[ByByeAmericanPie]

Product Review

FLEX XC 3401 VRG

Used with:
1. Green Cutting Pad for German Paint (from Proper Auto Care)
2. Black glazing/waxing pad (from Proper Auto Care)
3. Adams Swirl and Haze Remover
4. Adams Fine Machine Polish
5. Adams Machine Super Wax

I am the owner of a Porter Cable 7424 and, up to this point, have been very happy with it. It is a good solid entry level random orbital polisher for the home detailer. The FLEX XC 3401 VRG has been getting very good reviews across the detailing community so I decided to try one out.

The FLEX polisher comes with a setup for 3 different types of handle arrangements. The default is a “bail handle” which is a handle centered on the polishing end of the tool. There is also a side handle which can be mounted in place of the bail handle on either the right or left side. I tried the side handle first because this was what I am used to but after a while, I switched to the bail handle and liked the feel much better. I felt that it gave me somewhat better control over the unit.

Also included with the unit were 2 Velcro backing pads. One thing that makes it stand out is that the Velcro pad head is geared, i.e. not only do you get orbital motion with a throw of ~ 8mm (much greater than the PC), it also forces rotation which is something I always had reservations about with the PC. This gives the FLEX much more cutting ability while still being foolproof enough for the average home user. I did notice that it does generate a moderate amount of heat at the pad to paint interface reminiscent of a rotary which, if not used somewhat carefully could get into the realm of burning the paint, but one would have to really be aggressive in one spot to get to this stage. This machine is about as close as you can get to a true rotary without actually being one.

This machine is beefier and heavier than the PC. At 2.2 kg (almost 5 lbs.) this is no lightweight piece of junk, but rather a very solid piece of equipment. This extra weight makes the tool require a bit more effort to handle. I even found myself being pulled over by the torque that this machine generates so you have to be on good balanced footing when using it. There is a progressive power trigger which can be used to vary the speed of the unit. A dial setting lets you set the top speed anywhere from 1000 to 6000 orbits per minute. Fully depressing the trigger takes the unit to the full speed set on the dial. You can release the trigger slightly to reduce the speed. You can also lock the trigger in the fully on position which gives you a little more freedom in handling the tool. For my use when cutting I kept the speed at about 3000 opm. For applying wax I took it up to approximately 4000 opm.

For the average home user, at ~$280 - $300 this might be higher end than the average Joe would want to sink money into, but for the moderate and up detailer it is a must have. The casual weekend detailer would probably opt for the PC due to cost, but if they really wanted to improve their tool box they would have to have the FLEX.

Bottom line: I loved the FLEX, This is a very substantial tool and gives excellent results. I do think that I really would not want to use the PC again even for basic tasks as the amount of work involved in getting acceptable results with the FLEX is much less than I would have to put in with the PC.