Posted by HSH/WA on 11/28/12 11:44pm
Msg #444998

Is it worth the cost to be able to print in the car?

Last EOM it would have come in handy to be able to print docs in the car. But it is not cheap to set up and to maintain the ability to get docs out in the field and no SC is going to pay you more to do it. But it may allow you to do a few more loans a month by not having to run back to the house - especially late docs. It could pay for itself very quickly. What do you think?

Reply by JanetK_CA on 11/29/12 12:03am
Msg #444999

That's a very individual decision. Lots of different variables will affect what is worth it and what isn't, including your geographic area, population density, your base of business, the type(s) of clients you have, etc. I suggest you thoroughly research what your costs would be and track your business volume - and turned away business - for a good while. Be realistic with yourself about what additional business you would have been able to accept if you did have mobile capabilities in your car, then do the math. That may be enough info for you to make a decision about what would work best for you.

Hopefully others - especially those who have tried it - will have more insight for you.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 11/29/12 12:17am
Msg #445000

I agree with Janet it is really an individual decision.
I do loans, at the most, 15 miles (30 round trip) area and I can usually get back pretty quickly to print. Certainly not always but most. Riverside CA

If I were in rural area or in a traffic nightmare area I would probably have had a printer in my car years ago.

I will be buying the wireless Brother printer J8710DW, Marian suggested, that can be printed by the Brother app I have on my IPhone.

I would love to start the printing process by phone and just walk in the office and grab the docs and go, when necessary!!

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 11/29/12 5:04am
Msg #445004

In the past I've had a laser printer/inverter in my car and I'm not in a rural area. Baltimore is huge and to print from the car saved me on gas and time. It IS an individual choice, if your in a big city and cover a lot of mileage it does pay. The investment was about $1200.00 just for the inverter and installation and I bought a two drawer laser printer. It paid for itself in a very short time and relieved me of stress having to drive back to my office to print. I don't have one in my new car but I'm entertaining doing it again in the spring if business continues to be strong. The one downfall is if you forget to turn off the inverter after printing you can burn up your electrical system so be very careful.

Reply by JamesLee/VA on 11/29/12 6:19am
Msg #445007

Its absolutely worth the cost for me. Pure Sine inverters have dropped 50% in price.

Parts List
My Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 1000W True Sinewave Inverter $275.00 off Amazon.
HP 2015 dual tray $70 off craigslist.
12 ft of 4 gauge battery wire (Any Thinner and it wont handle the wattage) cut in 2 6 foot sections $25 Found at any camper supply store.
Raptor RANL2002 200 Amp ANL Fuse $6.06 Amazon
Scosche EWFH Single ANL Fuse Holder $6.95
Professionally installed by a mechanic or stereo guy $150-$200

Optional Xantrex Remote Panel w/25' Cable f/ProWatt SW Inverter $27 (Kill switch that saves your battery in the event you forget to turn it off.

I did end up installing an Optima Deep cycle Yellow top Battery because my battery was a Walmart that needed to be changed. Its a $250 battery that has gel cells that last up to 8 years. This is only an option though.

Well worth the money spent on both gas and jobs I have been able to grab because I did not have to factor in the travel time to print.

If you would like pictures..PM me and Ill send them..of the set up

JLee

Reply by JamesLee/VA on 11/29/12 6:25am
Msg #445008

Side Note on Printers

Through my trial an error I have found that the 1000W inverter will only handle a laser that has a print output of 23PPM or less. Once you to a faster print speed, the printer requires more continuous wattage. You also have to take in account the surge. That's what usually pops the fuse. If your printer uses a continuous wattage output of 400, figure on a 800W surge.

If I had to do it over, Id probably go to 1500 or 2000 watts..but my 1000W works perfectly with what I have.
All inverters are not made equally!!

Anyone needing more pointers can PM me with specific questions!!

Reply by James Morgan on 11/29/12 5:22pm
Msg #445077

Re: Side Note on Printers

I've had one in my SUV for 4 years. I took my standby HP1320tn, hooked it up to a 1500watt inverter (it maxes out at 340 watts, but better safe than sorry) and have my laptop aboard.
I did this because I missed out on about $300 dollars one day at EOM because I was too far away from home to do it. I leave the printer in the car, covered up and hidden, of course as I use this almost exclusively for closings. Honestly, I have literally made hundreds and hundreds of dollars with this set up and will keep it as it is. I notified all the SS's and TC's that I had a mobile set up, so they know if I'm in a certain area, I will be able to handle others in the same area. It has worked out beautifully. Other companies call as well and I can handle the assignment if I'm even remotely close to the area and am not booked already.
I wouldn't even THINK about printing while moving/driving for several obvious reasons. And printers are designed to be stationary while printing and I can imagine the stress put on the printer trying to use it while moving.
I just pull in somewhere, stop, download the docs to my laptop then print them. Just don't forget to bring alona enough paper as I did one time.

Reply by OR on 11/29/12 10:46am
Msg #445025

Re:My 2 cents--I used to print in my car--Im way over it now

My 1000 watt inverter was hard wired to the battery. I traded in that car for a better mileage car. Husband said he would not out the inverter in the new car. I used it about 7 times and the 4 years I had that car. The worse thing is the paper never stays put, pages slide all over and make a mess of the package. To start off with You have pack up you laptop and printer and take it to the car. Start your car first then hook it all up again. Turn it all on. Log into the Internet and then sometimes log into the site, just like in your office then start printing Now you are ready to leave for the signing. As You drive you listen to see if papers keeps printing. If it stops... then you have to pull over to check why it stopped. You fix what ever is needed and then you start driving again. No matter how romantic printing is while you are driving at 70 mph down the freeway...it is not. However I can print on the fly. Now I just pack up load up. Unpack when I get into the borrowers home, hook it all up and start signing when the first few pages come out and I have a nice chat with them. They are always happy to have me there. Now in the last year this has only happened to me a 2 times. Gook Luck in what you decide.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 11/29/12 11:58am
Msg #445039

Re: Re:My 2 cents--I used to print in my car--Im way over it now

Just a word of caution... I brought a printer to a borrower's home once - borrower was NOT HAPPY. She called her loan officer and threw me under the bus right there in front of me. I completed the closing but lost a client over it. According to reviews on this forum, that same client developed into a non-payer so it was not a total loss for me. That experience cured me of wanting to print on the go.

Reply by OR on 11/29/12 12:44pm
Msg #445052

Re: Copperhead sorry that happened to you...

I have read about that same thing happening to other Notaries on this site. I have learned to let let the hiring party know before I pack up and go that I can print on site. They say yes or no. I guess that saved me grief. It is easy to do when you call (not everytime)and doc's are late (very late) and you are still waiting and now your driving time late. Hope that helps