caution regarding well-known detailers

i was not going to come back to this thread once i saw the responses. i was shocked to see people not considering that maybe i was being completely honest, that Nick could actually be responsible for this exactly as i stated it. i was surprised that nobody was thinking about how they would feel if this happened to them with the exception of the quick mention by Joe Zaff. i never asked for this stuff to happen to me because of Oakes Detail. i didn't want to experience my wife being terribly upset...so upset...about her brand new truck being taken away and then damaged, etc. she built and ordered this thing and waited months for it to be delivered. it was my decision to allow Nick the chance to work on it and because of that and that alone, this happened and she ended up disgusted and angry. so was i! her truck ended up in infinitely worse condition than it did when we dropped it off straight from the dealership after delivery. i wasted so much time driving up there. so much time talking and talking and talking to Nick. wasted a silly amount of money on rentals.

since it appears to be so important to give more details about myself, i am a professional in the automotive aftermarket (performance/accessories), at the factory level. i am proud to have a fantastic reputation amongst my colleagues, peers, clients and customers, which i mainly attribute to honesty - honesty is 100% the most valued feature to my life and business. i do not lie, i don't handle dishonesty well and i especially can't handle when people lie to my face and/or are dishonest about me. i do not have a lot of spare time on my hands, but, i am extremely driven to get things done. and i get them done. if i don't get enough sleep, oh well - i can always make that up. the reason i came out about this so much later is because i had people asking me what happened and every last one of them would say "did you put something somewhere about this so others can be warned?" the answer to that for quite a while was "no". the reasons? i needed to gather info - from almost the day that i picked up the truck the second time, still screwed up, people who deal or have dealt with Nick over time started to feed me information that connected the dots. i needed to get my facts straight. i also needed to cool off. as Joe said about his own car, he would be homicidal if someone scratched his car. i seriously considered....well, i was flat out angry. i needed to let things settle in my head. my lawyer agreed, so...i let some time pass to cool off. but, the fact that everyone everywhere was concerned i was leaving others open to having this happen to them pushed me to come out with it. however, even then, i kept Nick's name out of it. i don't know why...but i did. i just cited things that should be checked, not necessarily specific to Nick, but they could be, so it's worth checking just to be safe. either way, i wanted to help people like me think twice and get info about what they might want to do to make sure they don't get in the situation i did.

i have known Nick for a few years. i have eaten meals with him. i have hung out and laughed. i have given him hours of business advice and offered him access to many facets of various resources which i enjoy, both personally and in business. the information i brought up about his fibs on cars and such wasn't some sort of cheap shot - it was someone being completely fed up with being lied to incessantly about everything and anything. i was trying to show exactly how ridiculous the lying has gotten on top things specific to taking care of my vehicles. if you trust Nick, that is fine. but please be aware of why i do not.

my initial dealings with him, before all of that, revolved around referring a colleague of mine to Nick for correction and coating on his Ferrari after some service stuff at Algar. i am a hobbyist-level corrective detailer but was entirely too busy to handle this guy's car, so i found Nick and sent my guy to him. Nick did a good job. the owner was pleased and from what i saw, the car looked fine. if i recall correctly, it took a lot longer than expected and my colleague became upset at that, but Nick smoothed it over.

i was considering using Nick the next time i got a car from PA since i really wanted to start getting film on my cars, and why drive the car all the way home, prep it then drive it somewhere for film when i could just let someone else handle the whole affair at once? despite warnings from friends who told me that Nick crashed their friend's Evo after driving it without permission, i gave Nick a chance with my own car. i brought my brand new STI to Nick, straight from the dealership after delivery, and let Nick do a new car prep, coating and film. i left the car with him for an extended period and he finally said it was ready to be picked up. once i arrived with my father driving me up as a favor, the car was pulled out of the shop and i almost immediately noticed a terrible film job and a line of touch up paint under the film on the top of the bumper, not on an edge but right in the middle. there were other issues but that was a biggie - a brand new car with this sort of damage. so, i was upset. upset that Nick would have let that go before having me drive all the way up. upset that my brand new car was damaged. you surely can understand! so, i left the car with him and he got the bumper painted and removed the film. he blamed the entire thing on one of his guys and apparently, let the guy go. i later found out more information from sources close to the situation that shined a very different light on what Nick told me but that was not until after this latest debacle. among other things, apparently the film guy was in CA, arrived in PA the night before i picked it up, started the film with no sleep and was working on it through the morning before i picked it up. it was a disaster that should have never happened...but it did. without the info i learned later, it was understandable that this was a true mistake in scheduling, etc.

