Customer Reviews

Makita MAC5200 Big Bore 3.0 HP Air Compressor

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I agree with the wheel gripes. The wheels are injection molded with a very thin plastic, one of mine had a slash in it and collapsed on first use.

So, I went up to farm and fleet and bought two new wheels with steel center and solid rubber, heavy tread, put them on and it is perfectly mobile over any terrain, now.

I also agree Makita fudges on the specs.

Most important though is the performance in use, and there, it shines. I've used similar double tank units from other manufacturers and much prefer the design of this unit. It stores connectors and a hose, handle breaks down for storage/transport, It is made very well and is quiet for a unit this size.

It does draw power on the initial kick on, as they all do. I'd hoped to run this on my Yamaha 2500 watt generator, which is equivelant to a 20 amp circuit, but no go. It blows the breaker everytime. And the Yamaha runs a portable DeWalt table saw, jet 1200cfm dust collector and a chop saw just fine (not all at the same time!)

So, while it is not perfect, it is a good performer and I'm very satisfied with the comressor at the cost.

I bought the Makita 5200 after I had read all the reviews, almost even before it was out of the box the wheels had been replaced (steel core, airtires).

As with all my Makita tools, I'm a happy camper, they perform when they need too.

I really like the storage compartment and the hose storage right on the unit.

Thanks to all who wrote reviews, you've helped to make the MAC5200 better, is anyone from Makita taking notice?

I do have a spare set of originals tires (no miles).

Amazon's description describes this as running at 1720 RPM which is equal to Makita's MAC2400 product which runs at half this one's speed (and is quieter as a result).

NOTE THIS ITEM RUNS AT 3420 RPM AND HAS A SLIGHTLY LARGER BORE THAN THE MAC2400 - SO EXPECT IT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LOUDER.

I purchased this tool in June, 2008. It arrived from Amazon in perfect condition. After the initial 'break-in' period I used it a few times for minor chores around the shop. No problems. The problems began when I took it outside. For a machine this heavy it has lousy plastic wheels which not only bent out of shape, the axle they ride on also bent. I am not abusive with my tools and take reasonable care when handling them. Also, one of the plastic gauge covers cracked. In addition, the plastic shroud that goes over the compressor rattles like crazy and probably makes twice as much noise as this machine needs to make. Simply an observation of mine of poor design. But the real problem was the way in which Makita service treats you when you need help. The parts to replace were simple to swap out, and relatively inexpensive. The service rep I spoke with wanted me to drive this compressor 60 miles each way to have an authorized service center look at them to determine whether they "really failed" or not. In the past if I had a problem with heavy equipment that was easily repaired at my end the parts would be shipped free of charge, assuming the item was under warranty (it is). The rep further argued with me that the wheels simply "wore out" from usage. I explained to him I hadn't used this tool for more than a total of 20 hours and that that was an unreasonable assumption regarding the wheels. His next argument was that "Makita only warrants the motor on these tools and the rest is up to me - at my expense, to have repaired." Unbelievable. The warranty clearly states the entire tool is warranted for one year. Makita's have always made good tools in the past, but I would strongly recommend you look elsewhere if considering this tool, or any other from Makita. Their service center is abysmal. I can understand them not having the sharpest tacks handling the phone calls. But at least know your products and their respective warranties. No more Makita tools in this shop. This was a poor choice on my part.

My MAC5200 made a lot of racket when I first started it. I shut it down and checked it over, then tryed again. More racket until I put my hand on the compressor unit. It got quiet. Checking some more, I found that there were no mounting bolts to mount the compressor to the frame. I called Makita and they couldn't believe it. I could hardly believe it myself. They sent the four bolts to me overnight. I couldn't get them in because of the plastic heat shield. Its holes didn't line up properly, but the holes are not critical to holding the heat shield in place, so I burned the holes bigger with a soldiering iron. After that the bolts went in easily. Now my MAC5200 purrs sweetly. I love it. I have not had a problem with the wheels on my machine. It pumps the tank to 150 psi in about two minutes and will hold the pressure overnight with little if any leakage. I run roofing and framing nail guns and other air tools with it. As I said, I love it.

I purchased the MAC5200, after reading all the reviews - including several very negative ones...
To offset those - here is mine.
The shipment arrived in a pristine carton - by UPS.
The compressor was pristine in every way - not a scratch or blemish.
The unpack, setup and initial no pressure break in procedure took less that 30 minutes. The compressor performed flawlessly.
This compressor is SO much better and smaller than those I had in the past, I was shocked.
This lubricated 3hp is much quieter than my former unlubricated 2.5hp, and puts out more air at the higher pressures PSI.

For harry homeowner, it doesn't get much better than this.
It's compact, with sufficient space under cover to store fittings, gages, etc, four corner hooks to handle 50' of air hose and two front hook to hang either a second shorter hose or a couple of air tools.

Handle can be folded down, to put unit into a car trunk, or under a shop table - and STILL BE FUNCTIONAL in the handle down mode.

