Looking to install a 2 post lift
 

I am looking to install a 2 post lift. I only have ceiling height of 11'-6" so I need to put in a floor plate model. I have been on some threads and see that many like the Bendpak XPR-9S-LP model. They are about $1200 more than a Launch, Atlas, Titan, Rotary, etc. lift. It would be nice to save some $, but I want something that will be dependable and safe. Almost every distributor I have spoken to that sells Bendpak and the less expensive models says save the $ and get the less expensive model. I am not sure if they really mean this or the mark-ups for them are higher with the less expensive models. Does anyone have a less expensive 2 post model and what do you think? Is anyone near the DC area that has a lift I can take a look at? It is REALLY HARD trying to gage the differences between the models by looking at a picture and not seeing the lift in person.

I'm located near Lovettsville and have an Atlas lift, which was installed about a month ago. Send a PM if you would like to see it. Seems pretty solid to me but I'm no expert on lifts. I know the Bendpaks are well regarded by Dorkis and the LP seems to be the one to get for low clearance cars.

Looks like the Atlas® Certified Apex-10 can be installed in a 11' 3 7/8". Interesting.

What model did you get?

It is the Atlas 9KBP. 9000 lb capacity baseplate model. Needs 9'3" minimum height clearance. With my 10' ceiling I can get the Cayman up to a pretty decent working height, just shy of 6'.

I'm sure there are folks closer but if you want to come east a bit you are welcome to checkout my bendpak. My main fear with the cheaper units is replacement parts. Maybe unwarranted but what happens 5-10 yrs from now when you need a pump parts, cable, pieces of hardware... Not sure its an issue but it pushed me over the edge.

Thanks for all the replies. I am new to posting to Dorkiphus and did not get any alerts that replies had been sent and just assumed that no one had sent any-my bad. I cut a hole into a duct in the center of my garage and the chase for the HVAC unit that I planned to cut into is actually a wood beam so I will definitely need a floor plate model. I took a look at a "cheapie" Chinese model last week that the owner loved, and seemed to work fine. Of course, getting parts in the future is certainly something that needs to be considered.

What are the advantages of buying an ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certified two post lift? What are the disadvantages of buying one that is not ALI certified?

If you're posting here, I assume you've seen my thread. If not, please read as it sounds like you're trying to do the same thing I did: http://dorkiphus.net/porsche/showthread.php?t=35782

I went with the BendPak. Yes, it is about $1000 more than the Atlas/ChiCom lift du jour model. Why do the installers all push the ChiCom models? Simply put - they have larger margins for the installer. The question you need to answer is "Is it worth it to me to pay more for BendPak vs ChiCom?"

Are the ChiCom lifts as good as the BendPak? Probably not - but to what degree? To me this is similar to the MiG welder debate: Miller vs Hobart vs Harbor Freight - what is good enough for your needs? You're not a commercial shop sending a car up and down the lift 20x a day, 6 days a week. You also don't hemorrhage money when the lift is out of commission like a shop does. So the ChiCom is might good enough for you. To me, BendPak is the like the Hobart welder - not the top of the line (like Rotary or Challenger), but still a quality product from a name that will be around in 10 yrs when you need parts. The ChiCom stuff is like the HF welder - cheap but you're probably on your own after a year or so. Part of the reason they can sell so cheap is that they don't have to maintain a support network. These factories in China knock out the lift, wholesale it to some dude in the US running his own lift company, and promptly forget that lift ever existed.

If you never have a problem with the lift, then you come out ahead buying the ChiCom one. If not, then BendPak would have been a better choice. IMO you're buying the same piece of mind you do whenever you pay more for a solid mid-tier tool made by companies like Hobart or like what Craftsman hand tools used to be. Not the high quality, high cost equipment that a commercial shop needs, but not low end stuff like a lot of HF tools.

I see you're in Darnestown. I'm in Germantown not too far away so if you want to check out my setup, send me a PM and we can coordinate something.

BTW, I added a thread subscription to your account for this thread so you should get emails when a reply is posted. Dorki has this capability but it's turned off by default.