Meguiar's Inc

Hi [redacted],
Hope all is well. I hope you remember me. My name is [redacted] and I requested for complaint # [redacted] closed a few weeks ago. And the company (Meguiars, Inc.) is stating that their product did not solely caused the damage on my car's arm rest and they would offer to reimburse half of the cost of the repair.
I told them I disagree. I applied the Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner on my car's arm rest center console and a few days later. I noticed bubbles appeared on the leather. I feel that I shouldn't be responsible for paying half of the cost of the repair. I am not aware Meguiar's product would create4 this problem.
I sent them an email stating that I shouldn't have to pay the half of the cost. I am waiting for their response.
Thanks,
[redacted]

As mentioned in multiple conversations with our customer, Meguiar's does not offer a repair program for our G110v2.  We are not a tool manufacturer by trade but do stand behind the product with a very liberal one year warranty.  A lifetime warranty is not something we can offer.  The customer can easily look for a local tool repair shop as many typical issues can be fixed for as little as $30.

The machine referenced has a clear one year warranty that is stated multiple places as well as the owners manual.  That being said, we are a company who believes every situation is worth a discussion and exceptions can certainly be made in an effort to find a fair resolution for one of our...

loyal customers.  In many cases we do bend rules or find creative solutions to help our customers.  This is why in our first conversation with this customer we asked for a copy of the receipt to verify the purchase date.  We explained that even if the machine was just a few months out of warranty but had a legitimate defect we would still consider replacing the machine.  The customer understood but gave no indication how old the machine was and promised to find the receipt and call back.  The second call was made by his wife who then revealed that the machine was purchased over 2 years ago.  At that time our rep informed her again that the warranty was one year and because the machine was purchased over two years ago, well past the warranty period, it would not be covered under warranty.  At that time she became irate and argumentative.  Our rep ended the call when she began using four letter words and calling him colorful names. Ultimately, we do not and cannot offer a lifetime warranty for this machine.  We believe there was a more reasonable solution to assist this customer but because of the tone the conversation took we are comfortable leaving it at an honest disagreement about the meaning of a one year warranty.

The customer lodging this complaint has already phoned our Customer Care Center this afternoon and is being given a full refund for the entirety of his purchase.  We also decided to waive the requirement that he return the item.  This is a very small issue with an easy resolution...

already in motion so the need for a Revdex.com claim is unwarranted.

We received an email from this customer on 3/17.  On 3/18 we sent this reply...
I am sorry to hear of the issue. I do know that the Ultimate Black Tire Coating (G16008), along with all Meguiar's products, go through pretty rigorous corporate toxicology testing as well as adhering strictly to...

government regulations. Meguiar's also hasn't heard of such an issue related to this product. We will be sure to document this and pass it along internally, and will be glad to pass on any further details about what transpired.
Regarding the shine of the product, we will always stand behind our products. If you could forward some sort of proof of purchase (copy of the receipt or even a picture of the product) along with your contact information (name, physical address, phone) we would gladly exchange the product or issue you a refund. If you have further questions let us know and we'll do everything we can to assist.
[redacted] | Senior Surface Care SpecialistMeguiar's Inc.17991 Mitchell South | Irvine, California 92614Office: 800.347.5700 |Fax: 949-474-0972      
We have not received a reply or any correspondence since the initial contact through our website.  If the customer is simply asking for a refund that is not a problem but he will need to reply with his full mailing address.

We stand behind our initial assessment of this claim.  The damage seen is entirely inconsistent with any kind of damage seen on a leather surface related to the use of our product or frankly any other decent leather product on the market.  The product is extremely mild and not capable of this kind of damage.  It would be equivalent to using a car wash and then claiming it dented a fender.  It is also inexplicable that the damage would occur days after use and not on any other surface.  This product has been one of our top sellers for years now and is literally being used by thousands of people.   We are not questioning whether there is legitimate damage to this area we are simply saying that our product cannot be the cause of that damage.  Something else more unique has happened to the surface or there may even be a manufacturer's defect.  As our customer has mentioned we have offered to cover half the cost of repair as a good faith gesture to a loyal customer.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.My wife has said she did not and would not use four letter words and we ask that a recording of the conversation be pulled and made available. She is very upset by this accusation and claims the opposite- that she was spoken to rudely and not in the manner she is accustomed to being treated by Any customer service representative.  We  would appreciate a copy of the conversation.  If it needs to be provided through our attorney we can provide his name and phone number or have him contact you directly.  My wife tried to call the supervisor who's name was provided to her but the recording said that he was still on vacation even though he was supposed to have returned yesterday.  We are just trying to get this machine fixed and do not wish to go back-and-forth throwing stones.  I don't think  it is asking too much for a simple repair.  My wife spoke to a gentleman today who was quite polite to her which indicates that not everyone is rude and uncaring as was the previous customer service rep.  It is unfortunate that in every conversation including this last one the company takes the position that the customer is wrong.  
Regards,
[redacted]

