Meguiars G110v2 vs. Flex 3401

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I am trying to decide between these two units.

1) Meguiar's G110v2 with "soft buff 2.0" burgundy (cutting), yellow (polishing) and black (finishing) pads-- $190.

2) Flex 3401 with Yellow, Green, White and Blue CCS pads-- $310.

I am not going into the detailing business, so my work will be limited to my personal cars and maybe a few cars belonging to friends.

The Meguiars G110v2 is $120 cheaper than the Flex, which is a decent amount. I understand that these units have a very good resale value, so I can always recover most of the cost should I decide to upgrade. Remember that I am a beginner as well.

So, which machine should I get?

Thanks.
 
Save your money. Get the G110. The difference in performance between the two is not major enough for the casual enthusiast. Used correctly you can get pretty much all the same results from a G110 than you can from a Flex.
 
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
Save your money. Get the G110. The difference in performance between the two is not major enough for the casual enthusiast. Used correctly you can get pretty much all the same results from a G110 than you can from a Flex.


Thanks. What are your thoughts on the Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 pads vs. the LC CCS pads?
 
the is no comparing the Meguiars unit to the flex, completely different animals.
If you have the cash, the flex is very nice, but I'm guessing you wold be just fine with the Meguiars one.
 
What I don't get, is how often do people intend to "correct" the paint before it all wears off? How many times do you intend to use this machine?

I would imagine that a few minutes under chemo-mechanical polishing would be the equivalent of several months of environmental wear on the paint surface.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
Save your money. Get the G110. The difference in performance between the two is not major enough for the casual enthusiast. Used correctly you can get pretty much all the same results from a G110 than you can from a Flex.


Thanks. What are your thoughts on the Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 pads vs. the LC CCS pads?


I like both pads but prefer LC because of the wider selection. I have used many of the Meguiars pads in the past and they work well, too.

The CCS design is popular but I think their classic flat pads and their new Hydro-Tech pads are terrific. I am replacing all my CCS's with flat's as time allows. Try a couple of each if possible and decide which you prefer.
 
Originally Posted By: gofastman
the is no comparing the Meguiars unit to the flex, completely different animals.
If you have the cash, the flex is very nice, but I'm guessing you wold be just fine with the Meguiars one.


I disagree. A rotary polisher and a PC are different animals, but the G110 and the Flex are closer than you think.

The new G110 has a lot more torque than before which helps with pad rotation as well as random orbital oscillation. The Flex is designed to rotate as well as oscillate, so it's a better choice if you want that action. The G110 is the closest thing to a Flex at a fraction of the price. For the casual enthusiast, the G110 might be the best choice.
 
Thanks bretfatz.

So, I posted this same thread on autopia and someone pointed out to me an alternative solution.

This individual suggested that I purchase both a G110v2 and a Makita 9227C with a LC 6" backing plate. He pointed out correctly that a G110v2 and a 9227C combined would cost about the same as a Flex. Wouldn't it make more sense for me to master the G110v2, then move onto the rotary? Having two machines at my disposal sounds cool.

Thoughts?
 
What are your thoughts on a starter kit like this:

- Makita 9227C
- Meguiar's G110v2
- LC 6" Backing Plate for Rotary
- Two LC Hydro-Tech Cyan Pads
- Two LC Hydro-Tech Tangerine Pads
- Two LC Flat Grey Pads
- 32 oz of M105
- 32 oz of M205
- LC Pad Cleaning Brush

For about $420 total.
 
Originally Posted By: ionbeam22
What I don't get, is how often do people intend to "correct" the paint before it all wears off? How many times do you intend to use this machine?

I would imagine that a few minutes under chemo-mechanical polishing would be the equivalent of several months of environmental wear on the paint surface.


The environment by itself does not wear away the paint so you cannot equate it to polishing. Clearcoat paints do not oxidize like single stage paints. Clearcoat failure is due to poor painting and not the environment.

If someone is concerned about paint condition before polishing, they should have the paint thickness checked if you do not know history (previously compounded). However,most of us do not have one...expensive...

Mike Phillips, formerly of Meguiars and now at Autogeek, tried to answer the question about how many times you can polish a car.

He had said he knew very few people that polished through their clear using a DA polisher.

He did a test to see how much clear is removed using various polishes. The conclusion was that if you have typical paint you could likely use a medium polish multiple times before worrying about the paint and if you just did a fine machine polish 2x per year it would not reduce the clear much at all (not measurable).

