The conclusion you jumped to was that Mike had 39 hours to respond---however if he wasn't near a computer--or he was travelling, what difference does that make?? He didn't know, and now that he knows, he's taking care of the situation.

Theresa, I understand your frustration. You have expressed your concern about myself and my own product in the past, and as vendor, I try to stay out of bashing threads, but in my case, when a customer misuses a product, and has a bad experience, and won't accept help because he has already made up his mind---it's not about shutting down or jumping on OPs complaining about a problem, it's about a problem that should have been handled privately.

For my detailing customers, I state emphatically that if after they take back their car, and see something they don't like --something I missed, or some problem that bugs them, to give me a chance to correct it, and I'll make things right. I would much prefer they do that, than go posting on the internet about what a crappy job I did. The customers understand that, and as a service based business where word of mouth is crucial, Mike also understands how important this thread is to him.

Richard

 

Well I am not going to sit here & publicly get into my feelings on AE or the way they publicly handle or mishandle complaints. I think this thread has stayed respectful & in my opinion if you can't take a little criticism maybe being in business & selling to the public via a public forum isn't the right fit for you. Take the good with the bad & hope the good outweighs the bad but don't try to stifle people's complaints. If someone complains unjustly try to solve their problem in private & hope that they will come back & publicly declare problem solved to everyone but don't tell the forum that they are not acting like adults for saying they don't like something.

I will not change my opinion nor defend it any further citing examples as I think that would turn things into a real bashfest & that is not what this thread has been about thus far.

 

"For my detailing customers, I state emphatically that if after they take back their car, and see something they don't like --something I missed, or some problem that bugs them, to give me a chance to correct it, and I'll make things right. I would much prefer they do that, than go posting on the internet about what a crappy job I did. The customers understand that, and as a service based business where word of mouth is crucial, Mike also understands how important this thread is to him."
Richard



How right you are Richard. You believe in customer service. I commend you for that. I debated even starting this thread because of the reverse bash that would occur on me because I would dare say something about a vendor. I didn't go into a bunch of bloody details, because there's a whole lot more to this story. So here's some more........

This started out as an am install and turned into a 7 hour ordeal. There was no one at the desk, so for every question, card that was stamped, Mike had to do it, he was distracted and I was delayed.

I told Mike during the install I was unhappy with the stripes and how they looked. He was pissed that I had him pull off the boot stripes and reapply, because they were not straight. The front ones were all ready installed, and I was told that they couldn't be changed. Whatever I had seen with "straight" stripes on their web page, didn't apply to my viper stripes.

During this ordeal, it wasn't that he wasn't working, just going on forever. I thought he would do it right, and I even went and bought them lunch because they weren't going to break. Usually when you get SCR****, at least you don't have to buy the lunch.

When I took delivery, I told him I wasn't happy with the look of the stripes, but he blew me off. Told me about bonnet curves, vinyl characteristics, computer programs, etc.

I took the car to the cabin, looked at it some more and took it back to say I still wasn't happy. That's when I got the infamous "5 foot rule". Never once was there any offer to negotiate on price, product or squat......... so the quote in Dragonflyer's response "I agree that the stripe are not what they should be. And should be replaced." Never happened.

This isn't about bashing, this is about fairness. I have received several emails from those who don't want to write in this thread for "fear of retaliation"? I am here because I want to be. There is no secondary agenda. If this would have been taken care of properly, at MOTD, ONE month ago, I wouldn't be writing this.

So if you are going to work hard to take care of your customers then do it without pissing them off first.

 

What ever happened at MOTD is in the passed. Lets get back to the problem at hand shall we.

Kevin,

This is what I can do for you. I will be working on a new design next week that will make the stripes straight down the front. I can do one of 2 things.

1: I can pull off the bad stripes and redo the bonnet and the both the bumpers at the AC/DC install Party in Oct in Laurel, MD.

2: I can refund you the Installation and send you a new set of stripes to cover what needs to be replaced and you can find someone local to put them on.

This thread is all about Resolve so let get it resolved

 

I ordered my stripes from Aestetic Creations and installed them myself. I've installed a fair number of stripes and I can tell you these were a bear to install, especially on the bonnet. I suspect whoever installed the stripes ran into the same problems I did. The buldges really distort the stripe and getting it alligned without a million bubbles is really tough. And since this is an adhesive, dry stripe, you can't float the thing around on a skim of water - you have to hit it right on which is not easy.

I love the look of mine, but I would never use a dry adhesive stripe again.

 

You do realize there is no difference in the adhesive between a wet install and dry install right???

A wet install just floods the surface with a mixture so that you have time to position the vinyl, but in cases where you have to stretch the vinyl to conform to bulges and what not, a wet install won't work. This is where having an experienced professional installer can do wonders.

Richard

 

OctaneGuy,

If you are right, I hope somebody tells Avery. When the stripe arrived, it was unlike any stripe that I had used before and I was unsure of how to install. The directions from AE were for a dry installation. So I called Avery to find out if a wet install was possible. The person I talked with told me No, I had to do a dry install with their adhesive materials. We did not talk about contoured surfaces or anything. If you're right, I would have saved me a ton of time on the Boot stripe which didn't have any extreme contours. It was actually harder to install than the bonnet, due to the Clubman's split door handle feature.

