#425... I hate when people say WOW!

[imported_memnuts]

If price and durability were not part of the equation would you choose #425 over any of these products in terms of appearance:



Zaino Z8?

Pinnacle CM?

Optimum SprayWax?

Sonus AS?



TIA

 

[imported_Bence]

I have only OCW from the above. But the nod goes to 425.

 

[TGates]

If price and durability were not part of the equation would you choose #425 over any of these products in terms of appearance:



Zaino Z8?

Pinnacle CM?

Optimum SprayWax?

Sonus AS?



TIA

Now that's a tough question. I would take #425 over all but the Sonus AS. I would take it over Z8 and CM because each one works best with their respective bases (Zaino and carnauba) whereas 425 works equally well over both. I would take it over OCW because it does have some cleaning ability that I find OCW lacks in, as it should, since it is pretty much just a spray wax and not a touch up detailer. I also find 425 to be slicker.



Sonus AS was my first true QD love and I will never be able to part ways with it. I almost had a hernia with I heard David had discontinued it. Fortunately, he brought it back. Any time I get any streaking with any QD, I can hit it with AS and it cleans it right up.



Bottom line: If David would offer his Sonus spritzes in gallon form, I wouldn't need any other QDs (HINT HINT DAVID) . Keyword being NEED. I would still have my staples (Quikshine, Adam's, AS, S&W, and now 425) and I would have a hard time parting with my faves (Speed Shine, CM, Sonus CS, UGE, #34......)



When I'm using Zaino, I strictly stick to Zaino except I can talk myself into deviating on the car wash. Zaino polish, Zaino QD (Z6 and Z8). I don't bring other stuff into the Z line up and I try not to take any out and use it with other stuff. Z8 is just awesome with Z2Pro and Z5, though.



When it comes right down to it, if I had to have just ONE QD, the way things are now with Sonus only being offered in 16 oz. bottles, I would choose 425 over all of them because it is so versatile and easy to use, and the results are great, and it's very cost effective.

 

[PINITI]

After switching from Zaino (which is great) I'm currently VERY pleased with the MenZerna FMJ/HGAS combo. ~ Is 2180 & 425 FK1's answerl to FMJ/HGAS? - equal, better or not? http://www.fk1usa.com/forum.htm

 

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Well, they never did return my call yesterday, but they did within 24 hrs. I went ahead and placed a small order for the 7 pack to sample. Im always curious when the topics arise here on Autopia. (I dont know if I sould point a finger at David or :hifive: )

Anyway, time will tell whether or not I will continue to use the products soon to be delivered. Im not much of a Nuba user, anyone have any indifferent comments on the 2685?

 

[SpoiledMan]

Well, they never did return my call yesterday. Maybe they wont get my business after all...............

Maybe it was because I had one of their reps on the phone for an HOUR talking products! I'd give them another call. I'm getting the impression that they're not as big an operation as Barry's.

 

[imported_flatstick]

Well, they never did return my call yesterday. Maybe they wont get my business after all...............

Good thing you did not e-mail them. When I placed an order a while back on a Thursday they did not get back to me.I e-mailed them on Monday and they said my order would be sent out that day hmmmm? well to make a long story short ( two e-mails later ) they did not send it out until Wednesday, 6 days later. my order got here via FedEx 5 days after that. so it took 11 days from the time I placed my order to get here. hope you have better luck with them. they make nice products but need to better their customer service if you ask me. Patrick maybe you can show these clowns how it is really done. if you can arrange to carry their stuff I would gladly order from you instead, at least I know I will get my order in a timely fashion. keep up the good work :2thumbs: it was my first time ordering from them and to be honest left a bad taste in my mouth. there was no apology for screwing up my order. well guess somebody else would glady accept my money, last time I checked , it is still green

 

[Setec Astronomy]

That is my recollection the one time I ordered from FK, that they didn't ship it out right away. Same with the folks that make QEW, we get spoiled with more efficient online stores that ship the same day even if you place an order late in the day. You guys would never have been able to stand it back in the real "mail order" days ....

 

[imported_memnuts]

Good thing you did not e-mail them. When I placed an order a while back on a Thursday they did not get back to me.I e-mailed them on Monday and they said my order would be sent out that day hmmmm? well to make a long story short ( two e-mails later ) they did not send it out until Wednesday, 6 days later. my order got here via FedEx 5 days after that. so it took 11 days from the time I placed my order to get here. hope you have better luck with them. they make nice products but need to better their customer service if you ask me. Patrick maybe you can show these clowns how it is really done. if you can arrange to carry their stuff I would gladly order from you instead, at least I know I will get my order in a timely fashion. keep up the good work :2thumbs: it was my first time ordering from them and to be honest left a bad taste in my mouth. there was no apology for screwing up my order. well guess somebody else would glady accept my money, last time I checked , it is still green

We have definitely been spoiled by vendors like Sal(Zaino), Patrick(ExcelDetail), DavidB(AutopiaStore), Ranney(PakShak), Leo(DF Towels), CMA and a few others. I can time these vendors to the day with or without shipping info for when their products will arrive. This customer service is very important to me and I will only deal with vendors that follow through after placing the order in atimely manner. :2thumbs:

 

[klnyc]

:werd: I got spoiled by Autogeek,CMA,PAC,etc

 

[imported_DennisH]

I order from them on Friday the 10th and here is what Fedex site says...



Ship date Feb 10, 2006



Estimated delivery Feb 15, 2006





Feb 10, 2006 7:48 PM Package data transmitted to FedEx PHOENIX, AZ

7:35 PM Arrived at FedEx location PHOENIX, AZ

6:34 PM Picked up PHOENIX, AZ





So it was order about 2:00 and I got same day shipping.

