MOTD - New Stripes

I found the quality of the vinyl that Mike uses to be highly suspect. Stripe he put on mine looked liked electrical tape when he put it on. I got assurances that it would smooth out with sunlight and engine heating them up. Never did. Tried cleaning them with the recommended 303 vinyl protectorant and it made them look even worse

Had a set of Cooper Stripes put on a couple months later that work great. Still do a couple years later

I hear people rave about his work so perhaps he is using a better quality of vinyl. Can't say I'm gonna find out first hand though

 

Probably not what the OP wanted to hear...

 

Cool! Can't wait to see your MINI after the install.

FWIW We're in the process of deciding what stripes to put on my wife's Clubman at MOTD and are going to have Mike do the design and install.

I just got a set of bonnet and boot stripes for my cabrio from him. I had a set of bonnet stripes that had been on the car for 5 years and were just beginning to show some age. I can't complain about the quality of the stuff I've gotten from him.

 

I ordered custom graphics in July 2009. He expects - and got - payment in full up-front. After almost 2 months, I told him to forget it, and refund my money. He told me he doesn't offer refunds, especially to impatient people. Disputed the charge with Visa, got my money back. Total time wasted = ~6 months.

If that's still his business model, then I don't care how good a job he does - I won't deal with him.

 

I've heard that before, he got a royal flame job on the sewing site for just that behavior. Yet another reason I choose to do business elsewhere

 

Probably right but I felt the need to let the OP know who they are considering doing business with. My experience with material quality *may* have been a one off. Is pretty well documented how he deals with customers that order stuff on his website that it seems pretty consistent

 

I've never had a problem with Mike or his stuff. I have a lot of it and will be getting more. As far as I am concerned the OP has nothing to worry about and that is all I a going to say.

Jim

 

I suggest anyone interested in bits & pieces for their MINI what ever they be, do your research.

Asking here is a good starting point.

As far as installs going wrong, yep it does happen, but not often. What is important is how those problems are handled. That is what separates the good from the not so....

 

Mike made the sunroof cover for my MCS. I had it installed by Ziebart and it still looks good, but then, the car is garaged, anyway. I liked the sunroof cover so much that I had him make stripes for the bonnet and he installed them at a past MOTD. I have no idea what happened that morning, except that it was a crummy install [maybe too much partying the night before?]. It's all off-center at the washer jets and then he cut it and overlapped it in the middle of the scoop instead of leaving it in one piece or at least marrying the cut pieces together. He didn't offer to make it right then, and because of that, I won't be going back to him again.

 

Doesnt sound like the best vendor to me...anyone that doesnt want a happy customer isnt going to get my business...

 

These threads are always interesting, there is such a predictable dynamic whenever someone mentions Mike at Aesthetic Creations. You have the group that stands behind him come hell or high water, the group that is not impressed at all with the wait and "interesting" customer service methodology. Then there is a whole lot of people that have dealt with Mike and just keep their mouths shut in public, however, in conversations will toss him under the bus or pull him from under that bus and dust him off. There is not a lot of middle ground with this one.

Now, I've never had business dealing with Mike so am just a spectator to all this. Yet as the facilitator of this site I am compelled to offer up this advice.

Read what all have to say as there is truth buried in these posts, some good, some bad, some neutral. Think of the sources of the comments and the personalities behind them. Are they a constant complainer where no one can do anything right, are they someone that always jumps in and says the vendor can do no wrong, are they usually on the sidelines till poked...

From there make your informed judgement.

 

Is he the only vinyl vendor going to be there?

For some of us that makes him the only option.... Pittsburgh doesn't have any awesome vinyl wrap places from what I gather... and I don't think I'd trust someone who doesn't deal with MINIs to do any part that needs removed for the install. Dealer installed is too expensive to even consider... and doesn't offer what I want (white carbon fiber dash kit).

Ordered some domed center caps from him 2 weeks ago or so.... hoping to get them by the end of March...

 

Don't know if he'd ever want to come out, but I had Cooper Flags make my stripes. I specified how I wanted them done and even sent him colors to spec. They look great (IMHO), and are holding up great after 2 years of wear.

 

I have a friend who has worked closely with Mike and he has done all the graphics on her Mini and she loves his work. I personally have only had one experience with him and that was with something I ordered on his website that I did not like once I received it. He would not let me return it or exchange it. So I have this insert worth $36.00 I can't do anything with. So I never did business with him again. If you get a bad taste in you mouth with a vendor you tend to not go back to them.

 

amberback you might ask the local dealer who they use to do their vinyl installs. Most dealers farm out that type of work out.

 

I have never dealt with them though I do currently have an e mail in to him..

Advice for those wanting stripes and or them installed and don't know who to go to.
Find out who the dealer uses. They don't usually do them in house.
A local Fast Sign, Sign-o-Rama, etc. for vinyl or graphics. They don't usually install but one of them might do it on the side or know someone who can.
Look in the yellow pages for a large commercial sign company. They will know who locally can do inkjet/print work for graphics..Maybe even whole car wraps as they might have their own company trucks done..

 

I had my local clear bra installer do it and he did a fantastic job, even installed the clear bra material on top of the stripe.

From my observation many of the application techniques are similar

 

Nate, I was thinking the same thing. There is no middle ground and the fer' and agin' line seems to be about 50/50 with Mike.

I was also reminded that we as a group tend to stand up for a installer/vendor because it validates our decision to use him or her (IMO)