We have throughly reviewed the claim associated with this complaint and have determined that the product used was not the root cause of this issue.  This product is extremely mild.  We have sold this product for quite some time and there are literally thousands of bottles being...

used by our customers every year.  The most common issue, although not as common as you might think, that can arise when using any leather product is removal of dye.  This can be caused by a couple different things; however the damage seen in this case is actual physical damage (bubbling) as our customer has described.  This is something rarely seen and never caused by a mild leather conditioner.  This is a sign of a more serious preexisting issue or a manufacturer's defect.
Regardless, we spoke with our customer at the end of last week and agreed that he would take the vehicle to a leather shop to have it evaluated and get an estimate on repair.  We made it clear that depending on the cost we may consider helping cover the repair partially or even fully simply as a courtesy to a loyal customer.  Our customer was appreciative and agreed to do so.  Without his cooperation and by filing this claim we will have to reconsider how to resolve this issue.

Review: I purchased a Meguiars rich leather cleaner and I applied the product to clean the leather (arm rest center console) of my car and a few days later I noticed there are a few bumps on the surface of the leather. I tried to contact Meguiars and the representative is stating they will not cover the damage. I have an estimate of the repair from the car dealership. I am really disappointed on the product and the service I have received from the company. I would like the company to cover the repair on the damage of my vehicle.Desired Settlement: I would like the company to cover the repair on the damage on the arm rest leather console of my vehicle. The estimate cost of the repair is about $460 with parts and labor.

Business

Response:

We have throughly reviewed the claim associated with this complaint and have determined that the product used was not the root cause of this issue. This product is extremely mild. We have sold this product for quite some time and there are literally thousands of bottles being used by our customers every year. The most common issue, although not as common as you might think, that can arise when using any leather product is removal of dye. This can be caused by a couple different things; however the damage seen in this case is actual physical damage (bubbling) as our customer has described. This is something rarely seen and never caused by a mild leather conditioner. This is a sign of a more serious preexisting issue or a manufacturer's defect.

Regardless, we spoke with our customer at the end of last week and agreed that he would take the vehicle to a leather shop to have it evaluated and get an estimate on repair. We made it clear that depending on the cost we may consider helping cover the repair partially or even fully simply as a courtesy to a loyal customer. Our customer was appreciative and agreed to do so. Without his cooperation and by filing this claim we will have to reconsider how to resolve this issue.

Consumer

Response:

Hi [redacted],

Hope all is well. I hope you remember me. My name is [redacted] and I requested for complaint # [redacted] closed a few weeks ago. And the company (Meguiars, Inc.) is stating that their product did not solely caused the damage on my car's arm rest and they would offer to reimburse half of the cost of the repair.

I told them I disagree. I applied the Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner on my car's arm rest center console and a few days later. I noticed bubbles appeared on the leather. I feel that I shouldn't be responsible for paying half of the cost of the repair. I am not aware Meguiar's product would create4 this problem.

I sent them an email stating that I shouldn't have to pay the half of the cost. I am waiting for their response.

Thanks,

Business

Response:

We stand behind our initial assessment of this claim. The damage seen is entirely inconsistent with any kind of damage seen on a leather surface related to the use of our product or frankly any other decent leather product on the market. The product is extremely mild and not capable of this kind of damage. It would be equivalent to using a car wash and then claiming it dented a fender. It is also inexplicable that the damage would occur days after use and not on any other surface. This product has been one of our top sellers for years now and is literally being used by thousands of people. We are not questioning whether there is legitimate damage to this area we are simply saying that our product cannot be the cause of that damage. Something else more unique has happened to the surface or there may even be a manufacturer's defect. As our customer has mentioned we have offered to cover half the cost of repair as a good faith gesture to a loyal customer.

