Complaint Review: Aamco

       I started with Aamco with a good intention friend that wanted to help me get my 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 fixed because another person decided to take it to the Mud Hole while I was out of state for a few months and ruined my transmission, all sensors and more.  The relationship seemed good between the shop and I. I know enough about a vehicle to do most of the work on it myself (though being a female, this company doesn't believe me), however, I will not touch a transmission.  When the friend that was trying to help me out was unable to get financed for the fix and I have no credit to do so either, the company was happy to let me pay as I could as long as I was consistant.  I did my part and paid on the truck for almost a year. 

       When I was finally able to pay off the over $3000 bill I was estatic to drive the truck home.  However,  when pulling the truck out of the spot that it had obviously sat for the year, there was no steering and a huge gas leak (it had none of these issues when it went to them).  They appeared consurned and seemed willing to help.  One of the machanics put a temporary fix (that did nothing) on the fuel line and sent me on my way.  I drove it strait to Auto Zone for powersteering fluid and drove it home.  This was not the easiest trip home. 

They knew for at least a week I had planned to get the truck out that week and they did nothing to make sure that it ran properly at least for the work where they were consurned.  I had signed all the paperwork and warrenty but when I got home I looked at my bill closer and then did a check under the truck.  I was charged $179.99 for a battery that they didn't give me and I had to go purchase (only paid $70 for, so in my mind I'm thinking they owe me 2 1/2 batteries).  They also told me that I should come back in 500 miles to check the transmission.

       After a few weeks of driving it I had a mechanic plug into the computer and it pulled codes for a misfire and to my surprise 3 codes for the transmission alone. I did the maintenance on the truck including plugs and wires and draining the front diff that was full of water.  This maintenance fixed the random misfire (that rarely happened and at first sounded like something else) and it seemed to run pretty well as far as the engine was consured.  It was, however, very sluggish to start from a stop and a question I had asked another mechanic and was told that I needed to ask Aamco because they didn't want to void the warrenty and with the money I just spent with them, I wasn't willing to void the warrenty.

       Wouldn't you know, it didn't make it to 500 miles.  It was closer to 300 when they got the truck back because it refused to shift and I had to shift an automatic like a manual transmission.  Luckily I know how to do this and limped it home from work Wednesday missing half a day and then limped it the 15 miles back to Aamco Thursday morning. They plugged it into  their computer and then scoled me for the misfire and dismissed their issue and said "oh its just a govenor sensor, it'll be done this afternoon".  They insisted that I needed all new coils (this may be true on vehicles that have a coil for each cylender but this truck has 2 and they were checked before the maintenance was complete).  I nodded my head but would not tell them that I did not clear the computer when I was done with the maintenance so they could see exactly what I saw.

      Done this afternoon my foot.  They must not know how to call out because I had to call at the end of my shift (which is close to their end of business day) to let them know that I was on my way to them.  They then said that their mechanic had it on the lift with the transmission out of it.  Thinking ok what am I supposed to do without a vehicle because I work out of it,  I politely ask the snappy grumpy mananger to please give me a call the next day to update me on what is wrong.  No call from them on Friday at all.  Instead I had to call back towards the end of the business day on Saturday where they informed me that it was warrenty work that and it would be done Monday.  With no explanation on what was going on, they maintained it was warrenty work.

     Now on Monday, unable to afford a rental car and the ability to get something to work from I had to call into work.  I waited until the afternoon to call and find out when I could pick it up, around 3pm.  When the man that I have delt with during the entire duration of this from the year before acted like he had no idea who I was or what vehicle I called reguarding (very odd because as soon as I said my first name up until this point he knew exactly who I was) They stated then it was now going back on the lift and they would try to have it to me the next day.  I was able to work with a co-worker for Tuesday and on the way back to drop me off at home the shop calls me.

      The call started out cheery asking how I was and I bluntly stated "as long as you are calling to tell me the truck is done, great".  With what I'm sure is a grin on his face and a proud (I got you) tone,  "It is, but your rear end is bad".

      First off, why were they looking at the rear end if it is transmission work and secondly the only reason they need look at anything on that end of the truck is because they have to remove the cranck shaft to take it out.  I drove it into the shop, I've had trused mechanics (yes more than one) look at it and no one came up with that when purposely checking that it is sound. 

     They are now trying to scam me for a battery that they hoped I wouldn't catch on my bill and now to recoop what they have lost on doing the work on the transmission  twice.  Had they done it correctly the first time,  they would have more than doubled their cost in profit.  They have zero customer service skills after you pay your bill and when you do bring it back to them for warrenty work you are put on the back burner with no way to get them to do anything timely.  I am now on the verge of loosing my job over this company and when the warrenty is up on this transmission they will not touch my vehicles again.  If the rear end is what they say it is they will not get me for more money and I am taking it to another company.

      I will go pick up this truck this afternoon even if I have to tow it home.  I am done with this company and will strongly advise anyone looking for a shop against taking it to Aamco.  This complany is dishonest and constantly trying to scam you for more money.  For $3000 I could have purchased a preformance transmission and had it installed for less but insted I have a shoty rebuilt one that didn't hold for 300 miles.