I took my 1998 Expedition to AAMCO to have the tranny checked out because it was "bucking" between 3rd and 4th gear with no CEL coming on. I had a coupon for a free check so I took it in. They told me that the "bucking was internal transmission related and that it would cost $2300.00 to repair.
$500 transmission removal/replacement
$1397 transmission rebuild
$397 torque converter

My gut reply was WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must be kidding me!!!!!! You can tell all that and the repair cost from a 5min ride-along? The "Service Manager" AKA Used Pinto Salesman gave me a spill about highly qualified techs and their combined 20yrs experience. I told him that the price was ridiculously high and that I wanted to take it elsewhere for a 2nd opinion. He then went in to a sales pitch where he insulted all other shops and stated that AAMCO gets a rebuild kit that is better than any other shop's and only available at AAMCO due to their incredible buying power. He also said that other shops in the area are notorious liars and that they have no warranty.

After pelling myself out of the greasy salesman's office, I went to a local shop instead. This guy builds racing transmissions and his garage looks like a garage I would want to have. The guy took my truck for a drive and told me that I had an ignition problem and not a transmission issue> He said, I'd like to put a new transmission in your truck but you don't need one. Your's is 100% fine.

Anyway, I checked the board last night and found an old post about the same problem that I had overlooked before. I changed my coil packs for $85.00 total and the truck is running perfectly.

Just wanted share in case anyone else has a similar problem. And I will never visit that shop again.

By the way, the local shop was Mcdonough Transmission and Rusty hooked me up, I took a case of Bud Light over there this afternoon since he saved me $2200.00!

 

WOW.... Now just imagine if that was your mother,sister,little brother, ETC.

I am ticked off and I wasnt there.

You should report them to the local Better Business Bureau.

Just my .02

 

I trust you'll let us know what AAMCO guy says when you tell him what the _real_ problem was...

 

Report the SOB to Amco Corporate offices and the Attorney General or Consumer Afairs office in you state.

 

I think I will definately call the Aamco corporate offices and let them know what happened. I just don't understand how people can be so slimy. The money gained from screwing me over is far less than what they could have gained had they done me right. I would have told the world about their excellent service had they told me that my tranny was ok.

For the record, I am sure that this one franchise does not represent Aamco as a whole.

 

Here in Northern California there have been manny problems with AMCO same with Midas they can find things wrong with the perfect car and have been caught many time by our Dept of Auto Repair. I would rather take it to Ford or an independent garage than a franchise outfit.


Tom

 

I also had a bad experience with AAMCO many years ago. While calling "corporate" MIGHT give you some perceived comfort, I'd bet that "corporate" is the root of the problem.

 

Luckily for me I didn't get a guy like that. I had a problem with my old 2000 Expy in which I thought was a tranny problem, same kind of symptoms. The tech test drove and ran diags. Said no visible problem, turned out a to be a bad coil and plug when the CEL finally came on one day and a Ford dealer diaged it.

 

I know there are some good AMCO franchises but they have gaind a bad because of the guy in the original post. These franchises are under pressure to meet corporate goals and will do any thing to meet them


Tom

 

My neighbor took his Ranger extended cab to AAMCO because he could hear a noise underneath. They looked it all over and told him the bearings in his 5-speed were going out and it could cost him well over $1500 to fix it.

I took a ride with him after he got home. The sound wasn't from the tranny.

One look under the truck and I could SEE that the carrier bearing on the driveshaft was bad. It had pieces hanging out of it!

Now why wouldn't they see that and try to do the right thing and tell him what the REAL problem was???

That is just another reason I will never go to AAMCO!

 

I would definitely call them up and give the manager an ear full of heat. I dont think it will change thier ways too much though. Ive seen complaints about them for over 30 years.

 

OMG!!!!!!!!!
I just called AAMCO corporate customer service. I told the guy my story and he said "We don't have a Mcdonough location sir, you must have taken it someplace else." I told him that they did because I went there and its on their website. I asked him how he spelled Mcdonough to which he replied "I KNOW HOW TO SPELL, SIR!". I had to tell the customer service person the address of their own freaking store! he replied " "ok, I'll look into it". I got so ****ed that I just hung up. Where do they grow these people? Is there a moron test that they have to pass to get their job?

I felt like saying "Your village called, they're missing their idiot".

Ok, I feel better now. I will never step foot in another Aamco again and will tell all of my friends and co-workers the same thing.

 

May be his reality check bounced and he is confused

 

That's just their standard fluff-off answer #1. SOP at such major chains: First, deny and stonewall. Then attempt to confuse. Then promise to look into it. With the way they treat employees and reps (not uncommon among large, mindless corporate structures, who lack ethics as a matter of principle...it doesn't roll down to the customer end first by any means), no qualified person with any self-respect would work there long, and this is what you get. The higher-ups just do not give a rat's @$$, because they are quite comfortable with the idea of raping people, which is how they succeed. Any questions about how the "free-enterprise" model works with human nature thrown into the picture? Didn't think so. You think auto service chains are bad...you oughtta try dealing with the medical and insurance industry. Their approach is considerably more refined, but in the end, "AND WHO GETS ***KED? LLLEO GETS ***KED! THAT'S WHO GETS ***CKED!" (Joe Pesci).

Ahh, the pitfalls of Corporate America...caveat emptor...

 

Feel better now 50_Buck_Work_Truck?


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