Should I add a Flex 3401 to my arsenal?

Zubair said:
Now thats a BEAST!

After purchasing my PE-14, my 3401 seems overhyped. The way guys go on here about the 3401 I swear its the PE-14 they actually talking about.

When the 3401 gets a beat down, it calls its much stronger brother the PE-14 to sort things out.

The single best investment I've made in detailing has been the PE-14.
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The rotary I started on is for sale here locally on CL. $25.00. I almost bought it, but decided to just put it towards the PE 14.

I've been eying the PE for years now. It's just time to make it happen now.
 
2011 Kona Blue, does your wife help you with machining paint? I ask because a second machine could certainly cut down on the time to complete a job. For that reason alone i say get a second machine AND if i was i would get the Flex 3401!
 
I got the Flex 401 VRG HD & changeable backing plate system along with a Porter Cable 7424 XP. I have the 4" backing plate on the Flex with 5" LC Hybrid pads and keep a 3" backing plate on the Porter Cable for small pads. I am very happy with this set up. Having an extra polisher would allow both you and you wife to work on a vehicle at the same time.
 
david b said:
If you can hold off for another month or two, Flex will be unveiling a brand new polisher later this spring - an updated 3401 - available here at AG.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/new-car-care-products/96485-flex-xce-9-8-150-a.html

Checking this site daily so I can purchase it. Love my PC but ready to upgrade. Time is money.
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I sure can hold off for a month or two. No hurry on buying one. As far as my wife helping me with the paint, no she does not. She works on the interior of the vehicles. This new machine is it going to be better than the old Flex 3401? What makes it better and different?

Some other folks are saying go with Rupes! A very nice person is highly recommending this bad boy.

http://www.autogeekmobile.net/rupes-bigfoot-lhr21-markii.html
 
It feels better then the old machine
It's suppose produce less heat and be smoother then the3401
I only tried the xce at demo day so can't compare the inbalance difference between the 2
 
I have the 3401 & the Rupes 21. I like the Flex,love the Rupes. You can't go wrong with either one.
 
I liked my Flex so well I bought a second one "just in case the other one goes down" I told the wife. I bought the pink one and got it during one of the 15% off sales when you could use the discount on a buffer and got it for like 255.00 I have a PC also and nver really us it anymore but just got a GG 3" the other day. Like I say once you FLEX you never regret.
 
WAXOFF said:
I liked my Flex so well I bought a second one "just in case the other one goes down" I told the wife. I bought the pink one and got it during one of the 15% off sales when you could use the discount on a buffer and got it for like 255.00 I have a PC also and nver really us it anymore but just got a GG 3" the other day. Like I say once you FLEX you never regret.
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👍👍👍👍, Thanks sir
 
It's not easy to burn paint with a 3401. No excessive downward pressure on edges or creases and keep the machine moving and you will be fine.
 
If you love your PC you will be most pleasant with Rupes 15 than Flex 3401. Rupes smoothness and balance are uncomparable by any other polisher, it's fun to use. Flex is great machine but you will have some feeling that you always have to "battle" with machine all the time, you will get more fatigue from Flex than Rupes or Boss.
 
Would you guys say a machine like the Flex 3401 will remove scratches far better than the Porter Cable 7424. Meaning, are there scratches that the Porter Cable 7424 won't remove but the Flex 3401 will remove. Or will they both remove and correct paint equal just the Flex will do it in far faster times.
 
The Flex 3401 will do the job faster than the PC 7424XP. If you decide to get the Flex, I would recommend the Flex 3401 HD with the 25' cord, along with the Lake Country 4" Changeable Backing Plate System so you can use Lake Country 5" Hybrid Pads on the Flex.
 
AZ Mike said:
The Flex 3401 will do the job faster than the PC 7424XP. If you decide to get the Flex, I would recommend the Flex 3401 HD with the 25' cord, along with the Lake Country 4" Changeable Backing Plate System so you can use Lake Country 5" Hybrid Pads on the Flex.
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So, from a correction standpoint they will both correct equal but the Porter Cable takes far longer to correct the paint. I have a deatiling business on the side and use the Porter Cable 7424 XP. I find that many customers cars don't have deep scratches but when correcting the paint, after 3 minutes of using the PC, the scratches are still there.

Do I need to spend 5 to 7 minutes on each panel, to get the best correction?

I'm really looking hard at the Rupes 21 Bigfoot as well. I'm looking to make better paint corrections on my customers vehicles and my PC is okay at best. Am I not spending long enough time on the correction. I'm typically using Meguiars Ultimate compound or Chemical guys scratch and swirl removal.
 
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