i believe it was before or after this that the colleague of mine with the Ferrari had his Cooper GP corrected and coated by Nick and again, Nick did a good job. the owner was pleased and again, from what i saw, it looked fine.

believing Nick's story about what happened with my STI, i bought a C 63 AMG from up there that had 1200 miles on it. i decided to go against my better judgment and let Nick do a correction and coating job. it turned out pretty damn good. not perfect by any stretch, but i was happy with it. i probably should have done it myself...but at least it came out ok and my faith could somewhat be renewed in Nick Oakes.

naturally, being friendly with Nick, i followed him on facebook, both his business and personal page and though a lot of what he said on there (particularly his personal page) and stories he told me about "his" cars, his "successes" and the like didn't necessarily add up, like Joe Zaff, i didn't really care to dwell on and investigate these things as long as he didn't do anything malicious to me, did outstanding work, respected me and didn't screw anything up for me or my people.

somewhere in this time frame, the guy with the Ferrari wanted to get two engine panels wrapped in 3M 1080 film and i said he could ship them to the guy i use in WA, or have Nick try. he elected to have Nick try. my colleague was getting uneasy with the time Nick had these so i called Nick and said i needed to come get them because my guy was getting upset. Nick said ok, no problem. so the next day i drove up and when i arrived, Nick was still working on them. he looked disheveled, like he just woke up...and the parts were not done. they were never done. what was done looked marginal and he was rushing to get them finished. so i waited around and he buttoned them up. they looked bad...even my colleague agreed, but he didn't care that much because he just needed them back and they looked somewhat better once actually installed.

this was an apparent instance yet again of rushing and poor scheduling. but...i didn't see anyone complaining online or anything so this must have just been another instance of Nick making a "mistake". my luck.

when my wife decided she was going to get an Audi S-Line truck, i convinced her that she should just have Nick do film and detail it. she was uneasy about the whole thing. she thought it would just be better that i detail it and we'll get film elsewhere. she told me repeatedly that she was not confident that Nick was being honest with me over the course of my dealings with him. she was skeptical about all the off the wall things i'd tell her about Nick's facebook posts, stories he'd tell me and even the STI debacle.

well, i sold her on the idea, she ordered the truck, we waited a few months, picked the truck up with all protective wrapping/decals and such on it and dropped it off at Nick's.

the most important thing i needed to make clear with Nick from way before we even set this job up was that i needed Nick to be the only guy working on this vehicle. if that wasn't possible - no hard feelings, i'll just not get it done. he agreed that he would do it all himself with the exception of getting some help laying film on the hood and also, of course, the tint. if anything happened, it would fall squarely on Nick, not someone else's negligence. i needed that assurance and clarity and Nick promised it.

after like 10 days or something (i have to go back and look), i was told the truck was completed and ready to be picked up. so i drove up after work, in the rain. from the instant i arrived, it was very evident the truck had issues. Nick was out of town and his guys were running around the vehicle squeegeeing film down. the truck was filthy inside. the film looked terrible. the permanent coating installed on the seats was piled on in many areas and his guy lied to me, someone who works with the manufacturer of the technology, about why it was like that. it was clear that Nick had his guys do a lot of the work to this truck and that was exactly what i discussed with him as being unacceptable and he agreed. so from the get-go, knowing this didn't happen, i was upset and concerned. on the drive home, film was visibly coming off of the car. the interior was filthy...the interior windshield glass had decal residue all over...it was bad. of course, when i arrived home out of the rain and had a chance to look at things clearly, that is where the list on post #4 came from. it was not a mistake. i don't know what it was, but a vehicle does not come out of anyone's shop like that and make anyone happy, period. i told him about these issues. i wasn't mad yet, i was upset and just wanted it to be fixed. i didn't trust Nick at this point since he was telling me it wasn't him, it was the film being defective...it was his guys, it was his tinter, it was the plotter blade at Porsche of the Mainline...it was everything that i specifically cited as the number one reason i needed to make sure that Nick was the guy that did this so nobody else could be blamed. Film issues happen, i know that, but this is obviously WAY more than a roll of film being defective. hand prints under the film do not come from defective film. squeegee and stretch marks don't come from defective film. poorly placed precuts hanging off the truck and collecting sand don't come from defective film. he purposely ignored our agreement and thus, the car came out looking like total crap, with damage to boot. he made me wait something like a week and a half until he would allow me to take it back. he cited that he needed to get the film company to discuss the issues and film warranty with him so i could get refunded. so, the truck sat here with all the issues. he didn't want to take it back to address everything else and take the film off. why it mattered if the film company agreed or not, nobody knows. the fact is the vehicle should have been taken back immediately, even picked up on a trailer if need be...and fixed. over the course of this period, i see that he's going out all the time, jerking around with this friends and new girlfriend, eating, drinking and just generally doing whatever he wanted EXCEPT taking my truck back.

