Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid $1300 to have my boat winterized by this company in December '22. They shrink wrapped it however they never winterized it. Upon the shrinkwrapping in December, they made false claims that my boat need a hose cut to stop it from sinking and that they needed to hotwire it etc.. They also made claims that I needed a waterpump. How would they know what I needed if they never started my boat engine? I went ahead and paid more money, a total of $3,000 and now my boat wont start and both batteries are completely dead. This company is disgusting and When I confronted them about this, the owner Dan was defensive and unhelpful while making racist statements to me via text, refusing to admit that they had made any mistakes or done anything wrong. Overall, I was thoroughly disappointed with the service I received. They are clearly more interested in ripping off their customers than providing quality work, and I would never recommend them to anyone.

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  Mr. ******* hired KKM to winterize and shrink wrap his boat in November of 2022 (see Document 1).  For the winterization service, the first FOUR trips that the Tech made to the boat resulted in not being able to do any work because Mr. ******* did not leave the keys on the boat as promised. We were kind and didn’t charge him for three of those trips (each trip is a $75 service call fee), meaning that we actually lost money due to having to pay for the Tech’s time and gas. On the fifth trip to the boat, the key was still not on the boat even though Mr. ******* said that it would be. Daniel had to hot wire the boat in order to do the winterization service.
  In addition to not having a key on the boat, the Tech encountered other issues with Mr. *******’s boat that had a negative affect on the winterization service. The batteries were completely dead due to the shore power cable being left unplugged and laying in the water. Customers are notified before the service that if their batteries are discharged, there will be an additional $75 fee. Our Tech had to hook up a battery pack in order to continue the winterization service. Even after hooking up the battery pack, the Tech could not get the engine started due to it being in such a state of disrepair.
  The Tech then discovered that the FRESH WATER PUMP was inoperable, therefore, he could not drain the water out of the fresh water system. Even though Daniel recommended that Mr. ******* install heaters to prevent freeze damage, he was generous and went so far as to let Mr. ******* borrow a marine grade electric engine room heater during the winter so he would not incur freeze damage to his fresh water system being full of water.
  During the winterization service, Daniel also made the executive decision to cut the main water intake hose to the engine because Mr. *******’s particular engine setup has a hose that is below the water line and the Tech was having a difficult time removing it. Daniel knew that the line could be repaired in the spring but cutting it would prevent freeze damage and therefore prevent the boat from sinking.
  When the winterization and shrink wrap service was finally able to be performed, we provided Mr. ******* with an invoice totaling $1,412.50 that included a list of issues that needed to be addressed on his boat which is a standard courtesy that we provide to all of our customers (see Document 2). The list is as follows:
  ****Tech Notes****
  
  “Engine would not completely drain; had to cut engine intake hose to prevent vessel from sinking.  Would suggest installing an engine heater for the winter.  Need to install new fresh water pump; fresh water tank is full of water and unable to drain because of inoperative water pump.  Toilet pump is inoperative and needs to be replaced.  Shore power cord was just laying in the water.
  Boat needs to have heaters installed to prevent freeze damage.”
  Then Mr. ******* decided to call the office and very disrespectfully demand a refund for services that were very clearly performed on his boat.
  A few months later, Mr. ******* called KKM again to request for us to do the work needed on his boat for the issues discovered during the winterization process. Daniel informed him that we would not do any further work for him because of how he acted previously. Mr. ******* asked repeatedly for us to do the work and even stated that he wanted to “restore” the relationship between him and KKM (see Document 3). However, Mr. ******* was refusing to adhere to our standard operating procedures which included him providing a copy of his license when providing his credit card information. He finally agreed and sent us a copy of his license (see document 4).
  Daniel then agreed to do the work on his boat. We sent him an estimate which he signed and included his credit card information. Please note several important items in this signed document which are highlighted yellow for the sake of this case:
  Page 12 – Terms of Service
  Page 13 – The fee for a diagnostic service and the terms
  Page 13 – Terms of Service reiterated
  Page 14 – The fee for the water pump replacement service along with the terms
  Page 15 – The credit card form filled out and signed by Ron *******
  Last page of document which is the Official Signature Certificate
  Kompletely Kustom Marine’s techs performed all the services that were listed and billed for on Invoice 5330 totaling $1733.17 (see Document 6). We also purchased the parts needed which are now installed on Mr. *******’s boat. In addition, during the spring commission service, the Tech encountered the same issue with the dead batteries due to the boat not being plugged into shore power at the dock.
  KKM would not be in business for over 13 years and have the plethora of 5-star reviews if we operated in the manner that Mr. ******* is accusing us of. The many red flags that Mr. ******* was exhibiting from the beginning were the reasons that Daniel did not want to work for Mr. *******. However, due to the continual plea from Mr. *******, Daniel unfortunately agreed to give him another chance…we now know that was a bad business decision.
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I hired & paid in full Kompletely Kustom to change the oil in my vessel. Immediately thereafter, my vessel began to malfunction billowing thick black smoke from the exhaust system. Upon discovering this Kompletey Kustom was immediately notified and requested that they ***** this matter. Instead of addressing the matter Kompletely Kustom kept sending me a request for credit card information before they would investigate it. I tried to inform Kompletely Kustom, this malfunction was created by their service technician / representative. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to get Kompletely Kustom to fix the problem, I finally hired ****************** service technician to fix the problem. Kompletely Kustom representative/ technician completely over filled my oil reservoir thereby creating the problem.