I haven't tried all my tools with this compressor, but it did drive my biggest air hog with no problem at all.

Since my compressor will spend 95% of the time in my garage or nearby - I don't anticipate any wheel breakage problem - even though the wheels are plastic injection molded.

All things considered - Price, Compressor output, built in features, compactness, portability and all controls including easy to use ball valve drain cock accessible from the front -- this compressor delivered for ~ $300 is a very good buy.

I am completely satisfied with this compressor.

Recovery is VERY quick. I use it for finish work, and it recovers fast. The only complaint I have, and it is minor, is it is a little front heavy when you wheel it due to the length of the compressor protruding from the handle. But it's still not that bad, I just needed to find something.

Not complaining about the wheels either, but when it comes time to replace it, I'll get rubber wheels for it.

I thought about the DeWalt compressor, but heard from others outside of amazon it's not that great, and they like my Makita better and wish they had bought it.

By the way, the hose storage, and the storage compartment on it are nice complements, and great for storing nails and accessories. Having an oiled unit should make it last longer. I had a sealed unit before, didn't last all that long.

Pass on the DeWalt and buy this one.

*******Update******

July 13 2010


I just wanted to say that this compressor has been a reliable product. I have had absolutely no problems with it, it runs well, recovers just as fast as day one, and as far as the solid hard rubber wheels? they have held up well and have shown no signs of wear whatsoever, even after a year or so of usage...and of course, you never need to air them, so not so bad of an idea there... even after wheeling it over rough terrain and in and out of many sites they have held up nicely and it is easy to wheel.

Get this one, you will be completely satisfied.

I've been using this compressor for 1 year now. Though some of the early reviews mentioned shipping and wheel damage, I had no such experience. Like many of the newer reviews, it arrived in fine shape so I suspect that the packaging has evolved over time.

Initially I bought it to work on a truck with some serious air-sucking impact wrenches. If you're in a closed garage, it can be loud if you're close. Generally it is located across the garage from me, and I just let a 3/8" air hose lie across the garage floor.

Performance has always been spectacular. I suspect I will never need another compressor.

It arrived in a dented up box.
Miraculously, only the Makita label was scraped when I opened the box.

I'm just happy Makita isn't in the moving business. They know nothing about packing and shipping. This machine needs to be crated, no way around it. Cardboard is not up to the task.

ANYWAY. The compressor is awesome. It's reasonably quiet, and so far I've tested with a 16g, a 18g, and a crown stapler. I also used a cheapo cutting wheel with it, and it actually had enough capacity to do a larger cut, and kept going pretty well when the compressor kicked on.

The wheels. Well guys, they're plastic cr@p. The good news is they can be replaced with minimal effort, and a trip to the mower shop for parts. If you CAN'T replace them yourself, you probably shouldn't be buying a tool like this anyway. I still have the originals on, but I picked up a a set of metal hub/solid rubber with caps for later on. At the price I got it at, including shipping, I'm not going to write off the tool because I had to spend $10 to upgrade it.

I certainly didn't really need this much power, and probably could have made do with one of the Porter Cable combo specials, but I don't like to bring a knife to a gunfight. I'm going to be doing some deck work soon, and I wanted something that would drive a framing nailer without flinching. I think I made the right choice.

If you're reading this Mr. Makita, besides the wheels, the one cool thing that I would like to see on this tool is a hose reel. There is enough room to mount a hose reel on the back of the handle. As soon as I get a chance to see my friend the welder, I may add one myself.

Just received my Mac5200 unit and happy to report that all my worries concerning shipping damages were euphorically put to rest. I wanted to order this unit for some time but kept deferring purchase because of the damage reports.
My unit was shipped out of Allentown, PA via DHL - that's right DHL (I still can't believe it). Although it was boxed in cardboard both the box and unit were undamaged. There were two minor blemishes to the paint on the tank but nothing to even be concerned with.
Kudos to DHL - box was in showroom condition - great job. Same to Amazon if they have changed carrier to solve shipping problems.
Now to the unit - awesome!!! A container of compressor oil was included - filled the oil reserve and went to "initial startup procedure" on page 10 of owner's manual. Was somewhat confused by Step 1 - open the "air receiver's drain value". What the %^*& is a air receiver's drain value??? I know what the Drain Valve or Cock at the bottom of the tank is - but was I missing something? A fast call to Makita's service center confirmed to open drain valve on tank for the no-load break in. Other than that all was fine.
Unit is heavier than appears and the noise level is impressively quietier than expected (at least in my garage for the break-in period).
I think I'll be very pleased with this compressor if everything remains as positive as the initial impressions. Oh, almost forget to add my comments on the wheels. The actual tires are not plastic as I thought from reading some reviews. Mine are rubber of some type, although not inflatable. The wheels or spokes sound plastic when tapped but these can easily be replaced if needed.
My initial impressions are ALL favorable. Just wished I hadn't waited so long or worried so much. I would request DHL for carrier.