Alright, so I really needed a new pressure washer for the barn cleanups – the old one finally gave up the ghost last season. Professional-grade ones like Hotsy cost an arm and a leg new, so I figured a solid used one was the way to go. Saved up some cash and dove into the hunt. Man, it was a journey.

Digging Through the Options

Started poking around everywhere you can think of for used gear. Online listings, local equipment auctions, even asked the guys at the repair shop down the road. Seen a ton of beat-up junk, honestly. You gotta be picky. Focused on finding Hotsys because they're built tough – meant to last if they weren’t totally abused.

Kept my eyes peeled specifically for these four models folks seem to hold onto:

• The Hotsy 1125XP: Heard this thing's a workhorse, simple setup. Found one from a car wash closing.
• The Hotsy 870SS: Bigger machine, hot water if you can find it working. Seen a couple fleet maintenance companies sell these.
• The Hotsy 505: Smaller footprint, easier if space is tight in the shed. Lots of contractors use these.
• The Hotsy 1010XP: Basically a tank. Found one at an auction, looked hefty but pricey even used.

The Hands-On Grind

Found potential machines for all four. Here’s the messy part:

Gotta See It Run: Don’t trust pictures. Made the sellers show me it running cold and hot water settings. Listened hard for any knocking, whining – anything off. If they couldn’t run it? Walked away. Simple.

Checked For Leaks: Got down on my knees, flashlight in hand, crawling under these things like a mechanic. Looked for damp spots, crusty dried stuff around hoses, fittings, pumps, engine oil drips. Found one 870SS dripping oil like a sieve – instant nope.

Fiddled With Everything: Yanked the starter cord – felt smooth or jerky? Tested the nozzle pressures. Sprayed water onto the ground to check all the adjustments. Looked at the pump oil – cloudy or milky? Bad sign. Checked the oil level and condition in the engine too. One 1010XP looked great but the pump oil looked like a milkshake… water got in somehow. Major red flag.

Outside Didn't Matter: Didn’t care much about scratches, dents, or faded paint. Who cares? It’s gonna get dirty. Focused on the guts.

Talked & Haggled: Asked why they were selling. "Upgrading" is fine; "Just stopped working right last week…" Yeah, uh-huh. Talked them down hard if stuff needed work. Bought a 1125XP for a song because the unloader valve needed replacing – cheap fix I could do myself.

My Pick & Why It Stuck

Ended up grabbing that 1125XP. Here’s why:

• It started first pull every time, engine ran smooth, no weird smoke.
• Pump had clean oil, no leaks anywhere I could see.
• All the pressures worked when I cycled the nozzle.
• Got the guy way down on price because of the valve.
• Parts are stupid easy to find for this model. Won't get stuck later.

It ain’t perfect – got some grease stains and one handle’s scuffed. But for greasing equipment and blasting mud off the tractor and trailers? Perfect. Runs like a champ every time I need it. Don’t let the shiny ones fool ya, check that oil, listen to the engine, and make it spray water. Do the grunt work upfront, save a pile of cash, get a solid machine.