My First (Full) Detail with my Flex 3401

[blacknblu]

Here's my first full detail with my Flex 3401. I tried it out when I first got it, but with the products I used, had mediocre results. Based on a recommendation by Rsurfer, I picked up a bottle of Menz 106ff, and a bottle of Wolfgang Paint Sealant 3.0 (hey, it was on sale). Overall, the results were spectacular.

This is my car, so I probably spent more time on it than I should have. Some of the following steps were probably unnecessary, as I didn't need to clay. Hey, what the heck, this should get her ready for summer and it gave me the opportunity to really learn about my new flex. I finished step 5 last night about 11:00, and have learned the importance of workshop lighting. Today, when starting on Step 6 (after the Wolfgang sealant cured), I noticed little webs in the paint that I didn't notice last night in the garage. Oh well, there's always next time...

1 - Wash
2 - Clay Bar
3 - Clean paint (Megs Step 1 - Orange CCS pad)
4 - Polish (Menz 106ff - Orange CCS pad)
5 - Paint Sealant (Wolfgang 3.0 handheld foam applicator)
6 - Dress Tires
7 - Polish Wheels and Exhaust Pipes (Mother's Metal Polish)



Here are some pics -

Before

Not too bad looking

Still though...


And AFTER


And the "AFTER" reflection - If you look, you can see the basketball goal in the reflection (never had that before)


I tried to reduce the size of the picture for this site. If you want the full size pic, send me a PM and I'll get it to you. I should change my nick to "Proud_And_Tired_Newbie"

[NickP]

Hey Man,

First off your results look great, thumbs up.

The minor webs are mostly likely caused by the orange pad....

If you finish up with 106ff on a white ccs pad the haze should go away!

Once again great detail

[AlxRSPTT]

^Yeah I was about to say that. You really shouldn't be finishing any polishing with an orange pad then to a last step product.

Alex

[blacknblu]

DOH! I read this, and I swear I knew better than to finish up with an orange pad! Sometimes, I just have to learn from experience. Thanks for your insight. It also looks like I need to pick up a better lighting medium for my garage.

[ZoranC]

Originally Posted by blacknblu

DOH! I read this, and I swear I knew better than to finish up with an orange pad!

Still a great looking result! If you are in the mood to experiment after you are done with white pad try finishing polish like 106FF with gray pad.

[blacknblu]

Originally Posted by ZoranC

Still a great looking result! If you are in the mood to experiment after you are done with white pad try finishing polish like 106FF with gray pad.

Thank you very much ZoranC. I'm going to take your advice this weekend (only 4 more days). Of course, I think I'll break the detail up in stages this time

[amy5732]

I would use the wolfgang with a red or blue ccs pad and your flex. Wolfgang wont stain trim and the flex with the one of those pads puts on a nice thin even coat. Should speed you up a little.

[jmark]

Nice review. I am thinking of the Flex myself. What's your take on the Flex after using it. How did you remove the Wolfgang? I have heard use a microfiber towel by hand.

[blacknblu]

Originally Posted by jmark

Nice review. I am thinking of the Flex myself. What's your take on the Flex after using it. How did you remove the Wolfgang? I have heard use a microfiber towel by hand.

jmark - Thanks. I’ll start with the easy question first.

How did you remove the Wolfgang? I have heard use a microfiber towel by hand.

I removed the Wolfgang with a microfiber towel by hand. It really wasn’t difficult, and came right off without any effort. I plan to experiment with it using a microfiber bonnet, just to see if I can raise a little bit more of a shine, but for the most part, using a microfiber by hand will be my first choice of action.

I am thinking of the Flex myself. What's your take on the Flex after using it.

I really like the flex. I’m very new to machine detailing, and was worried about causing more problems than I was correcting. I seriously considered the PC, but after much deliberation (and research on this site), I figured I’d roll the dice and try the flex. I sure am glad I did (not that I had experience with any other DA).

After using it, there were a few things I noticed that were worthy enough for me to remember. If you don’t center the pad (I used 6.5” Lake Country CCS), the machine will “walk”. Adjusting the pad quickly resolves this issue. Also, the backing plate requires larger pads. The larger pads were great for large areas (and really sped things up), but become awkward in tighter areas. “The Edge” has a system that allows you to use their pads (larger and smaller), but my understanding is that the backing plate has to be modified, and then, you can only use their pads. I plan on holding off until a less invasive work around is created before I try them.

The noise is tolerable, and from what I understand, about the same as the PC. Its frequency does beckon neighborhood kids (and their Dads). The irony is that one of the reasons I purchased the flex was so I could complete my detail in less time. Now, the time I save is usually spent talking about my detailing regimen. Still, money well spent.

Overall, I do enjoy using the flex. It’s a solid machine that performs as I expect. I imagine that over time, vendors will create a more flexible (pun intended) backing plate that can be used with different size pads. I’ve found that product/pad choice makes all the difference in the world. I’ve found 2 of the 3 for the trinity (machine, pad, and product). Now I just have to find the right products so that I may see the reflection of my tears in the paint.

[supercharged]

great job!