Comparison of residential automobile turntables.
May
3, 2009. Matthew Clark - page four
My rating system
When I started this I was looking for a driveway turntable
for my residence. Price was certainly an
object, but I also wanted it to look good not only when I bought it but also
three years or 10 years down the road. Also I was very concerned with what service might be required after a few
years, as I was really not familiar with the way automobile turntables worked
mechanically.
So my comments and also the one I chose are
from my own
perspective of wanting an inexpensive functional utilitarian driveway
turntable. Other people have different
applications, and may choose a different unit.
I have estimated an average install cost for a pit type or
flush mount unit to be $7,000 for the construction of the pit with wiring and
drainage. Your cost may be more or less.
Comments about the individual
units
Positives: this auto
turntable is the only unit I looked at that does not have any type of the outer
rim support on the turntable itself. It
has a 1,000,000 pound rated center bearing, and says it can easily support any
type of normal traffic.
Negatives: there
isn't a whole lot of information given on the website about this
turntable. I'm sure more information is
available by contacting the manufacturer, but the website doesn't even state
what the warranty is, or what the top plate is made out of, or what type of
surface finish it has. This is the most
expensive unit I reviewed. It says it is
the top-of-the-line. Maybe it is, but my
initial review says you can get more for less.
Hovair Systems in
ground flush mount est $34,500 installed
Positives: Talk
about innovative! This unit has
compressed air bearings! I'm afraid I know very little about these, other than
what I have read on the company's site. Do they make cool Batman cave hissing noises when the turntable engages?
Negatives: I would
be afraid to service this unit myself, and I'm a long ways from the
factory. It may be very cool and
reliable. I shied away from it because it was even more of a complete unknown
than the rest of the turntables. Also, I
hate the noise of compressors, and if it is running on air bearings there must
be a compressor involved.
Carousel
Positives: This looks like a
quality company, that has been in the rotating platform business for over 15
years. They make a variety of different
automobile turntables and rotating platforms in different sizes. Price shown is for their 14’9” driveway
turntable. Carousel has a great warranty
(three years parts and labor), and they include installation of the unit in
their price (though not the site preparation). Their support wheels look very robust, and the whole unit appears well
built.
Negatives: Not many, other than price. It is 230V, and I hate running that kind of power to a potentially wet
exterior location. Also, I am not so
convinced that galvanized steel doesn't rust. In my experience the rust starts in a few
years, wherever it is worn, abraded, or scratched. Still, this looks like a high-quality unit.
Positives: this
looks like a very substantial unit, heavily constructed, and capable of
carrying an extraordinary 30,000 pounds. Having said that, as most cars weigh less than 5000
pounds, it may be overkill. Still, it certainly doesn't hurt. This design also has inverted wheels (wheels are attached to the base
structure, not to the turntable) a good design that helps reduce friction and
traction of sand or rocks. The wheels look solidly built, though there are only
16 of them. They offer a pretty good
warranty, and the turntable can rotate in either direction. They also offer a wide variety of options
such as flashing strobe lights that you can pay extra for.
Negatives: like
most other in ground units, the price is high,. With reasonable options this unit is going to
cost $30,000 by the time it is installed, and they want you to pay an extra
thousand dollars if you want the steel substructure powder coated- a must within
25 miles of the ocean to be covered by the warranty.
My auto displays in ground flush mount est $20,000
installed
These guys make a lot of different kinds of ramps, tilters,
and turntables. They don't get a lot of information about any individual unit
on their website so you will have to ask for more information about the
construction.
Positives: it's a
16 foot turntable, which is nice and big, and it is the least expensive of the
pit type models reviewed. The price
makes it worth checking out further.
Negatives:
Unfortunately it does not tell us much of anything about the substructure,
wheels, bearings, or motor size. The
metal is only treated with a metal primer, so the unit will have to be painted
to avoid rusting immediately. They state a five year warranty on the welds, but
in my experience welds start to rust very quickly. No warranty is stated on the electrics or drivetrain.
Positives: another innovative design. This unit is battery
powered, and says it can run 16 hours on a single charge. The rectangular shape takes up less floor
space, and has detachable ramps. Surface mount, so it
is less expensive, and easier to install. Says it will take 8000 pounds, which
is substantial.
Negatives: although the rectangular shape saves floor space
it sure looks like a hazard to me. The
first time one of those sharp corners hits my ankle when turning I am likely to
take a sledgehammer to the thing. Not to mention the liability issue if it hits
a child. Also, they don't say what kind
of battery it uses, and how often it has to be replaced, or how easy they are
to find.
CarTurn, Inc. surface mount est $12, 800 installed
Positives: I like
this unit. It is inexpensive, and
innovative with its hydraulic motor for operation. Unlike many of the more expensive units, the
parts touching the ground are stainless steel which is far superior, and they
have powder coated the turntable without charging extra for it. It might have been my second choice.
Negatives: much as I think the hydraulic drive is innovative, I don't know how to service hydraulics. Probably it is not too hard? Also, the unit is not a true surface mount, as the center bearing must be set down into the ground in concrete, so you do have to cut into your existing driveway. Also, you have to find a way to run the hoses for hydraulic fluid to wherever you are going to put the hydraulic pump without them being obvious. They don't show a sample of their wheels, but I am nervous about the fact that there is only one wheel per petal, as that isn't much to take the load. The outer edge does not have any kind of ramp, but as it is only 2 inches high this shouldn't be too much of a problem. The petals bolt together, which with the constant movement leaves a good possibility for loosening bolts, wear on the bolt holes which can rust, and rattling noises.
CarTurner, inc. Surface mount est $11,250 installed
This is the unit I chose for myself, and not just because of the price! Besides being the least expensive, I felt it was also the best engineered. And because this is the unit I own, I know much more about it than I do about some of the others, where I have only read their website.
Positives: I have
been amazed by the CarTurner's ease of operation,
quality of construction, and sophisticated engineering. For a start, it's all stainless steel. It will never rust. The spider track against the ground, the turntable, all of it. Then to make the turntables superstrong, and still light enough to lift the sections,
it is filled with special aerospace foam at 90,000 psi. The table sections are tongue in groove, so
no bolts to rattle or come loose. It has 70 rollers - seven per section, and
they are 3 inch wide high impact polystyrene over steel. the Carturner vehicle turntable will easily turn
10,000 pounds. The motors run on low voltage, so the power supply is easy and
safe, and amazingly silent. All the motors are easily accessible under the side
ramps. I could wax eloquent on all the different superior engineering features
I have discovered. Also, the manufacturer sends an installation technician to
install it for you! Plus they offer a full three-year parts and labor warranty, and a free semi-flush
kit if you want one.
Negatives: Not
many. At 13’4” it isn't big enough to
turn a full size contractor's pickup truck. If you leave the controls out in
the rain, you have to dry them out again before they work. I haven't found anything else. If I did they would fix it.
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