[Efthreeoh]

There are a lot of threads on this subject. Here's the short of it. The most economical and best suited for real mechanical work is an above ground 2-post lift. They basically come in two versions, with the cables and hydraulics either running over the top of the columns, or on the floor between the columns under a guard plate. Most need a 12' ceiling height. Bend pack makes one for a 9' ceiling. These lifts need a minimum of 4" slab and 3,000 psi concrete. They use 240VAC power, but Rotary does now have a 12V DC (car battery) powered system. Depending on what manufacturer you go with, $4,500 installed is a good ball park top number.

The MaxJack, and QuickJacks are nice, but are compromises. A real full size lift let's you stand on your feet comfortably for hours at a time and gives you access to all parts of the chassis. Once you experience working on a car standing comfortably on your feet, you will not go back to kneeling during brake work, or on your back dropping a transmission.

If you want storage capability over mechanical accessibility then a 4-post is a better choice.

I have a Rotary SPOA 10. It's a 10,000 pound, asymeterical two-post. I've had it for 14 years and it's saved me over $20K in shop labor.