Complaint Review: AAMCO

DA settles with Aamco
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has settled a civil suit brought against the owner of a San Jose Aamco transmission repair franchise.

Fariborz Nikbakhshtali, without admitting liability, agreed to a March 13 injunction ordering him to pay penalties and court costs totaling just over $29,000.

The franchiser, Aamco, was not named in the suit.

Deputy district attorney Albert Bender brought the suit following an investigation by the state Bureau of Automotive Repairs, a branch of the state Department of Consumer Affairs.

The San Jose office of the BAR's enforcement division conducted four undercover visits to the Aamco shop on South Capital Avenue in San Jose between June and October 1995.

The suit alleged that the repair shop:


Knowingly recommended and performed unnecessary repairs, and charged for parts that were not actually supplied;


Made false or misleading statements to a customer about the condition or status of a vehicle; and


Charged a customer for a rebuilt transmission when the work performed failed to meet minimum legal requirements for a rebuilt transmission.

Under the injunction, the Aamco franchise has been ordered to halt the alleged illegal conduct.

In addition to the DA's suit, the state Attorney General's Office suspended the repair shop's registration for five days and placed the business on probation for three years.

The DA's Office also fined the shop $8,000.