  Business response

  09/15/2022

  In response to ******************************* complaint, we would like to state that we offered to diagnose the issue that he was having with his engine. KKM has a formal process for any potential service warranty work. The process entails acquiring full written approval and payment "information" up front. We then go out and diagnose the problem. If, in fact, the issue is something that KKM has caused, we will take care of it at no cost to the customer. However, if the issue is not a result of anything that KKM has done, then we bill the customer per our terms of service.
  
  As soon as ********************** contacted us about his engine's issue, we told him we would gladly go to his boat and diagnose the problem but he would have to follow our standard process and sign the paperwork. I'm sure you can understand the legal ramifications of acquiring signed documentation to board a person's vessel. We are not in the practice of allowing customers to dictate to us how we run our business. From years of experience, we have found that 9 out of 10 times the issue that the customer is having has nothing to do with us or the work that we performed.
  
  KKM was hired to change the oil in ************************** vessel, which we did. According to ************************** own words his vessel started, "billowing thick black smoke from the exhaust system". Being a trained and experienced Technician, ***************** informed ********************** that it had nothing to do with the oil but it was most likely an injector problem. ********************** absolutely refused to sign the required paperwork, even after being assured that if we discovered that the issue was our fault, he would not be charged a single *****. We can not legally board his vessel without written permission from him.
  
  Anyone, technician, weekend mechanic, or lay person can do a quick ****** search and clearly see that "black smoke" is NOT caused by an oil problem - white smoke usually indicates an oil problem. Black smoke is an engine problem and usually it's related to the injectors.
  
  KKM has done thousands of marine oil changes and never once had any issues like the one that ********************** describes. As to his almost $1800 bill from *******, it seems odd that they would charge that much just to diagnose an over-filled oil reservoir...it seems that there is more to this story that ********************** is leaving out and it appears that his goal was to get a free service at the expense of KKM.
  
  I have included a screenshot of a quick ****** search of "what does black diesel smoke mean".
  
  See Attachment/File: ****** Search

  Customer response

  09/15/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Please have Kompletely Kustom read the attached invoice from Cummins
  See Attachment/File: vessel reciepts 001

  Business response

  09/19/2022

  By ********************** providing the actual invoice from Cummins, he has officially proven that what ***************** has been saying from the beginning is, in fact, the truth. Even after ******* reduced the amount of oil in the engines, they still discovered that black smoke was being emitted. The Cummins tech then tried several different things, such as changing the fuel filters which haven't been changed in several years (neglect), and doing several sea trials but he was still unable to fix the issue of the black smoke. The last line on the invoice states that the tech "Talked to customer about having injectors tested".
  
  So after all that, it turns out that ***************** was correct in telling ********************** that the problem was most likely the injectors and had nothing to do with the oil change that KKM performed.
  

