Metro Vac N Blo or leaf blower?

Jaretr1

Jaretr1

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Hello,

I have about $232 in an Amazon gift card I earned at work so I figured I might use it on a Metro Vac N Blo. Or, I could get a leaf blower of some sort for less than half the price. Obviously a leaf blower cant vacuum. Any thoughts on the Metro? Or thoughts on the different Vac N Blo models? I was looking at the standard model. How do they blow? Vacuum?

I used a Master Blaster at Detail Fest and it was pretty cool.

Thanks!

Jaret
 
I have personally never used a metro vac and blow but from reviews this is top dollar equipment. Were I in your shoes I would definitely buy it. A two in one is a great but and very useful.


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I have one and I love it. I use the blo for interior crevices but for drying a car the leaf blower is better.
 
Comparing the two is somewhat hard to do because a leaf blower really can't vacuum. If you asked to compare the Metro Master Blaster to a leaf blower I'd choose the leaf blower hands down because of the difference in price...

The Metro Master Blaster is $400.00 and a great electric leaf blower is $50.00 so the math is easy....Now I can spend the balance on some great detailing products!! :props:

If you need a vacuum then the choice is again very easy; the Metro Vac N Blow....

It also really depends if you're satisfying a need or a want....make the choice that makes the most sense for you....:props:
 
I currently have the Vac n blo and am looking to replace it with another vac. The blower feature does work really well for the interiors when you need to blow off the extremely dirty carpets or nooks and crannies. However, on the outside a blower would be better. Its a pain to have to handle the hose tubing while going around the vehicle and then the blower end is a lot smaller than what you would find on a regular leaf blower. Also, it only vacuums and cannot handle wet things. My vac n blo is less than a year old and has come across some slightly wet carpets on a few occasions and now it no longer works properly.

I'm looking at purchasing a powr flite pf51 shop vac which has a higher water lift than the metro vac and its also a wet/dry vac. I may keep the vac n blo around for interior blowing but I've now just resorted to using an electric leaf blower instead of the metro vac. You can buy both an electric leaf blower and the PF51 for the amount on your gift card
 
I don't understand the Vac N Blo. On one hand, it will vacuum dirt and other junk from surfaces. On the other hand, it will blow air out from the same opening that it uses to vacuum in the dirt. This seems counter-intuitive to me. What you want are two separate things: a dedicated vacuum, and a dedicated blower.
 
the problem with the leaf blower is size, weight, awkwardness and chance of damage.

from my experience, the leaf blower will produce similar air flow as the vac n blo. BUT to have that power contained in a small package of a flex hose vs. a leaf blower makes a HUGE difference.

Consider the following
  • which would you prefer to work/walk around your vehicle with?
  • do you want to risk waving a 3' hard plastic tube around your vehicle?
  • will it cost more to fix/correct a ding, scratch or galge from waving around the leaf blower than the cost of the vac n blo?

It applies the same as a paint thickness gauge. If you have one, and use it to measure paint, it will save you from attempting to polish beyond the thickness of a super-thin clear coat. If you dont have one, and polish beyond the thickness of the clear, it's going to cost more to correct than purchasing the correct tool to do the job.

risk assessment.
chris<pixelmonkey>:D
 
I've used a Toro leaf blower for years and never had a problem. Does a great job!
 
Im a hobbiest, not a professional and I use a Home Depot 50-75 dollar electric leaf blower for the outside and a 50-75 dollar bagless vacuum cleaner from Walmart for the interior. They both do a great job and not expensive,,,,,,,,,
 
I got a 37 dollar leaf blower from amazon that blows at two speeds. Highest is 160 mph! It takes off my water in a second!

If you're trying to dry your car, leaf blower hands down as 37 dollars is so much more value than 400 for the Master Blaster
 
I have a Vac-n-Blo and I love it. It's a great vac, fantastic suction and quiet, which is what I primarily use it for. It works well as a blower--in my experience better than my Toro leaf blower--but it's still pretty slow. I'm still experimenting with drying techniques, but what seems to be working best for me is a blotting technique with waffle-weave microfiber towels on the panels, followed by blowing out the crevices with the Vac-n-Blo.
 
I have the Metro Master Blaster and it is AMAZING!!!! I couldn't imagine lugging a leaf blower around a car. And I have a separate Shop Vac just for cars and one for using in my garage and such.
 
