MX8 over another G series?

[thundercleese]

Yet another Zodiac G series bit the dust. Over the years have had a G4, G3, G am I replacing parts on this thing again...and always chugga chugga on the steps.

After reading a lot the MX8 sounds like a good alternative to another G? How big of a deal will the fact that the MX8 has no friction on the diamond brite be?

The pool is a 15 x 30 rectangle with a single skimmer that has one line from it to the pump. Screened in so just dirt, dog hair and occasional leaves getting picked up.

 

[POOLGOON]

correct me if i'm wrong, but i think this cleaner was already redesigned within a year or two of it coming out. my neighbor also had one (open pool) and it clogged easily, and after a month the ball/impeller broke so we completely disassembled it...definitely an engineering marvel

 

[thundercleese]

There are a lot of threads on this forum with praise for the MX8, but like anything on the internet one guy says it's satan's spawn and the next says it's the holy grail.

Still interested in anyone's feedback that has had a G2/G3/G4 and a MX8

 

[CraigMW]

It's the first and only pool cleaner I've ever used, so I cannot provide details about the other models. The quirks of this model have been widely described here and elsewhere... mostly describing problems with the directional control units failing. One poster here mentioned that this can be fixed using stainless washers on the main drive shaft. They do have a tendency to clog on large leaves, palm fronds and pine needles. Part of this is not having enough suction. I've solved many of my original problems by using a stronger vacuum than the recommended pressure (I'm out of warranty anyway!), and routine maintenance. Parts for this unit are readily available and are reasonable. I replaced the tire tracks on mine after about 12 months of use, and replaced one directional control before I found out about the drive shaft issue. The unit does occasionally get stuck, but it's really a simple matter to unclog it.

I've owned mine for almost two years and it works reasonably well, even with constant dumpage of debris from numerous trees around our property. What I like about it is that it does a great job of keeping the bottom of the pool free of debris. I have considered getting one of those automatic pool robots, but the complexity of those units and associated repair costs have kept me focused on keeping my MX8 in working order. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with my purchase.