New Addition to Polisher Arsenal - Pray to save my old 3401!

[Tato]

Rafael,

The signed one is a regular 110 volt?? We're you using a converter with it? Just wondering why so many failures in such a short period.

Thank you for opinion. My Signed 3401 is 110V however in my Garage (Brazil) we have both 110V and 220V normally in the line. I own many tools in 110V (like the Rupes 21), steamer, etc, and vacuum, air compressor in 220V.

Also, many other home appliances I have are 110V like computer, Marshall guitar Amplifier, etc... for more than 10 years.

I never used it on a transformer, just the pure and correct 110V outlet.

When it died for the last time, it almost worked, it did 'uóóo...' for 1 second, then stopped. I'm almost sure (by the feeling) it's a trigger problem, but I can't solve this by myself, and my area is not the easiest to find professional repair for this tool.

Sorry to hear bud! Hope you can get her back to doing what she does best and that's removing swirls! At least you have a spare for the time being.

Yes, having a spare put me back to work immediately, without any loss in quality and production.

I felt like 'naked' for the moments I was without 3401, it's very important for me to achieve the results I'm selling to my customers.

Thanks for support!

[Toxix]

I absolutely love my 3401.
Especially considering that I came from a PC 7424XP and then a GG6.

Threads like this have be a bit worried because I've noticed more of them creeping up about failures.
I understand that they are made in Germany and well built, etc etc but why are these units failing?

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units. Looks like this is long gone and now not an option; Makes me wonder why this is no longer available: Did they have too many claims? Too many issues or failures?

Not trying to blow this out of proportion. Just a little bit of a worried customer as it is my bread and butter for the business that I run.

[Bunky]

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units.

Any company that sells something like a power tool with a lifetime warranty needs to have deep pockets especially when you do not control the manufacturing of the product. It does not that many returns and covering post to add up on something you may sell for not that much profit.

[EVOlved]

I absolutely love my 3401.
Especially considering that I came from a PC 7424XP and then a GG6.

Threads like this have be a bit worried because I've noticed more of them creeping up about failures.
I understand that they are made in Germany and well built, etc etc but why are these units failing?

Another thing I've noticed is that last a year a competitor was selling the Flex 3401s with their own Lifetime warranty on the units. Looks like this is long gone and now not an option; Makes me wonder why this is no longer available: Did they have too many claims? Too many issues or failures?

Not trying to blow this out of proportion. Just a little bit of a worried customer as it is my bread and butter for the business that I run.

The company you speak of stopped selling them for a completely unrelated reason which was that flex the company was bought by a Chinese company and said distributor wants nothing to do with China. They want to be all American..

[Tato]

Thank you for opinions.

In fact, I see my case more as an isolated issue than a general consensus regarding the Flex Tools.

I've tried to search Flex 3401 Defect, Broke, trying to understand a bit more what happened but the only results you can find are defect removal on paint, the only thing it's braking are abrasives...

It's truly a workhorse.

It can also be MY fault, some misuse the way I press the trigger, why not?

In my defense I can say I've used a Meguiar's G220v2 for some time and sold it used (without any warranty) to a guy who's using it and loving the tool. No issue related to misuse. You can have a lifetime warranty but if tool needs repair and/or replacement frequently, no, thank you. I'm so sure it's not the case with Flex Tools because I've ordered another immediately after mine stopped. It's very unlikely this will happen twice with me.

I take good care of my tools and put efforts to handle it properly, lay it with care when finishing a panel, etc. They are expensive and very important to get the job done, any problem your tool may present during an extensive work sounds like a nightmare (at least for me), no?!

With that in mind, I try to use them the best way to keep distance from problems.

Whenever I manage to fix my Signed unit I'm expecting not only to work better and faster with both, but much more confident I'l be even more distant from trouble having a spare unit.

Again, thank you all for sharing this moment with me.

Kind Regards.

[Toxix]

Any company that sells something like a power tool with a lifetime warranty needs to have deep pockets especially when you do not control the manufacturing of the product. It does not that many returns and covering post to add up on something you may sell for not that much profit.

Deep pockets is definitely right. Also, this was the case for all of their polishers too - The Flex, The PC7424XP, Cylco, etc. But appears to have been pulled.

The company you speak of stopped selling them for a completely unrelated reason which was that flex the company was bought by a Chinese company and said distributor wants nothing to do with China. They want to be all American..

This is good information and peace of mind. I had no idea, thank you for clarifying.

Thank you for opinions.

In fact, I see my case more as an isolated issue than a general consensus regarding the Flex Tools.

I've tried to search Flex 3401 Defect, Broke, trying to understand a bit more what happened but the only results you can find are defect removal on paint, the only thing it's braking are abrasives...

It's truly a workhorse.

It can also be MY fault, some misuse the way I press the trigger, why not?

In my defense I can say I've used a Meguiar's G220v2 for some time and sold it used (without any warranty) to a guy who's using it and loving the tool. No issue related to misuse. You can have a lifetime warranty but if tool needs repair and/or replacement frequently, no, thank you. I'm so sure it's not the case with Flex Tools because I've ordered another immediately after mine stopped. It's very unlikely this will happen twice with me.

I take good care of my tools and put efforts to handle it properly, lay it with care when finishing a panel, etc. They are expensive and very important to get the job done, any problem your tool may present during an extensive work sounds like a nightmare (at least for me), no?!

With that in mind, I try to use them the best way to keep distance from problems.

Whenever I manage to fix my Signed unit I'm expecting not only to work better and faster with both, but much more confident I'l be even more distant from trouble having a spare unit.

Again, thank you all for sharing this moment with me.

Kind Regards.

Thanks for your detailed posts!
I'm really looking to add another Flex to my group, I want to see what they have under wraps first!