Meguiar's product bad mouthed by a distributor - Why??

[JimS_999]

I'm a hobbiest detailer, only do my own vehicles... 2 black & chrome Harleys, a black 2004 Ford Taurus (work vehicle) and a black 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 - going to order a black 2007 Toyota Tundra soon as it’s available. Just recently got my first G100 - awsome tool!! Nothing better than a black vehicle!!! On to my question.....

Been buying my supplies (99% Meguier's products) for at least 10 years at a local authorized Meguier’s shop. The guy there is an old buck that specializes in Meguiar's products. He always seems able to answer my questions and is usually right - plus he has a detailing business attached with several employees. Last week I went in to buy some more #34 and #21. The old buck started telling me that he is now selling another brand (not mentioning the name - but it starts w/T) along with the Meguiar's line. He told me that the other line is as good but cheaper. He went on to tell me that lately Meguiar's sends out their product for production and is starting to water the product down. He said that the Meguiar formulas are the same, just now it takes 2x the product to do the same job. He said that the other brand he is now selling is the same company that manufacturers the product for Meguiar's. He went on to say that this other brand is the real deal, non-watered down version, he said it is better than Meguiar’s but cheaper. He tried real hard to get me to try the other product!!

Needless to say I didn't switch from Meguiar's but I did leave confused. This guys comments put a bad taste in my mouth for his business. I'm tempted not to buy product there anymore especially with internet pricing being so competetive. He said he was trying to do me a favor by selling me a better product cheaper. I did buy a bottle of the other companies exterior trim detailer – pure garbage. It all washed off the car and ran down the panels and put a silicone smear on everything. I immediately took it back but he wouldn’t refund my $$$. He said I was the first person to ever complain about this product and it wasn’t the product’s fault but my application that was flawed – I don’t think so. I’ll eat the loss and move on- sticking to Meguiar’s.

Is there any truth to what he is saying???? Why would he say stuff like this if he stocks so much Meguiar's product and is an authorized dealer (he says he is authorized)??? Possibly he is making more profit on the other line???

I'm not posting this to start a war or get anyone mad. I'm just honestly confused.

[monkuboy]

Did you check to see if he is listed as an authorized dealer on the Meg's website?

[farmboy]

Are you happy with Meguiars? If so then you have no problem. Even if you go back to him, just buy Meg's stuff and don't support the other brand.

[RedSoxRacer]

I'm pretty sure Meguiar's develops and produces all the products they sell, and nothing is contracted out. They have their own chemists and production team, so I would think what the guy told you is 100% false. He is probably being paid commission by the other company.
Either way, stick to what works for you. If you like the results you get with Meguiar's, why would you switch?

[JimS_999]

Yea, I just checked the dealer listings and he's there.

[JimS_999]

I don't want to switch, never intended to. Just hearing ths guy that I've always trusted tell me negative stuff got me wondering.

Part of what he said was that in the past Meguiar's used to be a good company, but lately they are turning into mainly a marketing company that contracts everything out. He went on to say that companies that are producing their products for them are copying their formula's and repackaging them and selling them at a cheaper price. He sounded convincing, and he was really trying hard to get me to switch. He knows that a lot of people look at my vehicles and are always asking what products I use. I steer this guy a lot of business, I almost always recommend Meguiar's products.

No matter what he says I'm not switching, he just sounded convincing and I'm sure he's telling others the same story he told me. I know this because people I work with are buying some of the other product and telling me about it.

Again, I want to stress that I'm not a pro, I don't do anyone else's cars. I'm lucky I have enough time to do my own vehicles. I will admit though my vehicles look as good as, if not better than, the vehicles that come out of the local detailer shop.

[RamAirV1]

I'm guessing that his change of opinion is financially motivated. Maybe he is getting some perks for promoting the other brand.

Not giving a refund on the other brand of trim detailer is bad business practice. Maybe he's not such a good distributor after all.

There are plenty of other good Meguiars distributors out there, and we have discussed them on the forums already.

RamAirV1

[JimS_999]

I agree it's most likely $$$ motivated & I'm not going to dwell on this. I was just curious what you guys thought, people here are much more knowledgable than I am!!

I appreciate the replies.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Meguiar's product bad mouthed by a distributor - Why??

Originally posted by JimS_999

He went on to tell me that lately Meguiar's sends out their product for production and is starting to water the product down.

This is definitely not true and if this person is telling his customers this then we should let the Sales Manager in his area know about this.

[JimS_999]

Mike, If you email me or want me to emal you, I will give you, or any other official Meguiar's representative the dealers name. I don't think it's appropriate to post it here.

[kboxer]

Hey JimS_999 does the place start with an M. I am from PA and thinking of the same place bro. LMK

[Dragpakmach]

I Detail for a living and had a guy try to sell me 3M products over Megs.I still use Megs and dont buy from him anymore.Just keep using Megs and let the results speak for themselves.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by JimS_999
Mike, If you email me or want me to emal you, I will give you, or any other official Meguiar's representative the dealers name. I don't think it's appropriate to post it here.

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the late reply, I was offline most of yesterday in meetings and then later helping with Meguiar's Garage, (Wednesday Nights is open garage).

I'll send you an e-mail and we can at least make the Area Sales Manager aware of this.

Thank you.

[hondacrazy]

curious about the dealer

I am in central pa and I am curious about the dealer as well. I was going to be visiting them for the first time this Saturday...could you email or pm me the name? The one I was going to would be off of 19th st.

Thanks

[kpagel]

I am lucky enough to know of at least two detail shops in my area. Each one carries the full Meguiar's line along with one other product line (both different). At one of the shops I asked a question about a Meguiar's product and he said, "You know, Meguiar's isn't the end-all and be-all..." which I thought was really odd. He then showed me their other line. At the other shop, the owner has never said anything bad about Meguiar's, but he doesn't actively sell it the way he sells his other line and its pretty obvious. If you ask him about a certain type of product, say a leather cleaner, he walks to the non-Meguiar's side of his shop. Again, he never bad mouths Meguiar's and he does tell me how great some of the products are if I ask about them. My guess is, and this is pure speculation on my part, these guys get more money per sale from their other brand than Meguiar's. I can't think of any other motivation for these guys to not be so quick to sell the Meg's stuff. Just my $0.02