View Full Version : Highline vs Positest DFT
white gecko
03-15-2010, 01:26 AM
Seems to me that both these gauges do the same thing. I was curious why one is 225 and one is 695?
What feature is separating them? I searched a bit but couldn`t find anything to answer this.
Envious Eric
03-24-2010, 03:30 PM
interested as well...
white gecko
03-24-2010, 03:36 PM
So with pages and pages of people discussing meters, nobody has info on this?
... the pages and pages of discussion tell you exactly what you`re asking...
white gecko
03-24-2010, 05:54 PM
... the pages and pages of discussion tell you exactly what you`re asking...
I have read through 15+ pages of that stuff and haven`t found a comparison between these two.
back up top.
I have read through 15+ pages of that stuff and haven`t found a comparison between these two.
back up top.
OK, well, short version:
Highline is great bang for the buck, but not nescessarily 100% accurate. Positest is more accurate and is built to ISO standards. Highline reads on ferrous material (steel and aluminum), Positest reads on non-ferrous as well.
Envious Eric
03-24-2010, 06:15 PM
soooo....
basically posi for corvettes and ferrari, etc
and highline for a general basis on metal cars
is that basically it?
I just purchased a HGII and it`s a really nice unit ...
I also own the HF paint meter and it`s also a decent unit for amateurs (even though they don`t make them anymore). The HGII is more accurate and sensitive to clearcoat thickness. The readings on the HF paint meter were 5-6 microns off (give or take) compared to my highline.
Tru_Shine
03-24-2010, 06:34 PM
well I like my highline meter II alot, but one day I will make it up to the Ultra sonic one that reads on any surface. and shows each layer`s thickness. which one does paul dalton use?
white gecko
03-24-2010, 06:46 PM
soooo....
basically posi for corvettes and ferrari, etc
and highline for a general basis on metal cars
is that basically it?
So the Positest works on Fiberglass panels then right?
Labster
03-24-2010, 06:46 PM
well I like my highline meter II alot, but one day I will make it up to the Ultra sonic one that reads on any surface. and shows each layer`s thickness. which one does paul dalton use?
not to trash Paul Dalton but there are better detailers out there. He is simply bar none one of the best at marketing for the detailing industry. If you want to look at truly amazing detailers simply look at people like Rydawg, Todd Cooperider, Todd Helme and some of the other great detailers you can find on here. Just my .02. In regards to paint meters, I use a High Line and have no problems with it.
soooo....
basically posi for corvettes and ferrari, etc
and highline for a general basis on metal cars
is that basically it?
Well, or spoilers of course, spoilers are rarely ferrous.
In a jist, yes, those are the main differences between the two meters. There is a LOT more to it than that though, folks who have researched in depth paint meters will have a lot more to say. Basically the Highline is the cheapest paint meter that, well, works. There`s a bigger margin of error on accuracy, and it can`t read on non-ferrous surfaces, but it`s cheap. The Positest is more accurate, and it can read on more surfaces, but it`s much more expensive.
Then you get into the really expensive meters that can tell you the readings on each layer, such as how much base coat there is vs clear coat. IMO, these are the real meters, and what we would all want. A total reading of "122 microns" doesn`t help me if the clear is only 1 micron thick... I`d personally want to know the depth of every single layer... But again, it all comes down to cost and what you`re willing to spend.
MarcHarris
03-24-2010, 08:38 PM
Jeff and DJ, Sorry I didn`t get to this thread earlier before all the misinformation was posted. As you guys might know, I`ve done quite a bit of research on topics like this.
The answer is: Very very little.
First off, allow me to undo the false information that WAS seems to be spilling all over this thread.
1. The Highline II reads on both types of metal - in our case for automotive use: aluminum and steel - just like the PosiTest "Combo" gauge.
2. Neither of these tools will read on fiberglass Corvette`s like a C6
3. Neither of these tools will read on carbon fiber (like many wings are made of) nor plastic (think bumpers/mirrors).
4. The Highline II (and "I" for that matter as well) is very accurate. If i remember the spec sheet correctly, it is actually listed as being just as accurate as the Positest.
When you get to higher end gauges, they usually have nicer housings/bodies (metal/rubber/better fitting), a more durable probe, can take readings faster, can store more readings, and may have a backlit LCD screen display.
Ultrasonic thickness gauges are very inaccurate are are in a different league. Feel free to search my name and thickness gauges together in a search here to read some of the other things I`ve posted.
Hope this helps -Marc
white gecko
03-24-2010, 10:48 PM
Thanks Marc. Now I will skip the Positest and get the Highline. I`m not paying $475 more for a nicer body and a backlit screen. What a ripoff.
Jeff and DJ, Sorry I didn`t get to this thread earlier before all the misinformation was posted. As you guys might know, I`ve done quite a bit of research on topics like this.
The answer is: Very very little.
First off, allow me to undo the false information that WAS seems to be spilling all over this thread.
1. The Highline II reads on both types of metal - in our case for automotive use: aluminum and steel - just like the PosiTest "Combo" gauge.
2. Neither of these tools will read on fiberglass Corvette`s like a C6
3. Neither of these tools will read on carbon fiber (like many wings are made of) nor plastic (think bumpers/mirrors).
4. The Highline II (and "I" for that matter as well) is very accurate. If i remember the spec sheet correctly, it is actually listed as being just as accurate as the Positest.
When you get to higher end gauges, they usually have nicer housings/bodies (metal/rubber/better fitting), a more durable probe, can take readings faster, can store more readings, and may have a backlit LCD screen display.
Ultrasonic thickness gauges are very inaccurate are are in a different league. Feel free to search my name and thickness gauges together in a search here to read some of the other things I`ve posted.
Hope this helps -Marc
Excuse me... un-do false information I`m "spilling" ?
The Positest reads on copper and brass too, so yes, it DOES read on more surfaces than the Highline.
The Positest is ISO certified, as in the gauge itself. Highline only lists their REPAIR facility as ISO certified, their gauge itself is not. It`s good marketing, they state "ISO certified" and everyone thinks it`s the same thing that Positest is talking about, yet it isn`t.
That said, I`m still a fan of the Highline, I think you get the best "bang for your buck" with it. That said, I generally don`t yap about things I know absolutely nothing about, so thanks, but I`m not "spilling" misinformation into the thread. Honestly, your opinion is of one person who`s done a little bit of research into the devices. After that last 6 pager thread where you posted the "end all facts" (that`s how you come off when you post), I did some research of my own. These gauges are NOT "basically all the same", and I question some of your opinions and things you state as fact.