Just one point. I have a Metro Air Force Blaster, it's a little smaller than the Vac N Blo. I also have the little cart for it. The hose is very stiff and a bit unwieldy.

I also have a leaf blower. The leaf
blower I use almost daily to blow dust off my garaged car. It's a bit easier to use, as there is no stiff hose. However, the leaf blower is cordless and doesn't have the power to dry a car.

If your going to get a Vac N Blo, the dolly is mandatory. Without it, it's almost impossible to use it without the unit topping over all the time, due to changes in position being transmitted through the stiff hose. I wish the hose was a bit more flexible.
 
sahrcar said:
I currently have the Vac n blo and am looking to replace it with another vac. The blower feature does work really well for the interiors when you need to blow off the extremely dirty carpets or nooks and crannies. However, on the outside a blower would be better. Its a pain to have to handle the hose tubing while going around the vehicle and then the blower end is a lot smaller than what you would find on a regular leaf blower. Also, it only vacuums and cannot handle wet things. My vac n blo is less than a year old and has come across some slightly wet carpets on a few occasions and now it no longer works properly.

I'm looking at purchasing a powr flite pf51 shop vac which has a higher water lift than the metro vac and its also a wet/dry vac. I may keep the vac n blo around for interior blowing but I've now just resorted to using an electric leaf blower instead of the metro vac. You can buy both an electric leaf blower and the PF51 for the amount on your gift card
Click to expand...

Boy, you have hit on exactly the reasons I did not go with the Metro Vac to begin with. I remember seeing the specs and thinking...."Wow. great" and then seeing that it was only meant for dry surfaces. For me, that made it useless. I want one machine that can handle everything, and handle it well. The PF51 does it for me and continues to a year and a half later. I don't get all the hype on here about Metro Vacs. To me, it's like having a car without a Reverse gear....useless.
 
Here's an idea. Have you considered a cordless leaf blower? No long cords to worry about. Just plug in the fully-charged battery and you're good to go. Check out these models:

One+ 120 mph 120 CFM 18-Volt Cordless Electric Blower-P2102 at The Home Depot

This model comes bundled with the 18 volt battery and charger. And Ryobi makes a whole host of other products that also uses the same battery. Heck, they even make a tire inflator! Or if you already own Ryobi 18 volt batteries, here's another option:

One+ 18 Volt 120 mph Cordless Blower without Battery and Charger-P2105 at The Home Depot

I trust this brand. Good quality at a good price. Too bad they don't make a battery operated DA polisher. LOL

And here's another item you may consider. Uses same batteries as above products:
Nomad 18 Volt Portable Power Cleaner, Nomad Cordless Power Cleaner, mini power cleaner, portable car wash, compact power washer


Hope this helps.

:D

p.s. Dang, the Nomad is on back-order at AG. Try doing a google. Lots of good options and prices.
 
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I had the brilliant idea of the cordless leaf blower too. I bought one, the power can't cut it to dry a car. They are good for blowing off dust, but that's it. Unless you come up with some super powerful cordless. However, I really powerful cordless (if one exists) probably would cost as much as a Metro. The cordless I have is a Black and Decker and it cost about 80 bucks. It's a dud for drying.
 
swanicyouth said:
I had the brilliant idea of the cordless leaf blower too. I bought one, the power can't cut it to dry a car. They are good for blowing off dust, but that's it. Unless you come up with some super powerful cordless. However, I really powerful cordless (if one exists) probably would cost as much as a Metro. The cordless I have is a Black and Decker and it cost about 80 bucks. It's a dud for drying.
Click to expand...

True, this cordless model may or may not be powerful enough to dry-off a car, but it can blow-off the excess water, making drying with a WW easier. And you can get the water out of the nooks and crannies. And when you're done detailing, you can blow dirt and debris out of your garage, driveway, etc. Well, you'd want to move your car away first. ROFL

Black and Decker makes some innovative products, but kinda lack in the power department. But that's just my opinion. I don't mean to offend any Black and Decker fans. Sowwy!

:xyxthumbs:
 
I love the metro blower. Helps get to all those areas you know water will eventally leak water out. I know some people use their leaf blowers but they will eventually scratch their car with it.

I'm going to purchase a second one just in case. It's a must have in my opinion.
 
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