Cottman Transmission, Mauldin, SC: Joyriders
Cottman Transmission in Mauldin, SC has a problem with some of their employees or with their contractors. I took my '93 Blazer to them to have the bearings in the rear-end replaced and the differential rebuilt. They explained that they didn't do that work at this particular shop, but would have to send it out to someone else.
After nearly two weeks I'm finally told that it's ready. I picked it up at 5:30pm. The test drive went fine until I noticed that I needed gas. I thought there were extra miles on it, but I couldn't remember for sure. I didn't think anything about that until I was filling the tank. The lower body and all of the underside were covered in mud. I started looking closer and saw that there were scratches in the finish. Since I'd just had it painted a year ago I was very upset.
I started a closer inspection and noticed a dent in the tailgate that wasn't there before, as well as damage to the rear bumper and the trim around the front right fender. I found the invoice in the glove box and the milage difference was around 295 miles. I confronted them with this information and they agreed to fix the damage. Of course, this meant that I was out of a vehicle for another two weeks. They never offered to rent a car for me, or even asked if I was being inconvienienced.
They repaired and re-painted the tailgate. I have yet to hear anything about the bumper cover they were supposed to order. The trim piece was straightened, but still doesn't look good.
I am fully convinced that my Blazer was used for some type of off-road fun. The mud splashes around the front of the vehicle look like they were from the front tires spinning in reverse, which would indicate that it was in 4-wheel drive. I guess they must have overheated it as well, since my spare bottle of water and antifreeze were missing. (When I checked the fluid level it was very high; 2 extra gallons will do that.)
I never received a satisfactory answer about how my vehicle was damaged or where all of the extra miles came from. I even emailed their corporate customer service office and have yet to hear anything from them. They actually guarantee a response to all comments within 24 hours, but I guess they don't mean it.
After this experience I would talk with friends or relatives before taking a vehicle to any Cottmans franchise for any type of service. This is not a trustworthy company.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Stevejj
Council Bluffs,Iowa,
U.S.A.
Your ruining good shops that do good work !
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, January 07, 2005
I thought id get a response for my rebuttel I guess cottman in mauldin are tongue tied if they had done there job and paperwork properly, they would have known what shape the vehicle was in when they picked it up,secondly anytime my shop has a vehicle for a longer time than expected we at least have the vehicle taken and cleaned up even if it was in more of a mess when it was brought,we call it sorry for the trouble we care.I cant believe these people, you people put us honest shops under the guns, over stupid management, or over zealous owners, you make this industry look bad. If i had picked the car up, and had to drive it through potholes, i would have had it cleaned before i gave it to the customer-grow up boys i know who you are, do you know me ?
Stevej
Council Bluffs,Iowa,
U.S.A.
greenville is only 10 minutes away
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, January 05, 2005
Why would you have to take a car 140 miles to be repaired when greenville s.c. is 10 minutes away.Surely in a town the size of greenville there must be someone that could have repaired that vehicle, having lived in the area and been a mechanic for 20 years,i think this shops rebuttal sounds very strange thank you!
Norman
Washington,District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
cottmans yellow book. yea right so much for the bbb hand out, and the internal inspection ra-ra,
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, December 10, 2004
yea right so much for the bbb hand out, and the internal inspection ra-ra, we all know they gotta be hooked with the 300 dollar rdi, then you go for the juglar vein. when you pass out the bbb bull, why don't you just flip open the "sugested selling price book" from corprate, show the consumer the rdi cost and the cost for a sg2, and explain to them straight up hard parts will cost even more, once they add up just the rdi and sg2 then they have a clue to part of the cost and will most likley decline the repair, we all know aamco is now required to disclose a soft parts oh to the consumer and so is cottman in maryland just ask the attorney generals office, THIS IS A LAW THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED NATIONWIDE, hello attorney generals!!!!
btw cottman operator if your customers (plural) comes in and you inspect there say 700r4 and all they have is no reverse, a broken sun shell 38.00, atfluid 20.00, gasket and seal kit 30.00, rdi 275.00 you gonna let him out your door for 363.00, absolutly not, so why do you call it an inspection service, you already know you can only sell sg2's or 1's with hard parts, ie, you do not do internal repairs, your sg3 is only for transmissions that are operating ok? whats up with that??? btw have you ever checked to see how old that bbb pamplet is??
Sherri
Phila,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
Another Cottman Owner
#7Consumer Comment
Sun, November 14, 2004
I think tearing your car apart is the wrong terminology and used in a slanderous manner. According to the BBB brochure if there is internal damage to your vehicle a price cannot be given until the transmission is disassembled and the extent and cause of damage is found. The consumer has the option to pay for the removal and reinstallation of the transmission if he decides not to make the repairs. It is wrong to quote a cost of repair without doing so.
BILL
MAULDIN,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
JOY RIDE NOT SO JOYFUL
#7REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, August 10, 2004
IN RESPONSE TO THIS CUSTOMER'S DISCONTENTMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE:
WE DID NOT HAVE AN EXPERT IN THEIR TYPE OF REPAIR ON SITE. THE SHOP THAT DID THE REPAIRS IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES FROM OUR SHOP (EAST OF UNION ,SC), OR APPROXIMATELY 140 MILES ROUND TRIP. WHILE AT THEIR SHOP THE CUSTOMER'S VEHICLE WAS BACKED INTO AND DAMAGED. THEY ALSO DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THEIR LOT PAVED, HENCE THE MUD. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THEM FOR THE DAMAGE REPAIR, ANOTHER 140 MILES. SINCE THEY WERE NOW PAYING FOR THE REPAIR I AM SURE THERE WAS NO JOY IN THIS RIDE.
WHEN YOU ADD THESE TRIPS, PLUS OUR PRE AND POST REPAIR TEST DRIVES, YOU CAN EASILY ACCOUNT FOR THE 295 MILES. tHE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY FIXED THE FIRST TIME AND WE ACCEPTED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE AND HAD IT REPAIRED WITHOUT ISSUE.
IN RESPONSE TO THE FORMER EMPLOYEE'S STATEMENT, HE WORKED HERE FOR TWO MONTHS, QUIT ON HIS OWN AND ATTEMPTED TO FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT WHICH WAS DENIED, SO YOU MIGHT BETTER UNDERSTAND HIS RESPONSE.
WE WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SATISFIED WITH OUR WORK AND WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THEM TO TELL US WHEN THEY ARE NOT.
Mike
FOUNTAIN INN,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
WHO IS A RIP OFF
#7Consumer Suggestion
Sat, May 03, 2003
FIRST I WISH TO SAY I HAVE WORKED FOR COTTMAN FOR 2 MONTHS AND QUIT. ANY TIME A SHOP SAYS THEY HAVE TO TEAR YOUR CAR APART TO GIVE YOU A PRICE ITS BECAUSE THEY ARE TO HIGH TO BEGIN WITH, AND KNOW IF THEY DISABLE YOUR CAR YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE IT FIXED THERE.
REMEMBER I HAVE BEEN IN THIS GAME AS A MECHANIC FOR OVER 18 YEARS, AND UNTIL THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS YOU NEVER HEARD OF I HAVE TO TEAR CAR APART TO GIVE YOU A PRICE.
ANY TIME YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND OVER $1000.00 ON A CAR OR TRUCK IT WOULD BE BETTER SPENT AT A DEALERSHIP BECAUSE AT LEAST YOU KNOW THEY WILL FIX IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY WILL ADRESS YOUR PROBLEM QUICKLY AND NOT IN 2 OR 3 OR 4 WEEKS ONLY TO SAY YOUR FAULT NOT OURS.