Lesson Learned... Still Not Over It..

[custmsprty]

xxxxxxxxx in Cincinnati. Google them I dk if putting website link up is allowed here or not.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Just curious, through this whole ordeal I don't think we've seen you post any pictures? You know the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm sure we'd all like to see them.

[cardaddy]

xxxxxxxx in Cincinnati. Google them I dk if putting website link up is allowed here or not.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Hmmm, interesting site. He's doing OC, lifetime coverage for $600. WOW, that's a bargain!
Be interesting to see if he's polishing with a rotary or a DA first.
I know a lot of guys are getting that and then some for a single stage buff and a WOWO sealant. Throw in OC or CQuartz and it'll hit $850 in a hurry. I'm willing to bet that Black Label 850 will be in that lineup sooner rather than later.

I've always found it a bit funny that the 5 year warranty asks for no recurring maintenance yet the 'lifetime' warranty requires "ANNUAL VISIT TO DETAILER/INSTALLER FOR THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: HAND WASH & DRY. SURFACE INSPECTION. PAINT DECONTAMINATION IF NECESSARY".

Wow, don't have to wash the car but once a year to qualify. For an extra $100 that's a no brainer. OTOH, I'd be doing the 5 year, washing it weekly and sealing it probably every 2~3 months. But I'm weird like that.

[zmcgovern45]

Hmmm, interesting site. He's doing OC, lifetime coverage for $600. WOW, that's a bargain!
Be interesting to see if he's polishing with a rotary or a DA first.
I know a lot of guys are getting that and then some for a single stage buff and a WOWO sealant. Throw in OC or CQuartz and it'll hit $850 in a hurry. I'm willing to bet that Black Label 850 will be in that lineup sooner rather than later.

I've always found it a bit funny that the 5 year warranty asks for no recurring maintenance yet the 'lifetime' warranty requires "ANNUAL VISIT TO DETAILER/INSTALLER FOR THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: HAND WASH & DRY. SURFACE INSPECTION. PAINT DECONTAMINATION IF NECESSARY".

Wow, don't have to wash the car but once a year to qualify. For an extra $100 that's a no brainer. OTOH, I'd be doing the 5 year, washing it weekly and sealing it probably every 2~3 months. But I'm weird like that.

FWIW - All warrantied coatings are subject to following proper maintenance guidelines.

Warranty Will Be Deemed Invalid If The Following Transpire
-Neglect to maintain the vehicle according to the standards and techniques recommended.
-Damage caused by abrasive compounds and polishes and third party products.
-Damage, either accidental or malicious, including but not limited to fire, flood, extreme weather conditions and secondary effects that may result from the foregoing.
-Failure to repair and re-#treat surfaces subject to accident damage.
-Failure to adhere to requirements listed under the terms and conditions of this warranty.

The above statement applies to both the 5 year warranty and the Lifetime Warranty. It is the job of the installer to educate the customer on proper maintenance. Best case scenario is that the customer simply allow the installer to maintain their car on a regular basis.

Warranty

[b0b]

Just curious, through this whole ordeal I don't think we've seen you post any pictures? You know the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm sure we'd all like to see them.

Honestly haven't had the opportunity to take a good photo in the sun. The sun highlights every single one of the nasty swirls. Alot of them are scratches too not even swirls. It looks like the wash mitt or rag had rocks in it because all the scratches go in ways that coincide with washing a car...

Anyways, I took some photos late last night (did my best anyways). When I get home I'll post them up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[cardaddy]

FWIW - All warrantied coatings are subject to following proper maintenance guidelines.



The above statement applies to both the 5 year warranty and the Lifetime Warranty. It is the job of the installer to educate the customer on proper maintenance. Best case scenario is that the customer simply allow the installer to maintain their car on a regular basis.

Warranty

It's not that I haven't seen the warranty verbiage before Zach, just that it's ambiguous at best. I mean sure; no commercial vehicles, non transferrable, no accident damage is covered, etc. etc. etc.

But.... in accordance with the MINIMUM standards:
****************************************
The following forms the minimum requirements for the Optimum Maintenance Plan. Additional services are available at clients’ request. Contact your Opti-­Coat agent for pricing.
ANNUAL VISIT TO DEALER / DEALERSHIP FOR THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: HAND WASH & DRY. SURFACE INSPECTION. PAINT DECONTAMINATION IF NECESSARY.

****************************************

Sure, there is the vague statement that you should keep it up "according to the requirements of the Optimum Maintenance Plan", but that is above. A single visit and hand wash once a year.

I do suppose the 'saving grace' is "Line 1" of the General Terms & Conditions": "Any application, re-­application, repair work or other work carried out on the coated surface must be applied/reapplied or repaired by an authorized Opti-­Coat agent."

In other words, if ANYBODY touches the "coated surface" to apply ANYTHING there is an 'out' where as an authorized installer I/you/he could say "But you polished it with a black pad and a non-abrasive paint cleaner. Then you put a sealant on top, how DARE you."

It's just me being nit-picky, but I'd rewrite that to read; Customer must maintain a minimum of one hand-wash at least once a month during non raining season, followed up by once a week during snow, ice, rain, sleet or high winds and dusty conditions brought on by the Santa Anna winds, Gulf Stream winds, Canadian polar winds and/or Tropical breezes by the original dealer. Any failure to maintain this schedule would result in a fine equal to or greater than the original installation fee paid in cash due on or before the 7th of any month ending in a "Y" or "R".

