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19 Customer Reviews
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Review from Gary M
2 stars02/08/2025
I ordered a set of custom seat covers for my 1955 Buick Century 4-door hardtop on November 20, 2023. I received them in September 2024 and they look great.I sent in my original seat covers to make the patterns plus the actual folding armrest from rear seat and the blanket cord attached to back of front bench seat so that they could measure the materials. I received the seat covers with rear seat armrest cover in September 2024. They look great. But I didn't get the actual armrest or the blanket cord or blanket cord new material with the order. I need the arm rest and blanket cord back. I have sent multiple emails and called many times, sometimes getting a response. *** said in an October 10, 2024 email there was no record I sent those parts but SMS made the armrest cover and I know I shipped them with the old seat covers. Last email response from SMS was December 10, 2024 that *** was going to check with production. I've been ghosted since with no response from additional phone messages, emails, or ******** message. Please advise of status of sending me my parts plus the material or cover for the blanket cord.
S M S Auto Fabrics Response
02/11/2025
Ghosting you is obviously not the way to do business. I will get with *** tomorrow and see what the heck she's up to here.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
02/11/2025
Ghosting you is obviously not the way to do business. I will get with *** tomorrow and see what the heck she's up to here.Review from J. R.
1 star12/02/2024
In February 2022, I placed an order for the complete interior of my 1956 Plymouth Belvedere, paying $4,198, plus the cost of shipping my original interior components for them to use as a template. I was told it would take a year to complete. Nearly three years later, the order remains incomplete, causing significant financial loss and frustration.SMS Auto Fabrics manipulative delivery practices make it impossible to seek recourse. By delaying shipments beyond the dispute period allowed by credit card companies, they prevent chargebacks. Their refund and inspection policy requires customers to inspect all packages within five business days of receipt and report issues immediately. However, partial shipments without delivery timelines make this policy impractical. For vintage car restorations, full materials are necessary before installation, rendering incomplete shipments unusable.The delays forced me to sell the Belvedere in its incomplete state, resulting in financial loss. Because I no longer want or need the materials, I requested a full refund and offered to return the items I received. Despite this, *************** has refused to issue a refund. Their unwillingness to resolve this situation has left me with unusable materials and no resolution.SMS Auto Fabrics lack of transparency, incomplete fulfillment, and refusal to work with customers in good faith are unacceptable. I have proof of the vehicles sale, confirmation the materials remain unused, and documentation of the outstanding items to be shipped, as well as a long history of communication. Despite this, SMS has failed to address the issue, demonstrating a lack of accountability and professionalism.I strongly advise against doing business with SMS Auto Fabric. Their inability to fulfill orders completely and on time, paired with poor communication and refusal to resolve disputes, highlights unethical practices. I hope sharing my experience will help others avoid similar hardships.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/08/2024
Everything was completed and shipped except the door panel set. The door panels we make for some of the models DO take a long time to complete. I have set up a refund for the door panels, since the car has been sold. Everything else should have long ago been installed in the car (or at least included with the sale of the car). The whole notion that you can't install some items (seat covers and carpet for instance) until all items are ready is certainly not correct. My 48 years of experience in this business tells me there is more to the story that is not being disclosed.
Anyway, we are certainly not taking back items custom made (hand-built) for a rare 1956 Plymouth Belvedere sedan at the request of our customer. Who would we ever sell them to at this point in time? They belong with the car they were made for.
