Wilson Audio paint problems

Wilson should have either found you another brand new pair immediatly or pushed your re-build production ahead of others.
Waiting 2 months is ridiculous!

Give me a break Ozzy. His "old" speakers worked just fine while he waited, it wasn't like he was doing without.

Woh! I didn't think Audiogon would let me publish this so didn't check until today.

I did buy the speakers from an authorised dealer. That dealer is no longer a Wilson dealer and therefore I couldn't approach via them. I subsequently moved which has added a layer of complication to this story. I got to the stage where I just want to get rid of them and demoed them yesterday to a guy who doesn't mind about the cracks but I'm losing my shirt on the deal. He in fact noticed the crack on the Duettes!!

I will say again, I love Wilson speakers. It's the sound for me. I'm just disappointed with the way my problem has been dealt with and wondered, in general, if anyone else had issues with the finish and cracking.

I will persevere with Wilson and try to contact the guy named in one of the posts. My Sofias were in fact early models so may be in the batch that had some early problems. Thanks to everyone who responded to my problem. Any other advice is very welcome.

You do realize that warranty, by law, cannot be eliminated or reduced based upon whether or not you send a card in. Manufacturers' often tell you that so that you will send the registration card in, but they can't enforce it. A 2-year warranty is a 2-year warranty, and it doesn't depend on cards.

The OP has still not weighed in on whether he purchased new from an authorized dealer under warranty. That makes all the difference concerning the customer service he can expect. All responses as to what Wilson should do and judgments that they're exhibiting poor customer service is based on assumptions and speculation.

Vwfast4me, Your story is touching except for one thing.

Wilson should have either found you another brand new pair immediatly or pushed your re-build production ahead of others.
Waiting 2 months is ridiculous!

No I am not happy...I don't believe that a customer who spends five figures on a speaker system. Should be burden with the problem of repainting such an expensive unit because of what looks like inferior work.

Paint problems are not widespread Jaynewt. It would appear that you prefer bashing a product you probably cannot afford.

04-13-09: Schipo
ok so he drinks a Shirley Temple and you still have a wrenched back...happy

If the authorized Wilson dealer delivers, installs, voices, and positions the speakers, then you don't have the wrenched back either. Happier.

So, AT LAST, someone has been brave enough to come out and say it. Judging by the number of photos of Wilson products that have appeared on Audiogon in the past which point out 'slight nick here', 'chip there' and my own experience with Watt/Puppy 7s, I think paint problems with Wilson products maybe widespread. This is only my surmise but I guess many people are reluctant to discuss the possibility of fragile paint, especially in relation to speakers they own, due to thee way these blemishes drastically depreciate the re-sale value. I would be very interested to find out how many 'hidden' problem paint jobs are out there!

I can personally attest to the fact that Wilson Audio has excellent, top-notch customer service. I purchased a pair of black Sophia 2s that were demo units. They were manufactured in 2006 and I bought them in the third quarter or 2007. After about 6 months of ownership I had the same cracks to develop. I contacted Wilson Audio directly to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. I was put in touch with a gentleman named Jerron Marchant. He asked if I could take some photos of the cracks? I wasn't sure that they would show up that well but with some extra lighting and such I was able to capture the flaws. I sent the pictures to his email address and within minutes he called me back, explained to me what the problem was. It wasn't a problem with the paint as I thought, but was a problem with the proprietary cabinet material instead. There were a few isolated cases of a bad batch of that material that they even had isolated within a particular serial number range and some had issues, and some did not. I expected them to repair and repaint them, and they explained to me that they would not have defective speakers out in the market with their name on them and they would build me a brand new set. I was even able to change colors and selected a custom color that they did not offer as an upgrade option. I paid a very reasonable amount for the paint upgrade and they built me a brand new pair of speakers and had them shipped to my dealer and installed in my home inside of two months.

I was anxious and checked up from time to time and Jerron kept me aware of the production start date, process, shipping status and everything. I can not say enough good things about Wilson Audio, their speakers, and their prompt customer service.

I did fulfill all of my warranty obligations by buying from an authorized Wilson dealer, having them do the set up and voicing, and filling out the warranty cards and returning them within the time frame that they required.

If you bought them new, had them deliver and set them up, filled out your warranty paperwork, then I can assure you that they will stand behind your defective speakers and you have no worries. If any of those steps were skipped then I can't make any assurances at all.

I was never put off, never avoided, my calls and/or emails were always answered promptly and with courtesy. I am very, very particular and borderline obsessive/compulsive about most everything, and I know that I was a pest at times, but that never was a problem. I was treated like I had bought ten sets of speakers from them.

I wish you luck and let me know if there is any way I can assist you. I hope for your sake that your speakers meet all the warranty criteria.

I do want to add the fact that I inquired about purchasing the old defective speakers and was politely refused because they wanted them destroyed so that they would not end up out on the market by some unscupulous seller at some time in their life. I know this to be a fact that they had to be destroyed because my sales counselor wanted to purchase them as well and he was refused like myself, even though he was one of Wilson's top salespeople in the country if I am not mistaken.

I don't think it's fair for people to judge a company unfairly for adhering to policies and following their warranty criteria as it is outlined. If someone wants to get a bargain and not go through the normal channels then I appreciate the fact that they want to save money, but you do end up getting what you pay for.

