Complaint Review: Daughter's Appliance Repair

My son recently moved into an apartment in the B'ham area after graduating from the Univ of Alabama. I let him use some furnishings I had in storage. One item being a 90 series Kenmore washing machine.

I had to call in repair for the machine because it would not spin during the spin cycle. First I contacted Sears as it was a Kenmore product, but Sears could not come out for four days and I needed someone sooner! Not being from the B'ham area, I had no clue who to call...so I turned to the Internet, search for "washer repair 35242".

My search results lead me to "Appliance Wizards" phone # 205-545-8285, upon calling the number, I had an option of three companies...not know my location in relation to the companies listed, I just chose the second one, hoping for the best. This was late on a Monday afternoon, they could come out first thing Wednesday at 8:00 am, so I agreed.

The next afternoon, Tuesday, it occurred to me that I didn't write down the company name, and I probably should confirm the service appointment. I called the number again, which was still in my cell phone, expecting to chose the second option again...but the options had changed! Not knowing which company I originally chose, I was in a quandary. I tried all three. The first I got a fax beep. The second company only serviced Maytag and Whirlpool and had no record of my calling the prior day and the third I got "this person has not set up his voice mail". At this point I am confused and angry. Do I have a service appointment or not?

The next morning I start calling at 7:45 am the first option is the after hours answering service for "All Services Repair" I left a message to call me ASAP, the third option was Daughter's Appliance Repair, John answered, I asked him if he was scheduled to come out to service my washing machine that morning at 8:00 am. He said I was not on his schedule but he could get to me by 10:00 am. He ask what my machine was doing and I explained that it would not spin during the spin cycle...that it would try, if I spun it with my hand but it wouldn't get up to full speed. He said, "I'll be honest with you, it is not worth fixing. " I said, please don't say that, ths machine has only been used about three years then been in storage for approximately seven. It is in excellent condition. He said, "that's different, the clutch is probably just glazed over. My service charge is $59.00. With the cost of the clutch and labor total bill will be $160:00. Now when I take it apart and it is the transmission that has gone bad, I will only charge you half the service charge. Is that agreeable" I jumped on it...

All Sercice Repair calls back about 8:05 am trying to locate the apartment, and I explained that spent half a day trying to confirm my service appointment with them with no success so decided to go with another company.

John with Daughter's Appliance Repair arrives after lunch, he called to reschedule, spent 45+ minutes repairing my washing machine and said it was good to go. Took my $160.00 cash, didn't take debit cards and my checks were starter checks which he would not take. Left me a hand written receipt with a promised garentee. Very friendly, personable, no reason not to trust him, extremely nice man!

Thirty minutes later as the machine went into the spin cycle I hear this terrible grinding noise...I immediately stop the machine and call John...he tells me not to use it. He will return after rush hour, about 7:00 pm, to see what is going on, he thinks something has gotten between the to drums. At 9:00 pm still no sign of John, I start calling the direct number he listed on his receipt and get "this person has not set up their voice mail" and I start getting that sinking feeling...I've been taken!

The next morning I start calling again, then my son calls as well. Same thing. Finely about 9:00am John calls back saying he had left his phone at a customers site the previous night and had no way to contact me. He would be out that morning to fix the problem. Relief! So I waited! He calls again, said he had been thinking about it and he believed the machine needed another part which was $70.00, but not to worry he would eat the cost. He located the part in Gardendale so it would be afternoon before he could pick it up and return to do the repair, he would call when he was on his way. I waited and waited and waited. At 3:30 pm I text him that I was getting very nervous about him not returning to do the repair. He called me immediately and said he wouldn't do me that way...he was on his way to do a quick call in Alabaster then he would come take care of my machine. At 6:20 my son called John, received a promise he would arrive in 20 minutes that was Five days ago.

I have since had Sears out to look at my machine additional $75.00...To be told that this man did not replace the clutch....he cleaned up the transmission fluid where it had leaked out during storage and Jerry rigged it to spin. It will cost $400.00 to repair mt machine. I can buy a new one for that price!