I don't get it (about Porter Cable kits)...

silverfox

silverfox

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If you look at a majority of Porter Cable "kits" on here, most of them include the 6.5" CCS pads (Wolfgang/Porter Cable for example)...YET the consensus of detailers is that the 5.5" pads are preferred (over the 6.5" pads).

I called this morning and asked if I could replace the 6.5" CCS pads (included in the Wolfgang Kit) with 5.5" flat pads.

Answer: "NO...the kits are pre-packed for shipment". OK, BYE...

What ever happened to the "the customer is always right"? way of doing business. I was hoping to get the Columbus day discount....but I don't want the 6.5" CCS pads...
 
I agree, I'm not really sure why they push the 6.5" pads, when the 5.5" pads are more effective with the PC. :dunno:
 
I'm guessing it's because those are slow moving products (the sizes). They pack it with kits in order to sell them faster. It's normal business practice. :)
 
silverfox said:
...
I called this morning and asked if I could replace the 6.5" CCS pads (included in the Wolfgang Kit) with 5.5" flat pads.

Answer: "NO...the kits are pre-packed for shipment". OK, BYE...
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Try sending Meghan or Dwayne a PM. Maybe they can help. Even if they can't, I think it is still worth a try.
 
Keep us posted. I'm curious if they will end up swapping out the pads for you.
 
silverfox said:
If you look at a majority of Porter Cable "kits" on here, most of them include the 6.5" CCS pads (Wolfgang/Porter Cable for example)...YET the consensus of detailers is that the 5.5" pads are preferred (over the 6.5" pads).

I called this morning and asked if I could replace the 6.5" CCS pads (included in the Wolfgang Kit) with 5.5" flat pads.

Answer: "NO...the kits are pre-packed for shipment". OK, BYE...

What ever happened to the "the customer is always right"? way of doing business. I was hoping to get the Columbus day discount....but I don't want the 6.5" CCS pads...
Click to expand...


While it seems like most people like to use 5.5" pads there is a lot you can do with a PCXP and 6.5" pads, as long as you have the right kind of pad and product.

Even with most kits you will always need to add some extra pads, so why not add a couple of 5.5" for when you thing you will need some extra juice? (I would guess just orange and white pads)

As far as the customer always been right, there is not that many companies out there that will do as much as everyone here to make you happy, even by going out of their way in some cases even if they don't have too.

Why not ask them to replace the PCXP with the Flex 3401??? :confused:
 
why not buy them separately. that's what i did and i saved a couple of bucks because i didn't need every thing in the kit.
 
Guess I'm the odd ball here but I like using the 6.5" pads for most my work. :)
 
Nothing wrong with 6.5" pads. I think they work perfectly fine.

Im with you rasky. :xyxthumbs: I use 6.5" pads for most of my work too.
 
RaskyR1 said:
Guess I'm the odd ball here but I like using the 6.5" pads for most my work. :)
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Lasthope05 said:
Nothing wrong with 6.5" pads. I think they work perfectly fine.

Im with you rasky. :xyxthumbs: I use 6.5" pads for most of my work too.
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Same here they work just fine....... I also like how the 6.5 wraps around the BP so if your coming up along the side of a car and you hit the mirror per say its just pad and wont hurt it as opposed to the 5.5 you could chip the paint by hitting it with the BP on full speed *eek*
 
I just bought a PC XP and used 5.5" pads. Holy cow, any type of curve in the panel and the pad stops spinning, and this was on speed 6. Tried speed 4, and and even the littelest amount of pressure stopped the pad from spinning. I couldn't imagine what it would be like with 6.5" pads. :eek: I guess I just reallllyyyy got used to the Flex 3401. Long story short, sold the PCXP. I like the 3401 A LOT better.
 
07 z-oh-6 said:
I just bought a PC XP and used 5.5" pads. Holy cow, any type of curve in the panel and the pad stops spinning, and this was on speed 6. Tried speed 4, and and even the littelest amount of pressure stopped the pad from spinning. I couldn't imagine what it would be like with 6.5" pads. :eek: I guess I just reallllyyyy got used to the Flex 3401. Long story short, sold the PCXP. I like the 3401 A LOT better.
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Mark,

This is one of the reasons I bought the Flex 3401 a few months ago.

Porter Cables 7424 is a good machine but you really need to pay attention while correcting the finish. I have both 6 1/2 and 5 1/2 inch pads and the smaller seem much more at home on this unit. I found marking the backing plate with a magic marker in order to ensure it's rotating.

I bought a bunch of 4" pads with the correct backing plate and these work really well in those tight hard to get to areas.

For the most part I use the Porter Cable 7424 for applying sealants and waxes.
 
Lasthope05 said:
Nothing wrong with 6.5" pads. I think they work perfectly fine.

Im with you rasky. :xyxthumbs: I use 6.5" pads for most of my work too.
Click to expand...

As do I, but the big caveat is that that is with my Flex.

For the PC, I definitely think that the 5.5" pads work better than the 6.5" pads.
 
07 z-oh-6 said:
I just bought a PC XP and used 5.5" pads. Holy cow, any type of curve in the panel and the pad stops spinning, and this was on speed 6. Tried speed 4, and and even the littelest amount of pressure stopped the pad from spinning. I couldn't imagine what it would be like with 6.5" pads. :eek: I guess I just reallllyyyy got used to the Flex 3401. Long story short, sold the PCXP. I like the 3401 A LOT better.
Click to expand...

Funny Mark, I polished a car over the weekend with my Flex, but I pulled out the PC so I could use a smaller pad in one area of the car, and I noticed exactly the same thing. At a speed of 6 and putting decent pressure on the PC, the pad would stop spinning.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Flex?! Im the MAN
 
matth9 said:
How much pressure do you use with the flex?
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"Decent" pressure?! ;)

Seriously, not as much as I put on the PC, but I do put some pressure on it, just enough to flatten the pad a bit. It's one of those things that is hard to explain... I do it mostly by feel.
 
So... how much better is the Flex than the PCXP?

I've learned how to keep the pad spinning for the most part, but maybe the Flex would be easier and faster. Dang, I was thinking about a rotary next.
 
Kurt_s said:
So... how much better is the Flex than the PCXP?

I've learned how to keep the pad spinning for the most part, but maybe the Flex would be easier and faster. Dang, I was thinking about a rotary next.
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Kurt,

I was thinking about a rotary as well, but there's just to much of a learning curve. Plus, you have to deal with holograms. I find the Flex 3401 easier to correct with compared to the PCXP.
 
I agree that 5.5" pads with the PC would be a good package, even though I have successfully used 6.5" CCS pad. It just takes longer...
 
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