Man, I read that salons are basically TikTok trend farms now, one video and everyone wants the same thing.

Did your neighbor ever actually prep the crack before he filled it, or does he just dump cold patch straight into whatever's there? I ask because I've seen guys swear by one method when really the difference was they spent 20 minutes with a wire brush and a shop vac first. Cold patch tends to sit on top of junk and still hold okay, but pourable filler needs a clean dry crack or it peels right out. That crumbling spot from 8 months ago, was that a dirty crack or just the wrong product? Also does Ron's driveway have the same kind of cracks as yours, like hairline vs a half inch gap, because that changes the answer a lot.

That 12x20 in Tucson heat is gonna crust on you fast no matter what you grab, so switching based on the mix makes total sense. On wetter pours I'll float it first just to knock down the highs and get a flat plane, then run the Fresno after it sets up a bit, which saves you from chasing those edge dips later. Sticking to one tool just means you're doing the other one's job with the wrong thing, and the edges always pay for it.