WHY you DON'T GO TO HALLMARK AUTO BODY - My ridiculous turn of events *UPDATED!*25/10
*Updates are at the bottom of the main story*
Hello everyone,
It is my intention here to bring forth my experiences with Hallmark Auto Body, 1440 – 9 Avenue S.E, Calgary Alberta, T2G 0T5, phone number, 403.264.4580, to you, the people on this forum. This is long, but remember, this is what happened in my case. Nothing has been exaggerated and this is my story. I brought my 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP in on December 19, 2005 to receive repairs in which the insurance was covering under claim number XXXXXXXX with ING Insurance.
After it was picked up in January, I have had constant problems with the repairs. The front bumper they put on was misaligned and they proceeded to tell me that this is how it should be and how it couldn't be changed. Then after my mother and I complained about it, they said they would align it when we brought it back to get the side skirt put on that was still delayed in getting to the facility. Then, the brand new painted bumper they put on was peeling within a month!
They asked me if I was driving through sandpits. I said no, if you look, it is peeling on the side of the bumper which has no direct contact to rock chips and what have you. They took it in and repainted it.
The car was also damaged around the driver’s side rear wheel well. They fixed the dent there as well. Then, paint started to separate, yes separate from the car, around the driver's side rear wheel well, about a 12 inch section or more. Water may have got in to this area when the paint was separated and rust could be an issue, I will get back to this point later. Then, paint started to peel around the gas tank. They took it in a fixed that. ING had paid $8,451.68 and we paid $1,000 for this shoddy workmanship. The repairs obviously were not done with care and attention, and customer service was okay until you pointed out their mistakes, they then became sarcastic and rude.
We then came back personally when someone reversed into my door; I paid out of pocket for this to be fixed It cost $6,019.21. Basically, a brand new door was put on, they promised that they would take the VIN sticker from the old door and just simply cut it out so I would have it in my glove compartment. They were going to put the door back how it was. I came back, and there was no badge on the door; they forgot to order a new one and put it on the door. He didn’t charge for the badge, but it would be an inconvenience to me for them to order it, me to pay for it, and come back once more! They threw out my old door and did not cut out pertinent information about my car, the VIN, the manufacture date, the colour code, where it was made, etc, was all thrown out. All they said was, sorry, can’t do anything for you.
I also took off a trim piece because it was falling off and I placed it in the trunk. They charged me for a new one, but the one I put in the trunk is now gone. I did not ask them to remove it. For all I know, they just put on the old one and charged me for a new one, for labour and for paint. The door trim piece was rubbing on the body and the inside door panel is misaligned and rubs on the door handle. I knew how to put on the trim piece, so I fixed that myself. The interior piece still rubs.
This is subpar work. Upon picking it up, there were two dents in the hood that were not there before. This was second incident was brought in on May 14, 2007. Now, you can see why this whole experience over almost two years with this company has been absolutely frustrating and unnecessary.
To add insult to injury, I went back to them again on September 24, 2007. This time, the same driver’s side rear wheel well is bubbling. A lady asked me why I wanted to speak to a manager, and why I had such a big paper in my hand. I told this lady my problems and she told me that her front bumper was not aligned either. I am not the only one, apparently. Now, the secretary overheard this conversation and told the manager. I think this is why he proceeded to swear and yell at me, and I kid you not. He told me that he never wants to see me back again, thanks a lot for telling the other customer of my problems, (which is funny, they want you to sing and praise them when they do a good job, but apparently it is not the case when it comes to bad work). The manager told me that it is rust under that panel, my car is old and that’s why it’s rusting. The car does not have a speck of rust on it apart from the area they fixed after it separated. It’s only a year 2000 with 135000kms on it! He was rude, swearing, yelling and completely inconsiderate. He won’t even fix the car when we paid them to fix it and the repair job comes with a lifetime warranty. He told me that he doesn't cover rust, but it clearly says on their website they don't guarantee rust repairs. This rust is caused by shoddy repairs; there was no rust there in the beginning. I don't even know if the paint is bubbling due to rust, I am not a rust expert. I can't see rust, but it could be under the paint.
The manager was yelling, swearing, and being completely rude to me and said that he is done with me, telling me he won’t fix it, arguing with me about the service I have had with them thus far and slamming my car’s doors; I am outraged at his customer service ethic and I am seeking a refund on the labour and paint to get this car fix properly somewhere else.
If this is the way that his business treats customers, why do I want to go back and get warranty done there? Whenever they dealt with me, they were rude, sarcastic with an air or superiority like they knew everything and that the customer does not. There is nothing but sour grapes between the business and I, I want the money so I can get it fixed elsewhere.
I have filed a complaint with my insurance company and with the Better Business Bureau. We will see what happens and I will keep all posted.
Thanks for reading!
Regards,
Justin.
UPDATES:
Alrighty guys, here are some interesting updates! Today is October 25th, and this has been dragging on for too long. ING seems to be very helpful, but they don't return phone calls promptly.
1. BBB sent me a fax on October 24th, 2007 stating that, and I quote, "... The company has not responded to the Bureau to date". Wow, not a huge surprise, look at the history *I* have had with Hallmark.
2. They provided me a link to an online site with regards to the complaint history in that fax I got from the BBB. I followed the link, and it turns out Hallmark has posted a reply the next day that BBB posted a no response from them.
