Complaint Review: AAMCO - Springfield Mass

My name is Alexander Gomez and I am from Massachusetts. I have had the worst and most inexcusable experience with AAMCO Transmissions. I am now starting to do everything I can to expose their tactics, their unfair, and injurious practices.

I am going to make sure that not another person go through what I have been through in the last 11 months. Before anyone thinks of AAMCO they should really read my story.

Early in November 2000 I began to feel some slipping

in the gears of my automatic 1995 VW Jetta. Since

AAMCO has for years used their size and funding power

to brainwash and hypnotize the public into believing

they are the best and most dependable transmission

specialists, I drove 25 miles to the nearest AAMCO to

get their opinion. They told me I had and internal

transmission problem and would need a rebuild.

They told me It would cost $1100 and at most another $300 or so for a torque converter, if need be. I really

didn't have a choice since I share the car with my

mother and we both need it for work and school. A few

days later I get a call from AAMCO and "John" tells

me that the transmission is going to need many "hard

parts", a "torque converter" and some other things

which will cost me in total $2,100(ouch). I really

wasn't in the financial stability to afford the extra

$1,000 so I said (which is true) " Im a struggling

student and I really cant afford $2,100, also I do

not have any way of getting the extra money" So he

tells me " Well that's unfortunate, because if you

want us to put back your transmission it is going to

cost you $600, so your going to have to either borrow

the money from some one or you're going to end up

paying $600 dollars for nothing". He also offered me a

payment plan, in which I could pick the car up after I

completed payment. Without a choice, I told him I

would see if I could borrow the money and would go see

them. I really had no other option, I wasn't going to

loose $600 dollars and my mother and I needed the car.

The next day I went to the shop to talk to them. They

pulled out their little pamphlet and gave me the song

and dance, told me how I didn't have to worry, they

had the best warranty, that even though its $2,100 I

am purchasing a 12 month warranty that will protect my

transmission, give me rental car and "trouble free

driving" more than anything "peace of mind". Well,

that is the last thing I got from those tricky

bastards.

To start, when I went to pick up my car, I tried to

pay with a Credit Card. They said they had problems

accepting my credit card and would only take cash.

They refused to help me resolve the credit card

"problems". For three hours I was in their shop

humiliated while they implied I had a fake or stolen

credit card. I guess they couldn't conceive a young

latino having a credit card that can sustain $2,100,

so they continued to ask that I pay in cash. I told

them NO, and to call the credit card place because I

knew everything was legit. They refused, so I had to

call Visa myself and get them on the Phone for AAMCO.

They still did not believe me and said "how do we

know that this is the Visa person on the other line"

Finally, I told them to hang up and I had them call

the Visa number, unbelievably enough they still

insisted a fax from the Visa person and Photo copied

my license.. Absolutely the most humiliating and

testing experience in my life, but I got over it once

it was resolved and I got my car.

Well, It must have been their Karma because within a

the month the car began to slip again exactly like

before. I brought the car to them again and they kept

it for a while gave it back and it never really

functioned correctly. This routine continued for

months, I even broke down several times and had to

have the car towed over to the shop. After one of the

times I picked up the car, they told me. This time we

finally solved your problem should be as good as new.

So, to be safe I decided to purchase on top of the 12

month warranty, I bought the Lifetime Warranty.

Supposedly, the sales man told me "for $500 dollars

you will get the best protection there is. You will

never have to worry about your transmission again".

In June my transmission went out again! In the middle

of Springfield city, at night 20 miles away from my

house. The next day they towed my car over to their

shop and for over three weeks I didn't hear from

them. I was patient, I just wanted them to fix it

right, instead of the mickey mouse bandages they had

been doing for the last 9 months. Everytime I had to

go to their shop It was a 25 mile ride going and 25

miles coming, many times getting a ride, and I was

sick of it. Well, believe it or not, they finally call

me in July and the guy tells me. " Listen, Im sorry

but we can't fix your transmission so we've decided

we're going to give back your money".

I couldn't believe it. After almost a year of stress, break downs, after they take my money for "WARRANTIES"

now they are tired of working and spending money on my car

so they want to just give me back my money and return

a car that's even more broken, worth nothing.? So, I

told him That I would go talk to them in person. The

next day I called AAMCOs head quarters and spoke to a

lady. She called the shop and spoke to the manager

"KEVIN" she then called me back. She said that Kevin

told her that they didn't have the equipment necessary

to fix my VW jetta and they were "WILLING" to give me

back my money. I told her NO! That's unfortunate, but

they should have known that 9 months ago. We have a

contract and its too late, They took the risk when

they decided to wing it and experiment on my car so

they could collect the $2,100. They were happy to sell

me the 12 month and a Life time warranty for even

more money.

The day that they took my money and I signed the

contract, that's it, the agreement was binding

and I was not going to break the contract. All

I wanted was my car fixed. It's like, somebody sells

you fire insurance, then your house burns down, and

they say they'll give you back the money for the

premium. Hell no! So she told me to call Kevin and

he would work something out with me.

(Little did I know he was just going to try and

intimidate me). I called him and told him I didn't

want my money that I wanted them to honor the warranty

and have the car fixed. Lucky I recorded the

conversation on the computer, because this is what

KEVIN the manager told me over the phone " We are

sorry but we cannot and are not going to fix your VW

jetta, so we are going to give you your money back".

Again,I refused and he said "What are you going to

do? You are going to take us to court, spend money on

lawyers, all the judge is going to do is make me give

you your money back. So you are better off taking the

money". Again I refused and hung up. I was furious. A

few days later I received the check over the mail for

$2,500 in the back they wrote "hereby releases AAMCO

of all liabilities. Not only a slap in the face, but

nothing for the rental cars(as per the warranty) which

I had given them receipts for, nothing for a year of

interest payments on the Visa used. After all the

times I brought the car there they kept it for a total

of over 3 months while I still paid full cover

insurance etc.

They figured that I , like many of the other poor

minorities they deal with, would get the check and

just take the money, move on and avoid problems. They

figured I wouldn't have anyone to turn to, and I like

many poor minorities I am afraid of the courts and

laws. This type of tactic must be STOPPED and I feel

it is my mission to expose them. They advertise these

WARRANTIES and force you to pay higher prices with

their empty promises then when it seems like its going

to be too expensive for them, they try and intimidate

you, entice you into breaking the contracts. How many

other people has this tactic worked on? How many other

minorities or poor people have taken the cash and just

moved on. These tactics are being used on people every

day and they target the poor and the uneducated.

I have made it my soul purpose to Expose AAMCO

transmissions for Advertising, Warranty fraud, illegal

tactics, I am in talks with the company right now to

resolve my issues, but this CANNOT happen again to

anyone! If I have to begin a class action law suit,

so be it. I am young, educated and have plenty of

time. They are taking advantage of the common working

people who are the ones that depend on their older

cars and are vulnerable to the malpractice of these

Auto Heart Surgeons. Who regularly take out your heart

and then they ask if you would like to live!

Watch out everyone this company is a true RIP-OFF!