[Smoke_Works]

Had the general wear concerns after wearing it on an atv ride, they asked for it back to check it out. Sent it in...blammo, they put the Armory kote on it. Had to send a big thank you email to the Custom shop. My baby is back at home, snug in the Hume open top. Love the new finish. Yes, all finishes can wear, but Springfield stepped to the plate and asked that I send it in, very cool of them. It's good to still have companies out there who care about customer service, Filson is another one that completely steps up. Sorry for the rant, I am pretty jacked about the new finish.

 

[kgpcr]

Thats why i buy Springers! they have outstanding customer service

 

[PDX-XD]

Since Springfield is so quick to admit the finish is bad and give you a new one, why don't they start putting the Armory Kote on in the first place?

Honestly, I have lost track of all the free finishes I have seen people getting. Everybody raves about Springfield's customer service. While I agree that it is nice of them to take responsibility and put the better cote on, taking true responsibility would be if they started manufacturing them that way in the first place. It's not like there was something specifically bad about all the guns they've refinished... all XD's have the same crappy finish. If Springfield is truly a great company, they'd start manufacturing them with Armory Kote to begin with. Oh yeah, they'd also recall all the ones they sold with the old finish.

The reason they don't do this is because it's cheaper to make them the way they do. Of course, they know that some small % of them will come back through the warranty process to get new cotes. But, they know it's much cheaper to fix those few than fix them all to begin with.

The ironic part is... we all praise them for great customer service saying things like, "That is why I buy Springers!" Springfield must be laughing all the way to the bank. It is the ultimate con job.

You are a fool if you think this is good customer service. Good customer service is the company that designs quality products with the customer in mind... products that don't require warranty work.

As far as I'm concerned, Springfield is just cutting corners.

 

[Frenchy]

First of all!...Springfield doesn't manufacture the XD...IM Metals of Croatia does.
Second!...Only a percentage of the guns sold have had a finish problem. It would be foolish for Springfield to arbitrarily re-finish every XD they sell, thinking it might go bad.
Thirdly!...Referring to a member of this forum as being a "fool" with only 11 posts to your credit is insulting...Got it?

 

[Smoke_Works]

Perhaps my confidence in a company who backs up the product may differ from your perception of just what customer service is. Every sidearm shows wear over time, my 1911's all show it, not an issue. The fact that SA offered to check it out, then fix it, earns points.

If you think that SA is cutting corners, perhaps you should just go hang out in the glock talk forum and keep your little name calling out of a forum generally utilized by respectable people who value the input, advice and feedback they receive here. I sure would appreciate it.

 

[.40-.45]

I wish someone would post pic of their extreme wear

I would like to see what people are talking about

or these "rusting" issues

 

[Smoke_Works]

I'll try to get it off the old PC, I switched to a laptop. I sent the pics in to SA before they asked for it. Let me see what I can find.

 

[glfpunk]

First of all!...Springfield doesn't manufacture the XD...IM Metals of Croatia does.
Second!...Only a percentage of the guns sold have had a finish problem. It would be foolish for Springfield to arbitrarily re-finish every XD they sell, thinking it might go bad.
Thirdly!...Referring to a member of this forum as being a "fool" with only 11 posts to your credit is insulting...Got it?

Sounds like you're blinded by brand loyalty. I'm not loyal to any brand and buy what I think is best. I just call it like I see it. I've read lots of posts about finish problems with the XD such as rust and very quick wear. I haven't had the rust problem, but if you've been around guns for a while you know that the XD finish is pretty bad. I don't think Springfield should just have a mass recall and refinish every XD they've sold, but they should definately continue what they're doing and refinish all those that come back to them with problems.

On the second part, I totally agree with PDX. It's obvious that there's a problem with the finish, and if Springfield continues to send out XD's with the same terrible finish knowing how bad it is, that doesn't sound like good customer service to me. If they really had intentions of addressing the problem they'd be putting out XD's with a different finish by now.

I agreee with you in that the tone and choice of words he used wasn't the best, but one of the things I've liked about this forum over glocktalk is that there doesn't seem to be that level of blind brand loyalty over here like it is there. But it definately seems like you ripped the guy because he's calling out Springfield on their bad finish. In the long run that attitude will only hurt you because it sounds like you'll buy their product regardless of how crappy it becomes.

 

[XD BACKUP GUN]

Thirdly!...Referring to a member of this forum as being a "fool" with only 11 posts to your credit is insulting...Got it?

