The DDF40 feels a better made tool in the hand than the DF500... only had one Mafell fail on me, an A10M drill motor which they replaced, but that's pretty much a Metabo. Had a Festool motor go up in smoke - it was replaced under warranty, but I don't have any questions about the longevity of Mafell tools.
Lateral flexibility can be handy sometimes, but using the DDF40 with the pins that reference off the previously drilled holes makes for very accurate joinery. If I had to give up one I'd give up the DF500.
I have quite a few niche tools from Virutex - they're not on a par with Mafell or Festool, but none of them have broken, maybe I don't use them enough!
I'd forgotten Brexit must be raising prices for you guys over there - Scott & Sargeant sell Virutex, they maybe able to get you a decent price.
Firstly, I ought to explain, I'm a carpenter- fitter first, joiner second....
(ad-on after the whole write up) In UK, most of the joinery is done in workshops, with "overheads" making profits and buying tools, hence joiners are earning whole LOT less, than Carpenters or fitters, with all the own tools, vans, business insurances, accountants etc, so when we buy tools, we need to think about performance, cost and how useful they will be more.
Whilst worked with very many plunge saws MT55cc really has come up as perfectly engineered, superbly and reasonably robustly build, simply performed it's moneys worth- the best! "head and shoulders above all others" like DeWalt XXX; Hilti WSG265; FesT T55 and few other...
Routers... (biggens) worked with many, Elu XX; Trend 11; Dewalt xx, Metabo..., then Mafell LO65 and then FesT 2200, whilst build, power and robustness of of LO65 is unquestionable, FestT 2200 is simply miles better engineered and given need for one (still own- have Metabo 1860w 1999-2000 make) I wouldn't even think off any other- I'd get FesT 2200, as those sensible refinements including super stable base and outstanding dust extraction lets me believe- it'll last my lifetime and more...
"Littlens", had very competent Bosch CEF 1300 all-rounder- loved it, thought it was best designed and manufactured machine, until it once fallen out of my hands on the metal stairs- complete write off... never even considered FestT or even knew them days of Mafell, ANW for kitchen worktops got German made Metabo- not great (copy of Elu), but OKay does the job, but for anything intricate, got myself Bosch ACE900 1/4"- absolutely outstanding performance, still runs like new (since 1998), got it for everything including furniture fitting etc.
Met team of German carpenters building majority of a HUFF house (was on TV), we were doing supporting roles and at the end of one work day he's shown me his FesT OFO1000 or even was it FESTO them days- simply blew my mind. Decade later on, had a chippy fitting kitchens on different (block off flats) units opposite me with FesT OFO1400 trying to show off against my Metabo 1860W one and... eventually, he admitted, whilst as sophisticated as it was, it was about x2 fold the price of mine- that for the job cutting worktops, my Metabo was way better suited tool.
(Still about roters)-"littlens", so about 4 years ago, seen retiring carpenter selling Mafell LO50- bought it without testing! great, love it!, but no common size guide bushes (and believe you me, I looked), controls- meh, whilst power for what it is- good router overall, but it was overdue and finally better engineered is now produced in a form of LO55... I hope dust extraction on it is better, than of FesT 1400 , because I am certain it is not as powerful and not sure if weight to handle it is near identical...
So the reason I went in writing my lifetime story, is that, as it comes to makes- design, if it is more logical- convenient and automated enough, be it less powerful or build quality-reliability subjectively "lesser"- does take priority, wins for me.
I used dowling by making my own templates by hand... and I just can not justify spending that sort of money, if a dowler (doweller)- just it! Them plastic clip-ons DDF40 ...yeah, works etc- just don't give me no confidence.
In general, for what it's meant and can do... ONLY if I was in a workshop knocking cabinets, shelves all day, every day- I could perhaps be satisfied with, but in real life, making up 25mm oak lipped shelving in a multimillion house mateys DF500 was just the right tool. Also, the servant quarter staircase was absolutely bodged up, we were practically remaking landings, stringers, fitting newel posts from patching up, making new mortices etc etc- it was god's send for me and for the other fitter, dowels just wouldn't- couldn't have done it regardless of size.
So that's where I am ATM:
Some Mafell is great- the best, for some tools, but for functionality, innovation, usability and ergonomics just doesn't justify it's premium other times. Sorry, not sorry...
If, I'll secure dowler (doweller) Virutex AB200 for under £600- yep, I'll take it, but if I'm about to spend £900... I'll buy tried and tested DF500.
As it comes to Virutex branded tools I only worked with a hand planer ...25 years ago, the one, that Makita coppied 1 to 1, yes, at the time Virutex was at least double the price and absolutely not any better or worse than it's successor (mukhyta I think 800w, that was remade in Japan, I think), so... price now has to reflect value of the tool, when I could get simple mainstream biscuit joiners like for under £300 from those mass makers from Chyna, and am expecting for dowlers to become available for the same money, with near that sort of quality very soon. And I still do "manual" biscuit joining with router cutters if absolutely MUST when absolutely need to.
Yes, I've seen AB200 vertical fence rubbish, (that I have a plan for), but otherways... as long as it is of acceptable quality, it is made in Europe, so, as long as it is just double the price of chinesium DeathWalt, Mukhyta etc- I'll be happy. "Horses for courses", as long as it's reasonably good, made in Europe, I can forgive flimsy vertical fence, I can forgive middle dowling potentially need be remarked etc, but it would be price relative, not perfect- happy medium. If I'm going absolutely OTT to spend ~£1k, I just don't see why would I do that, to end up with a tool, with limited functionality- usage, hence more now, than never I'm certain DF500 would be better choice for me, bet it potentially breaking... but I think they are still under 5 year warranty und Mafell is only 3. (I think)
one more positive - exclusive best tool for Mafell, regardless of price, is JigSaw P1cc, wish I didn't waste my money on ever so many prior to that, I and everyone grown to hate jigsaws all together, because of a how bad they are, including close to P1cc priced Metabo 85 (them days), Bosch xxx and of course Fest Carvex and that other Cunex or something- yes, P1cc is worth that extra 1/3 or even double the price of the lot. Unfortunately as it comes to jointing solutions, ddf40 isn't that at all.
PS Brexishit is bit of a pain, but once paperwork properly filed it is "free- trade" agreement with EU", unfortunately not the US, but they don't have no social or health care over there to pay for- so it's double annoying in that respect, but if you'd try to import from US- you'd face the same 30% "EU" import charge, just like me.