water softener/filtration system-Rainsoft, Culligan,Kinetico

I say they are ripoffs by "professional" ripoff dealers.[/quote]

I don't know how these guys can sleep at night !!

They are NOT investments ! Try sell a car that nobody can get parts for, and ONLY 1 person in a 50 mile radius can work on; whether you like it or not, even if that person treats you like dirt.
Yeah right; no hope in hell of selling that car? So is it an investment?
It is only an investment as long as someone wants it.

Rip off a person, and then still smile and laugh about it; but you get free soap for a year !!

If anyone wants a 2006 model Rainsoft valve, I ripped one out today.
It was "dead" already.

Buy a Fleck valve through an independant dealer; that is an investment...

+1

To invest in water purification in general is a great investment. The price is really high if you ask me. Ecoquest is mlm. That doesnt mean that its a bad product. It goes through more hands as far as I understand. I know that $1600 for an RO is absurd.

bodyspecific007

I agree that a water treatment system CAN be a valuable investment. Whenever you invest in something whether it be stocks, real estate, collectables, they are purchased with the intent that they either pay for themselves or actually show returns in excess of their initial purchase.

Some investments pay off better than others. It's hard not to convince me that for someone who was paying $30 a month on bottled water using a gallon a day (not including waste, travel and physical effort) and gets an RO that produces 25 gallons per day at lower TDS at about $15, is not considered an investment.

Insulation, replacement windows and water treatment equipment are three of the most valuable investments for home owners. Wide screen TVs, outboard motors and that Alaska cruise are not usually considered investments.

What is it you know about Ecoquest and water treatment?

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Who or what is Ecoquest?

Maybe Andy would explain what Ecoquest is. I hear that they are an mlm and do air and water purification.

bodyspecific007,

I was going on your lead of this company and was wondering how it came into play with your reasoning. What was the point you were making?

EcoQuest INTL. is a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company that recruits 'dealers' to sell air and water treatment products (along with numerous other health-n-wellness-related products) and to recruit additional dalers as a home business.

Like all MLM companies there are those who make a living, and a very good one, and those who invest and never really profit from it. Although their primary line is with air 'purifiers', they also have a small cvollection of water treatment products.

Unfortunately, their dealers go through no training (except to recuruit other dealers) so solving one's water issues is a hit and miss situation.

They have four basic water treatment products: R/Os, UV light drinking water systems, whole-house filtration systems, and ozone laundry systems. R/Os are produced by Water Factory Systems and are standard in quality.

Each has some value but one should be aware of those capabilities and shortcomings before applying them to one's water system.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

It sounds as if somebody might know AC. And as if maybe AC has personal MLM experience with Ecoquest....

Knowing him as I do, it would explain some things I've questioned since he started posting on forums back in about 2003.

Andy,

You touched on something that I value and feel is extremely important. Customer support. Thanks

bodyspecific007,

Thank you. Yes, personal service on any valuable product can be a key component of satisfaction. Both machines and people can fail, but its knowing that things can be rectified that brings customers back, leads to referral and subsequent purchases.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

m3m3 good luck with your purchase and inquiries, not sure if you found a reputable worthy system or not, got tired of reading the bashing of two whom seem to pop into every water filtration subject on this forum. Hopefully you steer away from Rainsoft, they are a complete overpriced sensationalized snake oil sales tactic group of yahoos.

Rainsoft water system
Hello,
BEWARE of Rainsoft! We were told we possibly won an Extreme home makeover for $25k, of which my daughter had entered us into from ABC. So, when we were contacted we assumed that who was contacting us. No, it was Rainsoft. So, they "barged" in our house under false pretenses and stayed 4.5 hours. Had a great informative presentation, with a HARD sell. All the hype,lies and who-doo ya tactics. Must bve bought tonight, must be installed the next day! We had company in town, and they were just PUSHY and not taking no for an answer. Sold us our unit for $8500, then lower and lower, promises, oh, forgot to tell us 17% interest for five years with a $113 mo pymt! Carbon filter, not to mention the salt-that will increase your blood pressure! Of which I already have high blood pressure-why would i want to add more salt? Idiots, and idiot me for being conned and not throwing the guy out of my house since I had not done research. They took full advantage of our lack of knowledge of knowing how much these things cost, having out of town guests and their lack of integrity just digusts me! NOW what can we do? The 3 day contract is up and everyone says forget it-we have not paid one penny yet and I am prepared for a fight for this kinda of BS. Thanks in advance. You can email me at [email protected] for any advice or comments.

