I've NEVER been so disgusted with a company in my life! How this one is still in business with all the complaints I've been reading now is beyond me.
In Nov. after an extensive internet search for a 1991 mazda protage transmission, this company seemed to have the best deal. They had one for a reasonable price and only 53,000 miles on it. I was told repeatedly it had been tested.
I am no mechanic. What do I know about a transmission. But to me, tested means it is at least in working order when its shipped. I know this is an old car and an old part. It's my gamble that it will last a few years. Again, it should arrive in working order right?
I got it in under a week. Shipped it directly to my mechanic who put it in that day, and called me to tell me it was garbage. It would not shift into second, or overdrive. The hold light continued to flash on the dash. If he manually puts the car in low, instead of forcing it into second, it goes into neutral. He said its got to be internal sensors that are no good. Or possibly second and overdrive are simply shot.
I called right away. Got a flip answer that they would pick it up and send a replacement. Swell. What about the labor I just sunk in for this bad part? Too bad. Labor isnt covered. So I asked for the manager and was promptly put on hold for over a half hour!
I called back. This time asked for the name of the manager. Dina. No last name. I asked three times! Uh oh, Why would this be a secret? Finally the lady told me SHE was Dina and how could she help me.
OK, fine. I explained the problem. Got a LONG winded explanation on how all her employees try and sell an extended warranty which would cover labor and I turned that down. I was NEVER told this but cannot prove it. She also implied my mechanic might have somehow screwed this up on install. That she would need to see the part to determine that.
Willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I called a transmission specialist. Well there is more to transmissions than I knew. I went to my mechanic and asked him to humor me. Just call this trans shop and talk to the guy.
It is clear after listening to them that my mechanic knows his stuff. He did all the things this trans guy tried explaining to me. And the same result. Bad sensors. We called yet another shop and same thing.
I called Dina back. Told her what I learned. Got the same response. She needs the part back. I said ok, fine. Pick it up then.
Now the run around.
First I had to mail in more paperwork. I dont own a fax so had to do this via postal mail. A WEEK later, they say they never got the paperwork. (Again, to get the part, paperwork got there fast, part was shipped and installed in a week. Now suddenly they don't have it?)
Only then did I ask if I could e-mail a scan. Now that arrives in seconds. HOURS later, everyone is "out." Another day shot.
Days later, still no contact about getting this part. Every time I call, Im told its going to be picked up today, tomorrow etc. I finally called the shipping company who delivered it and they said they NEVER got a call, and also that they have had problems with ASAP motors in the past. (I did not ask what.)
Finally realizing I am being ripped off, I started communicating via e-mail only and keeping copies. Over and over they will pick up this part, today, tomorrow, etc. The last round, Elvin, their shipping guy, told me today or tomorrow the latest on a monday. WED I e-mailed Dina that I would sue! She insisted I call Elvin. AGAIN??? How many times do I have to call? This time Elvin told me the company we called never showed so we will call another one. I asked what company. Then I called that company myself.
They not only never got a call, but they dont even service Michigan! Elvin NEVER called anyone. And now I have proof he lied!
While I had Elvin on the phone I asked him to find out exactly how they test transmissions. Well, there is a vast difference between a test and an inspection. They dont test anything! And when I told my mechanic the first thing they do is pull the pan, he said right off, No one pulled this pan.
I also asked Elvin, IF they even had a replacement part, and if they did what milage it had.
Amazingly they happen to have another 1991 mazda transmission with the exact same low milage on it! What are the odds? Dozens of companies replied on line and NONE had anything much less than 100,000 miles on it.
Finally, on Dec 15th, this part was removed from my mechanics garage. It sat there for almost a MONTH! Besides the labor, fluid, seal I have to pay for, he now wants storage too! And I STILL dont even have a replacement, (which I now dont want from them) Or refund, or anything! Dina vanished for a week long vacation. Today, Dec 27th, I finally got an e-mail from her. Now she wants ME to call their accounting department.
NO MORE! I am done jumping through hoops. Some manager! Why tell the customer to call their accounting department, or shipping or anything. TAKE CARE OF IT!
I have mailed in paperwork to my credit card company and am sure they will reverse the charge for the part but it will take time. They probably will not the nearly hundred dollar shipping though. Nor my labor fees. I plan to file in small claims for out of pocket expense due to their shipping a bad part and making NO effort to remedy this situation until storage fees mounted and I threatened legal action.
I have the papers to file in small claims and learned I need the corporations agent to file. Not a problem. The TX sec of state supplies that to anyone. But to prove my case now, I started e-mailing Dina, and Elvin and asking both of them to tell me who the company owner is. No one seems to know? Today I informed Dina that I had the name. Ill paste her reply here! UNBELIEVABLE!
[ No one refuses to give you a name we do not have an owner for you to contact and no one is giving you the run around I do not know if your unit returned under warranty or not. When elvin returns from lunch I will get with him to find out the status on the return, but you will need to contact the accounting department toll free at 888-221-1440 and please do not curse any longer in emails or in person, it is completely uncalled for. As I stated we have an absentee owner so I don't have any information to give other than that. If you want to serve someone you serve the company not the stock holder. So all you really need is the company name and address and as I stated once again we do have an absentee owner he is never here and does not run the
day to day operations.
Dina]
By the way, she mentioned I cursed. This is exactly what I said.
[Now could you please give me the e-mail address of your accounting department? I want a written record of everything. Better yet d*n it, aren't YOU the "manager?" You can't forward all this to them and make sure this is handled? (And should have BEFORE you left me hanging for yet another week!)]
Again, I have the company agent name.
It's Brian Mc Cutcheon.
I also contacted the TX attorney generals office. Seems in the past 24 months, they have had FIFTY ONE complaints filed. I will make it FIFTY TWO!
Boy live and learn. CHECK out a company before you send money. I wish I would have looked at the better business bureaus site. (They have a long list of complaints too.) And this site I was posted on a legal advice forum. Its in my bookmarks for sure now.
People, RUN away from ASAP motors fast. Thieves, liars, scam artists all! They sell junk and tell you it's "tested."
I will enjoy taking them to court!
I read a post suggesting a class action suit! I'd be HAPPY to take part in that.
This must stop!
0 comments