Buy & Return Festool Planex or Rent Porter Cable?

[jbair]

So, after exhaustive research, I can find nowhere to rent the Planex. I have a relatively extensive project coming up which will require mudding and sanding. I've used the Porter Cable Drywall Sander before and it's "just" ok. I'm very impressed with the Planex Hype, but there is absolutely NO WAY to justify the expense of purchasing this tool for my life. Festool offers a 30 day no questions asked money back guarantee.  It still doesn't seem "legit" but the only solution I've been offered is to buy the Planex,, paper and autoclean CT, use it for the required job and return the Planex and CT before the 30 days are expired. My head is justifying using this method, after all, if the Festool is that impressive I may go ahead and keep it. (RIGHT) By the way, I have the CT26 with an Ultimate Dust Deputy installed, am I understanding I would still get better results utilizing the recommended autoclean CT? I don't want to take unfair advantage of the Festool policy, and this doesn't "seem" to be the intended purpose of the guarantee, but I've got extensive ceiling sanding to accomplish, and I would really like to try the Planex. Alright, time to kick my butt for loopholing the system. GO!
Jim

 

[Kevin McConville]

Instead of the term "loopholing" I believe the one you are suggesting you think is justified is called fraud.

Do what you want but intentionally entering into a contract to purchase the tool with the prior intent to return it used is fraud.  That clause in the purchase contact legally applies to those with the genuine interest in owning the tool and should they deem it not worth the money they return.  Your intent is to steal some of the value of the tool by taking a new tool and consuming some of its value fraudulently and then returning it.

 

[rvieceli]

It's your life and YOU have to look yourself in the mirror....

Has this ever been done before, I'm sure... Is it right? No.

Ethically speaking you probably have three choices....

1. Sub it out. Spec the level of finish you want and then walk in when it's done.

2. Use the Porter Cable.

3. Buy the Planex kit. Use it and then sell it when you are done. I see these rigs come up for sale frequently. There's currently one in the classified here.

http://festoolownersgroup.com/classifieds/planex-package-for-sale/

 

[avrs22]

I wouldn't feel right doing the intending on return it after the job.
But that's just me.

 

[waho6o9]

Karma comes to mind.

 

[deepcreek]

What you are suggesting is essentially stealing.  Festool's generous return policy makes it possible to game the system but doing so ends up costing all of us.

It's obvious you know right from wrong.  You're attempting to rationalize what you would like to do even though you know it is not ethical.

Rationalize:  Attempt to explain or justify (one's own or another's behavior or attitude) with logical, plausible reasons, even if these are not true or appropriate.

I can understand the temptation.  We all face these dilemmas in life.  At the end of the day, I personally want to go to sleep with a clear conscious.

Buy the tools.  Use them for the job and then sell them.  Any "loss" in value will be worth it as you were willing to pay to rent one anyway.

 

[slopjock78]

In my opinion, if you choose the absurd idea of buying and returning,  you are hurting the entire festool community.  All of use that buy festool will be the ones that pay the cost, literally, if you choose that avenue.  Festool will have to absorb the lost value that you used up in that tool, and that loss will then be passed on to the rest of use. Do ALL of us a favor, and either sub out the job or rent a porter cable......Do the right thing!!

 

[sae]

In my opinion, if you choose the absurd idea of buying and returning,  you are hurting the entire festool community.

.......until it comes up in the reconditioned sale.  [tongue]

 

[peter halle]

Festool here in the US has a policy to purchase, try, and then if you are not happy with the tools operation within 30 days you can return it.  It doesn't have a policy to buy, try, be thrilled, and then return it under the 30 days.  Does it happen.  Yes.  Does Festool and the Dealers know it happens - YES.  Is it outside the intent of the policy which was designed to prevent hard selling and buyer's remorse - YES.

Enjoy your decision making.  But remember that accessories are not returnable and if you buy thru the internet you will probably have to pay the return shipping.  Meanwhile the dealer will get screwed for credit card processing fees and possibly get dinged for number of returns.

Hope that this helps.  Hope your ceiling looks great when you're done.

Peter

 

[Holmz]

Since everyone else is taking the moral high ground, then I will say go for it.
I am assuming that "If not happy for any reason", includes "not happy for price".
Maybe it is the karma of all those "just over 30 day" exchanges that were not authorised that we have seen lately.

