Puzzled by Edge Pads Durability

**nickis** · 05-28-2004, 05:51 PM

I finally got another chance to work on my car with the PC today, and I went to work using my yellow medium cut Edge pad and some DACP. The good news is that I finally got the swirls out of my hood, so I was pleased to begin with. However, midway through the car I was experiencing extreme breakdown from the Edge pad. It started with just the edges starting to tear away a bit, which I thought was normal for a new pad, then a big chunk came out and from there it was all downhill. By the the time I was finished, the pad was practically in tatters, and I was extremely frustrated with it. Flecks of yellow foam were everywhere, and the pad was barely usable.

I have heard complaints about Edge pad durability before, but I never thought it could be this bad. I was under the impression that after a few washes, the backing could come off or something. This pad has been washed only once and used twice, and its first use was doing just a hood. It definately should not be dying yet. Speed 6 seems be to the killer, I noticed when the pad was brand new that I would get the yellow foam debris if I cranked it all the way up. However, I thought that this was just a symptom of a new pad and eventually it would quit. Instead it just got worse and worse. I tried to be careful with it, masked off all the badges on my car that were an obvious danger, but I guess that didn`t help. The only thing I can think of that could have done it in was that it was slightly damp when I started out, and that I overlapped some of the gaps between body panels (couldn`t think of a way not to and still get full coverage). Are either of these the cause or is the pad just especially shoddy? As it is I am pretty disgusted with the quality and I don`t think I would ever buy them again. I don`t have any pictures of the actual pad right now because my camera isn`t here, but I will take some on Sunday when I get it back.

**Big Leegr** · 05-28-2004, 05:57 PM

Edge warants their products. Email them and they`ll likely send you a replacement. Groebuck did a review on their new ones and they sound pretty good.

**andriver** · 05-28-2004, 05:58 PM

Have you emailed Edge Pads with your problem?

**Agent Phonar** · 05-28-2004, 06:18 PM

I`ve been using Edge pads for about 2 1/2 years.
I work at a dealer and they like to save money any where they can.
We use the pads for longer then we probably should.
I have never had one fly apart like that.
The only time I have ever seen a Edge pad fly apart was when my friend the novice tried using it on the bottom of a car with a rotary at too fast a speed.

**Bill D** · 05-28-2004, 06:22 PM

Yikes! I wonder if the dual action of the PC is too much for these pads, maybe they are made for a rotary and at low speeds?

**JimS** · 05-28-2004, 06:45 PM

Much work goes into building a trusting relationship with ones customers and just one bad review can ruin all that work and expense.

All you have to do is write to the manufacturer and ask for help with the problem. If they won`t help resolve the problem then you complain publicly.

**awd330** · 05-28-2004, 07:12 PM

The original DA pads have a completely different type of foam, shape, and backing than the Classic rotary pads. They are like comparing apples and oranges. When commenting on Edge pads, it is important to specify the model of pad.

I also experienced durability problems with a couple of my original Edge DA pads. The problems seem to manifest themselves at higher PC speeds (above 5). When informed of my concerns, Aaron Krause and the folks at Dedication to Detail wasted no time in replacing the pads and ensuring that I was happy with the outcome. If you contact Aaron, I am certain that he would be willing to work with you as well.

BTW, the re-designed DA pads sport a new and improved foam. I`ve used one pad several times now (at speeds well above 5), and it is holding up great!

**bigron62** · 05-28-2004, 07:33 PM

oh i guess we are only supposed to say nice things about product manufacturers here .. not me. if something is a peice of junk im gonna warn my fellow detailers about it. i posted about some clay i didnt like and out of the blue a megs rep starts posting on D.C. about how great it is .. im currently switching to edge pads with the edge 2000 system for the p.c. i hope it works out for me but if it doesnt and i have a legit gripe ill call them and then share with others my concerns.

**SpoiledMan** · 05-28-2004, 08:33 PM

Originally posted by bigron62
oh i guess we are only supposed to say nice things about product manufacturers here .. not me. if something is a peice of junk im gonna warn my fellow detailers about it. i posted about some clay i didnt like and out of the blue a megs rep starts posting on D.C. about how great it is .. im currently switching to edge pads with the edge 2000 system for the p.c. i hope it works out for me but if it doesnt and i have a legit gripe ill call them and then share with others my concerns.

I think the idea is just as you stated towards the end of your statement. Give them a chance to correct it. If they don`t take care of the problem, then I would SHOUT to the mountaintop! I had a problem with some pads that came with my PC. I spoke to the vendor and he is replacing them without a problem. The story would be different if they weren`t replacing them.

**keeotee** · 05-28-2004, 09:06 PM

I suppose what I`d like to see is you contacting Edge and then posting a new thread with a report of how they addressed your concerns. I am willing to bet they will go out of their way to make you a happy and continuing customer. And I would also bet your post would reflect that. I`d give it try if I were you.

Porbably everyone will come out the winner.

**John Gatland** · 05-29-2004, 06:09 AM

A hyperthetical question - Supposing you had detailed a customers car and then left for home and for some reason your customer was very unhappy with part of your detail. Would you rather he contacted all his friends and told them that your service was rubbish and he would never use you again, or would you have prefered him to contact you first, so that you could spend a few minutes putting it right and explain why it happened. The second option keeps everyone happy :-)

Have a great weekend

**Aaron@IAP** · 05-29-2004, 08:25 AM

and now some words from our sponsor.........LOL Friends, Romans, DC detailers, et tu Nickis, lend me your buffers... We at Dedication To Detail,Inc. makers of The Edge products could not agree with you more that the original Edge DA pads durability was not acceptable. We made these pads out of a closed cell foam to keep the chemical on the surface, and create a little heat. We found that since the closed cell foam is not as strong we ran into problems with delamination and foam durability. We are always looking for feedback and work very hard to not just replace defective product but eliminate future issues. We therefore totally changed over our foam to a new very dense very strong open cell foam we call durafoam, and developed a new velcro bonding system. Nickis, you need to read some of the posts that are still active in the forums, such as New EDGE DA pads review (as promised D!) and Edge2000 DA Pads: A first look Also we will be glad to replace your yellow pad with a new durafoam version. I have posted many times in the past that we proudly stand behind the products. I think many DC members can attest to this fact. I hope you will accept our offer and apology for the inconvenience and send the pad back to us for the replacement. I am confident you will not have this problem with our new DA durafoam pads. The old line was discontinued several weeks ago.

Best Regards,

Aaron Krause (President & CEO)
Dedication To Detail, Inc.
777 Henderson Blvd Suites # 1 & 2
Folcroft, PA. 19032
1-800-315-3343
www.edgepads.com
aaron@dedicationtodetail.com

**Nickc0844** · 05-29-2004, 12:44 PM

Problem solved!

**Aaron@IAP** · 05-29-2004, 01:50 PM

Nick, Have you used the new pads? Are you saying problem solved because you have used them??

**freedre** · 05-29-2004, 03:46 PM

My .02$

I agree with the responses that guide one towards contacting the supplier/manufacturer first to see if they will stand behind their product. If they will (and I think most do these days) the problem is solved. At this point, however, I like to see comments about the issues on this site - I think that it adds to everyone`s knowledge to know that maybe "so and so" had a similar problem to mine.

Does that make any sense??

Like I say, only my 2c worth