Griots Random vs 7424xp

[tenorplayer23]

Well said "kaptain! Exactly right about power ratings and specs-manship. And, this has nothing to do with the actual quality of the Griot's polisher, which I am sure is a quality product! It's just that manufacturers of all types use "specs" to their marketing advantage, where possible. Sustained HP vs. Peak HP, etc.. (Same kind of thing as the Master Blaster product that states it's "8HP".......while it's obviously very powerful & a really nice product, it's just not a sustained 8HP device).

My professional expertise is in business equipment, aka, printers, copiers, MF devices of all printing technologies. Lots of "specs" used to describe "machine productivity" ( pages/copies per minute, throughput, first print/copy out times, scan times, etc.). It's amazing how different products with the same published specs can be when it comes to practical productivity (real world "usage"). In one direct comparison test done for a line of our office machines a while back, a 30 page per minute device finished practical printing jobs faster than a well know & well advertised competitive machine rated at over 100 pages per minute! So, lots of opportunity for +/- advantages with "numbers".

We should all just chip in a dime and have a side-by-side done of the two polishers. Too bad there isn't an independent testing lab for detailing machines.

See ya

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

Brand names are just that, brand names. Lets not forget that B&D purchased the rights to use the Dewalt name on their portable power tools previously marketed as the B&D Professional tool lineup, which promptly boosted sales. B&D Pro tools were always good, it was just that the B&D name, through all the consumer grade stuff had such a bad reputation that it smeared across the Pro line as well.

As for PC vs Griots vs Flex vs Meguiars vs Hitachi vs Makita vs Dewalt etc. etc. etc, all *I* will say is that if I'm buying a power tool, I'll buy it from a maker who makes their living from making power tools and who has a good reputation. In the same vein, I also like to buy auto detailing chemicals from companies that pretty much only make Auto detailing chemicals. This does NOT mean that a company who's business is NOT making power tools cannot have a tool made by another company and branded for them. Doing so also does not mean that the product they have made for them is inferior in any way, but neither does it mean that it isn't!

The main issue I see with a Meguiars or Griots polishers (no matter how good they really might be) is the lack of local service/support/parts. Sooner or later these products will need servicing..... it's the nature of tools... brushes *will* wear out, tools get dropped and banged around... cords eventually need replacing. All these issues are promptly addressed at the *local* Dewalt, PC, B&D, Hitachi, Makita, Bosch etc. etc. service center. No need for mailing your tool away for repair or replacement, just drop it off at the service desk and the repair shop takes care of it... if it can't be fixed, they'll replace it.

As for lifetime warranties, they are only good for as long as the company is in business and is still producing the product in question. On another forum, we just had some fun with this sort of thing... the product came with a "Forever" warranty, not for the "Life of the Product" nor was it for "The life of the original owner" but (and they spelled this out quite clearly) it is warrantied forever... should the product ever fail, please return for repair or replacement." Pretty clear, this outfit really stands behind it's product, right?..... Except that on contacting the company, the reply was "We no longer produce this line of products and have no parts for them. We are sorry you are experiencing problems with our old product and will be happy to replace it with a single package of our new disposable products." [In case you were wondering, the product was a mans safety razor of a type where blades have long been difficult to find].

As for the differences in power/rpm's of different tools.... there's a lot of shenanigans going on...... Anyone buy a 5.5hp Shop Vac? Sorry... but in the real world, by the time an electric motor is capable of producing more than 1.5hp of actual work... you're pretty much looking at having to use 220 v to feed it. By the time you hit 5HP of real, usable power output, the motor itself weighs more than I can lift comfortably...... and yet my shop vac claims 5.5 hp. ( It does draw sufficient amperage to produce somewhere around that amount of HP but that is at full stall of the motor and only lasts for a second or two before the windings burn out). Then there is the issue of efficiency.... a well designed power tool may very well use less amps than a poorly designed tool..... It's the same idea as trying to measure the power output of a car engine based entirely on fuel consumption.... you have to add the efficiency coefficient before you have the real story.

The bottom line for me when I had to choose between the Megs G110 and the PC 7424 was simply the fact that I could drop the tool off on my way to my *real* job if something went wrong to have it repaired under warranty. The Megs unit would have required mailing it (at my expense) to their facility where it would be *replaced* with another one (there hasn't been any information on how to get one that is past it's warranty period repaired, something that WILL be an issue some day). Both tools work well, I just like the tried and tested local service depot.... it works for thousands of pro's in my city, and it was good enough for me.

Regards

Christian

[MisterShark]

Originally Posted by tenorplayer23

We should all just chip in a dime and have a side-by-side done of the two polishers.
Each person that contributes gets a randomly-assigned number, and a drawing is held after the side-by-side test for each machine.