+1
Yes the finish has some issues but the gun is not manufactured by Springfield they import it!

 

[PDX-XD]

Just to clarify a few things....

1) I didn't mean to call anyone in particular a fool. I was just trying to turn up the contrast. In a sense, we are all fools if we think customer service is great when all they are doing is fixing something that should have been fixed a long time ago on ALL the XD's, not just those who take the time to call and complane. My apologies to Smoke_Works and kgpcr.

2) Who cares how many posts I have? That is truly a childish argument. I would think that a Charter Member would be above such comments and stick to the content of the post... the finish on the XD.

3) Speaking of the content... The XD is a GREAT pistol. However, wouldn't you agree that if there is one weakness, it is the finish? It seems as though everybody is calling this out. I think the finish is the one thing that might keep this pistol from getting the widespread adoption it deserves. Ask yourself this question... If the XD were being considered for deployment as standard military or law enforcement issue, would the finish be called out as a weakness? Might the finish disqualify the XD? I think it would. Finish is an element of durability, and durability is important to military and law enforcement. I am sure Springfield would like to see the XD proliferate into military and law enforcement. So why not recognize this weakness and deal with it proactively? The approach they are taking is reactive... they just deal with it when people call in and complane. This may qualify as "great customer service" on a case-by-case basis, but in the long-run, this kind of approach will only stunt the XD's growth.

4) I realize that Springfield doesn't actually manufacture the XD. However, that's not a good argument either. They put there name on it which means they have taken responsibility for it. They are also receiving all the credit for the XD accolades like "Hangun of the Year." You gotta take the good with the bad. If you put your name on a product, you now own it. Don't act like they have no control over the finish of the XD. IM Metals will make whatever Springfield asks/pays for. Somehow Springfield convinced IM Metals to stamp the Springfield logo on the slide. I bet Spingfield is the reason behind the two-tone model as well as the OD Green plastics. They could do a different finish too if Springfield so specified.

Again, I am sorry if my comments hurt any feelings. I am a big fan of the XD. I tried alot of different guns before I picked my XD9 Service. I think the pros of the XD outweigh the cons by a wide margin. However, I think we'd all like to see Springfield implement a more robust finish. Don't hate me for pointing this out.

 

[Frenchy]

I may have been a bit brash in my comments, but we have had our share of trolls come on this forum over the years and make similar comments. If you knew me, you would know that I have stated many times that I've had minor rust issues with my Gen.1, and we've run many polls to see who has had a problem. We also agree that Springfield needs to work in concert with IM Metals to resolve this issue. SIG has also suffered for years with a similar problem.
As to brand loyalty...At 58, I'm a bit too jaded as to lock myself into one manufacture (unless it's S&W pre-1982's).
You have my apology for my curt response to your comments.

 

[kapnkirk]

I've cranked about 600 rounds through my XD40 Subcompact so far and love it! The only "wear" i've noticed is a bit of the finish is rubbing off around the rear of the barrel. Is this the start of the "finish problem" everyone is talking about, or is this normal? As someone else has already suggested, pictures would help.

 

[Frenchy]

My gun was purchased in late 2000, and it has well over 10,000 rounds through it. It has been taken in and out of a duty holster numerious times a day...tossed into gun lockers...tossed into the trunk of patrol cars...and has been treated as a no-nonsense working weapon and shows honest wear. The finish wears more like the old phosphate military finishes rather thant the newer wonder finishes. Check the pics...

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear001.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear004.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear002.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear005.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear003.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/988747/HS2000wear006.jpg

 

[PDX-XD]

You have my apology for my curt response to your comments.

Frenchy, you are a scholar and a gentleman! Thank you for your kind words.

 

[Cuda]

I'm sure Springfield would get a better finish on it if it wasn't trying to compete with Glock, the better finish would add several $ to the price of a new gun and from what I saw in gunshops was that XD's were about $10 less than Glocks, that doesn't sound like it would be a deal breaker but for a lot of people who don't really know much about guns it could mean they walk out of the store with a Glock instead of the better XD.

 

[kapnkirk]

Thanks for the pics, Frenchy. They really helped. I think my issue is normal wear and tear. I guess you can't keep it like new forever.

 

[pa-gunslinger]

I emailed them about my rusting problem and they replied saying that I should wipe the slide dowm with rem oil and it will fix it. Mine rusts after 2 days in the safe. I have tried rem oil, clp, and hoppes oil and have the same results with all of them. Springfield hasn't been very helpful yet but we will see.