Customer Response
12/09/2024
While I appreciate your acknowledgment of the incomplete order and your decision to issue a refund for the door panels, several points in your reply are inaccurate and dismissive of the situation. I feel its important to clarify the circumstances surrounding this order.Timeliness and Business Impact:This order was placed for a business restoration project involving a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere. The interior components were agreed upon to reflect the specific model year, and I accepted the specialized nature of the work. However, I did not agree to a three-year turnaround, nor was I informed it could take this long. This delay significantly impacted my ability to complete the restoration and forced me to sell the car in its incomplete state, resulting in financial loss.Dependency on All Materials:While you suggest that seat covers and carpets should have been installed independently, this is not feasible for professional restorations. Restoration professionals require all materials upfront to ensure proper fit and alignment. The delays and incomplete shipments rendered the materials I did receive unusable. Furthermore, without clear notice of when shipments were arriving, I could not coordinate installations. For a business, this kind of unpredictability is unacceptable.Refund and Inspection Policy:Your policy requires customers to inspect shipments and report issues within five business days. This policy is unrealistic for projects like mine, where I do not control the timeline of professional installers. Without proper notice of when materials would arrive, it was impossible to meet this requirement. Partial shipments only exacerbated the issue, leaving me unable to assess the materials completeness or fit within your strict timeframe.Refusal to Accept Returns:While I understand the difficulty of reselling custom-made items, the materials remain unused due to your delays and lack of communication. Your refusal to accept returns under these circumstances shifts the burden of your delays onto the customer, which is not reflective of good business practices.Dismissal of Concerns:Your assertion that there is more to the story is both inaccurate and dismissive. This was not a personal project; it was a business investment with specific deadlines and financial implications. The delays and lack of transparency made it impossible to complete the restoration as planned.This situation has caused substantial financial loss and frustration. While I appreciate that you are willing to refund for the door panels, the broader issues of poor communication, incomplete fulfillment, and the refusal to accept unused materials remain unresolved. I urge you to reconsider your approach to provide a resolution that reflects accountability, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to customer satisfaction.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/11/2024
Just to clarify: Any items that you purchased as materials only can be returned. Items that were manufactured/assembled specifically for your car cannot be returned at this point in time. As far as I can tell, we custom-built everything on your order: Pre-made seat cover set; pre-made carpet set; pre-made headliner, etc, etc, etc. Door panel refund is coming your way since you want to cancel and we haven't yet delivered these. The rest of the items cannot be returned for a refund.
S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/11/2024
As an aside, too bad you didn't let me know you wanted to sell the car. I might have been interested (especially since it had one of my interiors). I love those 56 Plymouths since that was a car my family had for quite a while when I was a kid. Of course, it would have been more of a labor of love for me, since a 1956 Plymouth 4-door sedan is not much of an investment vehicle from my point of view.Customer Response
12/19/2024
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I wanted to clarify a few things regarding my experience, as I feel some points in your reply misrepresent the situation and dont fully address the challenges I faced.The 1956 Plymouth Belvedere wasnt just a typical investment vehicle as you suggested. It was a business asset intended for photo shoots and events, where its vintage appeal would make it a centerpiece. For three years, I couldnt use the car for its intended purpose because the interior wasnt completed. A partially restored car isnt suitable for photo shoots or rentalsno one wants to feature or rent an incomplete vehicle. Storing the car for such an extended time became impractical, and ultimately, keeping it was no longer in my best interest.The manufacturer-spec components, such as the headliner, carpet, and mat sets, should be easily returnable. These are standard items and were not special-order and do not have a high degree of customization that would prevent them from being resold. Your refusal to accept returns for these materials, particularly under these circumstances, seems unreasonable and not in line with good business practices.While I appreciate your fondness for the 1956 ********, selling the car to your company wasnt a realistic option. Your comment about potentially purchasing the vehicle is neither relevant nor practical. Your company barely responded to inquiries about the order itself, and with your location in ********, ******, selling the car to you was not a viable option. Additionally, the delays and lack of communication eroded trust.I appreciate the refund for the door panels, but I still request a refund for the remaining order. I would also like clear instructions for returning the unused items. The extended delays, lack of communication, and inability to meet reasonable timelines made the materials unusable for their intended purpose, and retaining these items at my expense is unfair. This experience has been incredibly frustrating and has negatively impacted my business. I hope youll take these points into consideration and work toward a resolution that reflects accountability and professionalism. Please provide instructions for returning the unused items so we can move forward. Thank you.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/20/2024
