PSA on SMS Auto Fabrics

I hated to hijack a post about this stuff, so I'm making my own thread. I also feel this information may be valuable to other members, and maybe will be more visible as a stand-alone topic. I'm over two years waiting for seat covers and door panels on my '65 hardtop (standard interior). This is what has happened with SMS:

ShotRod64 said:

Wow! They used to be pretty good, just took them a while to get the order filled. No luck on contacting them either I'm sure. Almost sounds like our couch and chair. The company canceled our order though after 7 months. But that's better than a couple years!!
Did you go to the BBB site and leave a msg there. I've noticed with checking out companies that a lot of times the issue gets resolved then.

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Yes, it's been quite a frustrating experience, especially since I had to pay for everything 100% up front. When I made my initial order, they were attentive, sent samples right away. They quoted me 6 months at that time, which seemed long, but at least I knew what to expect. I've learned that in today's world, any time estimate might as well be doubled, so I counted on as much as a year. I was a bit concerned about them, because I read a ton of really bad, angry reviews about them for this very type of thing, but there really isn't another game in town with the ability to make these things from original fabrics anymore. When I ordered, the lady on the phone said that they would need me to send in my door panels, "because they use some parts off of them". This concerned me, because this is my car I drive all the time, and I didn't want to be without door panels for 6 months or more, and I also didn't really want them destroyed, as they are actually pretty nice original ones (they just don't look brand new). I told her my concerns and asked if someone would contact me when they were ready and I could discuss exactly what was needed. She said they would. That was that.

Of course six months came and went, I waited a good while longer and then sent an email. It took a couple tries, but someone got back to me saying they were still filling orders from 2019 at that point. They could give me no idea of when they would be done. They blamed COVID for the delay (although I think that was a minor contributor based on the reviews from before 2020). Every few months or so since, I've written in to check the status. I will say that they've at least responded to all of my messages eventually, but the best I've gotten was from late last fall, they told me they were "making that vinyl now", and they said "after the first of the year". They then told me, "we noticed you haven't sent your seat covers in...we need those for a pattern to make the new ones". I explained that I had not been informed of that when I ordered, just that parts of the door panels would be needed at some point. I told them I was not willing to take my seat covers off without any promise of a completion date. I also find it very puzzling that they would not have a pattern for these. I know for a fact they have done them before, and I've seen completed pictures of interiors they've done, even in the exact colors of my car. I also don't feel like I should have that extra shipping expense on top of everything else, since I was not aware of that in the beginning. I left it with them that I needed to know that they would be ready to make them and a completion date before we went any further.

Anyway, there is no way in hell I'm taking my car apart for a maybe, so I've likely been swindled out of $2,500. My car's interior is really not bad at all, I've just freshened up the dash, the sail panels, the scuff plates, the paint, the tires. I thought the cherry on top would be some NOS vinyl for the interior. I'm really not willing to sacrifice it though, and I can easily see a scenario where my car's interior is gutted for another year or more...and I may lose my original stuff on top of that.

The worst part about this con is that I have no means of cancelling the transaction. With most online vendors, you can at least dispute the credit-card charges, but that's long past the point of being possible now. I guess I could file a small-claims suit in Oregon...that would cost me as much or more as what I've already spent. Thanks for the tip on the BBB. It's an idea, but I just don't know how much clout they have anymore. Before the age of internet/social media reviews, that was the way people would find out about a business. Today, though, I just don't think anyone really looks at that, and they really don't have any authority over businesses. I know a facebook or google review would likely get noticed (although I think I'd be in a long line), but I really don't want to fan any flames. I still have at least a bit of hope that I'll eventually get something. I'm afraid if I rag on them publicly, they'll move my name back to the bottom of the pile--or the trash bin.

This is why competition in the marketplace is a good thing.