Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/12/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  1) Date: 5/16/2022 2) Total Invoice Paid: $2,028.80 3) The business committed to providing Paint Protection Film (PPF) for my brand new car. 4) The nature of the dispute/issue is the quality of the installation/PPF - The quality of the installation was deficient and unacceptable. I started noticing issues within four days of the installation where the PPF started coming loose at the edges and holding significant dirt. The side mirrors started bubbling and the driver side fender film was installed too high (not within tolerance, which Mark admitted). I contacted the owner/installer (Mark M******) immediately and I gave Mark the opportunity to fix the issues identified. Appeared OK when I picked up the car again...However, after a few days, the film on the bumper now started bubbling (really bad) & side mirrors (again). Also, I noticed a rust mark underneath the driver side fender film where Mark had to pull up during my 1st follow up visit to adjust the film. Again, I notified Mark of the other issues identified and I gave him a second chance to make this right but all he did was cut more edges off where the dirt was holding and created additional cut marks. Per usual, I noticed additional issues after Mark's 2nd attempt at fixing my issues so I ended up asking for a full refund. Mark offered a refund of the $99 install fee but that was his only resolution. This was unacceptable to me and he was unwilling to work with me any further. I am hopeful the BBB can assist me with resolving this issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/24/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/15) */ Paint Protection Film was installed on ******* ******** vehicle properly and within acceptable tolerance. The film was debris free and patterns were aligned correctly. All customers are instructed to return for a follow-up five-seven days after install to make any necessary corrections and/or adjustments once the film has "cured" or properly bonded to the paint. It is common for air bubbles or loose edges to appear during this process. ******* ******** request for a follow-up outside of normal business hours was denied. We are open Monday - Thursday (by appointment only). ******* ******** requested a follow-up on a Friday. ******* ******** request that Auto Shield Columbia perform a "House Call" and perform the follow-up was denied. We do not offer any mobile services. ******* ******** became irritated and expressed his frustration with the scheduling by sending multiple text messages to my personal phone number and stated that the follow-up would be extremely inconvenient. He also stated that he was a very busy person and did not have the time for things like this. ******* ******** was as well as all customers are given specific directions during check-out for: 1,) care and maintenance of their film, 2.) Warranty, 3.) Follow-Up directions. ******* ******** was made aware that follow-up are performed Monday - Friday. An appointment is not required for a follow-up however, individual must confirm I am at the shop prior to coming. I go on to explain to all my customers... The follow-up has priority and is completed while the customer waits. A typical follow-up takes approximately 10-15 minutes. ******* ******** arrived for his follow-up a day or two later in which I was prepared to greet him however, he immediately got out of his car and continued with the defensive position and repeatedly complained about how inconvenient this was for him and how busy his schedule was. His abrupt and defensive manner likened to a child pitching a temper tantrum. ******* ******** provided me with a detail printout with a sketch of his vehicle that highlighted his concerns. When ******* and I went over this list together, some items (3-4) highlighted on the sketch did not appear on the car and he looked confused. ******* insisted on leaving his car, although that is against our policy (follow-up is performed while you wait). All minor corrections were made. total time 10-15 minutes. - Air bubbles were popped (utilizing a syringe) - Loose edges were trimmed - Driver side Mirror was replaced - Driver Side front fender was re-Aligned 1 / 16th of an inch in which ******* complained about stating it did not match the passenger side. This process repeated a second time in which ******* returned a second time for a new issue. He found a spot the size of a tip of a ball point pen under the film on the driver fender. I made every attempt to remove the spot until I realized that it was in fact an "Iron Deposit" that was in the paint, not anything that I had control over. All repairs were made within tolerance. ******* ******** was extremely difficult to deal with, once ******* requested a full refund and made mention of legal action we ceased all efforts to communicate with him. I explained to ******* the waiver that he had signed releasing us from any liability and the no refund policy. The waiver states: "I understand that no refund will be issued for film once it is plotted for my vehicle. I instructed ******* how to make further contact and provided him with our mailing address. ******* ******** has made a number of false claims. He has stated on Social Media that we switched brands. He was expecting to get SunTek but instead got Auto Shield. All customers including ******* have their choice of film. 1.) 8 Mil thick SunTek Ultra 2>) 10 Mil thick Auto Shield V10 ******* selected the 10 mil Auto Shield V10 and it is stated/listed on his estimate and receipt. Please see below attachments. 