Thread: Makita LXT Range

I think that any brand that now uses Lithium Ion batteries, are definately longer lasting and lighter, Dewalt & Bosch use them also.

I have a fair range of 18V LXTgear including hammer drill, drill/driver, impact driver (compact one) and heavy duty 450 ft/pound rattle gun. Plus of course the batteries (4 x 3AH and 4 x 1.5 AH), radio and torch, and four chargers, 3 25min fast chargers (Flat 3AH to fully charged) and a regular 45 min one.

All my kit came in as packs from US before they were available in Oz officially, so all chargers are 110V. Not a problem as I already had a 1200VA step down transformer for them, and I bought a 110V 600 W inverter for charging on the road as well. Gear is over a year old now as still as good as new. Batteries as new, with no sign of age or use related deterioration as yet, so that puts them ahead of most of the Nicad or NiMh powered units I have had in the past. I think the forced cooling during charging inherant in the Mak system probably helps contribute to this.

All in, each of the tools I have is quite capable of matching corded equivalents in performance.

More than happy with my purchases, but I am aware that even when the oz$ had near parity with the US$, local official import prices were about 2.5 times the landed costs of my imports. Might have been tougher to justify the outlay at the official prices, but could hardly expect more from the units than I am getting at present.

Originally Posted by tool_master

The Newest innovation from Makita is the LXT Lithium 014.4v & 18v Cordless Tools.

Apparently LXT Tools & batteries last 3 times the normal batteries do and are the lightest battery in the tool market today.

Anyone used the Makita LXT tool range before?

You don't work for Makita by any chance do you?

Originally Posted by gonty

You don't work for Makita by any chance do you?

Just what I was wondering...

i dont know if this guy works for makita or not, but if he does he is a little late to be advertising their "latest" products.

i bought my makita lxt lithium ion gear in february 2006. (from U.S.)

Originally Posted by justinmcf

i bought my makita lxt lithium ion gear in february 2006. (from U.S.)

Yeh but they are technically just released here recently. It's kind of like tv shows. The season might of finished in the US but its "new" on channel X in australia :lol:

I think I'd go for a panasonic these days given all I'm hearing about them. I wasn't too impressed with the change of specs on one of the lxt drills I was looking at last year. The previous model was much better than the model it got replaced with..Seems they are cheapening the range down with each "update". If you got it in 2006 you probably got the better model.

i have had mixed results with the lxt range, the 18 volt drivers have been fantastic.
the 18 volt drills have been a disappointment. i bought 2 in feb 2006.

the clutch broke after 6-8 months. the second one is playing up now too(3 year old drill now, but very little use.

i am looking at upgrading now myself. either panasonic or protool.

Well I have been using 2 18v impact drivers plus hammer drill for about 12 months now. Used reasonably heavy for a few days here and there but also spent a fair amount of time resting in the drawer. So I was a bit disappointed when a battery pack died yesterday, I hope that the other 3 last longer.

Originally Posted by justinmcf

i have had mixed results with the lxt range, the 18 volt drivers have been fantastic.
the 18 volt drills have been a disappointment. i bought 2 in feb 2006.

the clutch broke after 6-8 months. the second one is playing up now too(3 year old drill now, but very little use.

i am looking at upgrading now myself. either panasonic or protool.

we have had alot of makita tools come thru the service department for gearbox problems, the more you put into a small area of a cordless gearbox the higher the chance of something going wrong with it.

Sales of the Protool have been unbelievable we even have festool freaks which would never forsake their festool tool buying the protool for the 4speed gearbox & hammer option....The electronic clutch & overload sensors have also proven to be a brand swinger....try one out at your nearest Festool/Protool shop.

If your after the hammer model they will be a little harder to get compared to the non hammer model....there is also a current special which you get the protool centrotec drill bits valued @ $79 with it, it runs out at the end of the month


Cheers,


Team VEK TOOLS
www.vektools.com.au

Dewalt have a 2 year warranty on their batteries. I wonder if Makita also have similar permieshane?

Originally Posted by exotiic

Dewalt have a 2 year warranty on their batteries. I wonder if Makita also have similar permieshane?

dewalt actually has 3 years warranty on batteries & tool
milwaukee has 5years on the tool & 2 years on batteries
festool has 3years on the tool & 3 years on batteries
protool has 3years on the tool & 3 years on batteries
metabo has 3years on the tool & 3 years on batteries


makita has 1year on the tool & on batteries
hitachi has 1year on the tool & on batteries
panasonic has 1year on the tool & on batteries

remember warranty only covers manufacturers fault not wear & tear

Cheers,


Team VEK TOOLS
www.vektools.com.au