Flex is good for those experienced with detailing. The forced rotation is dangerous for a beginner who doesn't know anything about burning paint. I say if you're new go PC to Flex
I have both machines. The Flex works much better. My Porter Cable collects dust now. Only plus the PC has is it's lighter. Flex is worth the extra money.
these two machines are not really meant to be compared and the video does not point out something that it should. One, the PC is cheaper, safer machine to use. The Flex is more of a professional machine and while it is a DA, it can damage paint if used incorrectly. I use flex's in my mid-size pro detailing company and love them but they are not for begginers.
also, Final Inspection Solution should be used instead of 50/50 water/alch. always.
so you mix 50 of rubbing alcohol with 50 water??? or what kind of alchohol? I dont see a oint of comparing a big machine with a little you should compare flex with dewalt i use the pc to apply the wax faster i dont use it to polish or compound
@demencialchico I own a Makita and PC. Two different tools for two different jobs. I use the Makita more for cutting and the PC more for polishing. Both great tools that every car guy should have. I use to detail cars on the side but became to lazy and just detail my own car now. Flex XC is nice but you still can't go wrong with a PC. I love mine.
Define a "Random Orbital Polisher? Its a polisher that has a "freespin" backing plate, and a very small (5mm) random orbit pattern.
Define a "Dual Action Polisher? Its a polisher that has both, a "forced spin" backing plate that also random orbits but in a much larger (8mm) pattern.
The Porter Cable 7424xp or 7424 is "NOT" a Dual Action... ITS a Random Orbital Polisher.
The Flex XC3401vrg is a "TRUE DUAL ACTION" orbital polisher.
Thanks for the video!! I am a mobile detailer in the Tampa, FL area and I am looking to upgrade my polisher. I have been debating between these two and your video really made my mind up to go for the Flex polisher... THANKS!!
Wow, I didn't know that even with a machine that polishing takes that long. How do you know when to stop polishing though? It still looked as though there was still product on the car.
The product will "flash" or turn translucent. The should always be product left to remove, if not you are basically dry buffing and just scratched up your clear coat.
Also machining buffing by a real pro can take any where from 5-7 hours to do a full exterior detail depending on how bad the paint is.
The alcohol will remove any oils/carrying agents/fillers left on the paint from the polish. By doing this it wii allow you to see if the marring was actually removed instead of just masked by the oils/fillers.
It's actually only 2.5x more expensive ($250 for the Flex $100 for the PC 7424) I agree if you are only polishing your own cars, invest in the PC...but if you plan to detail more cars than you own (on the side for some money), the Flex 3401 is the way to go.
Simply because the lower power of the PC makes it a safer tool for the beginner, is $150 dollars cheaper (that's quite a lot), and speed is not as big of a deal as if you were a for profit detailer.
@3dskid It actually costs 3x more. I payed $350 for mine but it came in a package with 3 Choose-Your-Own LC Pads, a Free Flex Bag($50), and a Pinacle Pad Cleaner/Conditioner. But the polisher alone is about $310. The PC is about $110-125 right now but I heard the FLEX is a better value because it's much better built. The PC makes your hands shake afterwards.
Thanks. I hadn't heard about this DA machine before. I was all set to order the PC. For someone that only occasionally uses a buffer, is there enough of a difference between the PC and the Flex to justify the cost difference?
If you are only going to use it occasionally, I'd recommend getting a PC 7424 or UDM. A PC works great and with the money you save you can get some smaller pads (4"). The smaller pad can faster and remove some deeper scratches or marring.
Yes, you can but you will still need to finish with a finishing polish/polishing pad...so it can end up taking 2 step to do the same amount of polishing that the Flex 3401 did in one step.
Flex is good for those experienced with detailing. The forced rotation is dangerous for a beginner who doesn't know anything about burning paint. I say if you're new go PC to Flex
zuneluvr 2 weeks ago
is the flex safe for beginers ...like the pc
cHEpZ07 6 months ago
Porter sounds like it has rocks in its drive unit!
wikkid61 6 months ago
I have both machines. The Flex works much better. My Porter Cable collects dust now. Only plus the PC has is it's lighter. Flex is worth the extra money.
INMY01TA 7 months ago
great comparison! thanks for sharing this info!
teekbalang 7 months ago
great comparison!
teekbalang 7 months ago
these two machines are not really meant to be compared and the video does not point out something that it should. One, the PC is cheaper, safer machine to use. The Flex is more of a professional machine and while it is a DA, it can damage paint if used incorrectly. I use flex's in my mid-size pro detailing company and love them but they are not for begginers.
also, Final Inspection Solution should be used instead of 50/50 water/alch. always.
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kolvinpaker 1 year ago
so you mix 50 of rubbing alcohol with 50 water??? or what kind of alchohol? I dont see a oint of comparing a big machine with a little you should compare flex with dewalt i use the pc to apply the wax faster i dont use it to polish or compound
nymxcar 1 year ago
Flex3401 VRG is one of the best detailing tools to come along. It will do about %90 of what a rotary will do.
smczack1 1 year ago
@smczack1 I own a makita 9227 and use it for color sanding and buffing, ive been thinking of buying a flex do you recomended
demencialchico 8 months ago
@demencialchico I own a Makita and PC. Two different tools for two different jobs. I use the Makita more for cutting and the PC more for polishing. Both great tools that every car guy should have. I use to detail cars on the side but became to lazy and just detail my own car now. Flex XC is nice but you still can't go wrong with a PC. I love mine.