Nick called me late on a Thursday night after it sat here for over a week and said he was going to be heading down to work on the GT3 RS he "sold" at the new owner's house in Millville and could come by my place to look at the truck and take pictures of the film issues for Xpel. so, he arrived at some point the next morning in that dark M3, took pictures, explained to me eye to eye how he bought that GT3...a long story about it coming from the PNW and this other guy buying it and how unusual this new owner is, etc. whatever - we chatted. i was being extremely accommodating to Nick even though i was terribly upset and very suspicious of how we ended up in this situation. i even took Nick out to lunch in Ocean City, where i paid. i was being very reasonable....above and beyond reasonable.

it was at this time i also called my lawyer. he advised that i let Nick try to remedy the situation, despite the outright dishonesty and absurd results thus far. he also said to save all communications in case things didn't work out.

by the next week, Nick eventually said i could bring the truck up so i did that. i rented another car once i dropped it off and came home. after a few days, i was told from people up in that area that my truck had nothing done, so i called Nick and he said he was having trouble with the film. i didn't believe him, and i even called the manufacturer to discuss it, but i had to hold back to just let him fix this mess so it could be over with. i asked him about the door hole and he said his interior guy was handling it. several more days pass and we agree that i can pick up the car on the eighth day. on the way up, i get a text from Nick asking where i'm at in my journey. i tell him and he says "take your time". once i arrive, Nick is drenched in sweat, running around the car. i look at the hole in the door that Nick's tinter supposedly made and the repair sucks. there is overspray everywhere - on the tint, buttons, door jamb, leather door inserts, aluminum trim, etc. the texture is wrong. the color is wrong. the sheen is wrong. the door card is also not on right with a large gap at the front. the razor cut on the headlight is still there. the gloss pillars outside are still WRECKED and Nick tells me "well, these are plastic so, you know, they can't be corrected." that is absurd! they get corrected all the time. i correct them and i'm a hobbyist! keep in mind these were mint upon delivery and just needed to be cleaned and coated. anyway, i already summarized this in post #4. i pull the truck in to inspect it and there are high spots all over the truck as the coating was JUST put on that day! there is also polish and compound dust in every single body line, crease, panel gap, etc. but, at this point, i am on the verge of physically harming Nick. but naturally, i don't. i ask him to come outside and tell him that i don't know what he's going through, i don't know if he's got family issues, a substance problem or is just losing it, but he can't do this to customers. he absolutely cannot treat people like this. i said at the minimum you will do this to the wrong person one day and they will either lose it or just flat out sink you somehow. he seemed like someone who just pushed the envelope and got caught. that's all i can say. i didn't blow up on him, i didn't curse....i just advised that he straighten himself out so nobody has to deal with this crap ever again as a result of his behavior.

when i got home i looked at the truck and called my lawyer. he asked me to compile all of the communications from day one and also that i need to assess how much time i've spent dealing with this, what kind of money was laid out for everything including transportation, what is still wrong with the truck, etc. and we'll do that math. i gave him everything and i looked at the truck, compiled the list and weighed it out. he asked me what could be handled by me or handled easily, locally. we weighed it all out and he said while i could definitely get compensated, it would take time. time away from work, money, more trips to West Chester, dealing with the court and maybe a mediator and of course i'd have to pay him, the attorney...so in the end, he advised i cut my losses, attack it myself and make sure that i don't ever deal with Nick again and to refrain from communicating from him, period. he said if Nick communicates to me to let him know.

