. Here are some of the bad things:
-Initial cost high=long life=cost balance.
-They hard to roll up.
-They are heavy to lug around.
-They...well let me explain this one first.

Numerous times on this forum I've noticed the comment made to "start clean, work clean." I can tell you that with a rubber hose, especially after some age, you won't be starting clean, or working clean. At least not IMHO. After all, detailing means paying attention to the details. Right?

Thirteen years ago I went to Lowe's and bought 3 -100ft. SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE name brand hoses. All but one of these hoses has been sitting out in the weather and are just now showing signs of detetiorization due to UV light and weathering. They aren't quite as soft now, but still better than rubber IMHO. It would certainly be easy enough to take some Meguire's #39 and wipe them down real good, then "soak" them (pun intended) with a good vynil/rubber conditioner. Of course, there's no need to do this for my yard hoses because they'll continue to collect dirt outside, but if I need a hose to detail cars with, I'd keep them protected either by keeping them inside and/or wiping them clean. My hoses still serve me well for what I use them for and I wouldn't hesitate...let me restate that...I would NOT by anything else but SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE. I believe these hoses carry a lifetime warranty as well.

My dad asked me a few years ago what hoses I had bought and I told him the name. Well, he went to Sears and bought this lifetime warranty black rubber hose. I can tell you that from day one that thing leaves tracks everywhere it goes, just like the red rubber hoses we use in the greenhouse. What I mean by tracks is, your hands will turn blk/red, whichever color hose you buy, from the first time you use them and will remain dirty throughout whatever you're working on. Bottom line...

Rubber hoses IMO have no place in the detailing world. I'm not a detailer, but I have worked with and used many different types of water hoses in some very harsh environments, i.e. fertilzer & UV light from greenhouse use. Again, rubber hoses will last you a lifetime, but they'll also make you wash your hands constantly, if you want to keep your hands clean while doing something. I personally do not like them for this reason. I'd much rather buy/use SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE hoses.

In the greenhouse business cash "flow" wouldn't be possible without quality hoses. We used both rubber and the brand I mentioned above. Give me rubber in the greenhouse, and SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE at home. They are easy/soft around what you'll be working with (cars), they take UV light well, they're easy to roll up, they're supple in your hands, and they are perfect for detailers IMHO. SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE.

I do not work for them, I'm just a happy customer.

**Flash Gordon** · 07-03-2011, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by GMC

odd you mention that. at time of purchase the clerk mentioned you will never need your receipt. just the hose. of couse i did what you mentioned above. i think this is the last hose i will need in awhile!

I haven't had to purchase a hose in years using this method

The reason they offer Lifetime warranties is because yjey know 90% of folks won't bother

You might also wanna make a copy of the receipt, as time can cause the print to fade

**Hoytman** · 07-03-2011, 09:20 AM

Unlike me, keep your hoses inside and you'll most likely never have to replace them. SWAN SOFT & SUPPLE...left outside for 13 years and counting. I think I'll go buy two more and put them away for future use, then keep the new ones inside once I start using them. My grandchildren will get some use from them then.