Complaint Review: Bruce Alvarez

Beginning May 23, 2013, Bruce did a rebuild on our 2003 Acura MDX transmission. The transmission had a ticking noise but ran and shifted smoothly. It turned out to need two bearings and a small internal valve. Bruce performed what he called a complete overhaul/re-build and replaced the two bearings and valve body. Received car back on the 31st.

Immediatly the D5 light began blinking... Bruce tested and said it needed a pressure switch (external), so I had it replaced.

In June, 2013, having driven only a couple hundred miles, we drove to Tennessee (500 mile trip). The transmission failed. We had it towed to Honda and they reported "zero-pressure at idle", dealer said it needed to be re-built. We later discovered the transmission filter (inside the transmission) was clogged. This meant (to me) either it was NOT changed during rebuild OR the transmission was left so dirty inside so as to clog up in less than three weeks. We had the vehicle hauled back to Jacksonville for Bruce to fix it, where he discovered the "filter issue"

Bruce refused to receive it for weeks and when he did finally accept it (take the MDX in for repairs), he kept it for more than a month. Finally got it back at the end of August, 2013. Additional issues upon return: Battery tie-down missing, wrong battery in car, retaining clips on cowling/cover missing, mis-matched bolts, rack-and-pinion shield missing.... THE STORY IS NOT OVER :-(

On November 30, 2013, the MDX would not shift into drive. Contacted Bruce and he said "it's probably those Honda parts.... I can't warranty those, they are flimzy and sometimes I even have to reinforce them" "I might be able to take a look at it next week". Wellllllll, NOT!  We had another shop disassemble the transmission and take pictures. Now I understand his statement "sometimes I even have to reinforce them". He (I'm guessing he did it, because he was running a one man operation at the time) glued the "change-control-shaft-assembly arm" back together (the detent arm portion, which costs $29 from honda, according to shop).

So, the "deal" he made me on the rebuild cost more than a Factory Honda rebuild with 2-year warranty.

Lots of fun folks: Towed 4-times, Flat-bed Transported from Tennessee, Rental cars, 3-months without car, plus another $750 bill to fix the arm that he glued together.

I gave notice, on December 12, 2013, for him to "make it right.... it's the right thing to do".... He did not respond. I sent him a picture of the glued arm.... He did not respond.