Atlas AP-6XR Review: Extra Reach 6,000-lb Parking Lift

Atlas is the house brand of Greg Smith Equipment in Indianapolis, and the AP-6XR is the extended-reach member of its 6,000 lb range. The numbers: 6,000 lb, a 112 in by 96 in platform, 84 in of drive-on width, a 72 in rise, a 7 in lowered height, automatic mechanical locks, 2,050 lb crated, around $3,899.

The 112 in platform is the reason it exists. Long, light vehicles are the case: a Model S has a 116 in wheelbase, a Charger 120 in, a Mercedes E-Class wagon 116 in, a Chrysler 300 120 in. On a 104 or 106 in deck those put the tires near the ends; on 112 in they sit where the platform is strongest. All of them weigh 4,000 to 4,800 lb, inside the 6,000 lb rating with margin.

What the AP-6XR does not do is take a heavier or wider vehicle. An 84 in deck fits a Model S at 77 in with 3.5 in per side and a Charger at 75 in comfortably, and nothing at 80 in or more. The 6,000 lb rating leaves a Grand Cherokee at 4,800 lb inside but with 1,200 lb of margin against the AP-7's 2,200 lb.

The minimum ceiling is 11 ft 6 in, or 138 in, with a 72 in rise. That leaves 66 in of headroom on the upper platform at the minimum ceiling before an opener or light fixture is subtracted. A Model S at 57 in fits with 9 in to spare, a Charger at 58 in fits, a wagon at 58 to 60 in fits. A crossover at 66 in or more does not fit at the minimum ceiling, and the AP-6XR is not the lift for one anyway.

Below the platform, the deck underside at full rise is about 65 in off the floor, which takes any car and most compact crossovers.

The extended platform adds a depth requirement that the standard lifts do not have. A 112 in deck plus fold-down approach ramps needs room in front of the columns, and a 20 ft deep garage with a workbench or storage along the back wall may not have it once a 197 in Model S is parked underneath. Tape the footprint on the floor with both vehicles in place before ordering. The cons list is right that the extra length is the AP-6XR's cost as well as its feature.

At 2,050 lb the AP-6XR is a moderate install, a full day for an experienced crew of two, with the longer platform sections the only difference from a standard 6,000 lb lift. Greg Smith Equipment has no installer network, so the buyer hires a local lift installer or a capable crew and works from the Atlas manual, which is functional and better organized than the Triumph or Forward books, with the company's phone support behind it.

The sequence is the class standard: anchor the columns plumb into 4 in of 3,000 psi concrete, bolt the platform together on the floor, hang it on the carriages, run the hydraulic line, set the equalizer cables for level travel along the full 112 in, and confirm the locks engage on every rise. The longer deck shows cable imbalance more than a short one, so the leveling step deserves patience.

Power is 220V single phase on a dedicated circuit. With freight, an electrician and a hired crew the project runs around $5,000 to $5,400. The finish is the listed weakness: the powder coat is thinner than BendPak's and the deck edges will chip, so touch-up paint goes on the yearly list.

The AP-6XR parks its load on automatic mechanical locks in both columns that engage as the platform rises, so the stored car sits on steel and the hydraulics carry load only during travel. The circuit has a check valve against pump failure, a flow control on descent and a manual lowering valve for a power outage. That is the standard layout and it is the same as the AP-7 and AP-9XL.

There is no ALI/ETL certification. The 6,000 lb rating is Atlas's own figure, not one verified by an independent lab to the ANSI/ALI ALCTV standard. On most lifts in this group the missing listing is offset by a lower price. On the AP-6XR it is not: the BendPak PL-6000 is the same $3,899, is certified, has the same 84 in deck and 72 in rise, needs the same 11 ft 6 in ceiling and comes with a dealer network. The BendPak's deck is 6 in shorter, and that is the entire trade. A buyer whose vehicle needs the 112 in is choosing the Atlas; a buyer whose vehicle does not is paying for length and giving up the sticker for nothing.

Maintenance is the usual yearly list: cables, lock engagement on every rise, anchor torque, seals.

The Atlas AP-7 is the same distributor's 7,000 lb lift at around $3,699: a 110 in by 98 in deck, 86 in of width, 72 in of rise, an 11 ft 8 in ceiling, 2,200 lb. It costs $200 less than the AP-6XR, has 2 in more width and 1,000 lb more capacity, and gives up only 2 in of platform length and 2 in of ceiling headroom. For almost every household that is the better Atlas, and the AP-6XR's case rests on 2 in of deck and a garage that measures exactly 11 ft 6 in.

The AP-9XL is the Atlas for a long vehicle that is also heavy: 9,000 lb, a 120 in by 106 in deck, 94 in of width, around $4,799. A long-wheelbase truck goes there, not on the AP-6XR.

The BendPak PL-6000 at the same $3,899 is certified, dealer-supported and 6 in shorter. Our ranking for a long-sedan household: AP-7 first on value, PL-6000 first on certification, AP-6XR only when the wheelbase forces the 112 in deck and the ceiling rules out the AP-7.