Engine Soltuions
Irving,#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, June 05, 2009
American Engine Installations (AEI) went out of business October 31, 2008 being unable to survive the economic downturn. AEI has always made its best efforts to provide quality products and services to its customers in a timely manner. Sometimes this was not possible due to supplier issues (AEI utilized over a dozen engine suppliers,) shipping issues, staffing problems, unpredictable workflow, parts availability, or unrealistic customer expectations. With all that said, AEI was not perfect and had its challenges. The engine replacement market is probably the most difficult to insure customer satisfaction within the automotive industry. With there being so many unknowns and variables most general repair shops avoid this line of work. Still, the vast majority of the company's clients were pleased and satisfied with the products and services provided by AEI. Ripoffreport.com reports as of May 12th, 2009, of nineteen complaints, 3 are duplicates; leaving 16 complaints over a 6-year period, five of those were filed after the company went out of business; or to put it another way, less than three complaints per year. In truth, there were many additional complaints filed with various city BBB's, and with various State Attorney General offices; although, many of these represent the same complaint filed with both agencies. In total, during the reporting period there may have been about 350 complaints of one kind or another. AEI operated about 45 shops, mostly franchises and about 15 owned by the company. It must also be remembered that not all customer complaints are reasonable, realistic or accurate and that it is not possible to satisfy every issue to everyone's liking. AEI sold or installed about 7,000 engines per year, and during the reporting period about 42,000 engines were sold or installed. Resulting in a complaint percentage of less than 1%; not an unreasonable percentage given the industry and scope of work. Reported complaints were addressed by the company, and a reasonable effort was made to resolve the issue at hand. Both the Colorado and Texas Attorney General's offices have taken action against AEI. Both cases have been settled; AEI was not convicted of anything and admitted to no wrongdoing. AEI had been a member of the BBB for about ten years, and had always been in good standing (to be so, a company must be reasonable in addressing customer complaints and/or issues.) AEI was dropped by the BBB pending the Attorney General's actions, which were not resolved, before AEI terminated operations. All AEI warranties have become void as a result of AEI's bankruptcy and closure. A proposal had been made to the Texas Attorney General for the continued support of AEI warranties for the balance of their outstanding terms. This proposal was denied by the Attorney General's office, leaving AEI customers with worthless warranty paperwork. As part of AEI's settlement with the Texas Attorney General, a penalty was paid to the state. These funds were to be made available to AEI customers presenting valid claims against the company. Should you have a claim, some restitution may be available to you through the Texas Attorney General's Dallas office.
Engine Soltuions
Irving,#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, June 05, 2009
American Engine Installations (AEI) went out of business October 31, 2008 being unable to survive the economic downturn. AEI has always made its best efforts to provide quality products and services to its customers in a timely manner. Sometimes this was not possible due to supplier issues (AEI utilized over a dozen engine suppliers,) shipping issues, staffing problems, unpredictable workflow, parts availability, or unrealistic customer expectations. With all that said, AEI was not perfect and had its challenges. The engine replacement market is probably the most difficult to insure customer satisfaction within the automotive industry. With there being so many unknowns and variables most general repair shops avoid this line of work. Still, the vast majority of the company's clients were pleased and satisfied with the products and services provided by AEI. Ripoffreport.com reports as of May 12th, 2009, of nineteen complaints, 3 are duplicates; leaving 16 complaints over a 6-year period, five of those were filed after the company went out of business; or to put it another way, less than three complaints per year. In truth, there were many additional complaints filed with various city BBB's, and with various State Attorney General offices; although, many of these represent the same complaint filed with both agencies. In total, during the reporting period there may have been about 350 complaints of one kind or another. AEI operated about 45 shops, mostly franchises and about 15 owned by the company. It must also be remembered that not all customer complaints are reasonable, realistic or accurate and that it is not possible to satisfy every issue to everyone's liking. AEI sold or installed about 7,000 engines per year, and during the reporting period about 42,000 engines were sold or installed. Resulting in a complaint percentage of less than 1%; not an unreasonable percentage given the industry and scope of work. Reported complaints were addressed by the company, and a reasonable effort was made to resolve the issue at hand. Both the Colorado and Texas Attorney General's offices have taken action against AEI. Both cases have been settled; AEI was not convicted of anything and admitted to no wrongdoing. AEI had been a member of the BBB for about ten years, and had always been in good standing (to be so, a company must be reasonable in addressing customer complaints and/or issues.) AEI was dropped by the BBB pending the Attorney General's actions, which were not resolved, before AEI terminated operations. All AEI warranties have become void as a result of AEI's bankruptcy and closure. A proposal had been made to the Texas Attorney General for the continued support of AEI warranties for the balance of their outstanding terms. This proposal was denied by the Attorney General's office, leaving AEI customers with worthless warranty paperwork. As part of AEI's settlement with the Texas Attorney General, a penalty was paid to the state. These funds were to be made available to AEI customers presenting valid claims against the company. Should you have a claim, some restitution may be available to you through the Texas Attorney General's Dallas office.
