DAMAGE PROCEDURE
You have received one of our products and it was damaged? We feel with you, as owners we can imagine the feeling of opening a highly anticipated box just to find it cracked or have the surface dented. This document will guide you through the procedure to claim damages that may have occurred from shipping.
BOX CONDITION
“But hold on, the box is undamaged. Surely this must have happened pre-shipping and DMC’s workers put the damaged part into the box?”
All our products undergo rigorous quality control, during and post-production as well as pre-shipping. Rest assured that we will not add a damaged item into a box. Please note that carbon fiber is a natural material and may have a reasonable uneven effect, but all items undergo rigorous QC before being packed so that any unusual condition must have happened during shipping.
CAUSE
“Then how can this happen?”
There are various reasons how damages can happen. In some cases boxes are often longer than they are wide. If the shipper adds weight on either outer edge, the box can “bend”, which potentially can cause a crack. The same goes if the weight is added on the top center of the box, such weights can often cause central cracks or marks in the gel coat. Carbon Fiber is super strong, but gel coat is not.
NEXT STEPS
“Understood, what can I do now?“
Don’t worry, as all DMC product shipments are insured. As we might have mentioned earlier, and as common with international shipping rules, it’s a common procedure to check the goods before signing for their receival. Signing with the courier company not only means that you have received the goods, but also that you have received the goods “in good condition”. Therefore please do not accept the goods if they differ from your expectations. If this happened, your insurance will likely not pay because they can argue that any claimed damage might have happened after you signed to have them received “in good condition”. If you didn’t sign, you are now ready to claim the damage with the courier that sent it to you.
CHECK WAS NOT PERFORMED
“I did not check the goods before signing, what now?”
Lucky we ship most DMC products in raw carbon fiber. It means that your product still needs to receive the clear coat which bonds the parts into their final condition. Prior to applying that lacquer, you can ask your workshop to clear away potential Spyder-Web cracks or other damages with a 5 step sand-paper process. Do not worry, you would have to apply the lacquer anyhow, it will be a thick coating over the previously damaged area and if done correctly will minimise if not even eliminate any visible disturbance.
“IM STILL NOT SATISFIED, YOU SHOULD PAY FOR THIS!”
In our core, DMC is a group of German Engineers that develop the finest and sickest products in the world. One thing we are not however, is a shipping company. This is a service we help our clients with, so that everyone around the world can enjoy the expert products we design and manufacture. It’s therefore crucial that everybody follows rules and guidelines as laid out in this document. There are no special rules, everybody deserves the same upmost attention and respect. If you follow our steps above, you will be able to enjoy the product at your earliest convenience.
“BUT YOU DIDN’T PACKAGE IT WELL ENOUGH, COME ON?”
DMC has been manufacturing TUV approved Carbon Fiber products for nearly 20 Years. During this time we have experimented with different package materials. Even wood boxes do not bend, they create other issues like wood-burns to the materials’ surface. The packaging we came up with now are the best solution, resulting from a long time of experience.
“THEN WHAT?”
Shippers are advised not to bend boxes, or to stack heavy on them, but at times they still do. For this case we add insurance so that you can claim, and if that doesn’t work you can still make it work in 99% of all cases. We are confident that we are bringing the best solution to our customers, but we can’t cover times where insurances are voided by the client. No one is happy to receive a damaged product, so our insurance will cover the damage. And even if you missed to notify the damage in time, you still have to add final layers of coat anyhow, prior to which your paintshop can help to remedy any potential damage.
Thank you so much for your kind support and understanding. Let’s get this done and bring your car to the next level.
Your whole Team!