Vehicle graphics horror stories happen far too often. In a recent post the local FOX affiliate in Indianapolis delved into the car wrap business, Fox 59 Looks into the Growing Car Wrap Industry Lack of Regulation. The article focuses on one customer’s experience with a provider he contracted to wrap his new vehicle. Although TKO Graphix isn’t in a position to place blame, that’s up to the courts; it certainly became an unpleasant situation. Maybe even a vehicle graphics horror story.

A Vehicle Graphics Horror Story

Buyer Beware

The owner of the vehicle took photos of his car after the wrap. There were warped spots, patched areas, and knife cuts in the paint. When he picked up his car it was full of trash including someone’s credit cards, tools, and a pair of socks. The car was nearly out of gas, had 200 miles on it, and there is video on Instagram of the vehicle being driven full of people dancing in their seats. It made the car owner feel as if his new car was no longer new.

Fox checked with the local Better Business Bureau and asked what consumers could do to avoid this customer’s frustration. They were advised to, “Check as many resources as you can.” So what resources are available to check this unregulated industry?

How to Check Vehicle Graphics Providers

  • 3M Locate a Preferred Installer 3M offers training and certification programs for adhesive vinyl vehicle graphics installation.
  • PDAA (Professional Decal Application Alliance) supported by SGIA (Specialty Graphics and Imaging Association) 
  • USGA (United Application Standards Group) which is offered by 3M and requires extensive training and testing. Check with your states Attorney General and local BBB for complaints.
  • Look at their work. If you’re unable to visit a provider’s shop, check out their portfolio. If they don’t have a portfolio that’s a yellow flag, dig in and find out why, but don’t commit until you see their work.
  • Ask for referrals and check reviews. Many poor purchasing decisions could be avoided by vetting providers online. Check for Goggle and Facebook reviews.
  • Find out the experience of the installation crew. The company may have certifications, but have the applicators working on your vehicle been certified?
  • How long has the provider been in business? Time in business isn’t always a reliable indicator because a new business may have personnel with years of experience. However, there’s something to be said for providers with 25 or 30 years of doing business.

Avoid this Vehicle Graphics Horror Story 

If you want to avoid the horror story Fox News shared, then do your due diligence. So, check providers out before jumping onboard because if you don’t you could be caught up in a nightmare. Find out if their installers are certified, if the company has open complaints, and how long they’ve been in business because doing this can save you much pain, and horror.

If you’d like to learn more try this post How to Find the Best Vehicle Graphix Installers

How Can We Help You? 

If you’d like fleet graphics designed to capture attention, printed on state-of-the-art equipment, and installed by expert certified installers, we’re here to help.

If you’d like further information or advice, be sure to Contact Us. 

Would you like a free estimate for your fleet or vehicle graphics? If so, you can Request A Quote.

TKO Graphix has been a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal of large format graphics.

We’re a fleet and vehicle graphics company, and since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks, and company vehicles. Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process.

TKO Graphix is a Certified 3M™ MCS™ Warranty graphics manufacturer. Our installation crews are 3M Certified and are employees of TKO Graphix, not sub-contractors.