Just purchased Metabo PE12-175

ZoranC- Hope you like it, bet you will.



A few of us seem to have been bitten by the Metabo bug lately...I got mine a little while ago too. In some ways I really like it but in others I find I prefer the Makita. I think of it as a box wrench/open-end wrench type of comparison, good to have options.
 
gben said:
What separates the metabo from any other make of rotary? Is it smaller ,easier to handle?
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Yes, smaller, weights less, perfectly balanced, great torque, GREAT MACHINE!



Congrats for getting it :up
 
Accumulator said:
ZoranC- Hope you like it, bet you will.



A few of us seem to have been bitten by the Metabo bug lately...I got mine a little while ago too. In some ways I really like it but in others I find I prefer the Makita. I think of it as a box wrench/open-end wrench type of comparison, good to have options.
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Thank you all for congratulations!



Accumulator: Thank you, I too hope I will like it. Considering I have no experience with any rotary it will take me while to be able to form competent opinion on this one and even then I still won't have reference point with Makita. Could you please elaborate your cons and pros of Metabo vs. Makita? Thank you in advance!
 
ZoranC said:
Thank you all for congratulations!



Accumulator: Thank you, I too hope I will like it. Considering I have no experience with any rotary it will take me while to be able to form competent opinion on this one and even then I still won't have reference point with Makita. Could you please elaborate your cons and pros of Metabo vs. Makita? Thank you in advance!
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ZORAN - are you from Jugoslavia?



How much did you pay for it?



Never mind Accumulator :D



The metabo is the better mashine. Key Reason: LIGHT WEIGHT.



Just enjoy.
 
ZoranC said:
Accumulator: Thank you, I too hope I will like it. Considering I have no experience with any rotary it will take me while to be able to form competent opinion on this one and even then I still won't have reference point with Makita. Could you please elaborate your cons and pros of Metabo vs. Makita?
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Speaking of "competent opinions", note that I am *NOT* one of Autopia's resident rotary-meisters :o So take the following in the proper context:



I bought the Metabo in part because I simply don't like using the Makita all that much. It's not something I look forward to the way I can enjoy using my Cyclo. So I thought I'd treat myself to a supposedly more user-friendly rotary; TOL sells the Metabo and Irene thought I'd like it so ka-ching goes the cash register at TOL and I don't regret the purchase.



The Metabo *is* better balanced and a bit lighter and easier to handle. Not a huge difference but yeah, it handles better (note that I do *not* use the side handle on any of these machines, just a personal preference). These seemingly minor benefits could be *much* more significant to somebody else; I first used a Milwaukee (way) back in the day and anything is light and handy compared to that.



Two things I prefer about the Makita- the trigger and the position of the speed-control dial.



The Makita's trigger allows the user to feather the power on/off and to control the speed via the trigger as well as by the speed-control. And the trigger is (sensibly enough) positioned right where you'd expect it to be- underneath the machine where your index finger is naturally. The Metabo has a simple (binary) on/off switch with a "gentle start/stop" characteristic. It's positioned on top of the machine similar to the switch on the PC and I just don't like it being there; I have to change my hand position (from where I have it when polishing) to operate the switch which is a bit inconvenient and it's easier for me to have an "oops" when doing this.



Similar criticism of the speed-control: it's located on the end of the machine similar to the one on the PC. I occasionally like to adjust the speed while I'm working (remember, the Metabo's on/off switch won't effect speed adjustment like the Makita's trigger) and I have to reposition my hand to operate the control and I can't see it while doing this. The speed control on the Makita is on top of the machine where I find it easy to reach with my thumb (no repositioning of that hand) and it's easy to see.



Note that these are entirely personal-preference issues and that I tend to be set in my ways. I never liked the ergonomics of the PC and the Metabo is, to me, sorta like a rotary version of the PC. I certainly don't intend to get you (or anybody else) second-guessing their decision to buy the thing, and I was cognizant of these "issues" before I ordered mine. As I work (now and then, on and off) on rotarying the M3, there are times I reach for the Metabo and times when I reach for the Makita.



Oh, one genuine criticism of the Metabo- it has a two-prong plug (the Makita has a three-prong) and for the life of me I can't get it to stay connected to my extension cords without using one of those gizmos that hold such things together. Can't remember the last time something vexed me like this, but the plastic gizmo that holds things in place solves the problem.
 
tdekany said:
ZORAN - are you from Jugoslavia?



How much did you pay for it?



Never mind Accumulator :D
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Yes and no.



$231.99 total.



I hold Accumulator in high regard, when he talks I listen and go over it more than once.
 
[quote name='ZoranC']Yes and no.



$231.99 total.



I hold Accumulator in high regard,
So do I. I was joking. With a new toy like the metabo you don't want to think that you may have made the wrong choice.



Trust me that when you are holding the buffer to a vertical panel you will hate the makita due to its weight.
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Accumulator, thank you for your input. I am glad to hear your hands on experience confirms my "non hands on impressions".



Yes, I was aware of the switch/control positioning when I was making purchase decision. Usually things like that drive me nuts as I am big on design (ergonomics, simplicty, and ease of use). I hate with passion bad designs as they are harder on me and I don't see reason why things should be hard for me. After all, with all modern technology good designs are achievable, it's not like we have been making tools just few years now.