This is what Hallmark writes:
"Dear XXX(BBB's Contact Name);
After careful consideration, we have concluded that we cannot justify warranty on Justin's 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix.
The repairs were completed in January, 2006 and the problem he has recently brought to our mutual attention is not related to our workmanship in any way. The paint issue is of an unkown nature and is most likely a rusting issue which has nothing to do with our repair work.
In conclusion, Justin has also posted some unsatisfying material on automotove related websitesm which we have forwared to our legal department.
Normally we would hepl a customer in goodwill, but due to the negative comments posted on these websites, we are not prepared to do anything further for this individual.
Yours truly,
Hallmark Autobody."
Hmm, where do I first start? Let's see - firstly, the "repairs they made are "not related to ...(their)... workmanship in anyway"? What? The only areas on my car that are bubbling, peeling, separating, rusting, etc. are from their repairs! The area, like I stated above, which is bubbling again, was fixed once, then the paint lifted and separated from the car, then they fixed it, now it's bubbling. Of course moisture and road salt etc. got into the massive gap between the paint and the car and is probably causing my problems now.
Also, they state that "the paint issue is of an unknown nature" and then proceed to say "most likely a rusting issue". This is a complete contradiction, they say it's unknown but then proceed to tell me what they "think" the problem is without even examining it, oh, and just looking at the paint doesn't count. They should have dug it out to look at the real cause.
Now, this is the best part. "Justin ... has also posted some unsatisfying material on automotive websites, which we have forwared ot our legal department". I suppose they are talking about what I posted here. So, they are going to forward this to their legal department. The legal departmentis going to read the story and hopefully decide to not to get their cars fixed at Hallmark Autobody. I don't see whate else they can do other than tell Hallmark they have no case and that they need to fix their negative attitude towards their customers when it comes to problems. I have never once used slander against their company, I am telling the truth, in my experience, of what happened when I took MY car to their BUSINESS. I was treated terribly, I was given the run around, I received shoddy work, I had to go back COUNTLESS times to get things FIXED over and over.
"Normally, we would help a customer in goodwill, but due to the negative comments..." Yah, right. Look at you treated me when I went down there the first time about the paint bubbling. Who was the one swearing, yelling and being rude? That's right, Hallmark was. Who was insulting the customer and not standing behind their warranty that I paid for? This is exactly why I am making a hoo-ha about this now. This is why I am posting here. This is why I complained to the BBB. And now I have received this reply from them, which is pretty poor and does not do well for their case, I am taking this to the media. Positive comments come around and so do negatives, and as a business you have to man up and own the negatives and fix it and turn them into positives instead of making up a crock of fucking bullshit to avoid the problem. It's funny how if you praise their company, they will honour the warranty, but if it's a negative, then they don't. They clearly state/imply this in that last part of their letter.
If Hallmark thinks that me posting this on their website is the end of me being sick and tired of their horrible customer service, they had better think again. They chose the wrong person to treat this badly and I am not backing down.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 1 2007
This was the response that I had forwarded to the BBB in regards to Hallmark's response.
Dear Better Business Bureau,
I do not accept Hallmark's response. Firstly, and I quote their response, the bubbling is "not related to ... (their)... workmanship in anyway"? I find this to be clearly inaccurate because the only areas on my car that are bubbling, peeling, separating, rusting, etc. are from their repairs! The area, like I stated above, was fixed the first time due to the original accident, then the paint lifted and separated from the car, then they fixed it again, and now the area is proceeding to bubble. There is no doubt in my mind that moisture and road salt got into the massive gap between the paint and the car when their paint had lifted and separated from my car after it was fixed the first time and before it was fixed on that second occasion. Also, they state that "the paint issue is of an unknown nature" and then proceed to say "most likely a rusting issue". This is a complete contradiction, they say it's unknown but then continue to tell me what they "think" the problem is without even examining it. No other area on my car has any problems with the quality other than the areas that Hallmark has fixed. This is not a coincidence, it is factual. When I went to their shop on September 24, 2007, they acknowledged the problem and they told me that this is going to keep on happening because they repaired the metal and didn't replace the metal.
Now, this is where I am going to address the comment about what I have posted online, even though it is completely irrelevant to the case. I have posted exactly what I have sent to you, the BBB, on some car enthusiast websites clearly stating that the material I have posted is my own experience. I have never once used slander against their company, I am telling the truth, in my experience, of what happened when I took my car to their business. I was treated terribly, I was given the run around, I received shoddy workmanship, and I had to go back COUNTLESS times to get things FIXED over and over.
Hallmark says, "Normally, we would help a customer in goodwill, but due to the negative comments..." Basically, they are not going to do anything for me. I find that Hallmark Autobody is now skirting around the issue by saying that because I shared my negative experience with others that they will now no longer honour their warranty, the warranty that I paid for. I cannot see how they can relate what I say about their business to what they should or should not do when it comes to the warranty that I and my insurance company paid for when I brought my vehicle to them the first time. Businesses receive positive comments and negative comments and it is up to the business to be proud of the positive comments and to find a resolution to fix the negative comments within good reason. Hallmark treated me exceptionally bad when I went down to their business on September 24, 2007 about the paint bubbling. Hallmark was the one swearing, yelling and being rude. Hallmark was insulting me, the customer, and Hallmark was not standing behind their warranty; the warranty that I paid for. This is exactly why I am bringing this to the attention of the BBB.
Thank you and regards,
Justin.
Quote
) the entire industry with the same brush.
