The GG polisher is as good as the 3401?

[CEE DOG]

The quality, perfectly placed ergonomic controls, features, and smoothness of operation should not be forgotten about when it comes to the Flex. The Flex really designed this machine well. Handling the machines you can tell the Flex was designed and fabricated to tighter tolerances than the GG. IMO the Griots dropped in a powerfull motor, placed the controls in awkward positions and didn't really put forth any effort in design. Their is nothing wrong with that because for the money you pay you get a machine that can certainly correct paint well. It's a great price. It's just for me the Flex makes the job so much more rewarding and enjoyable. If Griots had spent more time placing the controls correctly etc I suppose they would have had to pay a designer more and that would have upped the price.
Just my opinion.

 

[PAR Detailing]

Adam,
I respect you for sticking to your opinion and giving people a good reason to consider their options. And I think you are a great detailer and think you do a great job on correction. My question is what hard facts do you have to say the GG is more powerful? I understand side by side comparison but to me that is more opinion than fact in that, that is very dependent on the user. Im not saying whoever is using the machine isnt using it properly, Im just more curious than anything.
Again, I have seen your work and respect what you have accomplished. I just cant wrap my head around the statement that the GG is more powerful than the flex. I just want to understand your point of view. I have to qualify this by saying I have never used the GG before so I have no hands on experience with that machine.

I am not asking you to think like I think and frankly I dont care what you think I have my machine you have yours and we can use what we want. God bless America!

Again, Im not trying to take a jab at you or the GG I just am more curious than anything.

Jon

 

[ZoranC]

I've used both machines...the Flex is sluggish in oscillation and rotational speeds compared to my Griot's.
...
I don't get heated when people have opinions different than me. I just don't agree that people are trying to justify the cost of the flex by falsely claiming that it's better than a machine less than half of it's cost when I've had months of side by side comparison work to base my FACTS on.

I have owned and used both too. Ever since they came out. My experience differs. So by same token I could say same thing that you are saying, that I am basing my opinion on my facts and that claims of Flex being weaker are false. So where that leads?

Nowhere if words taken at face value is all we have to work with. So I will leave words as they are as it is not in my nature to go nowhere. If one day I find myself in mood to spend time on taking it further than words, like taking both against equally sanded panel or whatever, then I might revisit the subject.

Until then here is food for thought: People tend to illustrate "safeness" of "PC" by stopping it's movement at full speed with palm/hand. I hope nobody tries that with Flex moving at full speed.

 

[VR8]

... when I've had months of side by side comparison work to base my FACTS on. I'm sorry my machine was used to remove sanding marks that the flexcouldnt using the same pad and product combo and I'm sorry that I always saw fewer defects in the side polished by the Griot's, but that's the truth over months of working directly beside the flex with my Griot's.

Adam, really? You need to let this thread die. You're treading into opinion being stated as fact. The above statement is nothing more than your opinion. My opinion of the same "side-by-side" comparison renders a different view. Let's just get back to work.
:buffing:

 

[O.C.Detailing]

I don't think there is going to be any real resolution to the question of which machine is better. My Griot's impresses the crap out of me pretty much on a daily basis, but it DOES have it's weaknesses, as does the Flex. I have a feeling the truck I'm currently working on would be MUCH easier to work on with the Flex than my Griot's, but I don't have the money for one right now.

I don't want to start waves with people I respect and admire, so I'll just say that the comparisons I'm giving are not just my own personal observations but several others as well.

I know for a fact that John is a great detailer, and I have no bad things what so ever to say about him at all. Pretty much everyone in this thread who've come forward with experience with both are almost fully comprised of the people I respect the most on this board, so in the interest of staying friendly with all of you, I'm going to leave these threads alone. One day I'll have a flex and do a side by side comparison of the two machines. Until then, let's all agree that they are both at the top of the charts. They both have strengths and weaknesses and when averaged out, neither is really better than the other, regardless of which has more power or not. We can agree to disagree on some things. Im sure this argument will live until the next best thing comes out, so trying to resolve it is probably pointless.

So anyway, you really can't go wrong with either machine.

 

[2011wahoo]

I have neither machine yet but viewing the two companies for what they are:

FLEX is a highly respected German power-tool manufacturer who specializes in engineering and producing just that... power tools. Their innovation in the entire field of power tools has been second to none, not just concerning the 3401. FLEX produces their own tools, they not outsource to China for the production of their power-tools. When you buy a FLEX power-tool you know you are buying a machine made to the highest standards.

Griots Garage is a highly respected "automotive enthusiast product" company, for lack of a better description. Griots is not solely a "power-tool" company like FLEX. The Griots polisher, while it may be a great polisher, was not designed by Griots nor was it made by Griots, as it clearly reads "Made in China."

 

[CEE DOG]

The Griots polisher, while it may be a great polisher, was not designed by Griots nor was it made by Griots, as it clearly reads "Made in China."

You are exactly right.

 

[ZoranC]

I don't think there is going to be any real resolution to the question of which machine is better.

Disagreement was not on subject which one is "better", it was on subject of which one is stronger/weaker (has more/less correctiion ability).

I don't want to start waves with people I respect and admire, so I'll just say that the comparisons I'm giving are not just my own personal observations but several others as well.

Same can be said by those having different opinion, that more than several / quite a few have observed that no "PC" polisher has corrective power of Flex.

P.S. Only non-rotary polisher that I know of that might be competition to Flex for that title is not "PC"-like design either.

 

[AV8R]

You are exactly right.

Chinese manufacturers will build to your specifications or to a price point just as will any other manufacturer. While I'm sure Griot's didn't have an engineer on staff, they probably had a price point in mind as well as their lifetime warranty allowance. Using the manufacturers engineers, you could say that they did design in what they felt were the important aspects of this simple tool.

Don't think that because it says "made in China" that it's always crap. They can build stuff that is bulletproof, but it costs more. Apple's products are built there as well as many, many other technology company's products. They build to suit!

 

[CEE DOG]

Chinese manufacturers will build to your specifications or to a price point just as will any other manufacturer. While I'm sure Griot's didn't have an engineer on staff, they probably had a price point in mind as well as their lifetime warranty allowance. Using the manufacturers engineers, you could say that they did design in what they felt were the important aspects of this simple tool.

Don't think that because it says "made in China" that it's always crap. They can build stuff that is bulletproof, but it costs more. Apple's products are built there as well as many, many other technology company's products. They build to suit!

Well said

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

:iagree:

I have neither machine yet but viewing the two companies for what they are:

FLEX is a highly respected German power-tool manufacturer who specializes in engineering and producing just that... power tools. Their innovation in the entire field of power tools has been second to none, not just concerning the 3401. FLEX produces their own tools, they not outsource to China for the production of their power-tools. When you buy a FLEX power-tool you know you are buying a machine made to the highest standards.

Griots Garage is a highly respected "automotive enthusiast product" company, for lack of a better description. Griots is not solely a "power-tool" company like FLEX. The Griots polisher, while it may be a great polisher, was not designed by Griots nor was it made by Griots, as it clearly reads "Made in China."

Also well said.

All I know is my Audi was very hard to correct, I couldn't imagine polishing it without the forced rotation of my Flex, but it's the only polisher I've used soo...

Anyone in the Seattle, WA area that owns a Griot's and also wants to try the Flex? I would love to meet up and try each others machines so I can form an opinion of my own.

IMO Flex is a "pro" tool and Griots is a "consumer" tool, both of which will produce results based on skill level and technique. So "find something you like, and use it often"