I think the real issue here is, as you suggest, communication. I find, more often than I'd like, that the customer and my staff aren't really on the same page with their points of views about order and delivery expectation. To combat these kinds of problems I have put my personal e-mail on the website and encouraged customers to contact me directly when they are having any difficulties with my staff or with the order process itself. You probably should have used my e-mail to contact me earlier in the process. We definitely would have worked something out in order to bypass the torture-filled experience you describe.Customer Response
12/22/2024
Thank you for your response. While I appreciate your acknowledgment that communication is a significant issue, I feel its important to clarify the efforts Ive already made to resolve this situation.I have called the number provided on your website numerous times. When phone calls went unanswered, I used the contact form on your website several times to follow up. Direct emails and phone calls were rarely, if ever, returned, leaving me to rely on the website's contact page as a last resort. As for your personal email, I have never seen it on your website, and after checking again, I still dont see it. Becoming a customer should have come with an introduction to you and your direct contact information. If customers are expected to escalate issues directly to you, this process needs to be clear from the start. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me.Throughout this process, *** is the person Ive dealt with, and they certainly have not been helpful. I was repeatedly promised that I would receive everything within specific timeframes, yet those promises were consistently broken. After three years of delays and frustration, I finally asked for a refund, only to suddenly be told that my order had become a "priority." Come onthats not good customer service. After three years, that kind of response feels dismissive at best and disingenuous at ******** this point, I expect a refund upon returning the remaining unused merchandise. This is a reasonable request given the circumstances. I have been patient for far longer than most customers would be, and the delays have caused significant disruptions to my business. This experience has been nothing short of torturous, as you noted, but the responsibility for that lies with your teams inability to communicate and deliver as promised.I hope youll follow through on resolving this issue fairly and professionally. Please provide clear instructions for returning the unused items and processing my refund so we can bring this matter to a close. Thank you.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/26/2024
Refund will be given on unassembled materials only. Items that were specially made for your car, and your car only, have been in your possession and were specifically made at your request---just for your car. No refund on these items. I suggest you give them to the new owner of the car---as was your intention when you placed the order for these items.Customer Response
12/27/2024
Id like to clarify that the remaining items in my possession are unassembled materials, including:Carpet Set - 01 Black Loop Carpet Floor Mats - 01 Black Loop Carpet Yardage - 01 Black Loop Headliner - Premade - Rose ******* Cotton These items are standard manufacturer-spec components and not uniquely customized for my vehicle. They remain unused and uninstalled, and as such, they should qualify for a refund according to your stated policy regarding unassembled ************ intention from the start was to install these items in the car. However, you took three years to provide all the materials, which, as stated before, is entirely unreasonable. The excessive delays made it impossible to use the car for its intended purpose during that time, leading me to the difficult decision to sell it. After enduring this prolonged wait and broken promises of delivery, the materials are no longer relevant to me or the new owner, who has also expressed that they do not want them.I am requesting clear instructions on how to return these unassembled materials and a refund for their cost.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
12/30/2024
We need to get real here: There is nothing standard and unassembled about the carpet set and the headliner. The carpet was assembled specifically for your 1956 Plymouth and the rose headliner was preassembled and is definitely for your car and your car only. You are welcome to return the carpet yardage for a refund.
And, again, for the life of me, I have no idea why you didn't include these items with the car when you sold it. Certainly the new owner would have really appreciated having these when finishing the restoration. And you probably could have negotiated a better price deal with this new owner since you were including carpet and headliner. I still don't fully understand this situation.
