Complaint Review: AA Economy Transmissions & Auto Clinic - West Palm Beach Florida

Wow, where to begin.  I have cracked heads on my car and took it to AA Economy for free diagnostics.  Andrea, the Operational Manager, said they were going to look at my car and give me a quote for labor and parts.  She said labor would be $700 to remove the engine and they do not make money off the parts so they would be at cost.  i told her I just got married and do not have a lot of money so I need a quote for labor and parts so I can consider my options.  She said I would have to leave my car there so they could diagnose farther to give me a complete price and she would arrannge for a ride home for me.  I said ok and accepted the ride, but not before stating 2 different times for clarification I will not be charged a penny and no work will be done to my car before I get a complete price.  

When I got home I started to google reviews on the company as well as their riproff report and Better Business Bureau profiles.  I saw many complaints of people dropping their car off for "diagnostics" only to be called saying they owe a lot of money.  I called the shop as soon as I saw that and said again, I want to make sure I am not being charged a penny before I get a complete quote.  The secretary said Andrea was on the other line and would call me back.  I got an uneasy feeling and had my dad drive me back to the shop.  I get there and they are pulling my engine out of my car? Are you kidding me?  Andrea is no where to be found at the shop and never called me back.  I told the mechanic I did not authorize this and to stop working!  When she returned she said I owed her $700 for pulling my engine!  I never gave permission to pull my engine and proceeded to argue with her for 3 hours.  Well, lucky for me I recorded every conversation with Andrea in which she is caught blatently lying 3 different times about when I called the office.  At first she said she was not in the office, and then she said she must have slipped out the back door and the secretary did not know. Another time she said she left her cell phone in the office and there is no way the secretary could have gotten a hold of her anyways.  Side note 1-when I showed up to the office and was waiting on Andrea she called the office from her cell phone so that is a blatent lie.  When I called the office the secretary said she was there and on the other line.  

That night she left me standing in the parking lot with no ride home.  I had to bum a ride from one of the shop mechanics.  I finally got the General Manager involoved and e-mailed him the recordings.  Low and behold he says my car will be ready for pick up and my engine back in and I do not owe the $700!  Thank God for technology!  When I went to pick my car up the battery was dead, the keys were stuck in the ignition, and no oil or coolant was in my car.  There was also oil in my seat and a rag on my engine (pretty dangerous).  They were closing when I picked my car up and I told the mechanic the battery was dead and needed a jump.  He acted like he was getting some out of his car or at least my friend and I thought he was and he just left.  He told me the shop doens't have jumper cables (really, what kind of transmission shop does not have cables) and mine were locked in my trunk because my battery was dead.  Andrea came out of the shop got in her car and left out of the other side of the parking lot to avoid driving by me.  I had to call the General Manager again and he called them back to tell Andrea to have my car in the condition I drove it in.  Finally, the next day I was able to pick up my car.  

Also, when I came in the shop and told the mechanic to stop working they just kept working against my wishes.  He said it was $700 to pull the engine and it was probaby going to be a $2,200 job.  I said to Andrea I do not have that kind of money and did not authorize my engine pulled.  She said that mechanic isnt even working on my car and he is crazy it is not going to be anywhere $2,200.  When the GM originally called me to finally give me a quote it was $2,500..go figure Andrea lied again!  Since that, I took it to 2 different mechanics with A+ ratings on the BBB and they gave me quotes of $1,100 and $1,200 with all labor and parts and a 1 and a half year warranty.  They also said why would AA pull my engine for cracked heads as you do not even need to do that.  Bottom line is I would not send my worst enemy there unless Andrea wants to work on her own car.  Please steer clear of this business!!!.