Review: I purchased Meguiar's Natural Shine and protectant. The product was touted great for cutting the glare on the dashboard of my wife's vehicle, from the use of other products. In other words, get it back to a clean but natural shine. The product worked fine on my Cheverolet Astro Van, but on the two locations I first used their "Natural Shine Protectant" on my wife's Toyota Solara ... it caused the vinyl to be sticky, and extremely soft. One can scratch the surface with almost anything.I emailed the company and will follow this message up with their only replies.Respectfully, [redacted]....From: [redacted] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 1:26 PMTo: '[redacted]@meguiars.com'Subject: RE: Meguiar's Product Feedback / Tech QuestionIt has been over a month now since I applied your product to my wifes Toyota, Solara dashboard. It is still very tacky and scratches deeply with almost anything. I have used it on my Chevy Astro-van and it works fine.I believe my only recourse is demonstrate in front of our local TV media consumer watchdog program, and or, The Revdex.com arbitration department.I will give your response four business days. I can send a attachment if you wish.Respectfully, [redacted] O [redacted]From: [redacted]@meguiars.com [mailto:[redacted]@meguiars.com] Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 11:20 AMTo: [email protected]: Re: Meguiar's Product Feedback / Tech QuestionDear [redacted], Thank you for contacting Meguiar's. We are sorry to hear about the trouble with your dashboard vinyl. It sounds as though the vinyl is in need of a good cleaning, and it would be best to use a dedicated cleaner for this task instead of our Natural Shine Protectant. We would suggest using a mild all purpose cleaner safe for vinyl or a product like Meguiar's #G18516 Gold Class Leather & Vinyl Cleaner. This should remove any remaining products or contaminants off of the material and prepare it for a application of a protectant like Meguiar's Natural Shine Protecta.Desired Settlement: I feel the only solution is to replace the dashboard in the Solara.The surface area is still tacky and soft. I would be willing to go halves on the replacement, but would hope that Meguiar's, who is the leader in this kind of product, would do more testing on the variety of vehicles out there.Respectfully,[redacted]

Business

Response:

The damage claimed is just something this product cannot do as a very mild water-based formula. This product has been on the market for over a decade now and has been used by literally thousands of our loyal customers and likely a few thousand toyota owners. We do not dispute that something has legitimately happened to this customer's dash but it is clear to us that our Natural Shine Protectant is not the root cause. Even so we do our best to work through these types of issues with our customers. As it relates to this claim specifically there are some concerns we have at this point in the process. Those concerns are...

- The vehicle is 10 years old. This kind of damage almost exclusively happens on vehicles with some age and it not related to any specific product.

- The customer has admitted to using another vinyl and rubber product on this surface for years before using this one.

- Why can this damage not be recreated on any other vehicle? If this product is so caustic and harmful why can we not duplicate these results on any other vehicle?

- We would need the customer to send us back the exact bottle used to ensure the formula is within normals specs.

- Our corporate professional trainers have worked with Toyota to create a Standard Operating Procedure manual for their technicians. We are the experts in our industry and very familiar

with Toyota's cars.

- We have requested pictures from the customer but have not received them.

- We have offered to send another product designed to clean the surface in hopes there is just some sort of stubborn residue present. Customer has so far not been willing to try this

simple solution.

- Customer has already threatened to bad mouth us publicly and filed a claim with the Revdex.com before we have even had a chance to gather information.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Well, that is a convenient response concerning age.

I can perform a demonstration in front of our local media, and Revdex.com. Age should not bring about change in the composite materials, only color fading.

The area I sprayed with the Meguiar’s product are still sticky and very soft, i.e. scratches deeply.—after all of this time.

I will purchase a competitor brand similar product and test it as well.

If you are interested at all, I have included two attachments.

Regards,

Business

Response:

We stand behind our initial assesment and previous comments concerning this claim.