1.) Estimate 2.) Waiver 3.) Printed Name and Signature Block I am requesting that ******* ******** not be provided a copy of the attachments. They are for my records only. However, for validation, you may provide the signature block to the customer. I am also providing you with the text of the waiver here for your convivence. AUTHORIZED AND ACCEPTED: You are hereby authorized to install protective products on the above vehicle. an express mechanic's lien is herby acknowledged for full payment upon release of vehicle. I hereby agree that you will not be held responsible for damage to the vehicle's paint or lights caused by installation of protective products and/or removal of existing protective products. Auto Shield Columbia will not be held responsible for any items of value left in my vehicle, I understand that no refund will be issued for film once it is plotted for my vehicle and all film related issues are subject to manufacture warranty terms and conditions. I understand that all photographs and video of the above referenced vehicle becomes the sole property of Auto Shield Columbia and may be used for social and media marketing. Consumer Response /* (3000, 8, 2022/08/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) 1) Dear BBB, I would respectfully disagree with this statement. The film should be debris free right after install as it was not yet fully exposed to the elements. However, after a few days of normal driving, is when I realized the excessive dirt collection under all of the loose edges that had not fully cured. This excessive dirt build up highlighted the bad film cuts and the areas where Mark cut too much film where the paint was exposed. Mark is triple certified with the three major PPF manufacturers (SunTek, Xpel, 3M) and allegedly the #1 SunTek dealer for 2021. These are the three major companies where he states he received training and was certified to install PPF. These credentials mean something to the average consumer paying thousands of dollars for PPF. After giving Mark two times to correct the issues, which resulted in more issues, I was no longer comfortable with him touching my car and requested a full refund where he then offered no solution except that he is protected by his waiver releasing him from liability. I then requested a copy of the warranty information where he ghosted me and would not provide this to me. These kind of business practices cause considerable consumer harm. I was fair and professional but discovered he was not following the proper PPF installation guidelines/procedures where it specifically states that the car is supposed to be held for AT LEAST 24 hours for curing before releasing to the customer to ensure all edges are sealed and air bubbles are tended to. Furthermore, they stated to me in email that if the install was done per their guidelines then there should be no "follow up" visits required. This guidance aligns with my previous PPF install experience where they held the car for 48 hours - I never had to go back for a follow up visit. For the record, Mark NEVER instructed me to return for a follow-up visit at the time of pickup or anytime prior to that via verbally or text. The first i heard of a follow up visit was via text after I notified him of my concerns with photos. If he would have said that during our first call, I would have went elsewhere as this would have highlighted his quality of work and being we this is our only car, I offered to leave my car overnight to ensure the job would be done correctly but Mark said not necessary. Again, from a consumer perspective, he is triple certified and has been doing this for years, so clearly he must know what he's talking about. Mark prides himself on being fast and collecting $2,100 for only four hours worth of work - for the uninformed consumer, this seems to be a great alternative as they get their car back the same day; however, this is not normal for the industry and is clearly stated in the guidance. Mark prides himself on being fast and collecting $2,100 for only four hours worth of work - for the uninformed consumer, this seems to be a great alternative as they get their car back same day; however, this is not normal for the industry and is clearly stated in the guidance. Mark prides himself on being fast and collecting $2,100 for only four hours worth of work - for the uninformed consumer, this seems to be a great alternative as they get their car back same day; however, this is not normal for the industry and is clearly stated in the guidance.Auto Shield Columbia/Mark are creating a bad name for the PPF industry and should be ashamed for taking advantage of me and the many other people he has defrauded. 2) This was for the first follow up visit where I was very nice and understanding. Please refer to our text messages, Mark. However, this contradicts Mark's statement noted in #5. See below. "******* ******** was made aware that follow-up are performed Monday - Friday. An appointment is not required for a follow-up however, individual must confirm I am at the shop prior to coming. ""An appointment is not required for a follow-up however, individual must confirm I am at the shop prior to coming. I go on to explain to all my customers... The follow-up has priority and is completed while the customer waits." 3) This was the SECOND time I had to go back for a routine follow up. **** doesn't understand that some people only have one car for the family to share and he does not offer a loaner service despite his collection of sports cars and motor cycles he prides himself on writing off as business expenses. This was why I insisted on leaving the car for 48 hours as we still had a rental car we were using from the car accident we were in. I don't have time to disrupt my wife's schedule to go back multiple times so that Mark could fix his negligence. 4) This is categorically false. I was unaware this was Mark's cell phone - he had initiated text conversation with me when he provided the estimate. Again, this is a moot point but I am glad he doesn't mind upsetting his customers and has no value for their time. I just gave this man $2,100 of my hard earned money where he did not provide the service I grossly overpaid for. 5) Mark never provided the 10 year warranty information to me and I do not see this notated in any of his documents he provided to the BBB that I signed. As for the follow up, he never told me that I would need to come back for a follow up visit. Furthermore, this contradicts item #2 response. 