Personally I think you post is a worthwhile question. There are three outcomes I see.
1) Advice on morals
2) people stepping up to rent/demo.
3) Other ideas.
And there is nothing better than a moral question to get people into action.

Personally, my recommendation is that since you already have the CT-26 you are 1/2 way there.
So you're a phone call away from finding out if the Mirka guys know anyone that would rent one or let you demo a Mirka. If you were adverse to using the phone and felt like getting out, then they are ~30mile away via on I271... so under a couple of hours by bicycle. If you have a car is

 

[Stephen B]

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[Birdhunter]

Totally unethical in my opinion. Festool treats its customers ethically and we should treat them ethically.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Nope, that's just not right.

There must be a place somewhere where you can rent a drywall sander.

 

[mlfaber]

I like the idea of seeing if someone near you has one to borrow, or rent.

 

[jaguar36]

Buy it and resell it when you're done.  Festools hold their value quite well so you won't take a big hit on it.

I assume you already knew that buying it and returning it was wrong, or you wouldn't have asked.

 

[sancho57]

I originally posted a lecture in ethical behaviour. But after posting my remarks and thinking about them, that has been well covered.

I'm assuming that this is a DYI home remodelling project

You should sub it out. The rockers can come knock it out in record time, they don't cost that much and you can concentrate of prepping for the next phase of the project.

 

[Holmz]

What you are proposing, is IMO stealing someone's Planex using and abusing it then returning it to them.
Which is morally and ethically wrong.
...

Aside from the morals aspect, these tools are designed for more than 3 years of professional use, and the vacuums seems like they get more use than everything else combined, assuming that everything else uses the vacuum...

I see in a nearby threads that others are proclaiming the tools being robust and designed for professional use and of high quality. These two views are at odds with each other.

If I was on the fence and nearby, it would be tempting to use the rental to aid in funding the purchase.

 

[jeh]

So, after exhaustive research, I can find nowhere to rent the Planex. I have a relatively extensive project coming up which will require mudding and sanding. I've used the Porter Cable Drywall Sander before and it's "just" ok. I'm very impressed with the Planex Hype, but there is absolutely NO WAY to justify the expense of purchasing this tool for my life. Festool offers a 30 day no questions asked money back guarantee.  It still doesn't seem "legit" but the only solution I've been offered is to buy the Planex,, paper and autoclean CT, use it for the required job and return the Planex and CT before the 30 days are expired. My head is justifying using this method, after all, if the Festool is that impressive I may go ahead and keep it. (RIGHT) By the way, I have the CT26 with an Ultimate Dust Deputy installed, am I understanding I would still get better results utilizing the recommended autoclean CT? I don't want to take unfair advantage of the Festool policy, and this doesn't "seem" to be the intended purpose of the guarantee, but I've got extensive ceiling sanding to accomplish, and I would really like to try the Planex. Alright, time to kick my butt for loopholing the system. GO!
Jim

That type of activity is definitely not cool on any level and in the end could end up with larger year to year cost increases to cover these "rentals".

I also question the judgement of posting your plans to a forum run by Festool.

Sanding is the final step in finishing drywall and if mudded correctly the amount of sanding should be minimal. Sloppy mudding results in large amounts of sanding and extra work. The Porter Cable will be more than adequate for one job though the best move would be to subcontract this portion of the work. Spend your time doing the point up and getting the job perfect.

 

[shed9]

Anyone who was really going to do this wouldn't have posted it on the actual manufacturers forum, would they  ???

I suspect this is a plea by the OP for us to convince them to buy it and keep the kit, surely.

 

[Locks14]

Is it "morally wrong"? Yes a little, but let's be honest nobody is going to be scarred for life, physically harmed, etc, etc.

However the flip-side of the coin is Festool tools are a lot more expensive than most other equivalent tools, some of that premium might be for the quality of tool you get, but in many cases they're actually no better or worse than the competition, just equivalent.

Therefore, the premium we all pay is also to fund the 3 year warranty, a "tax" for staying in the plugit system and finally a provision/liability for the hit Festool take on 30-day returns that Festool's accountants fully expect to incur each year. Also with fixed pricing the dealers also make a greater comparative profit when they sell Festool over Bosch/Makita/Dewalt/Metabo, etc... So can absorb an occasional return as part and parcel of being a Festool dealer.

So, whilst it is probably not the most morally correct thing to do, at the same time let's not go overboard on the soapbox attitudes or cry a river for Festool or their dealers.