FLEX vs Rupes

[custmsprty]

Just what we need another Flex vs Rupes thread

Just get it over with and buy both.

[Quiksilver5882]

I have a PC, GG3, and a Flex3401. The Flex is amazing! I really want a ZENTOOL 21 though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dlc95]

Just get it over with and buy both.

So long as the budget allows...

[KMdef9]

The flex is very versatile, it can use wider pad selection. 4"-6 1/2"

[94LT1]

I will have to disagree with this as per my own experiences with the Flex and soft paints.

I was working on a new Viper GTS with black paint and when I did my test spots I found the paint to be very soft. I did 3 other Viper GTS's before the black one so I thought I had an idea of what I needed.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. When I did my test spot with the Rupes I found the paint to be severely hazed. I backed off with pads, speed and product and continued to try other test posts with the Rupes and had no such luck.

I pulled out the Flex 3401 with a black finishing pad, Sonax EX 04-06 on speed 3, and I was able to have success.

I can say the hazing was due to the soft paint and the large throw of the Rupes.

This is what I have experienced with the Rupes and Flex.

IMO its best to have a variety of machines pads, and products. To me, there is no perfect machine. Ive run into issues where the Flex wasn't working but the Rupes would.

Thats interesting because both larry at AMMO and Kevin brown talk about residue control and how great the rupes is at residue control.Makes me want to put down my flex and try a rupes 21.restores my faith in my flex.

[MshawnBauer]

I've used them both and prefer the Rupes. They are BOTH awesome, choose one, buy it and don't look back. You will be happy. Don't buy a knockoff (Zentool, glossit, whatever) your relying on AUTOGEEK to help you in your research, support autogeek, not some Chinese factory turning out imitations. Just my $.02

[Evan.J]

One thing I will say that with the Flex 3401 it has been on the market for 10 years and in those 10 years never has copy been made nor has the design changed (other than a slight color change).

If you need a repair on the Flex you can send it to Power House Tools in Nebraska.

[mbpress01]

My two sense - bought the rupes duetto, LHR 15 and the whole Rupes polishes and pads. Final conclusion - flat horizontal panels it was awesome. The second the polisher hit anything curved, slightly curved, convex or vertical it stopped spinning and I wound up spending so much time trying to get it to spin it was useless. Dumped them both at a huge loss and went with Flex. Don't waste your time with Rupes. I have seen many comments about technique with the Rupes, but I haven't seen one video where someone is actually showing their so called technique to video for us to evaluate, while I have seen a ton of videos on the Flex and they all show the power of this tool. Just my thoughts.

[sulla]

My two sense - bought the rupes duetto, LHR 15 and the whole Rupes polishes and pads. Final conclusion - flat horizontal panels it was awesome. The second the polisher hit anything curved, slightly curved, convex or vertical it stopped spinning and I wound up spending so much time trying to get it to spin it was useless. Dumped them both at a huge loss and went with Flex. Don't waste your time with Rupes. I have seen many comments about technique with the Rupes, but I haven't seen one video where someone is actually showing their so called technique to video for us to evaluate, while I have seen a ton of videos on the Flex and they all show the power of this tool. Just my thoughts.

idk if it will make a difference but i think if you had got the rupes mini plus 21 you would swear by them...

[kaanage]

I will have to disagree with this as per my own experiences with the Flex and soft paints.

I was working on a new Viper GTS with black paint and when I did my test spots I found the paint to be very soft. I did 3 other Viper GTS's before the black one so I thought I had an idea of what I needed.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. When I did my test spot with the Rupes I found the paint to be severely hazed. I backed off with pads, speed and product and continued to try other test posts with the Rupes and had no such luck.

I pulled out the Flex 3401 with a black finishing pad, Sonax EX 04-06 on speed 3, and I was able to have success.

I can say the hazing was due to the soft paint and the large throw of the Rupes.

This is what I have experienced with the Rupes and Flex.

IMO its best to have a variety of machines pads, and products. To me, there is no perfect machine. Ive run into issues where the Flex wasn't working but the Rupes would.

I was more referring to how the Flex wants to throw you around on soft paints making it a very tiring machine to use. It corrects and finishes fine on soft paint but it works you out as well.

You're dead right about no machine being perfect, though. The last car I did needed a rotary to correct - nothing else was doing more than glossing the paint (with any wool, MF or foam pads incl Carpro Flash).

One thing I will say that with the Flex 3401 it has been on the market for 10 years and in those 10 years never has copy been made nor has the design changed (other than a slight color change).

If you need a repair on the Flex you can send it to Power House Tools in Nebraska.

The Flex VRG is built far better of any of the DA's, without doubt and the rotary Flex is better made than the Rupes rotary too.

My two sense - bought the rupes duetto, LHR 15 and the whole Rupes polishes and pads. Final conclusion - flat horizontal panels it was awesome. The second the polisher hit anything curved, slightly curved, convex or vertical it stopped spinning and I wound up spending so much time trying to get it to spin it was useless. Dumped them both at a huge loss and went with Flex. Don't waste your time with Rupes. I have seen many comments about technique with the Rupes, but I haven't seen one video where someone is actually showing their so called technique to video for us to evaluate, while I have seen a ton of videos on the Flex and they all show the power of this tool. Just my thoughts.

I'll see if I can find one for you. Sometimes I have to watch the angle I'm holding for convex surfaces or even have to ramp up the speed for concave surfaces but never so much that I'd say it was useless. And no probs at all for vertical.

I sometimes wonder if the lower voltage in North America means that DA's will bog down more easily since we seem to be able to correct with lower speed (3-4 with 8mm throw DA's) here, Asia and in the UK.