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  1. #31

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    Thanks for the explanation. Would the time saved by going straight for a Flex be worth the difference in price? I mean, are we talking 3 or 4 hours saved on a job by going with the Flex over Griots? It sounds like for sure the Griots is the superior piece of equipment based on the entry level power comparisons. So for me it is either Griots or this.

  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by John_K
    Thanks for the explanation. Would the time saved by going straight for a Flex be worth the difference in price? I mean, are we talking 3 or 4 hours saved on a job by going with the Flex over Griots? It sounds like for sure the Griots is the superior piece of equipment based on the entry level power comparisons. So for me it is either Griots or this.


    IMO it`d probably depend on two things- 1) the hardness of the paint you`ll normally be working on (Audi/VW/GM, get the Flex) and 2) how often you`d feel the need to use 4" pads (the Flex only uses pads ~6" and larger).



    Noting that I`ve hardly used my Griot`s at all, and only for waxing so far....yeah, I can easily imagine the Flex saving at least 3-4 hours over the Griot`s. I can even imagine it being the difference between getting a job done at all or not.



    I could easily live without the Griot`s, doubt I`d miss it much at all (I`ve had it since Christmas and all I`ve done with it is one wax application/buff-off). But I`d simply *hate* to be without the Flex; I`d be back to doing a lot of my correction by rotary in its absence. I can`t remember what the Flex cost, but it was absolutely worth it to me (says the guy with *eight* other polishers).

  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator
    bert31- Sorry, didn`t mean to be inscrutable I just meant that whenever somebody already has a polisher and wants another one, the Flex 3401 comes to mind.


    Gotcha and agree completely.

  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator
    IMO it`d probably depend on two things- 1) the hardness of the paint you`ll normally be working on (Audi/VW/GM, get the Flex) and 2) how often you`d feel the need to use 4" pads (the Flex only uses pads ~6" and larger).



    Noting that I`ve hardly used my Griot`s at all, and only for waxing so far....yeah, I can easily imagine the Flex saving at least 3-4 hours over the Griot`s. I can even imagine it being the difference between getting a job done at all or not.



    I could easily live without the Griot`s, doubt I`d miss it much at all (I`ve had it since Christmas and all I`ve done with it is one wax application/buff-off). But I`d simply *hate* to be without the Flex; I`d be back to doing a lot of my correction by rotary in its absence. I can`t remember what the Flex cost, but it was absolutely worth it to me (says the guy with *eight* other polishers).


    Thanks again for the fast response, I`ll be sure to save up for a Flex starter Kit! I found one on Autogeek with a bag and 3 pads for $330.



    I know I can make a lot more in my detailing business if I offer swirl removal, and I also know that the quality of my waxes will go up with a buffer too!! So to me, this is definitely an important purchase. I want to do it right the first time.

  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by John_K
    Another question or two from a newb to this: Why upgrade to the Flex? Does it just have so much more power that it can be used on even the most difficult swirls?


    One of the biggest reasons for me to get a Flex (besides the fact that I was able to get a used one so cheap) was the ability to adequately correct paint using 6 or 6.5 inch pads. If you read many of the threads on here, many posters (Accumulator especially) will state that to get real correction with a PC/PCXP/UDM/G110/Griots is to use 4 inch pads due to the limited power of those machines. When you are using a four inch pad, you are not covering alot of area while polishing and that can make correcting paint a really slow process.



    The Flex has more than enough power to handle 6 or 6.5 inch pads so with using a larger pad, the Flex having forced rotation, and the Flex having faster orbits, you will get the job done much quicker.



    I like using large pads so much I will often take care of a hood, roof, trunk, door or other very large/flat panel with an 8 inch pad on my rotary. 8 inch pads do not work to well on a Flex due to the counter weight designed for 6 inch pads.



    Quote Originally Posted by John_K
    Is it a D/A buffer as well?


    The Flex is a Dual Action polisher. It both orbits and rotates unlike a rotary which only rotates.

  6. #36

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    ^^



    You know, this is kind of embarrassing to admit, but when I was a neophyte about a year ago, I bought an orbital buffer from Autozone (10 inches) for about $45 and used the "pad cover" on my car... Never again.

  7. #37

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    I have owned the flex 3401, and the pcxp, in the end I am more than satisfied with my griots polisher (the new model, never tried the old one). I feel there`s no need to spend that much money on the flex when you can get great results at rather quick speeds using the right pad and product on the griots polisher. Great price, outstanding results/quality/warranty. I vote griots, read accumulators posts and your set for the most part I would say when it comes to pain correction.

