Hi all,
I don't ever post personal stuff like this, but I feel the need to vent. I was fixing up the 88 560SEL I had last spring to get ready for a x-country trip in July, and one of the things I needed to have done was refinishing the wheels. I ordered Kent's complete kit and followed the directions to the letter. What came out of it was wheels that were essentially ruined and had very streaky appearance, as well as a very rough finish. I emailed Kent at the time and his reply was something along the lines of, I have thousands of satisfied customers and you are the only one that has complained, so it must be user error. I wrote him back that it was not user error, that I had indeed followed ALL directions as indicated and to let him know of my displeasure for the lack of support.
Fast forward to today, when a friend of mine texted me to let me know that he saw what looked like MY picture I had taken of MY streaky wheel on KENT's website, along with TWO separate disclosures from Kent on the importance of spraying within a certain temperature range, which of course were not there before, yet appears as if they had always been. Kent's directions in the first new warning now explicitly state that his product kit can only be used between 60 and 70 degrees fahrenheit, yet in the 2nd new disclaimer, it states to spray between 50 and 70 degrees fahrenheit. That is a very specific and narrow range of temps either way. Kent claims on his website that I sprayed in temps over 100 degrees when in fact I sprayed over the course of three nights when it was in the low 80s with a cool breeze, which in Phoenix during the summer is the best anyone is ever going to get.
I guess I am writing this because I simply cannot believe that he initially blew me off but then turns around and is using my experience with his product as a disclaimer to all, through the means of using my picture on his website with false information.

PS - What Kent did not disclose was that I had pointed out to him that the streakiness of the wheels was more of a direct result of the adjustable nozzle spraying out horizontally, when the little line on the adjustable nozzle itself was showing vertical, and vice versa. Also, just as a general precaution, the metallic paint flecks in the aerosol plumed everywhere and I am still wiping off silver flecks off of literally anything in the garage that was exposed to the air, even though I painted out in the driveway. That stuff gets everywhere.

PPS - This post is just my crappy experience with Mercedes Source and is in no way intended to start a popularity contest.

I understand your frustration. He should have done more product testing within various temperature ranges. Of course, Washington State doesn't get that hot which may be one reason he hadn't checked out the paint in warm to hot conditions.

All this said, I've tried doing the wheels on the 1991 560SEL and THEY didn't turn out all that great either. I've decided to turn the job over to a professional wheel refinishing shop. Yes, I'll spend more money than doing it myself but at least they will be refinished correctly......

Too bad you did not read the excellent thread First class wheel refinishing
Start with my post #106. It tells of my very good experience repainting my bundts and includes all the proper paints.

They really turned out well. Would assume you could do the same with yours.

I’ll look into that. Thanks for the link. :-)

I haven't been happy with everything I've gotten from him but most of it has worked out. I'd love to have a Bentley Manual for my 300SDL. I still have my E30 Bentley Manual and it shows major signs of use.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

he used to be a missionary bush pilot,but he's forgotten some folks don't have alot of bread

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

So how exactly was this not user error on your part?

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

You clearly didn’t read my post. When I did the project about a year ago, there was ZERO mention of a very strict temperature range in which to spray, resulting in a large amount of time and energy spent for nothing in return. As evidenced by Kent using my photo without permission on his website, Kent added those warnings AFTER the fact to cover his own ass. Also, as I stated, I feel that the streaks were more of a result of the spray indicator on the can nozzle showing the exact opposite of what actually comes out of the can.

Mike - here is a pic of one finished wheel. I did all five. It is really a satisfying project.

That looks good!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Understanding and using paints as well as chemicals is important. I once prepped and sprayed an old ford truck. It was my fault that I did not know that below a certain temperature the adhesion of the paint was very weak. I guess it was about 60 degrees. It looked good until it started to self peel off.


With chemicals action rapidly declines below 70 degrees. Yet increases above. Out of a spray can that you cannot add a retarder to. Can become problematic above 70 and I would not paint below 70. My guess is you got little to no flow out of the paint. . Giving a really rough texture as well.


Plus metalics are harder to lay down. You are right in that Ken did not do his homework well. I have some respect for guys that paint everyday. There are a multitude of things that can go wrong. I just have been lucky more than anything. You have no real adjustment with a spray can other than the distance to the surface.


Ken is kind of a mixture. Can we really fault a guy that has actually helped others. Some of his free videos have been very helpful to many. You do not have to buy his products.


We all have to make a dollar and this is his source of income. He has had failures and this may well be one of them. I do agree in your case his customer service was weak. The price of that is you lose business.

A friend of mine who has been through the mill when dealing with medical issues explained it to me like this:


THE QUESTIONS YOU DON'T ASK ARE THE ONES THAT GET YOU KILLED.


So.....we need to ask the seller if he/she knows the proper temperature range for the best flow rate for the paint.

I must go to bat for Kent. While some of his products and information may seem to be overpriced, his videos, pamphlets and well thought-out kits are a boon to those who are venturing into DIY maintenance of our old benz cars.

Those of us who are more advanced amateur wrenches can denigrate his products but they can be invaluable to the newbies. To offer a specific, I could not have repaired my W123 sunroof without his pamphlet and maintenance kit.

I picked up all tips and methods from this very website and applied my older logics to it. There was another website - v12uberalles which did not apply to any of the cars I owned but the methodology made sense in a nice fashion.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Same here, nothing but good experiences with Kent, I've been buying stuff , mostly manuals, from him since circa 2001 when I got my first Mercedes. Back in the early days of the interwebs he and Phil were a godsend, not that many good resources around then.

What I like about his videos and manuals, it gives a good indication if you can tackle the repair. His video's don't go to deep into the specifics and sometimes they are a little bit of a let down but it's always a good starting point. His sunroof manuals for the W123 and especially for the W126 are unmatched. And he's a fellow country man.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).