JohnnyGification 1 month ago
Lets clarify something first!
Define a "Random Orbital Polisher? Its a polisher that has a "freespin" backing plate, and a very small (5mm) random orbit pattern.
Define a "Dual Action Polisher? Its a polisher that has both, a "forced spin" backing plate that also random orbits but in a much larger (8mm) pattern.
The Porter Cable 7424xp or 7424 is "NOT" a Dual Action... ITS a Random Orbital Polisher.
The Flex XC3401vrg is a "TRUE DUAL ACTION" orbital polisher.
CastingStonez 1 year ago
@CastingStonez
Ps. These FACTS are factor not opinion...
Lets start educating ourselves with FACTS instead of opinion...
As one Trained Professional to the others...
CastingStonez 1 year ago
@CastingStonez
Ps. #2
I like the fact that at the end, the detailer used 50/50 alcohol water solution...
Why? It removes any left over polish and gives a true look and the correction or lack of correction to the paint...
CastingStonez 1 year ago
wow thats awesome I love the finish from the
Flex XC 3401
MultiGadgetguy 2 years ago
I imagine the new PC 7424 XP is much better.
trencher7 2 years ago
@trencher7 Flex is still better
smczack1 1 year ago
this is not a fair comparison...for a fair comparison find a forced orbital like the makita bo6040
sirikit 2 years ago
LOL!!!! One of these is a Flex product, read the description. And these are random orbital buffers, not rotary. ^^~
200103511 2 years ago
Thanks for the video!! I am a mobile detailer in the Tampa, FL area and I am looking to upgrade my polisher. I have been debating between these two and your video really made my mind up to go for the Flex polisher... THANKS!!
cup1981 2 years ago
Wow, I didn't know that even with a machine that polishing takes that long. How do you know when to stop polishing though? It still looked as though there was still product on the car.
MaicoMoon 3 years ago
The product will "flash" or turn translucent. The should always be product left to remove, if not you are basically dry buffing and just scratched up your clear coat.
Also machining buffing by a real pro can take any where from 5-7 hours to do a full exterior detail depending on how bad the paint is.
LoveThyPitBull 3 years ago
Excellent video, blkyukon. See you around Autopia.
HoldenCaulfield04 3 years ago
what RPM do you recommend for polishing? Obviously the higher the better? No?
dieseldizzy 3 years ago
max 3000 rpm. Most dual action machines will not go past that.
69Accord69 3 years ago
ow ok thanks!
pucholo143 3 years ago
whats the purpose of applying 50/50 alcohol and water? what does it do?
pucholo143 3 years ago
The alcohol will remove any oils/carrying agents/fillers left on the paint from the polish. By doing this it wii allow you to see if the marring was actually removed instead of just masked by the oils/fillers.
blkyukon 3 years ago
but the Flex XC 3401 VRG cost 4x more than the Porter Cable 7424
3dskid 3 years ago
It's actually only 2.5x more expensive ($250 for the Flex $100 for the PC 7424) I agree if you are only polishing your own cars, invest in the PC...but if you plan to detail more cars than you own (on the side for some money), the Flex 3401 is the way to go.
blkyukon 3 years ago
Why do you say this?
EnduranceT 3 years ago
Simply because the lower power of the PC makes it a safer tool for the beginner, is $150 dollars cheaper (that's quite a lot), and speed is not as big of a deal as if you were a for profit detailer.
zero10iz 3 years ago
@blkyukon how about Makita 9227C?
Tomek016PL 1 year ago
@blkyukon Where is the flex for sale for 250?
kjwade 7 months ago
@kjwade Pawn shop. The Flex will knock 40% of time and effort off your next job, I'm sold!
wikkid61 6 months ago
@blkyukon just realized this is 3 years old... gotta love inflation
kjwade 7 months ago
@3dskid It actually costs 3x more. I payed $350 for mine but it came in a package with 3 Choose-Your-Own LC Pads, a Free Flex Bag($50), and a Pinacle Pad Cleaner/Conditioner. But the polisher alone is about $310. The PC is about $110-125 right now but I heard the FLEX is a better value because it's much better built. The PC makes your hands shake afterwards.
mrjost55 1 year ago
At 1:50 or so the sound on the Flex gets very labored. Almost as if you were applying a great deal more pressure on that machine.
elziffo 3 years ago
I actually was...I was using various amounts of pressure throughout the entire video to see if I could get it to bog down. It never did skip a beat.
blkyukon 3 years ago
Thanks. I hadn't heard about this DA machine before. I was all set to order the PC. For someone that only occasionally uses a buffer, is there enough of a difference between the PC and the Flex to justify the cost difference?
elziffo 3 years ago
If you are only going to use it occasionally, I'd recommend getting a PC 7424 or UDM. A PC works great and with the money you save you can get some smaller pads (4"). The smaller pad can faster and remove some deeper scratches or marring.
blkyukon 3 years ago
You can get the same results on a pc with a 5.5 orange pad and sip
e30m3izzle 3 years ago
Yes, you can but you will still need to finish with a finishing polish/polishing pad...so it can end up taking 2 step to do the same amount of polishing that the Flex 3401 did in one step.
blkyukon 3 years ago
thank you for sharing this. good to know the comparsion between the two.
ngkm2 4 years ago
All your videos and guides are some of the best most informative i have seen, well done thanks for sharing hope to see some more soon.
g18fst 4 years ago
Thanks, I appreciate the comments! More videos and reviews to come!
blkyukon 4 years ago