6) This statement is categorically false. However, this highlights the unprofessionalism and lack of empathy this business owner provides to his customers. Not sure how he would expect a consumer to react after they had paid him $2,100 for a service that he claims he has the most experience at and is the top installer in SC. The list of those initial issues are embarrassing Mark given your tenure and I would not be proud of it. This was the first follow up I had to go back for. Mark doesn't understand that some people only have one car for the family to share and he does not offer a loaner service despite his collection of luxury sports cars and motorcycles he prides himself on for being able to write off as a business expenses. This was why I insisted on leaving the car for at least 24-48 hours as we still had a rental car we were using from the car accident we were in. I don't have time to disrupt my wife's schedule to go back multiple times so that Mark could fix his negligence. The industry standard is NO follow up visits required if properly installed and cured prior to release. 8) The rust mark was caused by him when he "lifted" the film on the first follow up visit to bring it down to the wheel well as it was not within tolerance and paint was significantly exposed. After that visit, I noticed a rust mark, it was not there prior to him lifting the film. Now there is stretch marks and a rust mark under the film of my brand new car. He doesn't care though as he feels its within tolerance. This was the result of his negligence at install. 9) I never received a copy of the waiver. Mark never explained the waiver, he has language buried underneath the credit card information section where one would assume that was simply an authorization to run a credit card. The BBB should be able to see this as he provided it in his response where he insisted not providing to me. Why would he need to hide this? Again, these practices are deceptive, unfair, and on the verge of abusive as he ceased further communication with me after I asked for my warranty card and he could not provide it to me. At that point is when I threatened legal action. Again, his timeline is categorically false and intended to mislead the BBB. Mark clearly admits fault of the issues as he listed them out. He does not accept any responsibility or accountability for this less than satisfactory install. He was unapologetic and frankly did not care about the consumer or the consumer harm he has caused. 10) Mark, I have called a number of your competitors and they all stated that "Auto Shield" is not a PPF Brand. You claim that you are the #1 SunTek dealer for 2021 in your advertising and pride yourself on being triple certified (SunTek, XPEL, 3M) at the time I purchased. I paid the same price for what I would have paid for any of those top three brands of PPF that all come with a warranty that can be used across the country. Why would anyone use "Auto Shield" PPF if you are not certified by that brand and pay the same price? Mark is misleading consumers and his competitors were not happy with the reputation he is giving to the PPF industry. Lastly, he stated the PPF comes from Virginia, SunTek is based out of Virginia, how would I as a consumer know that this is any different when you have all these top brands on your site with no mention of this "Auto Shield" PPF that no one in the industry recognizes. This was only noted as Auto Shield on the top right part of invoice. Your company is named Auto Shield, how would a consumer realize this was the brand. Business Response /* (4000, 12, 2022/08/23) */ Auto Shield Columbia offers two films. 8 mil thick SunTek Ultra and 10 mil thick 10 mil Auto Shield V10. Both films are the same price therefore the Auto Shield V10 is the better value. ******* ******** film was Auto Shield V10 either by default or by choice, I do not recall however, all of his corresponding documents and/or text reflect Auto Shield V10. There should have been no confusion as it was clearly stated on his estimate and his receipt. Auto Shield Columbia does not offer any refund for film once it has been plotted and applied to a vehicle. ******* ******** rejected any opportunity to replace film as he implied and stated in his complaint, "I was no longer comfortable with him touching my car and requested a full refund". The work that was performed by Auto Shield Columbia was acceptable and within tolerance. Any reference to the "Correct" or "incorrect" way to apply Paint Protection Film is merely a matter of preference by another dealer and/or film manufacture. ******* ******** was handed a copy of our waiver for printed name and signature. ******* ******** was directed to follow-along as I read the waiver out loud and paused to explain each individual section. ******* ******** did not request a copy of the waiver otherwise a copy would have been provided to him. Any mention of warranty is irrelevant as ******* ******** complaint does not fall within the terms and conditions of a manufactures warranty. SunTek Ultra and Auto Shield V10 have similar if not identical warranties: "The manufacturer warrants professionally sold and applied Auto Shield Paint Protection Film against cracking, bubbling or yellowing for a period of ten years from the date of purchase. Other restrictions apply. Contact a Auto Shield dealer or a customer service representative for details". ******* ******** was provided with rear view mirror hanger that provides warranty information on one side and "care and Maintenance" on the other side. An Auto Shield Carolina Warranty Sticker was placed inside the driver side door jamb. ******* ******** was provided with a paid itemized receipt. Further Warranty details can be located on our website under the "Our Warranty" tab.