Maybe I just talked to a rookie at Avery, but I didn't want to screw up a pretty expensive set of stripes, so I put them on dry. The end result was great, so no big deal, except the sore back from leaning over the car for 3 hours when installing them.

 

Just saw the post. I'm all about resolution with this. I'll take option #2.
Thanks,
Kevin

 

Hmm, when I cut vinyl, I use Mactac--and I've done both wet and dry installs with the same vinyl. I didn't know Avery was making vinyl stripes---but then again, this isn't my profession--it's just a hobby.

But when my first vinyl guy at Signarama did the Unistripe on my first Cooper he tried a wet install first until he realized the vinyl had to be stretched, so he did a dry install, and an hour into it, a bug flew into the vinyl--which he got out by wetting the vinyl and removing the offending bug with tweezers, then continuing with the dry install.

Richard

 

I'm with you on the Mactac. Perhaps the vendor choice has something to do with the graphic printing on the stripe - don't know for sure. Can Mactac be printed on with an inkjet? (I think that is how my stripe was produced to get the carbon fiber look)

 

Yeah I'm sure that's it---I don't have an inkjet cutter thingy--I just cut straight unprinted vinyl. Hmm, since it's printed, it must be laminated or something to keep it from being colorfast--I wonder if a wet install could potentially damage the printing and that's why it's not recommended. Oh well we've gone a bit OT.

What I've seen in this thread is that people are complaining about Mikes installation, not the graphics he produces. As a person who has done vinyl, there is a ton of work to find out what the customer wants, create a design that matches their idea, print/cut it, weed the vinyl and apply transfer tape. I don't see anyone complaining about those aspects.

When I had some vinyl done years ago before Mike was doing installs, my vinyl guy had the luxury of cutting new vinyl when he messed up--I can see how that would be a problem when you're off site without your cutter--there's no way to reprint new vinyl and if he printed two or three of every design for every customer at these events--he loses money and then what does he do with the extra ones on a perfect install?

 

I mentioned earlier in this thread - my AC stripes were/are not symmetrical. there's a distinct difference in width from left to right and the black ones on my car were marred on install. I made a joke to AC about it that 'his vinyl cutter must have been drunk' (I had thought he said someone cut it for him...turns out, he does it himself).

 

Your passenger stripe looks like its a little more over then the driver's stripe

 

Naw, the emblem is crooked, or the washer jets are crooked, lol.

 

You got it

Give me 10 business days to take care of your refund and getting a new set of stripes out to you. Since the boot is in good shape you can leave that part and just do the rear bumper. I will need a little time to figure out the new design for the bonnet before I can send that out.

Now just to classify the reason for a dry apply. Who ever told you that wet apply could not be done with the Avery vinyl, they where blowing smoke. I have done wet apply with the same vinyl numerous times.

The reasoning for doing a dry apply method with these stripes has to do with the masking that I use. It just takes 3 times longer to do a wet apply with this masking. It doesn't soak up the liquid like the paper masking does. I would use the paper masking but it doesn't work when the stripes have to be rolled up into a tube. It crinkles and separates the vinyl from the backing. That makes it ever harder to install the stripes.

You also don't need to worry about bubbles. Most can be popped with a safety pin the rest work their way out on their own from the heat. I state that in my instructions as well.


The process for printing these stripes is through a thermal printer. The thermal printer transfers a thin layer of vinyl thru heat on the the adhesive back vinyl. Almost like Silk Screen without the mess. Once this process takes place the ink has a 3 year out door durability without laminate. That is also why we offer the laminate as an option for printed stripes. More complex designs and gradient colored stripes are printed using a large format printer and an Eco-solvent ink in 4 color process. The ink alone has a 3 year out door durability and is scratch resistant. Big things like roof graphics are laminated to ad more protection to the vinyl.

The vinyl that is used for this machine is a 3M controltac material. Avery makes their version along with a few other brands. They are all about equal quality. Some have better options that others so it really depends on the application. I only use the best stuff in my shop which is why people come to me for standard stripes. There are so many things to consider when picking the right vinyl AND machines for that matter. It's only through trial and error that we are able to know what is the best material to use for each thing.


PGT
when your stripes where made almost 2 years ago I might add. The machinery was not what it is today. The plotter I used back then moved the vinyl a lot sometimes. So all the stripes I made might be a little off from the next. Like I said that was 2 years ago. Vinyl and the machines have pass through leaps and bonds since then. Now I have machines that have a tracking system built in so the stripes are the same all the time. this Technology has only come about in the last 6 to 8 months. At this point you really don't have room to complain. Your stripes where done a long time ago and we did the best we could at the time. And especially since it's been almost 2 years now.


To get back on topic here. This thread was to resolve an issue with installation for a recent customer. And certainly not product quality.
There for since the problem at hand has been resolved I would ask the moderators to lock this thread since the topic at hand is over.

Cheers

 

I'd love a 'proper' set made correctly. Had I known then you didn't have the capability to make symmetrical stripes...do you really think I would have paid over $400 for a set installed? Come on now Mike....it's silly to say this and tell someone they have to deal with it.

 

Now that Mike has resolved the OP's issue I'm going to close this. If there are any additional issues from other members please start a new thread if after first contacting Mike directly via phone, email, or PM and not being able find resolution to your issue.

Thanks

Mark