John
Wilkes Barre,#4Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 15, 2008
I read your sad story. AEI stole our motor home. The BBB and AEI are organized criminals. John Kenneth Hartnack is the Godfather of the Gemelli Gang in Colorado, as well as the nationwide chain and he and the Gemelli's need to be put behind bars, after they pay us, of course. The CO MVRA has criminal statutes attached to it. My entry is "RV'ERS Beware of AEI ,STAY AWAY" contact me through "rip off report"
Brandon
Colorado Springs,#5Consumer Comment
Thu, September 28, 2006
I have a few more things to add now. First my damages have now increased by another $1600.00 because I still can not get a attorney to help me. They all want huge amounts of cash for retainers and at least $200 per hour. Well I have no money for this so what do I do? Does anyone one have any suggestions on how to find an attorney that cares? I did have an attorney but she became ill and can no longer practice law. I need an attorney that will take my strong case on contingement. I have also found out that American Engine is really not ASE certified. The ASE website has no record of them in their database. AEI advertizes that they are indeed ASE certified but they are not. More lies. I have so much aginst them It's not funny. I can't see how they would possibly win this case. I don't think they have a leg to stand on. Is there an attorney out there that is interested in this case or others here on Rip-Off Report? I really need help here and I think everyone else here needs some justice. My damages are now over $20,000 and I might be forced into a bankrupicy. Because of American Engine. If I can't get an attorney I guess I will just have to sue them myself. I can't take them to small claims anymore because I have to much in damages. I need all that money back. It's not like I have just let my damages build up so I could then sue them, I have been trying to sue them the day I got my truck back more then half a year ago. But my other attorney craped out on me. And now I can't find another attorney. When I get this resolved I will update everyone here to let them know the outcome of this case. No one else has updated any us on the out come of their caeses so I will if I win or lose. The date is September 28th, 2006
Brandon
Colorado Springs,#6Author of original report
Thu, August 31, 2006
Article 9 Motor Vehicle Repair Act (www.ago.state.co.us) Consumer Protection [See Motor Vehicle Repair Act for cross reference] These are the laws that protect consumers form companies like this. The laws I mention here are related to this case. 42-9-105 (1) AEI failed to comply with this section of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. I was never asked for consent to be charged more for the Transmission. The estimate I was given was $800.00 for the Transmission. On the ?estimate? receipts in the ?Charge? section of the receipts it states $800.00 for the Transmission. Under that it says ?will call with accurate price? that was a nice thought but AEI never called me to ask for consent to charge me more. Being that AEI had my truck for 27 days (Feb 20th, 2006) I figured someone would have asked me by then and because AEI gave me an ?estimate? of $800.00 from day one I figured AEI could do it for $800.00. AEI also did not stay within the limits of 42-9-105 (1) because by law AEI can only charge me an extra ?10% OR $25.00 witch ever is less? and not be in conflict with this law. Since 10% in my case would have been $461.29 more AEI could only legally charge me $25.00 more. Not $159.84 more then I consented to. 42-9-105 (2) (a) This section states that AEI must inform the customer of changes in the completion date. I was told 8 to 10 business days from day 1. But the whole ordeal toke 47 days, I was only told once by the secretary about a part delay but was never once given a new completion date ever. I believe I asked this many times and was only told that ?they are working on it?. No new date of completion was ever given to me in any way. I even went there twice because AEI said my truck was done, but when I got there AEI turned around and said no it's not done, and then AEI would not give me a new completion date. 42-9-106 (1) This law protects me from being charged for something I did not consent to. Since I never waived my estimate right, AEI could still only charge me $25.00 more above the original estimate. This law also says that I will only have to pay the original estimate plus $25.00 and AEI will have to return the truck to me, and that AEI cannot put a lien on my truck in hopes to make me pay the new amount. I did tell Chuck that I was never contacted about the additional Transmission cost but Chuck didn't care he still charged me a $159.84 more. So I had to pay it or Chuck pretty much said I can't have my truck back. So I paid the extra, I knew AEI could not do this to me but I did not know the exact details of this