Added onto your idea

[2003 GMC Denali]

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

the main issue I see with a Meguiars or Griots polishers (no matter how good they really might be) is the lack of local service/support/parts. Sooner or later these products will need servicing..... it's the nature of tools... brushes *will* wear out, tools get dropped and banged around... cords eventually need replacing. All these issues are promptly addressed at the *local* Dewalt, PC, B&D, Hitachi, Makita, Bosch etc. etc. service center. No need for mailing your tool away for repair or replacement, just drop it off at the service desk and the repair shop takes care of it... if it can't be fixed, they'll replace it.

As for lifetime warranties, they are only good for as long as the company is in business and is still producing the product in question. On another forum, we just had some fun with this sort of thing... the product came with a "Forever" warranty, not for the "Life of the Product" nor was it for "The life of the original owner" but (and they spelled this out quite clearly) it is warrantied forever... should the product ever fail, please return for repair or replacement." Pretty clear, this outfit really stands behind it's product, right?..... Except that on contacting the company, the reply was "We no longer produce this line of products and have no parts for them. We are sorry you are experiencing problems with our old product and will be happy to replace it with a single package of our new disposable products." [In case you were wondering, the product was a mans safety razor of a type where blades have long been difficult to find


The bottom line for me when I had to choose between the Megs G110 and the PC 7424 was simply the fact that I could drop the tool off on my way to my *real* job if something went wrong to have it repaired under warranty. The Megs unit would have required mailing it (at my expense) to their facility where it would be *replaced* with another one (there hasn't been any information on how to get one that is past it's warranty period repaired, something that WILL be an issue some day). Both tools work well, I just like the tried and tested local service depot.... it works for thousands of pro's in my city, and it was good enough for me.

Regards

Christian

Some very good points you brought up.

I guess what is in my favor is that I don't plan on using my Griot for commercial purposes, so I'm thinking it should last for me, for a while.

[BigAl3]

bottom line... if you choose either the 7424XP or Griots, and are happy with it's performance, then that's all that matters. hopefully, someone (as mentioned) can do a side by side test or just shoot a video of it in action...

[2003 GMC Denali]

Also there's the chance that a side by side test will be a death-blow to one of the brands sold on AUTOGEEK.

[BigAl3]

Originally Posted by 2003 GMC Denali

Also there's the chance that a side by side test will be a death-blow to one of the brands sold on AUTOGEEK.

while that may be true or not (in regards to the D/A), at least someone who is in the market for a new D/A can get some sort of idea of what each are like, and what they are getting. who would want to spend $'s on something only to find out another option would be the better choice. in anycase, buying one or the other at AG is a win win situation...

[kaptain_zero]

Honestly, it's a horse race between all these random orbit (though most call them dual action for some reason) machines... the minor differences between them can be more than made up for by an operators familiarity with a particular machine. One person testing each machine but who had never used any of them would be a fair test except that after the first machine, the user has more experience in using a DA. An experienced user would be more familiar with the brand he/she uses regularly and could probably coax the most performance out of the unit he/she uses on a regular basis.

Pitting two or more operators who have each chosen their machine beforehand in a race on the same panel might work but then it comes down to pad choice, product choice and a whole range of mitigating factors.... temperature, humidity, the particular painted panel (soft, hard, new or old etc.) and last but not least the hangover factor from the night before...

In other words, there's no way I can think of that would really show one machine truly superior over the other, only which one randomly happened to win that day with a given set of circumstances and that's not really all that helpful.

Honestly guys, ANY of these machines are fine...... and ANY of these machines could possible be a manufacturing dud.... there's no way to know for sure ahead of time.... ALL manufacturers will have random failures....... very few mind you, but they WILL have them... it's just the way it is, based on the price point they are sold at. That is why I chose to minimize any unforeseen costs by purchasing a unit that is capable of being serviced locally (and for that matter, as I'm located in Canada, it had to be supplied from a Canadian source as most power tool warranties are not cross border. A PC purchased in the USA has a USA warranty which is not valid in Canada and ditto the other way).

The bottom line is simply that you pays your money and you takes your choice. Think the purchase through, include any possible service issues, and be satisfied that the machine you chose, is the right one for you.

Regards

Christian

[BlackSunshine01]

well put sir

[2003 GMC Denali]

I just opened by Griot Box and along with the Buffer is a little Parts Bag.

It contains a Wrench for the Backing Pad Swap, an Allen Wrench for the Handle Adjustment... and a second pair of Brushes for the Motor.

This machine also has Soft-Start too. Does the PC 7424-XP have Soft-Start ?

I'm so excited... I got tons of Pads of various sizes to play with. I bought a DeWalt bag to carry it all around for $9.99 off eBay last week.

[BigAl3]

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

Honestly guys, ANY of these machines are fine......

have you used the Griots? the only problem i have with your statement is, no one knows (that has posted anyway that i've seen) that the Griots D/A can remove defects like the 7424/7424XP/G110 (there have been quite a few people who have used the XP and said it does have noticable more power than the 7424) can. as mentioned... while on paper the Griots has more power, one would not know until it's been put to the test. not trying to start an argument, just trying to save someone money on something they know that will deliver as indicated...