As this appears to be directly aimed at me I will reply but firstly quick point: Chris is attempting to put things back on an even keel and already 2 of you are using it to go back over the same ground. For the sake of balance i must respond
I had a contract with Nubodi to supply a finished body conversion.
My expectations were set by what Richard told me was possible. He set my expectations high (not Tribute). "We work miracles everyday" is one of his favourite sayings.
He didn't say for example, "Oh it may be that you get some blisters pop up in your paintwork within 5 days (and yes, it was less than 5 days) of getting the car home but that's the nature of the beast, sorry, your problem" as you believe should be accepted by anyone comissioning a car to be built for them. To be fair to Richard he never once said it was my problem and assured it would be sorted - only after he'd used the car for Stoneleigh was all support withdrawn.
I had no dealings with Chris whatsoever until Richard told me the blisters were Tributes fault for defective laying up. He told me Tribute should contribute to painting cost - yes, I let myself become a mouth piece for some of Richard's "irritations" with the kit which should not have happened. It’s none of your business frankly but I have already privately apologised to Chris for this (this was prior to the previous thread).
I have had kit cars the last 30 years and never had this issue (all second hand).
The professional painters (who do it for a living day in day out!) tell me it should not have had the contamination in the first paint - fish eyes on every panel, not one or two but considerable amounts. Richard has since confirmed that the painter's apprentice had oil in the line. This was the painter’s failure. It's established fact.
The professional painters (who do it for a living day in day out!) on the forum do acknowledge that voids can happen, they also say the builder/painter should have looked for and resolved these before paint.
The car was painted again and the fish eyes buffed out.
Am I happy with the fish eye resolution? Yes
Am I happy with the repaint? No - because of the amateur masking of the externally visible body to door shuts and because of a localised incidence of mopping straight through the edge of the rear wheel vent on near side. This is what happens when a job is rushed and the painter is up til 2am at the behest of the builder - not me! I only spotted the mop through on Sunday when I [properly leathered and polished the car. I am looking at my text right now which says "don't **** it up just to get it to the show" - "Don't worry it'll be fine" is the reply. Fact: It was rushed. Fact: corners were cut (literally). Not for my benefit. This is acceptable?
You seem to think it’s reasonable for me to be left with these issues to resolve? Again, although none of your business it was private between myself and Chris but he has been generous enough to help me out. And Nubodi, well as I said before payment with held but it’s telling that the “Nubodi” 250 review in the latest Kit Car magazine doesn’t mention tribute save for listing their phone number at the end after Nubodi’s.
The car stands me in 14k now and is a new build. Irrespective of what you believe I should be educated about I am already aware of what I was led to expect and what I received. Perhaps you need educating about expectation management? In my case they were 2 different things.
Richard quoted to me as saying "I'm not expecting perfection" and that's absolutely true - I did say that...but I don't think that is a caveat to excuse either a the equivalent of a popadom appearing on the rear shelf or the basic rudimentary painting errors that have happened.
I must say congratulations to both of you for using Chris’s reconciliatory thread to air these opinions to which I have had to exercise right of reply for sake of balance.
Well done.