law at the time. The next law also further protects me in this case. 42-9-106 (5) This law says that because I did pay the extra unauthorized amount that I did not waive my above rights nor shall any such payment be construed as consent to additional repairs or excess charges. Now if AEI did not charge me the extra and only $25.00 more then they would have been incompliance with this law. But AEI did charge me more and never asked if they could. It's AEI's way or the highway. AEI should have not factored in the Transmission cost from day one if they really weren't sure how much AEI could do it for. 42-9-111. Prohibited Acts. (a) Charge for repairs which have not been consented to by the customer or charge for repairs in excess of amounts allowed by this article. See above 42-9-105(1), 42-9-106(1) & 42-9-106(5). (b) Represent that repairs are necessary when such is not a fact. (c) Represent that repairs have been performed when such is not a fact. (f) Fail to issue an invoice as required by section 42-9-108. (g) Fail to give notice as required by section 42-9-105. See above 42-9-105, I have already explained this one. The above section (42-9-111) are all prohibited acts under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. 42-9-111(a) and 42-9-111(g) I already explained above that. 42-9-111(b) I feel that AEI violated this law as well, and here's why: When AEI claimed that I needed a new harmonic balancer. But when I finally got it back it did not appear to need replacing at all as they rarely ever do go bad. Then my carburetor, my carburetor was working just fine before I let AEI work on it as you can see from my smog report on May 9th, 2005. But AEI later claimed that I needed a new carburetor when I knew otherwise, unless AEI damaged it from their poor shop procedures. Witch is not my problem. 42-9-111(c) This is one AEI completely failed to comply with. When AEI gave me my truck back it should have been complete and work performed as stated per the estimate receipts. I paid AEI to install a remanufactured motor and transmission completely. No where did I sign any thing agreeing that it was ok to have the vacuum lines not installed right or not at all, have a deadly exhaust leak (witch I was never in formed of by AEI), have broken electrical connectors, an oil leaking motor, a broken hood latch, unconnected temp gage, etc, etc, etc. This I can prove because of what Toyota found and documented for me. I don't believe AEI should have deemed my truck as safe, because it's just not. 42-9-108 & 42-9-111(f) AEI never gave me anything that stated ?Invoice?. AEI only gave me receipts that showed amounts to be paid and paid, work to be done (not incorrectly done), with my personal information on it. The receipts I was given don't meet the Invoice criteria given in 42-9-108 of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. It's missing the following: the date the truck was received for repairs, a clear identification of which parts are factory OEM, non OEM, used, reconditioned, or rebuilt, full name or employee number of each mechanic or repairer who in whole or in part performed repairs, and the identification of the specific stage of repair for which each mechanic or repairer named was partially or wholly responsible. Because AEI's charges are not ?flat-rate prices? all of the above still applies. Compare the Toyota Invoice with the AEI receipt and notice the difference. Toyota follows this law and all the others. With all these things added together I believe that AEI should be fully investigated and shut down. I am by far not the only one having these problems with AEI. The BBB alone has a total of 19 unresolved complaints in just Colorado. Just think how many more are in the entire nation. There are 15 reports on Rip-Off Reports alone witch should wake someone up. AEI has the potential to do massive damage to people's lives because most people depend on their cars and trucks to make a living and survive. Everyone's needs are different but if AEI is going to take on the responsibility of ?fixing? people's cars and trucks then they need to be held responsible, period. This isn't a game here people, AEI can only play dumb for so long and try and hide behind their pathetic terms and conditions and worthless warranty. American Engine isn't ran by kids that need a time out or that just don't know any better, AEI is ran by adults that are plenty a where of what they are doing to people. Who ever wrote the AEI terms and conditions must have done so out of trail and error to try and get out of being responsible for their workmanship. Read the Terms and Conditions and warranty sheets and add them all together and you get garbage. AEI dose not follow the laws they are required to follow per the Motor Vehicle Repair Act of 1977 just read the other Rip-Off Reports and you'll see. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act can be found at www.ago.state.co.us.