from that point forward, i started to slowly address the issues myself and with the help of professionals when necessary. i took the truck to an well-known interior repair outfit in my area and they did the door repair. they told me that they were 100% sure that a professional didn't execute the repair. the splatter was due to coming from a spray can. it was masked poorly and no attempt was made to match the color, sheen or texture. their very educated guess was it was a DIY kit and a novice. the rest of the issues were slowly resolved by me as best as possible, except the truck still doesn't have film.

that's my story. i didn't come here to get people enflamed or "whip up the mob with innuendo and gossip". i didn't come here to have people twist my words around and arrange them how they like...and i certainly didn't come here to cause trouble. i am just like you guys - an enthusiast with other responsibilities, a family, career/business, etc. i came out with this to keep anyone from having themselves or their people go through this sort of crap. like i said in the beginning of this post, i operate on honesty in everything i do and i expect the same out of my family, friends and colleagues. i know Nick has loyal customers like you, Joe. I know Nick has been around for a few years. i know Nick has it in him to be an outstanding corrective detailer. none of that matters to me because of what has happened and i hope that anyone planning on using him is careful. i also hope Nick does not continue to tell people that i am lying about this as he has elsewhere on the internet. he has purposely told people that this story is not even "1/4 true" and gotten people who don't even know me to go along with him and called me an idiot and "retard". so, aside from the issues in this thread with my vehicle and his business, he is further showing his colors by telling people in more words that if even "1/4" of what i said is true he wouldn't have 30-something vehicles in his facility now. that is asinine and disgusts me even further.

if you have any questions, please feel free to PM me. i appreciate the staff being so understanding during this, particularly the admin and moderator who handled editing the title and apparently gave me the time off. as for the member who said i'm obviously not looking for something good to come of this and am lacking common sense, i hope your views change after reading this wall of text i posted. i did this for everyone else. not to hurt Nick - he apparently does a good enough job of that if he treats people like he treated me - but to help every other person who might end up in my shoes when just trying to get something done and are wronged at every turn.

i can't dictate what Nick does but Joe, i agree. he needs to just address this with his customers if it comes up and be HONEST. don't throw me under the bus, i've already been through enough.

anyway, i hope you all had a great holiday. it's definitely time for bed!

thanks.

 

worth it? what, typing some stuff out to try to help other people from getting screwed? yes, it's worth it. i bent over enough and tried as hard as possible, if you read my synopsis, to not go this route but Nick kept fumbling his chances and lying incessantly. and as i mentioned up to and including this past week, he's lying to others about me. i guess he hasn't learned anything but i'm also not here to help him. i'm here to help anyone like me. you guys, possibly. though there is a lot of resistance. i can't understand why people can't just take it or leave it, haha.

this IS a bad review. people could not possibly believe it, so it kept dragging on. in fact initially, as i said, i tried to just leave a general warning. not good enough, apparently. so i gave more details and named Nick. still not good enough. so i spent more than enough time at 3 AM one morning to lay the entire thing out and apparently it's still not good enough. well, it ends here. i have nothing else to share. if you care or need info, please PM me. i have said my piece(s).

i'm not trying to convince anyone of anything except when my character is brought into question, like your post - i need to defend my character. if you have read what i've provided and still feel great about Nick Oakes, then that is totally fine. 100% fine. i'm not here to convince anyone that Nick Oakes is a bad detailer all the time or whatever. i know Nick has a following. i thought Nick was a friend and an ally too at one point. i recommended people to him as well. i trusted him with my property several times, so i've been there, waving the Nick Oakes flag. until he did everything he could to defy me. i'm here to alert people that everything isn't always what it seems with people like him and because of that, to be careful with your property when people take a hold of it.

i have mounds of communications where Nick admits that these issues are present and will be addressed. they weren't. i think i've done enough. if there is nothing here that can help you or makes you think, and you want to continue to be critical of me without any compassion about what the heck i endured, then fine. i think a more expeditious path would be to stop critiquing me doing the minimum i can for others and go about your way supporting Nick by giving him your business and referring people. like i said, i hope nobody else gets screwed or lied to.

thanks.

Jared

EDIT: PS - i don't know who that guy is. i have no friends here, but surely kindred spirits given the subject matter. the only guys i've heard of are Joe Zaff, through Nick, and Frank (i believe that is his name) who appears to be friends with a few of my friends outside of this thing (forum). i'm sure i know some people on the forum through work and/or just being in the scene, but though i've been a member under this user name since 2005, i haven't spent a lot of time posting.