Review: I have contacted them by phone and emailive sent them multiple pictures as requested from Meguiars([redacted])called him today (12-6-13)about the pictures I sent him and he never looked at the ones I sent him till today sent him over 7 pictures including the products that was used on tuesdaythe paint on my truck was in great shape 6 months ago.I started to use there product 2 months ago and the paint has been ruined since theni have pictures of the truck before there product and after.after contacting themi was told it was my fault and they wont repair the paint after there product destroyed my paintit will cost over 1800.00 to repairi was told by a paint specialist that the paint got ruined after using the productsDesired Settlement: I want the paint to be repaired from the company it would cost about 1800.00 to fix the paint

Business

Response:

The damage seen on our customer's older truck is very consistent with run of the mill typical paint failure and there is nothing in the Meguiar's products used that could cause this kind of serious paint issue. Paint failure is something that happens over a matter of years and is primarily caused by exposure to the elements, sun and water/rain being the most harmful. You can find dozens of pictures of paint failure on our online discussion forum. You can also see what dozens of experienced detailers say is the cause of paint failure. These products are used on literally thousands of vehicles with great results. We sympathize with our customer's frustration as the only way to fix paint failure is to repaint but the cause of this damage is absolutely not the use of our products.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The Company told me it was oxidation and ive been told by not one but 3 paint companys and they told me this isn't oxidation its a product that failed and the paint was in great shape 7 months ago and when I started to use there product it went down hill after that im looking for this company to help cover the cost for it to get repainted even if its half the cost

Regards,

Business

Response:

We stand behind our initial assessment. Again, this is a run of the mill case of paint failure. When oxidation gets to this point you have paint failure. Paint failure is the more accurate term for what these pictures show but it does start as oxidation. Regardless of the semantics this condition is caused by long term exposure to the elements, primarily the sun. Go to any mall parking lot in the country and you will see at least a couple cars with the same issue. Any real paint expert or detailer who is not being biased would very easily come to the same conclusion. This customer's vehicle was quickly headed down the road to paint failure with our without any car care products. We try to empathize and educate our customer's on these issues but unfortunately some are looking to place blame rather than understand what really happened. We are happy to give a full refund for the products purchased.

Review: I bought a cleaner by "Meguiars" for my wheels on my car. The cleaner is called Meguiars aluminum wheel cleaner and I used the product exactly as directed on the back of the bottle. The cleaner ruined my brand new $1200 aluminum wheels by taking off all of the finish and leaving horrible marks on the wheels. I then immediately brought the product to the store and they told me that there was nothing they could do but refund the money for the product and they told me to contact Meguiars directly. I contacted Meguiars and at first they seemed very helpful and then completely turned on me by telling me they were sorry and I must have used the product wrong but I used the product exactly as directed on the back of the bottle. I spoke with "[redacted]" the surface care specialist who was suppose to help me with the problem but never did. I am very disappointed and I will never use another Meguiars product again. I work in a large automotive environment and encounter dozens of people everyday and I bring up the problems I have had with Meguiars and they too are skeptical about ever using a product by Meguiars again. Here is some information where "[redacted]" can be contacted at.... [redacted] | Surface Care Specialist - Customer CareMeguiar's Inc.[redacted]Office: ###-###-#### | Fax: ###-###-####-ThankyouDesired Settlement: My desired settlement description is nothing less than repairing my wheels or replacing them.Thankyou again

Business

Response:

[redacted]

Revdex.com

4747 Viewridge Ave #200

San Diego, CA 92123

Re: ID [redacted] ([redacted])

Dear

We received your letter containing Mr. [redacted]'s complaint this week. We have indeed

been working with Mr. [redacted] regarding a claim related to our Hot Rims Aluminum

Wheel Cleaner. After gather all the pertinent info we came to the conclusion that the

product used is not the root cause of the damage to the wheels. This product happens to

be our most mild wheel cleaner and is ph neutral. It is safe when used as directed on all

factory OEM and aftermarket wheels. It has been on the market for a few years now and

we have never seen the kind of damage our customer is claiming. We tested a sample of

the product Mr. [redacted] sent back to us. The product fell within normal specifications

and we could not recreate this kind damage on a similar surface. The wheels in question

were purchased second hand by Mr. [redacted] and had been re-finished before he took

possession. In our expert opinion the refinishing and condition of these wheels along

with possible misuse of the product is the only plausible cause of this issue. Although we

understand Mr. [redacted]'s frustration we do not believe our Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel

Cleaner is responsible for this damage.