Brandon
Colorado Springs,#7Author of original report
Thu, August 31, 2006
Article 9 Motor Vehicle Repair Act (www.ago.state.co.us) Consumer Protection [See Motor Vehicle Repair Act for cross reference] These are the laws that protect consumers form companies like this. The laws I mention here are related to this case. 42-9-105 (1) AEI failed to comply with this section of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. I was never asked for consent to be charged more for the Transmission. The estimate I was given was $800.00 for the Transmission. On the ?estimate? receipts in the ?Charge? section of the receipts it states $800.00 for the Transmission. Under that it says ?will call with accurate price? that was a nice thought but AEI never called me to ask for consent to charge me more. Being that AEI had my truck for 27 days (Feb 20th, 2006) I figured someone would have asked me by then and because AEI gave me an ?estimate? of $800.00 from day one I figured AEI could do it for $800.00. AEI also did not stay within the limits of 42-9-105 (1) because by law AEI can only charge me an extra ?10% OR $25.00 witch ever is less? and not be in conflict with this law. Since 10% in my case would have been $461.29 more AEI could only legally charge me $25.00 more. Not $159.84 more then I consented to. 42-9-105 (2) (a) This section states that AEI must inform the customer of changes in the completion date. I was told 8 to 10 business days from day 1. But the whole ordeal toke 47 days, I was only told once by the secretary about a part delay but was never once given a new completion date ever. I believe I asked this many times and was only told that ?they are working on it?. No new date of completion was ever given to me in any way. I even went there twice because AEI said my truck was done, but when I got there AEI turned around and said no it's not done, and then AEI would not give me a new completion date. 42-9-106 (1) This law protects me from being charged for something I did not consent to. Since I never waived my estimate right, AEI could still only charge me $25.00 more above the original estimate. This law also says that I will only have to pay the original estimate plus $25.00 and AEI will have to return the truck to me, and that AEI cannot put a lien on my truck in hopes to make me pay the new amount. I did tell Chuck that I was never contacted about the additional Transmission cost but Chuck didn't care he still charged me a $159.84 more. So I had to pay it or Chuck pretty much said I can't have my truck back. So I paid the extra, I knew AEI could not do this to me but I did not know the exact details of this law at the time. The next law also further protects me in this case. 42-9-106 (5) This law says that because I did pay the extra unauthorized amount that I did not waive my above rights nor shall any such payment be construed as consent to additional repairs or excess charges. Now if AEI did not charge me the extra and only $25.00 more then they would have been incompliance with this law. But AEI did charge me more and never asked if they could. It's AEI's way or the highway. AEI should have not factored in the Transmission cost from day one if they really weren't sure how much AEI could do it for. 42-9-111. Prohibited Acts. (a) Charge for repairs which have not been consented to by the customer or charge for repairs in excess of amounts allowed by this article. See above 42-9-105(1), 42-9-106(1) & 42-9-106(5). (b) Represent that repairs are necessary when such is not a fact. (c) Represent that repairs have been performed when such is not a fact. (f) Fail to issue an invoice as required by section 42-9-108. (g) Fail to give notice as required by section 42-9-105. See above 42-9-105, I have already explained this one. The above section (42-9-111) are all prohibited acts under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. 