AAMCO of Seattle

Dear [redacted] ,On April first I took my car to my regular garage at [redacted] I brought my car in so we could figure out why it was clunking when shifting into first and second, grinding horribly in reverse and sometimes not engaging in reverseWe thought it to be either clutch or transmission related [redacted] could not replicate the problem, so we started with a transmission flushOn my way home from picking up the car I experienced the clunking while shifting into first and second and the grinding while in reverseI live in Aamco's neighborhood and decided a transmission specialist would be perfect for assessing my car's issueTook it to Aamco on August 3rdI explained what was going on and communicated that it just came from my regular garage and they could not replicate the problemI then agreed to an inspection and authorized hours of labor with Shannon J***(which seems excessive for an inspection)When I received a call back with Aamco's findings it was by a man Named Damien A [redacted] He told me the problem was with the clutch and the estimated repair would be around dollarsAt that point I mentioned that I wanted to call my garage to see if they would charge less and Damien told me that driving my car away with no repair would be dollarsI told him about only authorizing and he said there must have been a mis-communicationI'm poordollars is a big chunk of money to meI felt like there was no choice, but to do the repair with Aamco I could not be without my vehicle and needed the problem correctedWhen I picked up my vehicle the clunking and grinding was still thereI took it backWhen I picked up my vehicle the second time the clunking and grinding was still thereWhen I returned the third time while the car was grinding in reverse right in front of the entire staffDamien then said it was my brakesI had my roommate with me and he suggested I ask for my old clutch partsDamien then gave me the clutch without the flywheelWhen I asked for the flywheel from the technician that actually did the job he said they resurfaced the old flywheel and put it back in the carDamien then lied and said they threw the old flywheel awayI took my car to [redacted] while the car was grinding and they diagnosed an internal transmission failureI parked the car for four months and saved money for the transmission swapMy car is running perfectly nowNo grinding, no clunking and reverse engages every time [redacted] found a broken clutch adjustor, the old flywheel and that the rear seal had not been replacedThis is all very strange to me considering that I paid Aamco for an all points inspection, new clutch kit, new flywheel and rear seal replacementPlease do not let them do this to anyone elseThis experience has been so stressful and has taken a toll on meA transmission specialist should have been able to pinpoint a transmission problemThey're taking advantage of my lack of knowledge in mechanicsMy car was never fixed by AamcoThey committed fraudIn the attachments you will find invoices from the initial visit to [redacted] , Aamco and the most recent visit to [redacted] I have also included pictures of the rear seal and clutch adjustorThe fly wheel pics did not save properly, so for confirmation please contact [redacted] and ask for [redacted] or ***The machine shop that does the resurfacing can also confirm the flywheel being antiquated and resurfacedThank you for your timeIt is much appreciated.Sincerely, [redacted] ***SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REDACTED BY Revdex.com***

On April 3rd Ms [redacted] Volvo arrived at AAMCO of Seattle for a service inspectionThe description of the problem offered by the customer was that the vehicle was not engaging in reverse and that it was slipping in first and second gear Our records indicate that Ms [redacted] authorized AAMCO to perform a multipoint inspection to determine the cause of the issue noted aboveThe diagnosis was completed at no cost to the customerFollowing our inspection, our records indicate that we notified the customer that the vehicle required service to the clutch and flywheel and that the repair would be $1,(before tax) Our paperwork shows that we received authorization from the customer to proceed with the repair on April 8th at 11:33amWe completed the auto repair on April 14th The vehicle was road tested by our head tech and was approved for release to the customerAt that point everything had tested positively, first, second and reverse gears had been restored by the repair The customer returned to AAMCO the following morning stating that the vehicle was now binding when placed in reverseShe left the vehicle with us for further inspectionOur head tech could not consistently replicate the binding but discovered that one of the rear calipers was damaged and would intermittently cause the vehicle to bind and restrict the vehicle from moving into reverseThe customer was contacted about the issue and advised that the brakes should be serviced to correct the problemThe customer chose not to proceed with any further repair and retrieved her vehicle Within a few hours she returned to our parking lot and aggressively slammed her vehicle into reverse making the vehicle smoke while backing into a parking stallHer aggressive parking behavior suggested that she purposely wanted to make a loud entrance to draw attention to the fact that the vehicle was not operating smoothly in reverse The customer was extremely agitated and confrontational with the Service Manager and complained that the repair had been misdiagnosedThe Service Manager advised the customer that the vehicle had not been misdiagnosedThe second inspection indicated that the failed caliper was now causing the new problem but the repair would be at additional cost and was completely separate from the original service repair At this point, the conversation between the customer and the Service Manager had escalated to an unnecessary levelBoth parties were extremely rude and unprofessionalMs [redacted] then returned to her vehicle and left the premisesThe Service Manager was later terminated When we received the Revdex.com complaint, the new Service Manager called MS [redacted] We offered to complete an entire rear brake service free of charge as a goodwill gesture The customer refused to accept our offer stating that she had no intention of ever returning to our shop and would be taking it to another repair facilityThe value of the free rear brake service would have exceeded $involving parts and labor, and would have restored her vehicle to a reliable and safe condition at no charge Our new Service Manager reiterated that the free repair service stands available for the askingMs [redacted] was unwilling to accept our offer and insisted that the only acceptable settlement was a refund for the work completed on her vehicleI believe our offer to repair her entire rear brake system free of charge was more than generous and would have corrected the second problemThe offer of a free rear brake service remains open and available to Ms [redacted] should she choose to proceed