 

[mg031]

Iv'e read on their forums on their site that they have been extremely busy lately but they still should be a bit more attentative with regards to shipping orders in a timely fashion.



The first time i placed an order with FK1 was on a sunday and i recieved it the next wednesday (USPS) from Arizona to New Jersey. My second order a month later took at least 10 or so days.

 

[imported_flatstick]

We have definitely been spoiled by vendors like Sal(Zaino), Patrick(ExcelDetail), DavidB(AutopiaStore), Ranney(PakShak), Leo(DF Towels), CMA and a few others. I can time these vendors to the day with or without shipping info for when their products will arrive. This customer service is very important to me and I will only deal with vendors that follow through after placing the order in atimely manner. :2thumbs:

I agree 100% with you. the vendors you mentioned have me spolied. but you know what , if they want to take care of their customers a little better, than I will buy from them only. it makes good business sense to me. hey we all admit that there are a ton of good products out there. what seperates them IMO is how they take care of their customers. I am just glad I did not need to have my order here sooner. I am going to make a positive out of this and deal with the vendors that take care of me the best. if these vendors can provide exceptional customer service why can't the others ?

 

[imported_flatstick]

Iv'e read on their forums on their site that they have been extremely busy lately but they still should be a bit more attentative with regards to shipping orders in a timely fashion.



The first time i placed an order with FK1 was on a sunday and i recieved it the next wednesday (USPS) from Arizona to New Jersey. My second order a month later took at least 10 or so days.

Well that is great that post issues on their forum. what if you do not read them ? not busting your chops please do not take it that way. I just feel instead of telling me an order is shipping on Monday ( telling me my tracking information will be sent to me in an hour) then finding out two days later the stuff was sent out. what gives ? why could they not just tell me that they are very busy the day I ordered and Friday, and Monday instead of telling me one thing and doing another? sorry to rant but it seems like they need to get their act together. how would your business fair if you promised a customer that you would do their car on Monday and not even contact them until Wednesday ? I have the feeling they would be going elsewhere.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

how would your business fair if you promised a customer that you would do their car on Monday and not even contact them until Wednesday ? I have the feeling they would be going elsewhere.

I don't know if that's really a fair comparison. The person you talked (or emailed) to was probably far removed from the actual shipping process, and maybe really thought the order was going to go. Or maybe the customer service person called down to the shipping dept. and asked whether everything they had was going to go that day, and the shipping supervisor said yes, he/she thought so. Well, maybe your order was in another group that hadn't gotten there yet, maybe someone went home sick, maybe the workers were slow that day, maybe the supervisor mis-estimated. Or maybe they just told you what they thought you wanted to hear. I'm not defending them, it's just that in a company of any size, there are a lot of people in the process, from order entry to stock pickers to shipping, and the person that you talked to may have sincerely thought they were giving you accurate info.

 

[imported_flatstick]

Sorry you do not feel that *my * comparison was unfair. I know if my line of business there are many people ( a couple thousand ) involved and it runs a lot smoother than theirs. is ours perfect , heck no. but if we do not have an answer on something we do not promise anything. your post is right on with what I thought , give them the benefit of the doubt. the question still remains , why not inform your paying customer that you are behind ? no excuse in my book. let me add that I will not deal with them anymore period. call me a crybaby :sosad but if our other vendors can treat me with respect so should they. why not use the vendors ( such as Patrick) that take pride in their business, I am more than a number to him. not even a sorry or apology from FK1. that is a damm shame if you ask me. like I said I did not need the product at the time but what if I did ? hey I am not trying to bash the vendor just sharing me dealing with them. have I been mean or cruel , I do not think so.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Some businesses are certainly run better than others, I was only making the point that once there is more than person involved, things can happen differently than the person talking to you might think (and yes, if the company is run well, if that person makes a promise to you the promise is kept). I don't think you're a crybaby and don't fault you at all for going to the vendor that gives you the best service.

 

[cwcad]

This customer service is very important to me and I will only deal with vendors that follow through after placing the order in a timely manner. :2thumbs:

I second that blkZ28Conv!! The vendors that you had listed all get my business for that very reason. I know that I am an obcessed detailer but my money is not. I expect good service once the payment has been recieved.

 

[imported_flatstick]

Some businesses are certainly run better than others, I was only making the point that once there is more than person involved, things can happen differently than the person talking to you might think (and yes, if the company is run well, if that person makes a promise to you the promise is kept). I don't think you're a crybaby and don't fault you at all for going to the vendor that gives you the best service.

Well I did see your point ( a good one at that ) I just feel that with business with that way it is today ( downsizing , better profit margins, more multitasking for employees etc..) it is a shame that some have adapted better than others. I appreciate your views as you have kept me thinking and shown everybody that maybe my dealings with them could be isolated and may not be the norm. I am glad that we can discuss views without this thing blowing up into a big mess. I am also pleased that you could put yourself in my shoes ( whether or not I have a valid point) there are many people that can only see one point of view , you seem to have mastered the art of viewing all sides. my hat is off to you Sir :hifive:

 

[Spilchy]

Well given the fact that you can only get FK from one place, you're stuck with their customer service like it or not. FWIW, I have placed 4 orders, received them all in a timely fashion, expertly packed with free samples in each order. Also FWIW, I have had problems with orders from time to time with some of the other vendors mentioned in this thread. Furthermore FK's shipping rate is the best of all the vendors, hands down no dispute.



It'll be a shame if folks who wish to try a couple of FK products won't do so because they heard an order was a couple days late.