Customer Response
01/01/2025
Its truly entertaining that your "get real" comment implies Im the one detached from reality, while your response once again completely dismisses the actual issues Ive raised. Whats actually real here is the undeniable fact that this process has been riddled with delays, miscommunication, and outright frustration for over three years. If you find this situation confusing, let me break it down one final time, as I think Ive repeated myself enough already.The new owner did not want the materials. He purchased the car, not a pile of incomplete interior components that were delayed to the point of irrelevance. Why he didnt want them is entirely his business, not yours. Whether or not he would have appreciated them, or if I could have negotiated a better deal, is irrelevant here. The fact remains: he wanted the car, not the *************, regarding the items: I disagree with your characterization of the carpet set and headliner. While I understand they may have been cut or assembled to fit a 1956 ********, these items are not so bespoke or unique that they couldnt be resold or repurposed. Youre really telling me theres absolutely no other 1956 Plymouth out there that might need these parts? Come on. Youve built a business on working with classic carssurely you understand that some materials, even when slightly specific, are still marketable. But more importantly, the delays caused these items to remain uninstalled and unused because your delivery timelines were absolutely unreasonable.Lets also address the larger picture here: three years. Thats not a normal or acceptable timeframe for fulfilling an order, no matter how custom or unique the materials may be. This was a business asset for me, intended for photo shoots and events. Because of your delays, I lost the ability to use the car for its intended purpose, costing me both time and money. It was no longer feasible to store the vehicle indefinitely, waiting for your company to follow through on your *********** lets skip the side commentary about what I shouldve done with the car and focus on what matters: the fact that Ive been left with unusable materials and a deeply frustrating experience. Ill gladly return the carpet yardage for a refund, as youve offered. As for the rest, I still find it entirely unreasonable to deny a refund on items that your delays rendered unusable for me.Lets stop circling around this and bring it to a resolution. Im asking for clear instructions to return the remaining unused materials and for refunds to be processed accordingly. Im not asking for a miracle, just basic accountability and professionalism. Lets move forward, shall we?Review from Chester S.
1 star10/10/2024
I placed this order (#******) on January 29, 2024. I was told that there would be a 4-5 month lead time on the upholstery that I ordered. I thought that was a bit extreme but paid them up front anyway to place an order. Every time I reach out to them I get some other lame excuse as to why my order has not been filled yet. Things like "The blue plaid is on the way to us from our weaving mill, once it arrives we will make the covers and ship them out" (July 19, 2024). Then I get told by *** that she would "talk to the owner and get back to me"(August 21, 2024). Now (October 10, 2024), after months of emails they simply no longer respond to any correspondence. I didn't want to do this but I don't know how else to get the products that I purchased and already paid for. This is poor customer service on so many levels (Especially that they have already taken my money)S M S Auto Fabrics Response
11/14/2024
As you know, we were waiting for more of the special Chev highlander blue cloth to arrive. It has, indeed, arrived and your seat cover set is been finished up. We should be shipping it out to you in a week or two. Thanks for your patience.Review from Tony D
1 star07/19/2024
I ordered 1 yard of fabric for my 86 f150. They charged me $169 immediately and said it would be a couple of weeks to ship. After 6 weeks and contacting them multiple times with no results, i asked for a refund and got no reply. I had to dispute the charges on my credit card get a refund. They shouldnt charge you until your order is shipped! Very poor customer service!S M S Auto Fabrics Response
07/22/2024
I'm not sure exactly the situation here. I do know that the order has been shipped. It should be arriving shortly.
Review from Bruce F
5 stars07/11/2024
Excellent Company Ive seen the other vintage car owners final finished products from SMS. I am waiting for 2 small items they received last Nov 2023 for re upholstery.I need the items as we have finished our on frame restoration Waiting .............so my 50 Vintage can join the Car Shows once we receive the 2 items we paid in advance.Thank you ********** for taking time for your continued follow through and update to complete and ship the items we have discussed.Review from kurt m
1 star02/28/2024
I ordered door panels , they told me it would be a year, I ordered a package tray and they told me it would be a couple weeks about 6 months ago, I have called 4 times and everytime there is an excuse and they say it will be a few days......sick of it, must be the worst company in the world if they can't make a package tray in 6 months.....they take about 30 minutes to make. Also they have never called or emailed me back like they have told me they would do about 6 times...Review from Brad S
1 star11/06/2023
I ordered the Upholstery for my *********************** January ( inv # ****** ) with an estimated 6 - 8 month wait, and a promised delivery of late summer 2023. In late August, I called 3 or 4 times asking for an update, and finally got speak with a person who promised delivery by late September. September, and now October has came and went, and no delivery. Two calls to ****** with transfers to a person that is supposed to have answers. No answer, and so far no one has returned my call. It appears that I am out close to a grand ($934.00) for something that *** never be delivered to me. I will say this, they were the only ones out there who had this one year only fabric. Their reviews are either really good or really bad, so take your pick. From what I have heard and read, on the auto and truck forums that I belong to, is that their work is great, but their customer service is horrible. They have proven that their customer service leaves a lot to be desired. I can only hope that someday I might find out how good their product is, but I am not optimistic.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
11/07/2023
Interesting that you are quick to leave a review before you received the merchandise. Here are five points to my response:
1) Your seat covers are done and ready to be shipped out this week.