42-9-111(a) and 42-9-111(g) I already explained above that. 42-9-111(b) I feel that AEI violated this law as well, and here's why: When AEI claimed that I needed a new harmonic balancer. But when I finally got it back it did not appear to need replacing at all as they rarely ever do go bad. Then my carburetor, my carburetor was working just fine before I let AEI work on it as you can see from my smog report on May 9th, 2005. But AEI later claimed that I needed a new carburetor when I knew otherwise, unless AEI damaged it from their poor shop procedures. Witch is not my problem. 42-9-111(c) This is one AEI completely failed to comply with. When AEI gave me my truck back it should have been complete and work performed as stated per the estimate receipts. I paid AEI to install a remanufactured motor and transmission completely. No where did I sign any thing agreeing that it was ok to have the vacuum lines not installed right or not at all, have a deadly exhaust leak (witch I was never in formed of by AEI), have broken electrical connectors, an oil leaking motor, a broken hood latch, unconnected temp gage, etc, etc, etc. This I can prove because of what Toyota found and documented for me. I don't believe AEI should have deemed my truck as safe, because it's just not. 42-9-108 & 42-9-111(f) AEI never gave me anything that stated ?Invoice?. AEI only gave me receipts that showed amounts to be paid and paid, work to be done (not incorrectly done), with my personal information on it. The receipts I was given don't meet the Invoice criteria given in 42-9-108 of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. It's missing the following: the date the truck was received for repairs, a clear identification of which parts are factory OEM, non OEM, used, reconditioned, or rebuilt, full name or employee number of each mechanic or repairer who in whole or in part performed repairs, and the identification of the specific stage of repair for which each mechanic or repairer named was partially or wholly responsible. Because AEI's charges are not ?flat-rate prices? all of the above still applies. Compare the Toyota Invoice with the AEI receipt and notice the difference. Toyota follows this law and all the others. With all these things added together I believe that AEI should be fully investigated and shut down. I am by far not the only one having these problems with AEI. The BBB alone has a total of 19 unresolved complaints in just Colorado. Just think how many more are in the entire nation. There are 15 reports on Rip-Off Reports alone witch should wake someone up. AEI has the potential to do massive damage to people's lives because most people depend on their cars and trucks to make a living and survive. Everyone's needs are different but if AEI is going to take on the responsibility of ?fixing? people's cars and trucks then they need to be held responsible, period. This isn't a game here people, AEI can only play dumb for so long and try and hide behind their pathetic terms and conditions and worthless warranty. American Engine isn't ran by kids that need a time out or that just don't know any better, AEI is ran by adults that are plenty a where of what they are doing to people. Who ever wrote the AEI terms and conditions must have done so out of trail and error to try and get out of being responsible for their workmanship. Read the Terms and Conditions and warranty sheets and add them all together and you get garbage. AEI dose not follow the laws they are required to follow per the Motor Vehicle Repair Act of 1977 just read the other Rip-Off Reports and you'll see. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act can be found at www.ago.state.co.us.
