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Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

I finally found it on Pepboys for $81.44.....that is pretty high considering what other can get it for. BTW thanks for the link to the other one too.
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

I notice that Smittybuilt is also selling the "Costco " compressor for a retail around $30 more than Costco.

BTW the local Costcos in N. Seattle do not have the compressor but it was found in a Portland, OR store and Oregon is a very good option since they charge NO sales tax. My XJ is now equiped with air.

RickyN29; Awesome Thread! Thank you for your efforts!!1
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

I actually have had both compressors for quite a while and had a couple of things to add:

1. neither of them use the standard air fitting size (for both the threaded end nor the fitting). You will have to buy some adapters to convert to standard size. You will need to do this when the valve stem attachment breaks.

2. The HF edition actually slows down after it gets really hot and starts making a little more noise.. Its duty cycle is no where near the MasterFlow

Nice pics and good information
 
Bolognablake said:
Costco's average mark-up is only 8%, so they'll be substantially less expensive than everywhere else.

Great review.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I know this but the question was where else to purchase one if you don't have a Costco membership (and don't want to pay the $30 or whatever it is to get the thing, then it makes it 79.99 and might as well just order it) or a Pepboys is not around anywhere. Autozone doesn't have a clue of what it is, found it at Pepboys but it is 81.44 online. Guess I am a tight wad but I hate buying something that is marked up a sh*tload when I know it can be had out there for almost half price.
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

The Harbor Freight one looks a lot like my Viair 400P Same accessories bag and all. I would not doubt that it could be the same MFG. :dunno: Which works great by the way

Rob $.02
 
Good write up Ricky..

I have the PepBoys one...had it for awhile...

Had to repair it though...the switch went bad and it blew the 30A fuse...Had to use an external switch..30 household switch from Home Depot....
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

Its funny how stuff gets more expensive when they become really popular. I bought mine at Checker almost 2 years ago for $28.
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

MountainRhino said:
I work at Cost-Ho, you pay i'll buy!!
Click to expand...

I might actually take you up on that....
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

I bought one of the MF-1050s at Pep Boys about a year or so ago, and love it - beats the heck out of feeding quarters into the machine at the gas station, and is nearly as fast. Orders of magnitude faster than the old cig. lighter-based one I used to carry, which is now stationed in my DD.

Several comparos have been done with this unit, and it typically does a good job of competing with the pricier name-brand models. For the price, you can't really beat it.

I'm seriously looking at setting up a tank for mine, found a nice writeup on 4x4wire some time back and bookmarked it.

Rob
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

MontanaXJ said:
Its funny how stuff gets more expensive when they become really popular. I bought mine at Checker almost 2 years ago for $28.
Click to expand...


Same here. I bought mine for $38 almost 2 years ago at Kragen

It fills all four of m 33"s from 12 lbs to 32 lbs in less than 15 min.

The thing does get hot though, and the quick release for the hose can burn your fingers....
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

I just bought the ultimate-air 15# kit from a member here for $150. It filled all 4 35x12.50 mtrs from 0-35psi in a little over half 1min each. The 15# bottle is the equivalent of having a 960gallon compressed air tank in the back.

3 minutes is a long time to fill one tire from 0-40psi on a 31" (read: small) tire. It's better than nothing though! ;)
 
Re: Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor - In Depth Review w/ Pictures

went to pep boys and the tsunami was now 59.99 with 10.00 rebate.
added thew 1 year extended warranty over the manufacturers warranty for 10.00.
Thakns for the great write up..
 
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