Complaint Review: Tom's Auto Service

I am at a lost for words.  This Garage has steadily declined In service and prices have gone though roof.

I have lived right down street from garage for 20 Years and only go when I have to.  I called Tom for a estimate to put used Transmission in my Blazer.  He Quoated me 750.00 to take it out and put it in. 

I decided to call around and get a few estimates which were a little higer.  So I figured with the lower cost of towing I may save some money since im local.  So I decided to bring it to him.

I called him to let him know I removed tranny myself and cleaned all parts to make it easier for him. I removed other tranny from other truck to give to him to install.  So I asked him how much to install he said $750 again.

He is almost like a robot. Talking to him is like talking to a automated phone service. They never look you in the eye.This is a dead giveaway. MARK To be specific.

I said you told me 750.00 I took it out!   He than said ok well let's say $500.00

I thought that was about right. So I said let me know if you run into any problems before you do anything.

He said they check tranny and change gaskets and fluid and do band adjustment etc. And Install it.

I asked what towing would be he said 50   than later was quoated 45 from mark when he came to pick it up. Than later 40 at a later time.

Im only one block away. Well to sums things up after he had Truck for awhile i decided to call him and see about it. I asked him how things gone. His exact words were Pete I do not know of any garage that would of took on this job.

Well I assume he means his men do not have any experience with Jobs he quotes 500 on that later turn into close to 1300.00 just to install a used tranny.

I'm furious and seldom write reports on garages for shadey servive because I realize problems occur at times.

But nothing along the lines of this. When i went to pick up truck he would not let me take it yet because he said he did not test drive it yet.  And that he is swamped and would try to get back to me by end of the day.

So i walked home and as quick as i got in door he called said they drove it. So i payed him the remainder of the 400.00 i owed.

To my surprise I opened the door and the rug was pulled over gas pedal and pedal was off. I know this was never test driven because I had to put gas pedal on and pull carpet back.

This was only the beginning when i took one trip to casino and back i checked tranny fluid it was way overfull.

So i figured maybe it needed to heat up more to level off and waited for next day.

Than came the leaks I took down to MARK....Who is like talking to a parking meter. And let him know there are leaks. And i noticed all my vacume lines were on top of hot tranny and that they would burn there. He said there should not be a problem.

I said well what about leaks. He said keep a eye on them. Like i said like a meter stands there takes money with no returns.

So i was furious because I know taking truck back to him comes with no repeat billing since they do nothing without additional charges. Nothing is guaranteed!!!! You bring car there for one thing I GUARANTEE you will return within few days to a week for somthing new thats wrong.

I took truck home to check on it myself since there service is no better than looking up how to do's on internet and fixing them yourself.

I found that no bolts on pan or tranny or transfer case were even tight. Had leaks everywhere. Now this was a job where they had to replace all gaskets and tighten and install tranny.

I did ones i could get to and bought some Lucas tranny treatement which I initally told him to add since its required when changing fluid in older tranny. Of coarse he did not so i did and waited after a test drive.

Checked the next morning and the fluids were down a quart still even after adding the treatment which will stop small leaks. Keep in mind this tranny had no issues with my other truck and never had leaks.

If it did it should of been taken care of at garage like he said. This man has claimed to be in business for 40 years. I THINK ITS time for retirement.

I did not even mention all the parts and skid plates under car he left off. I had to do them myself too.

Im sure there is much more I could write. But I am one not to complain to these forms. But I could not stand to see this Complete lack of ethical practices in a business.

On my bill he charged me for fluid disosal removal and instalation Filter kit.

I removed fluids/ I removed Tranny/ And most of all i supplied him with fliter gasket was only thing missing.

So from what i can see he charged me for over 700 bucks for two translines which he claimed took days to make.

He did same thing to another car of my moms which is ready for junk yard since he had it and after he put State Inspection on it. Another report I may have to check into. For the obvious.

1300 dollars on a estimate of 500 you do the math.

Beware of this garage I will do my best to tell anyone I see to stay away from this Garage.

They have avoided all my calls. Mark the meter takes calls but tom the Man In Charge is never available for call and has not as much as returned my call.

Sorry it was long but you can get away with this for so long before people speak out.

Choose Garages Wisely people. Just avoid this one. Everyone knows of this garage that i spoke too already and stopped gone long ago. It always 500 to a 1000 bill for any job performed.

Please ask for a Written estimate when dealing with them. If he will give you one. Verbal means Nothing.