So, positioning of them on Metabo was not making me happy. However, certain aspects of Makita's design were leaving me with impression (I say "impression" because one can know for sure what is the case only after finishing several cars with it, and not many of us get to test drive the tools before purchasing them) that they will be leaving me much more unhappy than positioning of switches would and that my body will like Metabo more. So I went with Metabo.



Now "only" three things are left to accomplish:



1) Get it in my hands. :D



2) Have some better weather, which shouldn't take long :D



3) Actually achieve satisfactory result with it without messing up anything :D
 
tdekany said:
So do I. I was joking.
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I know you were. But when it comes to him I can't say it even in a joke (Accumulator, does this meet my brownie points quota for this millenium?)



tdekany said:
With a new toy like the metabo you don't want to think that you may have made the wrong choice.
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I wasn't doubting the choice because I read all posts on it I could come across. I just wanted to gather input from somebody whose input is always very valuable (Accumulator, does this make it two milleniums worth?)



tdekany said:
Trust me that when you are holding the buffer to a vertical panel you will hate the makita due to its weight.
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I trust you. That (weight/balance) was one of driving reasons toward Metabo for me. I know what hurts my body (injured back and right elbow) and I make decisions taking that into account. Now you also know what I don't like about PC and why I would be willing to spend more on something that shakes my arm less (but still accepts standard backing plates).
 
Ain't it funny no has mentioned DeWalt? When I was shopping for a rotary I bought the Makita cause I was very impressed by their cordless drills. Same price as DeWalt and lighter. The Matabo looks like a very nice machine, good luck and IF I could give you a little advice, you won't have an OH SH@T moment at first - it's when you "think" you have it down, get cocky and ignor a basic safety rule - then opps! Always tape around trim!
 
Heh heh, "Brownie Points quota for the Millenium" :chuckle:



Glad everyone's cool with my (admittedly *initial*) impressions about the differences between the two rotaries. And yeah, after having used that Milwaukee back when I was a youngster I appreciate every bit of weight savings!



I wish somebody would put together a rotary with all the features just the way *I* think they oughta be, but hey the world doesn't seem to revolve around my happiness (too bad, that :D ).



ZoranC- Glad to see you gave proper consideration to all the various "features" of the different rotaries. See what you think once you actually use the thing...not having used the Makita/Dewalt style I bet you'll adapt to the Metabo better than I have.



tdekany- Yeah, I *was* worried that I'd come across like a bucket of cold water :o This whole "no way to test-drive" issue is why I once floated the idea of an "Autopia Tool Rental" program, but it never got off the ground.



Junebug- So true...that "once you think you have it down, get cocky.." and not just with rotary polishing of cars either ;)
 
I have received my Metabo today and my experience with vendor was positive one. For those that have inquired (please let me know if I am breaking any rules by doing so, I apologize in advance if I do) I ordered it from Contractors Tool Supply, Tools & Fasteners for the Construction Industry



Price was $231.99 and free shipping which made it lowest bottom line price I am aware of. Customer service (from Randy) was nice and helpful. Ordering through site doesn't provide automatic tracking # and order status update but that didn't show to be an issue. Order was "drop ship" directly from Metabo. I placed order Friday after business hours and it was on it's way to me by Tuesday afternoon.



All in all I am very happy with the experience. If you do end up ordering from them I would appreciate if you could say to Randy that Zoran sent you. It doesn't make any difference for anything but it is my way of continuous display that being nice results in nice.
 
I received my Metabo nearly 2 weeks ago and since then it's just taken up space on my shelf. :( Hopefully I'll get a shot at the car with it soon, perhaps next week. First of all, the weather's been a bear lately, but the biggest thing is my car is back in the shop yet again, this time for a new rear bumper after an encounter with a road gator. I don't even want to say how many times my car's been in a body shop in the past year.
 
LastDetail said:
What in the world is a road gator?
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Bad slang for a semi retread. We hit one 2 weeks ago at night on the highway. It was curled up in a circle, almost like a full tire laying in the center of the lane. We were coming over a slight crest in the road and saw it at the last second, with a truck on one side and a guard rail on the other so there was no place to dodge it. It went under the car with only a light scuff or two to the front bumper, tore off the front air dam back under the bumper, then tore lose the right side of the rear bumper. The state trooper who responded so I'd have a report for my insurance company said he knew to look for it and he nearly hit it as well.



$%^# retreads. :wall

0205070938.jpg


I tried to tape up the bumper to keep it from dragging the rest of the way home but it was too cold for the tape to stick. I just tied it in a knot about the bumper and put the roll in the trunk. Fingers crossed that it will be back from the body shop by the end of the week.



BTW,if you google "truck retreads" you'll mostly come up with industry sites spouting how retreads don't really cause problems. Yeah right, and I'm blind when I see all the rubber on the side of the highway. They claim most problems are caused by underinflation and damage from foreign objects, but the carefully avoid addressing whether or not retreads are more susceptible to this kind of damage. I think the evidence on the shoulders of America's highways speaks for itself. They go on and on about how great retreads are because they save the industry so much money, but they'd change their tune if the somehow were liable for all the damage done by these curses to smaller vehicles. One of my fears back when I had my Gold Wing was that a truck in front of me would spit out a tread.



[/rant]
 
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