Came here to post exactly this. I put it off and put it off and figured since I was more of a hobbiest and did some on the side it wouldn't be worth the coin. Boy was I wrong and do I wish I had bought the 3401 years ago. Not sure about half the time but for sure 1/3 to 1/2 the time. The best part for me is that I use it on bumpers and odd areas with zero need to worry about stalling or taking forever to correct. The 3401 powers through anything.
My apologies for posting my thoughts on this in a PC Forum section, but it's really that good and I learned from personal experience that while the PC is a great unit, it was well worth the money to save myself the time and have the ability to do more with a single unit.
And I had the opposite experience. There were many, many times where my 3401 just wasn't making good time, and I had to go back to the PC.
I suppose most of that is a result of technique. When I used a rotary buffer, I dialed up the speed opposed to exerting more downward pressure. I transferred that technique to the PC. At speed 6 the PC pad rotates faster than the 3401 pad. If I balance the pressure to "just over free spin", that pad will get almost maximum rotation. It's not that the 3401 is a lesser machine, quite the contrary, it's smoother, quieter, and has a very precise feel to it. And, if you're technique involves high preasure, then that's the tool to get.
I was going over sections twice with the 3401, where I only had to go over it once with the PC. Probably the most difficult vehicle in recent memory was a black 1999 Camaro Z28. I started with the 3401, a Cyan LC cutting pad, and Menzerna FG 400. It was taking an alarmingly long time, going over the sections of the test spot two, sometimes three times. Switching to the LC microfiber pad didn't do much better. I was using fairly heavy pressure, and at speeds 4-6 for the test spot. The next morning I grabbed the PC, and the megs DAMF system, and was livid that I didn't give it a shot first. I even slapped on my faithful green hex pad and some UC, and even that did better than the combination did a better job. I'm fairly confident that M100 on the green would have done the job too, but I was done trying combinations at that point, and I was running out of time. I finished the job with the DAMF compound/pad, and finished with M66 on a foam finishing pad. The owner was shocked. He does his own cars, but had trouble with this one.
After a few of those experiences I decided to let the 3401 go. However. I want to get another one! I really miss it's performance on heavily oxidized paints, and for one step polishing. I had it for four years. I guess I got attached.....
I did like one step polishing, AIO, and sealant applications with the 3401 though, but for heavy cut, I need the PC. Weird, I know.