Sincerely,

Manager Customer Care

Meguiar' s Inc.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and the business (Meguiars) has still offered no help to me. The company keeps telling me I used the product incorrectly but it clearly states on the back of the bottle how to use the product. I also searched online for similar complaints and there are several others with the same issue. Meguiars stated that they have never had a problem with the product before which is incorrect. They also stated that they have been working with me to try and help me which is incorrect. I have never delt with such a poor company that does not stand by their product. I will never use another product from Meguiars again if this issue is not resolved and I will also make it a point to tell everyone that I come in contact with the issues I have had with this company

Regards,

Review: I purchased a meguiar dual action polisher on 10/20/12. I understand it is out of warranty; however, when I contacted Meguiar for assistance in repair I was treated with disrespect and a totally rude and uncaring response was received. Apparently Meguiar sells a product that they offer no assistance or repair service for after the warranty expires. That is very disappointing as I was never advised of this when I purchased the item, or I would have purchased another brand. When I called for assistance, [redacted], the CSR, informed me there was no assistance he could offer in a repair. I asked what happens if he purchased a tv and it broke after the warranty expired. He stated he would try to fix it and if not throw it out. I asked what happened if he bought a laptop and it broke after the warranty expired. He stated he would try to fix it and if not would throw it out. We went through this with several other products and he gave the same response. I said to him, so basically we are living in a world that if there is no warranty the product is worthless. He stated yes. I am very disappointed that first of all they offer no assistance with repair, and 2nd of all that a CSR is allowed to speak to a customer with such disrespect and show no caring about the product and customer satisfaction. He was very rude and the only way I can describe it - a very cocky disrespectful, uncaring attitude.Desired Settlement: I would like another dual action polisher or the repair of this one. I purchased this one in good faith and was never told there is no repair available, basically as [redacted] has since stated, it is a disposable polisher once the warranty has expired. I have purchased many products from meguiar, but now that I know they do not stand behind their product or even try to assist a customer, I have moved on to another brand. I would like Meguiar to show some caring and see that they would like to keep me as a customer.

Business

Response:

The machine referenced has a clear one year warranty that is stated multiple places as well as the owners manual. That being said, we are a company who believes every situation is worth a discussion and exceptions can certainly be made in an effort to find a fair resolution for one of our loyal customers. In many cases we do bend rules or find creative solutions to help our customers. This is why in our first conversation with this customer we asked for a copy of the receipt to verify the purchase date. We explained that even if the machine was just a few months out of warranty but had a legitimate defect we would still consider replacing the machine. The customer understood but gave no indication how old the machine was and promised to find the receipt and call back. The second call was made by his wife who then revealed that the machine was purchased over 2 years ago. At that time our rep informed her again that the warranty was one year and because the machine was purchased over two years ago, well past the warranty period, it would not be covered under warranty. At that time she became irate and argumentative. Our rep ended the call when she began using four letter words and calling him colorful names. Ultimately, we do not and cannot offer a lifetime warranty for this machine. We believe there was a more reasonable solution to assist this customer but because of the tone the conversation took we are comfortable leaving it at an honest disagreement about the meaning of a one year warranty.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Review: I recently purchased the Meguiars tire shine product, while applying this product from the aerosol can, this product burnt my finger and did not work at all. I have suffered a severe blister on the end of finger. I have tried to contact Meguiars, I received one follow up email with no action taken and have tried to contact several times with no response.Desired Settlement: a reimbursement for the product, and at least a call back for a replacement of the product.

Business

Response:

We received an email from this customer on 3/17. On 3/18 we sent this reply...

Review: I had purchased the G3501 DA Compound Power Pack. The box shows that you may operate the buffing pad with a drill. It never explained that another attachment needed to be purchased in order to use the pad. I find this to be misleading. Plus the salesman also never stated to me that I would need an additional attachment which leads me to believe it was also misleading to him.Desired Settlement: Not only would I like to be refunded for the purchase of this additional attachment (which was never expressed that I needed it when I purchased the ultimate compound with pad) the G3500 DA power system which was 39.99 plus tax at walmart but also polishing products for my time. I have my receipts which I can submit to you.

Business

Response:

The customer lodging this complaint has already phoned our Customer Care Center this afternoon and is being given a full refund for the entirety of his purchase. We also decided to waive the requirement that he return the item. This is a very small issue with an easy resolution already in motion so the need for a Revdex.com claim is unwarranted.