[zmcgovern45]

I believe you are misinterpreting their statement.

Those who have purchased the lifetime warranty must have their vehicle checked annually by an authorized installer according to the requirements you had listed above.

However, it is explained that every owner must "maintain the vehicle according to the standards and techniques recommended". These "recommended standards and techniques" are not the same as the extended maintenance plan that is required for the lifetime warranty. OPT explained this to me as I am responsible to communicate proper maintenance methods to my customer. They should follow my recommendations... ie use proper hand washing, do not use bath towels to dry it, do not take the car through auto washes, do not let the dealership touch it, etc etc etc. They could also setup a maintenance washing plan with their installer if that service is provided. If it is deemed that the customer does not follow the recommended maintenance techniques, and an issue is found with the coating, the warranty may be void and the claim denied.

I would agree with you though that the contract could use some clarification and possibly be rewritten all together... clearly many people have different ideas of what the warranty actually entails.

[b0b]

Ok so here is the damage. Like I previously said, a lot of the scratches are in the directions of the wash mitt, not as much circular swirls.






The car is getting fixed tomorrow morning. Will be posting pictures up of the whole process if everything goes as planned. Stay tuned.

[cardaddy]

Ok so here is the damage. Like I previously said, a lot of the scratches are in the directions of the wash mitt, not as much circular swirls.






The car is getting fixed tomorrow morning. Will be posting pictures up of the whole process if everything goes as planned. Stay tuned.

HOLY CRAP!!! JEEEEESUS....
That's not a wash mitt, looks more like a brush on a pole! My Lord what a mess.

Let's hope after tomorrow it'll all be back to where it should be. And hopefully along the way you can educated the dealership on what they did wrong, and more importantly HOW TO NOT DO IT NEXT TIME.

[Romans5.8]

Or a wash mitt picked off the ground!

Think I mentioned this already but I was up at the dealer I bought my car from and saw the guy pick the wash mitt up off the ground and immediately start washing a car with it. I also saw his rotary sitting pad-down in the parking lot.

[cardaddy]

Zack, I think we are driving different cars on the same road. I totally understand the verbiage as it is. Not the first time I've seen it, (or had it in my own hands direct from the source for that matter).

Thing is; it is so open ended that it lends itself to fairly fluid interpretation. For the qualification that the warranty stay in effect to be that the buyer/owner/end user need abide to verbal instructions from the seller/detailer/dealer at the time is a bit 'hear or there' at the very least. Especially as the only written clause is for a single hand wash once a year. Yikes!

Luckily, most (albeit not ALL) buyers of the service/product that care enough up front to invest in paint protection at this level tend to take care of their vehicles at least a bit better than your normal 'Joe'. That doesn't mean however that all of them do.

For instance I have a friend/customer that is a huge collector of vintage muscle cars, all the way to brand new sports cars/muscle cars. His SINGLE want of them all is that they are "shiny". He would indeed be a buyer for OC Pro, cQuartz (finest or otherwise), and as of this week PBL Paint, Wheel, and Glass Coating(s). Although he's also wanted sealants of the WOWO and WOWA variants along the way. (Actually he doesn't know the difference between one or the other, just 'shiny'.) Doesn't matter if it's a 60's Camaro, early 70's Chevelle's or Mopar's, all the way to newer Corvettes, Vipers, and even a GT500 (and of course a F250 Super Duty). One common denominator... they are "shiny".

Thing is, he isn't about to do JACK to keep the surface up after the point of sale. He doesn't abuse his vehicles, and for the most part they are all garage queens, with the exception of the F250. He'll cover them up with dedicated 'factory' car covers when not driving them, but he's never buffed a car. He'll slather whatever spray bottle product he can get 'eg' Mothers Spray Wax on them from time to time. But he'll never even SEE a swirl. Doesn't know they exist! He'll want a sealant over a swirled finish, period.

Given that he'll not show up for monthly or bi-monthly inspections how would you go about enforcing that clause? But you can bet he'll also expect that warranty to be fully active till the very end!

Thing is, this type of owner is everywhere. They'll buy the product for a new vehicle (although probably not have it renewed a couple of years down the road) yet have no idea how to keep up a vehicle to the insane standards that your typical AGO member does. HEY, nothing wrong with AGO members and their insane standards, Jack! (Oh wait a minute, that's Zack, not Jack. Been watching too much Duck Dynasty, JACK!)

Just playing devils advocate here. But you have to admit that there are more people out there that won't take care of their paint than those that will. Even AFTER they paid someone $600 to make it all 'shiny' for them. They'll expect it to STAY that way. After all, that's what the 'stuff' was supposed to do that they paid so much for. Right?

Like I said in the beginning. I understand the contract, and have had a copy in my hands for a year now. Just scares me as an installer with it being so open ended. Sure, there are a lot of insinuated requirements, and hopefully a thorough understanding of each and every one of them is made clear at the point of sale each and every time. Yet I'd hate to know I had a guy standing there with a $120K car, that paid $600 for a coating and be the one to tell him he is SOL because he hand polished his 'baby' 3 or 4 times over the last year and swirled it up doing so. Those guys will sick a lawyer on you in a second, Jack.

Bottom line; the only reason I bring it up is that I'd rather sell the NON warrantied version, and for less money, than have to eat my services come time when he wants it 'fixed' under warranty and starts nit-picking the ambiguities of it all. (FWIW I too was told the only difference between one bottle and the other is the price, with that 'price' having a sticker and a certificate (warranty) attached to it.) Jus' sayin'......