Chinese snugger heater

**idtrans** · 12-04-2011, 12:59 AM

anyone tried these yet I'm thinking of buying one for my tractor.

Truck Air Heater Snugger, (Espar, Webasto) | eBay

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**jjoerger** · 12-04-2011, 07:37 AM

I recently found these on a search and thought $995 was a little bit too high. For 5-6 hundred more you can get the real deal Espar with proven reliability and warranty. I've seen people saying there Espars are 7 years old and still going strong.

**OntarioVanMan** · 12-04-2011, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by jjoerger

I recently found these on a search and thought $995 was a little bit too high. For 5-6 hundred more you can get the real deal Espar with proven reliability and warranty. I've seen people saying there Espars are 7 years old and still going strong.

I would hope so for what they charge..LOL 7 yrs? yeah if ya used all year...closer to 3yrs useage wouldn't ya say?

**bubblehead** · 12-04-2011, 11:14 AM

I would stay with the brand names Espar or Webasto. "Compatible with" dosen't give me much comfort and I would have a hard time sleeping with that thing on. I wish Espar and Webasto could be STC'D for aviation because the old Janitrols (JanAero) are too finiky and the repetitive inspection gets extremely expensive. We installed the Webasto and the comfort in our sleeper, 96" AA is great...dial is set at about the 11 O'clock position and seems to burn 1 gal about every 20 hrs.

**greg334** · 12-04-2011, 11:23 AM

Do you think that espar and wabesto both use German made parts or all their units are made in Germany?

**Colorado_Al** · 12-04-2011, 08:43 PM

Long time lurker, first time poster. Just wanted to save you from a bad decision when you could get a name brand for the same money. I wouldn't be so concerned with the product itself, but what happens when it fails? Where are you gonna go to get it fixed? Especially when you're on the road. ThermoKing certainly won't have parts.
Buy a Webasto Air Top for $900.
BunkHeaters.com ? Dealers of the Webasto Air Top 2000 ST Bunk Truck Heater
That's where I got mine and it came with everything I needed to install it.
Don't buy some Chinese equivalent, especially when you can get the brand name for less money. Now, if the Chinese one was half the money, then I'd consider it.

**idtrans** · 12-04-2011, 09:25 PM

was the webasto easy to install? I just may order. see the idea with snugger is $1000 installed at sapp bros and get square trade extended warranty. $75 and any issues sapps has a 1 yr warranty on item and 3 yr square trade warranty. I will end up winning since if I get 2 winter's with no idling and if no parts square trade refunds purchase price to me.

**Colorado_Al** · 12-04-2011, 09:33 PM

If Sapp Bros will install it and stand behind it, and you're in NE a lot, $1000 is not bad (if that is the installed price). Everywhere I've seen the AirSnugger it's been $950+ for the unit before install. I like Sapp Bros.

Regarding the Webasto, it took me the better part of a day to do the install. Not too hard, but if Sapp will do it for you and you'll be out the door, installed, for a grand, that sounds pretty good to me.

Is the Sapp Bros deal an in store special, or is it company wide?
Thanks!

**idtrans** · 12-04-2011, 11:00 PM

I saw the special at Denver and ottawa Illinois sapps. I run us2 mainly in nd mt nothing up there. but when I go home to Illinois sapps is close I thought the same $1k installed with 1 year in house warranty honestly if it dies after 2 winters I am still money ahead. my engine is huge and she loves diesel .

Originally Posted by Colorado_Al

If Sapp Bros will install it and stand behind it, and you're in NE a lot, $1000 is not bad (if that is the installed price). Everywhere I've seen the AirSnugger it's been $950+ for the unit before install. I like Sapp Bros.

Regarding the Webasto, it took me the better part of a day to do the install. Not too hard, but if Sapp will do it for you and you'll be out the door, installed, for a grand, that sounds pretty good to me.

Is the Sapp Bros deal an in store special, or is it company wide?
Thanks!

**bluejaybee** · 12-05-2011, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Colorado_Al

Buy a Webasto Air Top for $900.
BunkHeaters.com ? Dealers of the Webasto Air Top 2000 ST Bunk Truck Heater
That's where I got mine and it came with everything I needed to install it.
Don't buy some Chinese equivalent, especially when you can get the brand name for less money. Now, if the Chinese one was half the money, then I'd consider it.

It seems their url expired on the 4th of Dec.

**jjoerger** · 12-05-2011, 08:46 AM

Worked for me.

**Lawrence** · 12-05-2011, 12:30 PM

For me - there would be the safety concerns with a chinese knock-off. Specifically ventilation. Just my two-cents.

**tenntrucker** · 12-05-2011, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Just my two-cents.

We get paid for our opinions?

Sent from my DROID X2

**chefdennis** · 12-05-2011, 01:30 PM

What you are seeing is the same thing that we seen with Generator/inverters...Honda was 1st and after yrs of dominating the market place, others followed with the same technology...

I can't say I'd buy one at anywhere near $900...even installed..my Big Buddy will heat me out of my van and $900 buys ALOT of propane....

If I was really in the market, the "original purchase price back" insurance is how id go...use it till it breaks, get the money back...if it out last the warranty and insurance, then chances are you are ahead...

As far as the safety issue, LOL, I carry (2) 20 lb. propane tanks and at any given time, 6 gallons of gasoline...and i have (2) really big 6 volt batteries sitting right next to the refrigerator in my in Van..LOL, i believe it was our "Shelled" friend that asked if the Frig Compressor puts out any "sparks"....

**greg334** · 12-05-2011, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Lawrence

For me - there would be the safety concerns with a chinese knock-off. Specifically ventilation. Just my two-cents.

You know Lawrence the design has been around for a long time (my southwind was made in 1936), the "knockoff" has been produced in a lot of countries and the only real issue is repair parts.

As for price, one importer in Canada has them for 900 installed but I bet you can find them for about 600 if you look hard. If they last two or three seasons than for 600, that's better than idling or filling up propane.

AND again, chinese parts are used in Espar and Wabesto heaters.