Brandon
Colorado Springs,#8Author of original report
Thu, August 31, 2006
Article 9 Motor Vehicle Repair Act (www.ago.state.co.us) Consumer Protection [See Motor Vehicle Repair Act for cross reference] These are the laws that protect consumers form companies like this. The laws I mention here are related to this case. 42-9-105 (1) AEI failed to comply with this section of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. I was never asked for consent to be charged more for the Transmission. The estimate I was given was $800.00 for the Transmission. On the ?estimate? receipts in the ?Charge? section of the receipts it states $800.00 for the Transmission. Under that it says ?will call with accurate price? that was a nice thought but AEI never called me to ask for consent to charge me more. Being that AEI had my truck for 27 days (Feb 20th, 2006) I figured someone would have asked me by then and because AEI gave me an ?estimate? of $800.00 from day one I figured AEI could do it for $800.00. AEI also did not stay within the limits of 42-9-105 (1) because by law AEI can only charge me an extra ?10% OR $25.00 witch ever is less? and not be in conflict with this law. Since 10% in my case would have been $461.29 more AEI could only legally charge me $25.00 more. Not $159.84 more then I consented to. 42-9-105 (2) (a) This section states that AEI must inform the customer of changes in the completion date. I was told 8 to 10 business days from day 1. But the whole ordeal toke 47 days, I was only told once by the secretary about a part delay but was never once given a new completion date ever. I believe I asked this many times and was only told that ?they are working on it?. No new date of completion was ever given to me in any way. I even went there twice because AEI said my truck was done, but when I got there AEI turned around and said no it's not done, and then AEI would not give me a new completion date. 42-9-106 (1) This law protects me from being charged for something I did not consent to. Since I never waived my estimate right, AEI could still only charge me $25.00 more above the original estimate. This law also says that I will only have to pay the original estimate plus $25.00 and AEI will have to return the truck to me, and that AEI cannot put a lien on my truck in hopes to make me pay the new amount. I did tell Chuck that I was never contacted about the additional Transmission cost but Chuck didn't care he still charged me a $159.84 more. So I had to pay it or Chuck pretty much said I can't have my truck back. So I paid the extra, I knew AEI could not do this to me but I did not know the exact details of this law at the time. The next law also further protects me in this case. 42-9-106 (5) This law says that because I did pay the extra unauthorized amount that I did not waive my above rights nor shall any such payment be construed as consent to additional repairs or excess charges. Now if AEI did not charge me the extra and only $25.00 more then they would have been incompliance with this law. But AEI did charge me more and never asked if they could. It's AEI's way or the highway. AEI should have not factored in the Transmission cost from day one if they really weren't sure how much AEI could do it for. 42-9-111. Prohibited Acts. (a) Charge for repairs which have not been consented to by the customer or charge for repairs in excess of amounts allowed by this article. See above 42-9-105(1), 42-9-106(1) & 42-9-106(5). (b) Represent that repairs are necessary when such is not a fact. (c) Represent that repairs have been performed when such is not a fact. (f) Fail to issue an invoice as required by section 42-9-108. (g) Fail to give notice as required by section 42-9-105. See above 42-9-105, I have already explained this one. The above section (42-9-111) are all prohibited acts under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. 42-9-111(a) and 42-9-111(g) I already explained above that. 42-9-111(b) I feel that AEI violated this law as well, and here's why: When AEI claimed that I needed a new harmonic balancer. But when I finally got it back it did not appear to need replacing at all as they rarely ever do go bad. Then my carburetor, my carburetor was working just fine before I let AEI work on it as you can see from my smog report on May 9th, 2005. But AEI later claimed that I needed a new carburetor when I knew otherwise, unless AEI damaged it from their poor shop procedures. Witch is not my problem. 