Sorry that you have had an unfortunately--although not unusual--experience with a water treatment company. You say it is beyond the three-day right of cancellation and that you haven't paid for it.

Has it been installed? If not, don't let them in your house.

I assume you took the finance program. If it was approved then actually it is out of Rainsoft's hands and you will be recieving calls from the finanace company and then eventually it may be sold to collection agencies and then the pressure really starts. Your credit will suffer.

Contact the Better Business Bureau and report what you have experienced. They have limited ability but it serves as a step showing that you are not pleased with the transaction.

I have a customer who experienced the same thing FIVE years ago, still has the equipment and is STILL getting phone calls and letters from collection agencies. She has never paid for it, and her lawyers have sent letters demanding removal. Nothing. Just a big headache.

In other words, Rainsoft is well versed at this very situation so make your decisions and resulting actions very carefully. Do not damage the equipment, sell it or give them cause to claim full payment other than your signature on legally-binding contract.

Let us know what happens.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

RAIN SOFT
Thanks Andy,They still have not returned our calls. No payment made yet. Had the system one week. Refused tosign the form when the guy came by for us to sign off on it. He said someone would be in touch with us the following week. A lady called today, left a message about financial and I returned her call-only got voicemail. I plan to contact the BBB of Jacksonville, FL and report them to someone there. So, I will have to wait and see, we strive hard to keep good credit and our bills paid-but this has thrown us for a loop!!

You're wlecom.

Below are a couple of web sites that provide additional places to voice your opinion. Go to search box and simply put in the name of the company and other reports similar to and different from yours can be found.

http://www.complaints.com/

http://www.ripoffreport.com/lists/1/default1615.htm

Good luck,
Andy

they are no better than any other.. just high pressure sales.. I bought one put together by a local water treatment company with good parts, and has lasted 25 years.. still going.. it cost $750.

We too are surfing to find a water conditioner for a home yet-to-be-built. Currently, we have a POS Rainsoft system. Far overpriced when my wife purchased it. There are two competing service companies in our area, each claiming to be the "real" Rainsoft company. Each attempts ( read as Harasses ) to schedule maitenence SEVERAL times a year. Last time they called I told the lady that we told her last time that we would call her if we felt we needed her service. She indignantly told me, " Well I will just go ahead and void your warrantee then." I came back with, "Are you trying to intimidate me?" and' "Perhaps I should contact the KS Attorney General's office".
She hung up on me.
Please investigate before you purchase. Rainsoft makes a mediochre product that costs an arm-and-a-leg to maintain. BEWARE!

You need to decide if you want to be dependent on a local dealer to install and service your softener or, if you want to be an independent DIYer. Many/most national brand softener dealers will not sell you parts or tell you what part may be bad if there is a problem. So you pay them service calls and high parts prices.

If a DIYer, buy online, install it yourself or hire a plumber and repair it yourself when needed. Then I suggest a softener using the Clack WS-1 control valve. Anyone with a pair of Channel lock type pliers can totally rebuild a Clack WS-1 and change all of its 5 parts and have their water back on it under 30 minutes, even if, they have never done anything like that before. It is that easy because it was designed to be that easy and fast to repair. You can buy the parts and find info on what is wrong online or from local independent dealers.

Unless you really enjoy reaching deep in your pockets for very expensive service calls, stay away from Culligan.
Anything you ask them for after the warranty expires is ridiculously over priced.

They really take advantage of customers that are concerned on having a safe & healthy water supply.

We had an "O" ring to be replaced as the system was leaking, well how does $125 sound?

We needed to replace the membrane filter on our Culligan reverse osmosis system, $125 plus $115 service call.
You can buy an alternative filter that is compatible to the original for $33 on the net.

Supplies such as potassium permanganate necessary for regeneration of the tanin filtration system is 3 to 4 times more expensive when purchased from Culligan.

A month after having our $6000 system installed we referred them to our neighbour, what a mistake that was. Today both of us regret buying from Culligan, and our neighbour no longer speaks to us.

I should have chosen Kinetico over Culligan.

So what do you recommend? We almost bought the middle of the road Rainsoft for $6995 and then thought better of it the next day.