One should always use the least aggressive method (polish, pads, etc) in the area. For example, you could polish the entire car in M205 and then go back with another pass or bump to M105 in selected areas that need it. Also, do not try to get every single swirl out unless it is a show car. There is a point of diminishing returns.

I like my Flex because it works faster with less wear and tear on the body but I see the DA as more versatile due to the ability to use different backing plates. It just depends on your needs. It was worth the extra money.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
Save your money. Get the G110. The difference in performance between the two is not major enough for the casual enthusiast. Used correctly you can get pretty much all the same results from a G110 than you can from a Flex.


I absolutely disagree. The Flex is the one and only forced rotation orbital polisher. All others can be stopped cold with a little pressure, the Flex will continue to rotate regardless of the pressure used. It is much more expensive and may be too much for the home user, I'll give you that. Just my opinion.
 
Originally Posted By: RTexasF
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
Save your money. Get the G110. The difference in performance between the two is not major enough for the casual enthusiast. Used correctly you can get pretty much all the same results from a G110 than you can from a Flex.


I absolutely disagree. The Flex is the one and only forced rotation orbital polisher. All others can be stopped cold with a little pressure, the Flex will continue to rotate regardless of the pressure used. It is much more expensive and may be too much for the home user, I'll give you that. Just my opinion.


Have you used these machines and compared their performance? I have used the "old" PC7424, the "new" PC7424 XP, the G110v2, and the Flex.

The Flex was bought (it wasn't mine), used on a few cars, then sold. It's overall performance was underwhelming. I have used it side-by-side on several cars with a PC and did not get appreciably better results from the Flex. The forced rotation nature of the Flex made it challenging to control, a problem I do not have with a PC or a rotary (of which I have owned as many as five different models). The final nail in its coffin is it pad size limitations due to not being able to change the backing plate size.

Forced rotation is nice, I guess, but if it doesn't deliver better results, costs more, and limits your pad selection, it seems like a poor value to me.

Just my opinion. I appreciate you sharing yours. Thanks.
 
I cannot compare it to the G110 but I can compare it directly to the PC 7336, the new XP, and Cyclo. It absolutely made them all feel antiquated and underpowered, even the Cyclo. It also cut the work time in 1/2 and worked on Mercedes ceramic clear like no machine I have ever used. I have never had a control problem with it even in tricky areas. The dedicated backing plate is a minor negative but that's where the PC comes to play. I used all of the machines side by side with the same LC flat pads and the same Menzerna polish. The Flex was head and shoulders above the rest, they were not even in the competition.

It just goes to show that two people can use the same polisher and be 180º off in their takes of it. I'm certainly not arguing just saying we have opposite views on the same product. To me the Flex is hands down the best machine available short of a rotary but my experience is limited on the rotary.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic


This individual suggested that I purchase both a G110v2 and a Makita 9227C with a LC 6" backing plate.

Thoughts?


Sound's like you are purchasing alot of powertools. How many car's are you planning on working?
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
What are your thoughts on a starter kit like this:

- Makita 9227C
- Meguiar's G110v2
- LC 6" Backing Plate for Rotary
- Two LC Hydro-Tech Cyan Pads
- Two LC Hydro-Tech Tangerine Pads
- Two LC Flat Grey Pads
- 32 oz of M105
- 32 oz of M205
- LC Pad Cleaning Brush

For about $420 total.


I like all of that. Learn the Kevin Brown Method for the G110 and leave the rotary for the heavy work.
 
The Flex will cut your working time and effort in half, over any of the other RO. This is because it has a more powerful motor (Higher amp) that spins at higher RPM, a longer orbital stroke (8mm) and has forced rotation. It is in between rotary and all the other RO machines. The 3401 can use 4" 3M Edge pads with their adapter, so you can get in the tighter spots. What I really like about the Flex is the time saved (and back pain) and its controls. It has a variable speed trigger (With lock) and the dial speed setting can be adjusted with your thumb without having to stop the machine (or lift the pad from your work). Just for reference, you can easily spend many hours polishing light swirls and cutting that time may not seem like it is worth the extra money until you are doing the job, even if you only do it a couple times a year. If you can afford the Flex you will not regret it.

Also the Flex is not that hard to handle. It does have forced rotation so it will run away a little if you do not keep the pad flat but it is easier then a rotary and a lot safer(a little harder then the other ROs).

Koz
 
Just got the Flex yesterday.

This sucker is heavy. Really heavy. Can't wait for the pads and chemicals to arrive.
 
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