Dear Revdex.com Resolutions Consultant:I have several issues with Ms [redacted] lateststatement: She now claims to have paperwork from a repair facility thatexamined her vehicle prior to her visit to AAMCO, stating that “nothing waswrong with her clutch or transmission.” When she arrived at our facility shedescribed the problem, stating that “the vehicle was not engaging in reverseand that it slips in first and second gear.” We confirmed her description ofthe problems with our diagnosisClearly the vehicle needed repair.If the other repair facility diagnosis’s was accurate, why wouldshe authorize repair work that was completely contrary to that originaldiagnosis? Never once did she bring to our attention she had paperwork fromanother repair facility that completely contradicted our repairrecommendations, and why did she agree to move forward with our repair? If she had paperwork stating that the vehicle’s clutch andtransmission were good, why did she feel the need for a second opinion by bringingher vehicle to AAMCO? Her actions wouldsuggest that she wasn’t satisfied with the original repair recommendations.I also need to take issue with her statement that “she wasstrong armed into authorizing the repair work”She wasn’t physically presentwhen she provided authorization to proceed with the repairThe matter washandled entirely over the phoneClearly Ms [redacted] is a strong andcapable women and could have easily addressed how she felt when called toauthorize the repair.As a small business owner I work hard to satisfy all mycustomersOccasionally, I encounter a customer that simply cannot besatisfiedIt is clear that the only resolution she is prepared to accept is acomplete refund on a legitimate repair she now claims to be a completemisdiagnosisI am standing by myoriginal offer to provide her with a free rear brake service, which was neededat the time of her last visitI am not prepared to offer a refund on a legitimaterepair

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because:It is not accurateMy car was inspected by another garage prior to bringing it to aamcoI have paperwork stating that the clutch and transmission were inspected and NOTHING was wrong with either of themI appreciate aamco's offer to fix my brakes for free, but I don't have a brake problemWhat I do have a problem with is Shannon and Damien outright lying and strong arming me out of dollars for a repair my car didn't needAamco does not get to touch my carThey had plenty of time and opportunity to do the right thing and it didn't happenMy car is currently at *** *** where it is being repaired for a driveline/ u-joint issueThe issue that it has been having the entire time that aamco did not diagnose properlyA repair which will cost me under dollars including laborI am outraged at the deception and lack of professionalism this shop has shown meI want my money back immediately.Sincerely,*** ***

Dear [redacted],On April first I took my car to my regular garage at [redacted]. I brought my car in so we could figure out why it was clunking when shifting into first and second, grinding horribly in reverse and sometimes not engaging in reverse. We thought it to be either clutch or transmission related. [redacted] could not replicate the problem, so we started with a transmission flush. On my way home from picking up the car I experienced the clunking while shifting into first and second and the grinding while in reverse. I live in Aamco's neighborhood and decided a transmission specialist would be perfect for assessing my car's issue. Took it to Aamco on August 3rd. I explained what was going on and communicated that it just came from my regular garage and they could not replicate the problem. I then agreed to an inspection and authorized 5 hours of labor with Shannon J[redacted](which seems excessive for an inspection). When I received a call back with Aamco's findings it was by a man Named Damien A[redacted]. He told me the problem was with the clutch and the estimated repair would be around 1700 dollars. At that point I mentioned that I wanted to call my garage to see if they would charge less and Damien told me that driving my car away with no repair would be 900 dollars. I told him about only authorizing 500 and he said there must have been a mis-communication. I'm poor. 900 dollars is a big chunk of money to me. I felt like there was no choice, but to do the repair with Aamco.  I could not be without my vehicle and needed the problem corrected. When I picked up my vehicle the clunking and grinding was still there. I took it back. When I picked up my vehicle the second time the clunking and grinding was still there. When I returned the third time while the car was grinding in reverse right in front of the entire staff. Damien then said it was my brakes. I had my roommate with me and he suggested I ask for my old clutch parts. Damien then gave me the clutch without the flywheel. When I asked for the flywheel from the technician that actually did the job he said they resurfaced the old flywheel and put it back in the car. Damien then lied and said they threw the old flywheel away. I took my car to [redacted] while the car was grinding and they diagnosed an internal transmission failure. I parked the car for four months and saved money for the transmission swap. My car is running perfectly now. No grinding, no clunking and reverse engages every time. [redacted] found a broken clutch adjustor, the old flywheel and that the rear seal had not been replaced. This is all very strange to me considering that I paid Aamco for an all points inspection, new clutch kit, new flywheel and rear seal replacement. Please do not let them do this to anyone else. This experience has been so stressful and has taken a toll on me. A transmission specialist should have been able to pinpoint a transmission problem. They're taking advantage of my lack of knowledge in mechanics. My car was never fixed by Aamco. They committed fraud. In the attachments you will find invoices from the initial visit to [redacted], Aamco and the most recent visit to [redacted]. I have also included pictures of the rear seal and clutch adjustor. The fly wheel pics did not save properly, so for confirmation please contact [redacted] and ask for [redacted] or [redacted]. The machine shop that does the resurfacing can also confirm the flywheel being antiquated and resurfaced. Thank you for your time. It is much appreciated.Sincerely,[redacted]
 
