Complaint Review: Alltech Transmissions Repairs & Services - Largo Florida

On Wednesday, 11/1/17, I asked my boss if I could leave work early to have my car diagnose, I informed him that I was going to leave work at 1:00pm. My guy friend tagged along with me. Around 2:30 pm, I took my car to Alltech Auto Service & Repair (Transmission) located at 2227 Seminole Blvd, Largo, FL 33778. Ph #: 727-559-9500. A woman named Molly greets my friend and me, she gave us a tour around the shop. Then she had us sit down in the office talking about nonsense.

Molly asked us if we were married or in a relationship. She asked me if I lived on my own or had roommates. I informed her that I just wanted a diagnostic test to be done to see what is wrong with my car. I filled out my basic information on the work order. She made me feel uncomfortable and awkward when she asked me very personal questions. Molly took down notes on the work order about my car having shifting problems, fly wheel, CV axle, etc. Then she said, well it is $895 to reserve your car in the bay because you don't want to leave it outside and it might get stolen.

The price also includes other diagnostic tests and the car rental. I told Molly that I have never heard of that before and I never had to leave my car overnight. She said well if we don't find anything wrong with your car, we would refund you the money. I handed my car key and two credit cards. She never once informed me that they are going to take my car apart. She was trying to get me to apply for a car credit loan, I said no thank you. She told me that someone would call to let me know what's wrong with the car.

She told me that the $895 does not include parts. I questioned her again, "So you do know already that I need a transmission?" She said, "No we won't know until the tests are done." I was NOT given the work order when I requested for one. We left Alltech around 3:45 pm. As I was heading home, something just didn't feel right. My anxiety was out of control so I decided to research more about Alltech. I found lots of complaints and their good reviews are falsified. Around 8:00 pm, I called Alltech and left a message.

The next day on 11/2/17, I called at 7:30 am and kept calling & leaving messages. I didn't reach someone until 8:30 am & I had to block my #, Brian, the mechanic, answers the phone. I introduced myself and my car. I told him that I do not want anyone to touch my car and I changed my mind. He said, "Well you paid $895 to let us take apart your car." I said, "No I didn't, I paid $895 to get a diagnostic test done and to reserve my car in the bay so it wouldn't get stolen outside which I think is ridiculously overpriced." Brian said, "I just got here and opened up at 8:00 am.

I come into work to work, not to pick up the phone, mam. I said, "Is that how Alltech does business by not answering the phone?" Brian said, "Call me back in 20 minutes." I said, "Why? I told you not to touch my car. I am picking it up today. Why would calling me back in 20 mins matter?" He said, "Probably nothing but I am getting an incoming phone call." He hangs up on me. I blocked my number and a woman picked up. I introduced myself & what kind of car I owned. She starts to yell and threatens me. She said, "If you come to my shop, I will call the cops on you.

If you call over and over again, I will file harassment and I will block your number. Catherine, you are ungrateful person, you need to learn to be nice so that nice people can do nice things for you. I don't care that you do not want to do business with us. You are the least important person in our place right now because there are way more important people who paid more to get their transmission done. If you don't learn to be nice, maybe the car will be ready today or tomorrow or next week or not at all. Maybe you won't get your car back."

She didn't let me get a word in, just screaming and threatening me. I was in tears. She assumed that I hung up so she said, "Oh, did you hang up on me? I have to go now because I am an accountant or I am seeing an accountant. I even gave you my rental and it is includes with the $895. You are so ungrateful. Our mechanic has been working on your car since 4:00 am." She kept on shouting repetitively, "When are you coming? Are you coming right now? Bye for now." I just told her, "I will be in today and if you hurt my car, you will see." Then I hung up. A few hours later, another friend of mine accompanied me, and I also called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.

Two sheriffs arrive at Alltech. I informed them of what was going on. I told them that I was too scared to go to Alltech by myself to retrieve my car because Molly or whatever name she goes by, had threatened me on the phone. Alltech took apart my car without my authorization. The $895 didn't include touching my car. I was informed by Nicole, Suzanne, or Molly Levine that the $895 only included my car rental (I had to rent & pay for the car), diagnostic test (never done because I cancelled on 11/1/17 around 8ish at night), and to keep my car overnight in the bay instead of outside their shop so that it wouldn't get stolen. I stayed outside while the sheriffs went in first.

The sheriffs went inside the shop and stayed there for at least 20 mins or more, they come outside and inform me that my car will not be ready until Friday, 11/3/17 at 5:00 pm. I was like really? They weren't supposed to touch my car at all. I didn't authorize that. I told the sheriffs what was included in the $895 (mentioned above). They were shocked. Deputy Doherty gave me the number to call and the case number and she advised me to call the sheriffs to accompany me to get my car. I told her, "Oh yes I will definitely call, Molly threatened me."

On Friday, 11/3/17, in the late morning, Alltech calls me and it is Marc (Molly's husband), he says, "Your car is ready now and all you have to do is pay the taxes of $895 and sign a release form otherwise you won't get your car back until you do." I questioned him, "The taxes of $895? So what is wrong with my car?" He says, "Oh, I don't know, you told us not to touch your car so we took it apart and then we just put it back together and now you are paying the $895 for that reason." I called my car insurance and requested a towing truck to meet at Alltech to get my car towed back home. Around 2:40 pm, I called Pinellas County Sheriff's Department to request sheriffs to keep the peace.

