Complaint Review: AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS

On
Oct 7th 2009 After the transmission on my 2003 Acura TL Type S failed
on a LA freeway, I had it towed to AAMCO Transmission in Lancaster, CA.
I was drawn in by their offer to electronically diagnose my
transmission problem free of charge! After speaking with the service
manager known as "RON" it was determined that a removal and tear down
of the transmission was required to figure out what
needed to be replaced. I left my vehicle and agreed to pay $800 for the
removal and tear down of my transmission with the understanding that if
I walked away without a repaid I would still be obligated to pay the
$800 in labor coast and the vehicle returned to me. Five days later the
service manager informed me that it would cost $4,200 to rebuild my
transmission. In taking some time to do some research and make an
informed decision, I contacted an Acura dealership to compare prices.
To my surprise I could purchase an original equipment Acura 
transmission from the dealership for $1749! Astonished to discover this
huge disparity in price, I contacted AAMCO and made it clear that
instead of spending $4200 on a rebuild that I would like acquire the
transmission from the dealership for $1749 and have them install it for
their total labor cost of $800. This would have brought the price down
to $2500! A far more reasonable cost than the $4200 I had been quoted.
After a day or two of back and forth phone calls and Ron trying to
convince me that AAMCO could build a better transmission than the
original equipment purchased form Acura I began to get annoyed that my
wishes with my property were being challenged. I am the customer and
should have the right to repair my car in a manner in which I see fit.
Not the way that's going to make them the most money!  The service
manger then informed me that after speaking to the owner of the
franchise "ERIC HAMINI" it was decided that they would only provide me
with the option of a rebuild. I demanded to speak with the owner myself
and was told by Ron that any messages had to be relayed through him and
that he and he alone makes the decisions (How cowardly). After telling
me what my only option was Ron rudely stated that I needed to decide
what i wanted to do because he was busy and hung up the phone on me
(Yeah that's professional HA!). I contacted several other AAMCO shops
in the Los Angeles area and non of the service managers could believe
that the Lancaster store was being so unreasonable as to not provide me
with the less expensive option of installing a transmission direct from
the Acura Remanufacturer. Every other AAMCO shop told me that they do
removal and installation of dealer parts all the time and try to offer
their customers more than just the option of a total rebuild especially
when you can get an original replacement for half the cost! The only
difference between AAMCO doing a rebuild or installing a remanufactured
transmission should be the terms of the warranty. In the end I was
forced to have Lancaster AAMCO reassemble my transmission, reinstall it
and have my car towed to a more reasonable shop willing to do the work.
So now the job that should have cost me around $2500 now cost me the
additional $800 AAMCO robbed me of because I wouldn't allow them to
charge me the cost of a rebuild, when purchasing and installing
remanufactured original equipment from the Acura Dealership would have
been half the cost. AUTO-MOD a specilty shop on Sierra Hwy near Ave J
specializes in Hondas and Acura's. Auto-Mod completed the work the more
logical way by replacing the transmission and even gave me a 1 year
warranty on the transmission to inclube labor. This was my $800
mistake! Clearly this the management of Lancaster AAMCO lack integrity
and consumers everywhere should not accept this form of tyranny when it
comes to our property and hard earned dollar. Unless you are willing to
be FINANCIALLY RAPED by  ERIC HAMINI's LANCASTER AAMCO and go through
the above stated ignorance, do yourself a favor and STAY AWAY!!!