PBMG Question

Belo

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I got into detailing maybe 4 years ago. Googled "detailing forum" and joined AG. 3 kids later I've picked it up again and have been active this summer reading, posting and spending money. It was when I receive my first warning for a HF mf towel deal that I realized this wasn't an ordinary forum. Totally understand the whole sponsor thing and knew there was a connection to the store. But realized this was actually a little different.

Anyhow, company origin stories fascinate me, and if this is out of line, please delete the thread. So here are my questions.

pbmg's website doesn't mention mckee's 37. Yet Bob McKee owns PBMG and mckees?
Bob mentions on mckee's website that he bought out his partner. Does that guy/gal exist somewhere?
What happened to DP?
AG bought autopia. On that forum we can talk about whatever products we want? If AG owns both, why the moratorium here?

appreciate anyone who cares to indulge my never ending fascination on how things work and why they are what they are.

-B
 
Bob actually sold PBMG to the same company who imports Sonax...drawing a blank

DP was changed to McKee's 37.

Why the different rules...no idea lol
 
so bob doesn't own pbmg but they sell the heck out of his products?
 
Bob actually sold PBMG to the same company who imports Sonax...drawing a blank

DP was changed to McKee's 37.

Why the different rules...no idea lol

Vision Investments is who bought PBMG I think. Bob kept Mckees (born as a DP + XMT merge) and the physical AG property. He is friends with the new owner so Mckees remains well sponsored, plus PBMG rents the building from him.

I believe AUTOPIA still requests only discussion of products sold on Autopia as well, but they may not enforce strict... either does AG in my opinion which is good (no harm, no foul usually here), but members from either site sometimes do policing themselves, so that’s just (bad) luck of the draw if you got pinged for anything innocent.

Hope this helps.
 
Robert “Bob” McKee is the founder and former owner of Palm Beach Motoring Accessories, the parent company of autogeek.net, and the founder and CEO of McKee’s 37 Car Care. McKee’s 37 is a Stuart, Florida-based manufacturer of fine automotive surface care products, and also includes McKee’s RV, a line created specifically for the unique surface care needs of RVs and motor coaches. Although Bob is largely credited with the success of Autogeek and McKee’s 37, he credits much of that success to his team and the many relationships forged along the way.

Early Life
Bob grew up in Fords, New Jersey. After graduating high school, he started as a concessionaire on the beloved Seaside Heights Boardwalk. He spent 15 years on the boardwalk, first working his way through college, then as an owner/operator of six concession stands. In 1984, when the winters became too much, Bob relocated to Jupiter, Florida and opened a franchise of The Driver’s Seat, an auto accessory store. The Driver’s Seat was a success for Bob, and he eventually came to own five additional franchise locations in Stuart, Boynton Beach, Wellington, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. Bob maintained ownership of The Driver’s Seat locations until the early 2000s.

McKee’s 37
Wayne Carini and Bob McKee shake hands on the concours in 2016, Bob sold Palm Beach Motoring to Tony George of the Vision Investments Group. Tony is the chairman of the the board of Hulman & Company, which owns and operates the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, also known as “the Brickyard.” In fact, the Hulman-George family not only owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but also the Indy Racing League (IRL), and several other holdings throughout Indiana. The sale of Palm Beach Motoring allows Bob to focus on his namesake brand, McKee’s 37, as well as providing the time necessary for broadening his support with other Christian-based organizations such as Teen Challenge and Barry Meguiar’s Revival Outside the Walls.

During his tenure in the car care industry, Bob developed some of the top brands in automotive surface care. These include Pinnacle Natural Brilliance, Pinnacle XMT, Pinnacle Black Label, Wolfgang Concours-Series Car Care, BLACKFIRE Car Care, Detailer’s Pride, and Marine 31. All of that research and development led Bob to develop a line of products he felt confident putting his name on: McKee’s 37, the complete line of world-class waxes, cleaners and polishes that easily holds its own with any product on the market. Thanks to advancements in surface care enhancement technology, the McKee’s 37 team of chemists was able to develop an affordable line of products that offers world-class performance. Each and every formula in the McKee’s 37 line is worthy of being used on the world’s finest show cars, but still obtainable for the everyday driver.
 
I think most of your questions got answered already, but I'll wade in on these two:

Bob mentions on mckee's website that he bought out his partner. Does that guy/gal exist somewhere?

I think he's referring to the original owners of Proper Auto Care/Classic Motoring Accessories, with whom he partnered on the Pinnacle products. When they retired Mr. McKee bought their interest in the Pinnacle brand. Ultimately PAC/CMA and their forum, Truth In Detailing, was acquired by PBMG, and TID was folded into what was at that time Autopia Forums (which was different from Autopia...at that time).

AG bought autopia. On that forum we can talk about whatever products we want? If AG owns both, why the moratorium here?

Because Autopia was always an "open" forum...depending on what mood the original owner was in, or what sponsorship scheme he was running at the time. PBMG decided to maintain that when they acquired it, in part to differentiate it from this forum. On Autopia you can talk about whatever you want, but you can't link whatever you want.
 
very cool thanks. Interesting to know that all my purchases are supporting the brickyard.
 
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...riends-family.html?highlight=nick+bye+friends

in the short time Nick has been with Mckee's 37 (formerly DP) full time, he has helped fill the void with new/ground breaking products (problem solving) and also improving some co-existing ones as breakthroughs in technology allows. Nick's customer service is responsive, helpful, and he will mediate any issues (not blame) if present (also listens to customers feedback). along with a few other product lines, i'm finding mckee's 37 products filling up valuable space that i have (too many redundant products out these days). i think this is just the beginning of more of the "good stuff" to come...

p.s. Thanks again Nick for all those years at AG that you provided your excellent CS, it will never be forgotten!
 
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...riends-family.html?highlight=nick+bye+friends

in the short time Nick has been with Mckee's 37 (formerly DP) full time, he has helped fill the void with new/ground breaking products (problem solving) and also improving some co-existing ones as breakthroughs in technology allows. Nick's customer service is responsive, helpful, and he will mediate any issues (not blame) if present. along with a few other product lines, i'm finding mckee's 37 products filling up valuable space that i have (too many redundant products out these days). i think this is just the beginning of more of the "good stuff" to come...

p.s. Thanks again Nick for all those years at AG that you provided your excellent CS, it will never be forgotten!

Again, it comes down to Customer Service.

Nick always goes the extra mile. Not only in general, but personally.

Couple that with some of the best products on the market, and constantly improving their line, and you have a winner IMO.

All of the products I have ordered from the McKee's line have either impressed, or actually "wowed" me. True story.
 
Let's just be happy that 3D doesn't own Autopia anymore .. heh
 
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