It is not Wilson Audio's fault that a vendor they buy materials from produced a defective lot. That is out of their control as would be an auto manufacturer that buys rack and pinions from a supplier. I have found that the suppliers and manufacturers work hand in hand to correct these unforseen problems if or when they arise.

Good luck and I hope that everything works out for you.

Tom

ok so he drinks a Shirley Temple and you still have a wrenched back...happy

04-13-09: Schipo
Wilson is suntanning himself and drinking a bacardi rum...

Given that David Wilson is a Mormon, the Bacardi rum scenario is unlikely.

Wilson has excellent warranty service. If you have a concern, e-mail the guys on the web site. I always get fast responses to my questions. They will stand behind the speaker if there is a problem under warranty.

Call them back if the dealer did not satisfy you.

I have owned many Wilson speakers since 1992. Sometimes I needed warrnaty service and it was provided with no nonsense.

Last week I went to a Wilson seminar and spoke to Dave Wilson. He is concnerned about his customers and knows that he can't survive if they aren't happy with his products.

He has great respect for his customes.

Perhaps one of the bad things here is that it takes 100 compliments to make a good impression and only one bad statement to ruin all the good things said. Maybe Wilson themselves should chime in?
Like the sign over my wifes desk says, "When I am right, no one remembers. When I am wrong, no one forgets".
-John

I just want to say a last word about Wilson and your dealer. Since when does the customer have to become a step n fetch? Now lets see the customer puts down 5 figures for a speaker system then notices the paint job is crackling so he removes everything from the speakers then when all is done by the Ferrari paint plant. He then schlep's these things back home again all 300lbs less the drivers then he screw's everything into place{after getting screwed} then refoams all the drivers moves them around while wrenching his back and as all this is going on! Wilson is suntaning himself and drinking a barcardi rum... LOL lol lol ok whos the sucker now?

Elizabeth, I wouldn't trash a company's customer service policies based on one post on the internet. I think there are things Krupski is not telling us or leaving us to guess at. Why did he contact the Wilson distributor and not the local dealer? Did he not buy from an authorized dealer? Did he buy used or grey market to save money and now wants to cash in on their customer service?

Enquiring minds want to know.

Wilson audio sophia 2 is an expensive system and to change the paint job becaue you have grown tired of the color is one thing. But for you to have to do it because of a manufacturing defect with the finish is wrong headed. Wilson should make good and have them repainted at his cost and not yours.

I repainted my Watchdog Subwoofer a custom color. It came out beautiful and could not be happier. Why I say this is that it was done by a good car dealership & the old Wilson Paint was looking dull and had some markings. I great paint job will do the trick. Unless the cabinet itself is cracking and this is a different story.

As a rule, I took out all the drivers and you probably can get the foam from Wilson to replace in front. Their speakers are very well designed and serviceable. Your dealer should help with this.

How about Wilson applying the 'protective plastic' too soon and when new owners remove this film/plastic, it removes the paint. Every dealer that has actually sold any Wilson over the past few years is WELL aware of this problem. Wilson can be a great speaker and company, but they need to check their ego at the door. Something they are horrible at doing.

Their fit and finish used to be top notch, but in the past few years it has changed.

Good luck.

Splaskin: you state to go through a dealer and he fails to do this contact Wilson with a complaint. Missing the point here. Wilson hasn't call this buyer back at all. So I don't have a problem going through a dealer with issues, but this does NOT give Wilson the right to bypass his calls and concerns as a paying customer! They should have proper communications with the end user, regardless. They can still direct him to his dealer, but should still be able to face the music and handle the issue at hand. Customer service is still customer service and in this case - it appears Wilson has not held their own.

GrandSlamm - what are your thoughts being a Wilson employee?

the dealer should take the bullet, and replace (they can handle the manufacturer) . its funny that tens-of- thousands-of-dollars mean nothing 'after' the sale.

If the Ferrari paint job doesn't come out of your pocket, you're good to go.

If you prucahsed the speakers new from a Wilson dealer, he will contact Wilson for you and take care of everything. If he is an authorized Wilson dealer, and fails to do this for you, I would contact Wilson with a complaint. Wilson insists that you go through the dealer for warranty work.

Are your Wilson's no longer warrantied?

The Warranty Period is a period of 90 days from the date of purchase by the original purchaser, or if both of the following two requirements are met, the Warranty Period is a period of five (5) years from the date of purchase by the original purchaser:

Requirement No. 1. No later than 30 days after product delivery to the customer, the customer must have returned the Warranty Registration Form to Wilson Audio;

Requirement No. 2. The product must have been professionally installed by the Wilson Audio dealer that sold the product to the customer.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH EITHER REQUIREMENT NO. 1 OR REQUIREMENT NO. 2 WILL RESULT IN THE WARRANTY PERIOD BEING LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF 90 DAYS ONLY.

If you only called Wilson once, keep trying until you get through. It sounds like something the warranty should cover, especially given Wilson's emphasis on the finish.

Never mind the Ferrari paint shop. You bought this speaker new from this dealer. This is a big ticket item the paint job on the damn things should be of the highest quality. I have a feeling you just might have to become a torn in Wilson's side and continue to call until you get him directly on the phone.I would also sit down and have a long talk with this dealer. You sound like a customer that in all regards would be a dealers delight. Shelling out this kind of cash you should be compensated with either a new pair or what ever you feel is fair.