Shortly after, Deputy Robert Shaw and another sheriff deputy accompanied my friend and me to get my car. I informed them of the situation. The deputy informed me that lots of people complain about their car being held hostage and being overcharged. I looked over the fake work order with my pre-signed signature, everything else was false. Nicole Kastin Levine never gave me a copy of the work order form and forged the check-marks & other information on the work order form. I was forced to sign the fake release form also known as the work order form to get my car back otherwise All-Tech threatened me that I will never see my car again.

Marc drives my car away from his property. He wanted the sheriffs to leave his property quickly because it brings bad business. I was scammed $478.82 (2x) =$957.64+$62.65=$1020.29 charged onto Capital One. Capital One has an ongoing investigation because I filed 3 disputes against Alltech. This place is a rip-off. They not only overcharge but they scammed me. Molly (other alias names) & Marc Levine are very dishonest and violent people. I wish that I would have known to not trust this place. I demand a refund of $1020.29. The case #S017-355071.

The case was originally made by Deputy Doherty and her #: 727-582-6200. The case is within “Keep the Peace.” I also think that the public needs to know about this bad business and they shouldn’t continue business because we need honest and more reliable auto repair shops. Nicole aka Molly Levine has many assault records, screams and yells that she hates cops and wants them out of her shop, assaulted a customer who happened to be pregnant because she changed her mind, so Nicole becomes physically violent.

Nicole was verbally abusive on the phone with me threatening me if I didn’t pay and I wasn’t nice, I wouldn’t see my car ever again. I am not going to go somewhere alone when I was threatened, extremely anxious, and unsafe without law enforcement. Even the deputies have informed me that other customers will change their mind and not want service done by Alltech, Alltech would lock up their place and close early for the day, making the customer wait until the following day or purposely take apart your car & fix things & then tell the customer that they owe them money.

Molly aka Nicole lied that I was satisfied but I wasn’t, I wanted my car back because that’s my car and I changed my mind about not having a diagnostic test done on my car at all so taking apart my car wasn’t discussed to me and wasn’t authorized. Molly never explained her cancellation policy. Alltech had scammed me $1020.29 for doing nothing and they took my car apart without my authorization. The diagnostic test amount charged on the fake order form was never discussed to me.

Those checkmarks are not my handwriting and they weren’t explained to me either. They need to be shut down. I have filed complaints on BBB, Google and Yelp review. I also filed a complaint through Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and I have submitted my complaint & concerns to “8 on your side (local news in Tampa Bay area).” Lastly, I had submitted my complaint to the Attorney General, Pam Bondi.

My matters should be taken seriously and someone needs to do a thorough investigation. I wanted my car fixed but all I asked from Alltech was a diagnostic test not for my car to be taken apart. No one can diagnose a car from the outside and assume that the customer needs a transmission. From November 4–December 15th, 2017, I had only driven my Honda Civic 2003 LX once and it broke down on the Bayside Bridge (report provided upon request).

I don’t know what Alltech did to my car but what I do know is that my car broke down after I retrieved it. My old car’s fixing was too costly. Capital One had request two ways to get my money back: proof of return or second opinion from another auto repair shop. I called Capital One last night & was on the phone with Tiwana (Dispute Department) for almost 2.5 hrs. A second opinion on company letterhead from another merchant in the same field stating specifically what the original merchant did incorrectly, how the problem can be corrected, and what that will cost.

Having another merchant say that Alltech went against my authorization to take apart my car when I changed my mind & left a message on the same day when I had dropped off my car that I didn’t want my car touched at all (11/1/17 phone records will be available upon request), not even a diagnostic test. VISA is causing endangerment & making the situation unsafe for the other auto repair shop and me. Alltech has my personal information.

This letter will be sent back to Alltech. Alltech “could” go to the other auto repair shop or come after me. Maybe VISA doesn’t see it that way but Nicole Levine has arrest records & complaints of her physical violence. The problem would have been corrected when I told Alltech to not touch my car at all. There wasn’t any parts installed since I didn’t want my car touched at all. Alltech forged a checkmark on the fake work order form that I didn’t want a written estimate.

They are scammers. They aren’t going to admit that they scammed me or anyone else. I think showing that my car needs to be fixed is quite obvious since I had to purchase a new car and have it financed under Capital One Auto Finance. I had my civic towed to Engine & Transmission Center located on 49th St in Clearwater and another auto repair shop called Solo Repair located on 76th Ave in Pinellas Park. Todd from Engine & Transmission Center said that they need to disassemble my car because there is a problem internally with my transmission and he priced me at $295.00.

The roundtrip of his towing was $75.00 charged onto my Capital One card. Alvaro from Solo Repair said that I need a new transmission and didn’t recommend it because of the miles and etc. The roundtrip of his towing was $100.00. Both auto repair shops’ diagnostic tests were free. I told them both that I didn’t wish to get my car fixed because it is out of my budget. Both auto repair shows towed my car back to my apartment. Then I had to buy a new car. Please assist me with this matter or appoint me to the rightful person.