42-9-111(c) This is one AEI completely failed to comply with. When AEI gave me my truck back it should have been complete and work performed as stated per the estimate receipts. I paid AEI to install a remanufactured motor and transmission completely. No where did I sign any thing agreeing that it was ok to have the vacuum lines not installed right or not at all, have a deadly exhaust leak (witch I was never in formed of by AEI), have broken electrical connectors, an oil leaking motor, a broken hood latch, unconnected temp gage, etc, etc, etc. This I can prove because of what Toyota found and documented for me. I don't believe AEI should have deemed my truck as safe, because it's just not. 42-9-108 & 42-9-111(f) AEI never gave me anything that stated ?Invoice?. AEI only gave me receipts that showed amounts to be paid and paid, work to be done (not incorrectly done), with my personal information on it. The receipts I was given don't meet the Invoice criteria given in 42-9-108 of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. It's missing the following: the date the truck was received for repairs, a clear identification of which parts are factory OEM, non OEM, used, reconditioned, or rebuilt, full name or employee number of each mechanic or repairer who in whole or in part performed repairs, and the identification of the specific stage of repair for which each mechanic or repairer named was partially or wholly responsible. Because AEI's charges are not ?flat-rate prices? all of the above still applies. Compare the Toyota Invoice with the AEI receipt and notice the difference. Toyota follows this law and all the others. With all these things added together I believe that AEI should be fully investigated and shut down. I am by far not the only one having these problems with AEI. The BBB alone has a total of 19 unresolved complaints in just Colorado. Just think how many more are in the entire nation. There are 15 reports on Rip-Off Reports alone witch should wake someone up. AEI has the potential to do massive damage to people's lives because most people depend on their cars and trucks to make a living and survive. Everyone's needs are different but if AEI is going to take on the responsibility of ?fixing? people's cars and trucks then they need to be held responsible, period. This isn't a game here people, AEI can only play dumb for so long and try and hide behind their pathetic terms and conditions and worthless warranty. American Engine isn't ran by kids that need a time out or that just don't know any better, AEI is ran by adults that are plenty a where of what they are doing to people. Who ever wrote the AEI terms and conditions must have done so out of trail and error to try and get out of being responsible for their workmanship. Read the Terms and Conditions and warranty sheets and add them all together and you get garbage. AEI dose not follow the laws they are required to follow per the Motor Vehicle Repair Act of 1977 just read the other Rip-Off Reports and you'll see. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act can be found at www.ago.state.co.us.
Brandon
Colorado Springs,#9Author of original report
Thu, August 31, 2006
Article 9 Motor Vehicle Repair Act (www.ago.state.co.us) Consumer Protection [See Motor Vehicle Repair Act for cross reference] These are the laws that protect consumers form companies like this. The laws I mention here are related to this case. 42-9-105 (1) AEI failed to comply with this section of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. I was never asked for consent to be charged more for the Transmission. The estimate I was given was $800.00 for the Transmission. On the ?estimate? receipts in the ?Charge? section of the receipts it states $800.00 for the Transmission. Under that it says ?will call with accurate price? that was a nice thought but AEI never called me to ask for consent to charge me more. Being that AEI had my truck for 27 days (Feb 20th, 2006) I figured someone would have asked me by then and because AEI gave me an ?estimate? of $800.00 from day one I figured AEI could do it for $800.00. AEI also did not stay within the limits of 42-9-105 (1) because by law AEI can only charge me an extra ?10% OR $25.00 witch ever is less? and not be in conflict with this law. Since 10% in my case would have been $461.29 more AEI could only legally charge me $25.00 more. Not $159.84 more then I consented to. 42-9-105 (2) (a) This section states that AEI must inform the customer of changes in the completion date. I was told 8 to 10 business days from day 1. But the whole ordeal toke 47 days, I was only told once by the secretary about a part delay but was never once given a new completion date ever. I believe I asked this many times and was only told that ?they are working on it?. No new date of completion was ever given to me in any way. I even went there twice because AEI said my truck was done, but when I got there AEI turned around and said no it's not done, and then AEI would not give me a new completion date. 42-9-106 (1) This law protects me from being charged for something I did not consent to. Since I never waived my estimate right, AEI could still only charge me $25.00 more above the original estimate. This law also says that I will only have to pay the original estimate plus $25.00 and AEI will have to return the truck to me, and that AEI cannot put a lien on my truck in hopes to make me pay the new amount. I did tell Chuck that I was never contacted about the additional Transmission cost but Chuck didn't care he still charged me a $159.84 more. So I had to pay it or Chuck pretty