  Customer response

  09/21/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Please read the invoice CLEARLY, it specifically states after Cummins removed the excessive oil, the thick black smoke stopped immediately. I asked them to change my fuel ************** suggested to clean the injectors since I changed the filters.
  
  The bottom line is if Kompletely Kustom had not over filled the engine's oil I would not have had this problem.

  Customer response

  09/21/2022

  IN addition, please address the unprofessional & disrespectful language presented by the technician / owner/representative.
  
  No customer should be disrespected in such a manner!

  Customer response

  09/22/2022

  Re: BBB Complaint Case# ******** (Ref#**-90348922-********-15-5105)
  External
  Inbox
  
  *************** <*******************************************>
  8:10 AM (21 minutes ago)
  to ******************************************************
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Better Business Bureau <*********************************************>
  To: *********************** <***************>
  Sent: Wed, Sep 21, 2022 2:02 pm
  Subject: BBB Complaint Case# ******** (Ref#**-90348922-********-15-5105)
  
  BBB of Greater ********
  502 *************************., Suite 1200
  *********, ** 21201
  
  Re: Case #********: Kompletely Kustom Marine Inc.
  
  It appears our initial effort to reach a voluntary resolution has not been successful. However, in an effort to rebuild trust among consumers and businesses, BBB(r) offers two options for formal dispute resolution:
  
  1. Mediation: A process where a professionally trained, neutral third-party (a mediator) meets with the parties in conflict and guides them together to reach a mutually agreeable solution. Mediators do NOT render binding decisions or decide who is right or wrong; they help participants develop their own solutions.; OR
  
  2. Arbitration: A process in which two parties present their views to a professionally trained, neutral third-party (an arbitrator) who will decide how to resolve the dispute. The decision rendered by the arbitrator is legally binding and can be enforced by the court, if it becomes necessary.
  
  ***DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND COVID-19, MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION SERVICES WILL BE HELD VIA PHONE OR VIDEOCONFERENCE***
  
  In order to review the previous exchanges, offers, and/or additional information related to the case, please use the caselink below:
  
  *********************************************************************************
  
  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  Do I have to participate? Both mediation and arbitration are voluntary and are effective ways to avoid going to court. While BBB cannot compel either party to participate, one or both party's willingness to participate *** factor into the final closure of the complaint.
  
  Do I need legal representation? The parties *** choose to have legal representation present, but it is not a requirement.
  
  How much does it cost? The cost associated with each service is outlined below. As a non-profit, BBB is dedicated to a fair and final resolution to disputes and strives to provide these services for a competitive cost.
  
  How quickly can we schedule a session? Sessions can be scheduled in as little as two weeks, are limited to two hours in length, and can generally be resolved in one sitting. No additional filing or administrative fees are required.
  
  For additional information about these services, please refer to the link below:
  ******************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  For questions or concerns about the processes as they relate to your particular case, contact *************************, Manager of ******************* Services at ************ or ********************************************.
  
  Please complete the information below and return it to BBB by September 26, 2022:
  
  ___ Mediation ($75)
  
  _x__ Arbitration ($125)
  
  ___ I am willing to participate in either process
  
  ___ I decline to participate in either *************************** name: ________________________
  
  
  Signature: ______Aalan lancaster___________________
  
  
  You will receive additional correspondence once BBB has reviewed the information submitted by both parties.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  ******************* Manager
  Tel: ************ Fax: ************
  ********************************************
  
  
  
  
  *************************
  Attachments
  8:31 AM (0 minutes ago)
  to jlsscts
  
  Thank you. Please review the attached, then return the completed Formal Request Form to my attention within 7 days.
  
  Regards,
  
  
  *************************

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  From: Service <********************************************************>
  Date: Tue, Oct 11, 2022 at 12:50 PM
  Subject: RE: BBB Complaint Case# ******** (Ref#**-90348922-********-15-5105)
  To: ************************* <********************************************>
  Cc: Service <********************************************************>
  
  
  ******,
  
  
  
  Thank you for your understanding and deadline extension. We truly did try to help the customer but he refused to adhere to our process. Therefore, we would like to choose option #1:
  
  
  
  Mediation: A process where a professionally trained, neutral third-party (a mediator) meets with the parties in conflict and guides them together to reach a mutually agreeable solution. Mediators do NOT render binding decisions or decide who is right or wrong; they help participants develop their own solutions.
  
