Kaeser and their pricing, or Sullair?

I'm in the market for a new screw compressor and have been doing some shopping. We've been running on an old Sullair ES-6 7.5 HP that just keeps on ticking. However, I want to buy a new one for the inevitable failure and keep this one as a backup. Looking for another 7.5 HP figuring I'll wire the old Sullair also and set it to come on in the very rare case that we need more air.
My main contenders (so far) have been a Kaeser Aircenter SX7.5 and Sullair Shoptek 7.5 . I realize that Sullair is now made in China and won't be the same as our old one. Kaeser has a great name around here and others I've talked to, so I would really prefer the Kaeser. However, the salesman seems to be giving me no breaks. He says that in light of Kaeser's 25th anniversary, they are running a "special" on AirCenters and quoted me $7,700 + S&H + Tax. Based on what I've read here, that doesn't really seem like a deal. His response is more or less, "We're the best. You get what you pay for". I even told the guy directly to just throw me a little bone, it wouldn't take much. No.
I know the Sullair tech here and he is fantastic. So, I'm kind of leaning toward them now. Anyone have any experience with the newer Shoptek series? How about Kaeser pricing? Can anyone give me a comparison? Any other brands I should be looking at?
Thanks.

speak to Tom Borgata at 909 754 3326. He's our sales guy and always treated us right. He's from Kaeser. I wouldn't have any other kind of compressor!

For that exact same Kaeser I was quoted $10,600, not including tax or delivery. $7,700 sounds like a deal to me!

We have had great luck with

Rotary Screw Air Compressors | Industrial Air Compressors

The main components are as high quality as any in the price range.
Parts and service is top notch.
Built here in the good old USA to boot.

You're right. That price does seem fair compared to what you got! However, a few threads I've found on here seem to show people getting them for closer to $7k within the last couple years.
I'm now starting to look at Boge compressors also. They're German made as well, but not as well known as Kaeser. Honestly, I'm just kind of turned off by the Kaeser salesman and looking for options.

ifixcnc said:

We have had great luck with

Rotary Screw Air Compressors | Industrial Air Compressors

The main components are as high quality as any in the price range.
Parts and service is top notch.
Built here in the good old USA to boot.

Click to expand...

I looked hard into those a few months ago. It sounds like some of the main components are imported now. There is no way I could justify buying one of those units for the same price as a Kaeser, when the Kaeser is going to outlast anything on the market in a smaller and more efficient package. The Eaton piston compressors seem like a great deal!

teartags said:

My main contenders (so far) have been a Kaeser Aircenter SX7.5 and Sullair Shoptek 7.5 . I realize that Sullair is now made in China and won't be the same as our old one... Anyone have any experience with the newer Shoptek series?

Click to expand...

Since you have the Sullair and like it ...In Kunshan we had a Sullair. It was bigger than 7.5 hp, maybe 15 ? Definitely Chinese made

It was not quiet but that was the only complaint I can come up with. That thing ran in an environment you wouldn't put Pol Pot in. Over 100 in summer with 200% humidity, below freezing in winter, two and three shifts a day, six days a week and sometimes seven, crappy maintenance and still never gave us a problem. Not one minute of downtime. So I wouldn't worry about where it was made too much.