[redacted]SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REDACTED BY Revdex.com[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com Resolutions Consultant:I have several issues with Ms. [redacted] lateststatement: She now claims to have paperwork from a repair facility thatexamined her vehicle prior to her visit to AAMCO, stating that “nothing waswrong with her clutch or transmission.” When she arrived at our facility shedescribed the problem, stating that “the vehicle was not engaging in reverseand that it slips in first and second gear.” We confirmed her description ofthe problems with our diagnosis. Clearly the vehicle needed repair.If the other repair facility diagnosis’s was accurate, why wouldshe authorize repair work that was completely contrary to that originaldiagnosis? Never once did she bring to our attention she had paperwork fromanother repair facility that completely contradicted our repairrecommendations, and why did she agree to move forward with our repair? If she had paperwork stating that the vehicle’s clutch andtransmission were good, why did she feel the need for a second opinion by bringingher vehicle to AAMCO?  Her actions wouldsuggest that she wasn’t satisfied with the original repair recommendations.I also need to take issue with her statement that “she wasstrong armed into authorizing the repair work”. She wasn’t physically presentwhen she provided authorization to proceed with the repair. The matter washandled entirely over the phone. Clearly Ms. [redacted] is a strong andcapable women and could have easily addressed how she felt when called toauthorize the repair.As a small business owner I work hard to satisfy all mycustomers. Occasionally, I encounter a customer that simply cannot besatisfied. It is clear that the only resolution she is prepared to accept is acomplete refund on a legitimate repair she now claims to be a completemisdiagnosis. I am standing by myoriginal offer to provide her with a free rear brake service, which was neededat the time of her last visit. I am not prepared to offer a refund on a legitimaterepair.

On April 3rd 2015 Ms. [redacted] 1986 Volvo 245 arrived at AAMCO of Seattle for a service inspection. The description of the problem offered by the customer was that the vehicle was not engaging in reverse and that it was slipping in first and second gear.
Our records indicate that Ms....

[redacted] authorized AAMCO to perform a multipoint inspection to determine the cause of the issue noted above. The diagnosis was completed at no cost to the customer. Following our inspection, our records indicate that we notified the customer that the vehicle required service to the clutch and flywheel and that the repair would be $1,554 (before tax).
Our paperwork shows that we received authorization from the customer to proceed with the repair on April 8th 2015 at 11:33am. We completed the auto repair on April 14th 2015. The vehicle was road tested by our head tech and was approved for release to the customer. At that point everything had tested positively, first, second and reverse gears had been restored by the repair.
The customer returned to AAMCO the following morning stating that the vehicle was now binding when placed in reverse. She left the vehicle with us for further inspection. Our head tech could not consistently replicate the binding but discovered that one of the rear calipers was damaged and would intermittently cause the vehicle to bind and restrict the vehicle from moving into reverse. The customer was contacted about the issue and advised that the brakes should be serviced to correct the problem. The customer chose not to proceed with any further repair and retrieved her vehicle.
Within a few hours she returned to our parking lot and aggressively slammed her vehicle into reverse making the vehicle smoke while backing into a parking stall. Her aggressive parking behavior suggested that she purposely wanted to make a loud entrance to draw attention to the fact that the vehicle was not operating smoothly in reverse.
The customer was extremely agitated and confrontational with the Service Manager and complained that the repair had been misdiagnosed. The Service Manager advised the customer that the vehicle had not been misdiagnosed. The second inspection indicated that the failed caliper was now causing the new problem but the repair would be at additional cost and was completely separate from the original service repair.
At this point, the conversation between the customer and the Service Manager had escalated to an unnecessary level. Both parties were extremely rude and unprofessional. Ms. [redacted] then returned to her vehicle and left the premises. The Service Manager was later terminated.
When we received the Revdex.com complaint, the new Service Manager called MS. [redacted]. We offered to complete an entire rear brake service free of charge as a goodwill gesture.  The customer refused to accept our offer stating that she had no intention of ever returning to our shop and would be taking it to another repair facility. The value of the free rear brake service would have exceeded $700.00 involving parts and labor, and would have restored her vehicle to a reliable and safe condition at no charge.
Our new Service Manager reiterated that the free repair service stands available for the asking. Ms. [redacted] was unwilling to accept our offer and insisted that the only acceptable settlement was a refund for the work completed on her vehicle. I believe our offer to repair her entire rear brake system free of charge was more than generous and would have corrected the second problem. The offer of a free rear brake service remains open and available to Ms. [redacted] should she choose to proceed.