much said I can't have my truck back. So I paid the extra, I knew AEI could not do this to me but I did not know the exact details of this law at the time. The next law also further protects me in this case. 42-9-106 (5) This law says that because I did pay the extra unauthorized amount that I did not waive my above rights nor shall any such payment be construed as consent to additional repairs or excess charges. Now if AEI did not charge me the extra and only $25.00 more then they would have been incompliance with this law. But AEI did charge me more and never asked if they could. It's AEI's way or the highway. AEI should have not factored in the Transmission cost from day one if they really weren't sure how much AEI could do it for. 42-9-111. Prohibited Acts. (a) Charge for repairs which have not been consented to by the customer or charge for repairs in excess of amounts allowed by this article. See above 42-9-105(1), 42-9-106(1) & 42-9-106(5). (b) Represent that repairs are necessary when such is not a fact. (c) Represent that repairs have been performed when such is not a fact. (f) Fail to issue an invoice as required by section 42-9-108. (g) Fail to give notice as required by section 42-9-105. See above 42-9-105, I have already explained this one. The above section (42-9-111) are all prohibited acts under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. 42-9-111(a) and 42-9-111(g) I already explained above that. 42-9-111(b) I feel that AEI violated this law as well, and here's why: When AEI claimed that I needed a new harmonic balancer. But when I finally got it back it did not appear to need replacing at all as they rarely ever do go bad. Then my carburetor, my carburetor was working just fine before I let AEI work on it as you can see from my smog report on May 9th, 2005. But AEI later claimed that I needed a new carburetor when I knew otherwise, unless AEI damaged it from their poor shop procedures. Witch is not my problem. 42-9-111(c) This is one AEI completely failed to comply with. When AEI gave me my truck back it should have been complete and work performed as stated per the estimate receipts. I paid AEI to install a remanufactured motor and transmission completely. No where did I sign any thing agreeing that it was ok to have the vacuum lines not installed right or not at all, have a deadly exhaust leak (witch I was never in formed of by AEI), have broken electrical connectors, an oil leaking motor, a broken hood latch, unconnected temp gage, etc, etc, etc. This I can prove because of what Toyota found and documented for me. I don't believe AEI should have deemed my truck as safe, because it's just not. 42-9-108 & 42-9-111(f) AEI never gave me anything that stated ?Invoice?. AEI only gave me receipts that showed amounts to be paid and paid, work to be done (not incorrectly done), with my personal information on it. The receipts I was given don't meet the Invoice criteria given in 42-9-108 of the Motor Vehicle Repair Act. It's missing the following: the date the truck was received for repairs, a clear identification of which parts are factory OEM, non OEM, used, reconditioned, or rebuilt, full name or employee number of each mechanic or repairer who in whole or in part performed repairs, and the identification of the specific stage of repair for which each mechanic or repairer named was partially or wholly responsible. Because AEI's charges are not ?flat-rate prices? all of the above still applies. Compare the Toyota Invoice with the AEI receipt and notice the difference. Toyota follows this law and all the others. With all these things added together I believe that AEI should be fully investigated and shut down. I am by far not the only one having these problems with AEI. The BBB alone has a total of 19 unresolved complaints in just Colorado. Just think how many more are in the entire nation. There are 15 reports on Rip-Off Reports alone witch should wake someone up. AEI has the potential to do massive damage to people's lives because most people depend on their cars and trucks to make a living and survive. Everyone's needs are different but if AEI is going to take on the responsibility of ?fixing? people's cars and trucks then they need to be held responsible, period. This isn't a game here people, AEI can only play dumb for so long and try and hide behind their pathetic terms and conditions and worthless warranty. American Engine isn't ran by kids that need a time out or that just don't know any better, AEI is ran by adults that are plenty a where of what they are doing to people. Who ever wrote the AEI terms and conditions must have done so out of trail and error to try and get out of being responsible for their workmanship. Read the Terms and Conditions and warranty sheets and add them all together and you get garbage. AEI dose not follow the laws they are required to follow per the Motor Vehicle Repair Act of 1977 just read the other Rip-Off Reports and you'll see. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act can be found at www.ago.state.co.us.