  8. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator
    Heh heh, the only people I can imagine saying *that* are vendors and armchair experts who`ve never actually used the thing







    Hey, that`s a good way to express it! Though I wouldn`t go so far as to call it "fun" :grinno:


    That hurts Accumulator :sadwavey:, but I understand where you are coming from. I`m just conveying some views of the newer Griots polisher I`ve heard. It seems everyone is pushing for the Flex, however how does a new user to polishing get use to such a powerful machine?



    All polishes & polishers aside, user knowledge & skill is so much more important.

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by SilvaBimma
    That hurts Accumulator :sadwavey:, but I understand where you are coming from...


    Oh jeeze...sorry I put it that way Every time I give in to the urge to be a smart-@$$ I seem to end up offending somebody, which is never my intention.



    Please accept my apology, I never intended for anyone here to take my comment personally and I sure didn`t mean it as a slam towards you.



    I just get frustrated by all the "I bought a PC/6.5" combo and it doesn`t fix anything!" posts.



    I`m just conveying some views of the newer Griots polisher I`ve heard...


    The same opinions are what prompted me to get the Griot`s (as a Christmas gift, I wasn`t about to spend my own money on it ). People had said how it doesn`t bog, it`s sooo much more powerful, etc. etc. Imagine my surprise when I had to be careful not to bog it down when just applying 845! Yeah, it *is* a lot better in this regard than either of my PCs, but it`ll still merely "jiggle" if I don`t watch the applied pressure (which sure wasn`t much when just applying/buffing off 845).



    It seems everyone is pushing for the Flex, however how does a new user to polishing get use to such a powerful machine?


    I might be in the minority here, but I don`t find the Flex all that powerful. Yeah, it has a bit of "recoil" and you have to put a little muscle behind it or it can "wander" on you. But it`s not any big deal *IMO*.



    BUT, note that I didn`t find the rotary all that big a deal either; first time I ever used on on B/C (and the first time I`d touched on in over 20 years) I just took it out of the box and did my beloved S8, no problems other than some light holgrams.



    I just don`t see car polishers as being all that big a challenge :nixweiss Yeah, doing a black car hologram-free via rotary is a huge challenge, one I can`t meet, but D/A and R/O type polishers always seem easy enough to me, other than getting sufficiently aggressive correction out of `em.




    All polishes & polishers aside, user knowledge & skill is so much more important.


    Yeah, no doubt :xyxthumbs



    But as I keep saying, *IMO* unless you`re doing something that`s *really* challenging for some reason, or something that`s borderline risky (or worse), or aiming for absolute perfection, it shouldn`t be a big deal. Those people I`ve lent my polisher(s) to, who do fine with zero experience/training/etc. probably don`t know *nearly* as much about this stuff as anybody who`s lurked here for a little while.

  10. #40
    JAFO Junebug's Avatar
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    Hey thanks for the review on the Griots, the "specs" look awsome, but real world experience is more important. I`m holding out for a Makita BO6040.
    All I have in this world is my word, and my balls and I don`t break `em for no one, you understand?"

  11. #41

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    Just got my Griot`s and DAMN. This thing has POWER. Love it. Can`t wait to see how it`ll make my car look after a full detail.

  12. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by snoboarder8232
    Just got my Griot`s and DAMN. This thing has POWER. Love it. Can`t wait to see how it`ll make my car look after a full detail.


    nice, keep us posted on how the detail turns out...

  13. #43

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    just placed a order for the GG and some sur buff pads
    04 cobra mystichrome Sold new home in AZ.

  14. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigAl3
    nice, keep us posted on how the detail turns out...
    Just did a 3 step detail on the hood of my car and the GG machine did a great job. I was not able to get the machine to bog down at all over setting 3. Crazy power. I do wish I could compare it to the PCXP and g110v2, however. It does seem a little loud to me on the higher settings (5, and 6) but I have nothing to compare it to.



    I could make a video for you guys if you`d like to see any tests done.

  15. #45

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    Quote Originally Posted by snoboarder8232
    Just did a 3 step detail on the hood of my car and the GG machine did a great job. I was not able to get the machine to bog down at all over setting 3. Crazy power. I do wish I could compare it to the PCXP and g110v2, however. It does seem a little loud to me on the higher settings (5, and 6) but I have nothing to compare it to.



    I could make a video for you guys if you`d like to see any tests done.


    thanks for the update. if you could, please make a small video of it on each speed setting (1-6) so some can get an idea...

 

 
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