2) We always deliver. Sometimes slower than you want, but we'll deliver.
3) You hit on a good point: You have a rare truck with a one-year only fabric. I have been collecting these rare fabrics for close to 5 decades. Lucky for you that you found us.
4) Our website states how to contact me directly if you aren't getting the customer service you want. Feel free to make that contact.
5) Reviews are extremely subjective. My wife and I don't even agree on what the review should be when we go out to dinner. That's why I don't personally waste my time with reviews.
I hope you are happy with the product you will receive shortly. Any problems---you know where to find me.
****
Review from Gary S
1 star08/30/2023
I Ordered and paid for door panels in December 2022 and sent my uppers out at the same time. Order number ******. I called in May to check up on the panels and for an ETA. I was told it would be a year!!!!!!! Wow, why wouldn't someone tell me it would take a year when I placed the order. I would've never sent them my uppers if I'd known it take a year. Its 10 months later and no door panels. At this point I just want my uppers back and a refund for my $1190. I wouldn't recommend this company.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
09/01/2023
****--It normally takes **** months for us to do the kind of custom, hand-built door panel set you have on your car. I'm a bit surprised that you weren't notified of this when the order was placed. Anyway, we are down to about the last 30 days on your set. Hang in there and we will get them done for you.
Review from ROBERT N
1 star08/15/2023
I ordered & paid for seat skins for my **** **** Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe OVER a year and a half ago. In that time I have called & sent more than a few e mail inquires . You never get a human being just an e mail reply saying a week , 2 weeks, covid,, etc , etc . I DID get a human ONCE ( must have made a mistake & answered the phone) she said they were all ******* would have them in in 2 weeks ,,, again ,,, nothing. I'm put in a position of contacting my credit card company to get a charge back which no doubt will take a few months . BEWARES M S Auto Fabrics Response
08/16/2023
I'm not sure about the all cut and you'd have them in 2 weeks thing, but we are working on your seat cover set. You should have it in September. Also, you can contact me directly in the future. My e-mail is on the website.
****
Review from james T
2 stars06/09/2023
This is about a nonperforming company in *****, **.?SMS auto Fabrics has strung me along for years. On 13 May 2020 I spoke with *** to ascertain whether SMS could supply me with two Biscayne style bucket seat covers, and two door panels for my **** Chevrolet Sedan Delivery. She asked a person about each item and both times replied in the affirmative and was quoted a price. I then provided my credit card information and was charged the full amount of $1372.00 that day.I shipped both old seat covers,as requested, and the metal upper door panels, "a very rare item" as well as the upper vinyl trim from the door panels to be to be duplicated. *** promised me an Invoice number, and as of today I have not received one.While completing the restoration I ordered the windlace and a headliner and both arrived promptly and were also beautiful and correct.After sending a registered letter on 26 September 2022 the seat covers were finally produced and were very beautifully done, even though I had an huge additional charge to ship and return the actual seats. I did ask at the initial order if they had patterns for them and I was assured that they did. I was promised that the door panels would arrive after the first of the year. On May 10th, 2023, I called *** and was told that they were in production and would arrive at the end of the month. It is now June, and they still have not arrived nor has any form of communication happened.1 thousand 1 hundred and 29 days and counting sir. Do realize that the car is ready to show, minus the door panels.S M S Auto Fabrics Response
06/12/2023
We shipped the door panels for this rare sedan delivery to the customer on June 2, 2023. He should have them by now.
Customer Review Rating
2.05/5stars
Average of 19 Customer Reviews
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