  
  Thanks again. Please let us know when we can get this scheduled.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
  
  From: ************************* <********************************************>
  Date: Tue, Oct 11, 2022 at 12:53 PM
  Subject: Re: BBB Complaint Case# ******** ************************************************** <********************************************************>
  Cc: Service <********************************************************>
  
  
  Good afternoon,
  In review of the case, I see that the complainant has requested Arbitration and not Meditation.
  It is also the opinion of BBB that, as the parties appear to be firm in their respective positions, Arbitration is the best option to bring the situation to a close.
  
  Alternatively, you may provide a written good faith offer that BBB may provide to the complainant as the beginning of a more formal Mediation option.
  
  Regards,
  
  
  *************************
  
  Accredited Business Manager
  
  BBB of Greater ********, ****
  
  
  Service
  12:59 PM (1 hour ago)
  to Service, me
  
  ******,
  
  
  
  Thank you for the quick response. ****** has confirmed that we will be standing our ground. Go ahead and do whatever you need to do for us to get this resolved.
  
  
  
  Thanks again!
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  
  
  *****************************
  
  VP, Operations
  
  From: ************************* <********************************************>
  Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2022 12:54 PM
  To: Service <********************************************************>
  Subject: Re: BBB Complaint Case# ******** (Ref#**-90348922-********-15-5105)
  
  
  
  Good afternoon,
  
  In review of the case, I see that the complainant has requested Arbitration and not Meditation.
  It is also the opinion of BBB that, as the parties appear to be firm in their respective positions, Arbitration is the best option to bring the situation to a close.
  
  
  
  Alternatively, you may provide a written good faith offer that BBB may provide to the complainant as the beginning of a more formal Mediation option.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  *************************
  
  Accredited Business Manager
  
  Service
  Oct 11, 2022, 4:25 PM (15 hours ago)
  to me, Service
  
  ******,
  
  
  
  We're just simply stating that we offered to help the customer but he absolutely refused to abide by the process. Since the client is adamant about arbitration, we will go that route. Where do I find the request form?
  
  Thanks!
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
  *************************
  Attachments
  7:54 AM (1 minute ago)
  to Service
  
  The RESPONSE form was attached with the other documents in my 9/28 email. I have attached everything to this email again.
  
  
  *************************
  
  Accredited Business Manager
  
  BBB of Greater ********, ****

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  These guys are full of it. I called and spoke with a nice guy named Chris. I purchased a boat and needed a diagnostic done as well as a flush of the motor and trim pump I need this service performed before July 4th (trip I had organized). The guy said it's a two week wait time. This was on April 20th. They even sent me a invoice. Had my pay $20 deposit to hold my spot. After two weeks I called and Chris answered and said 2 weeks again. I had to explain dude, you said that 2 weeks and a day ago. He informed me that rain caused him.not to come from Ft Washington, MD to Temple Hills,MD (< 15mins away). But OK I'm good with that excuse. But here it is Thursday June 9th, and he calls and says Hey, your time has come. I'm super excited. I go and purchase a new battery to.make sure it's fully charged because they like to add a $75 dollar charge on that alone. So I bought a battery and had the boat cleaned so they would be able to work in a clean environment. Then they took $180 bucks out without telling me why. So I called the main number and Chris answered and said he has no clue why money would be withdrawn because they haven't gotten to my boat. Here it is Monday , June 13th and they canceled my appointment and gave me my $20 back after stealing me away from another company (competition to them) the .having me wait all this time. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY TO MY WORST ENEMY. They are liars!

  Business response

  06/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/06/15) */ Mr. ****, I'm glad that we were able to talk this over and work everything out. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/06/16) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) The company agreed to stand by their word and are scheduled to come out today (6-16-22). Hopefully they come!

*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. ↩