I called for a free check of fluids and shifting due to I replaced a crankposition sensor on my wifes 95' Subaru Legacy AWD wagon. I had replaced the tranny filter and fluid as well and just need a safety check for my and my wifes piece of mind.
Showed up for the appointment on the 6th of July with all working but 4th gear, it would not shift into it. I had also told him I had a code P0740 for the torque converter circuit.
He got the only mechanic they had to do the check-up. He went out to my car and I informed him of all the info for the sensor and fluid change. He drove off with the car and I went in. Bill, the sales person, greeted me inside and he started some paperwork. I asked him jokingly "how much will this cost me?". He replied with $39.95. I told him I was in only for a check-up and thought my service was no charge. He then handed me a brochure with the free service and then the 39.95 service.
I felt obligated to pay him due to he had my car and I would not get it back if I didn't. He gives me the rundown of all the car did, and it was nothing different than I had already told him. We sat in his office for ten minutes as he tried to wear me down to pay him $2100 to have the tranny rebuilt. Keep in mind when I entered the building to have the car looked at, he, at no time, explained the service being performed till I asked him.
He offerd a $100 internet coupon discount and the $39.95 toward the repair and still insisted to let it there for repair. I said I would take it to another shop or two for estimate till I was satisfied i was getting the truth. He tried to talk me out of it of coarse. I requested a copy of my work order and i was told" company policy is customer does not receive this". I said"if I paid for it I want it!". The paper work only had on it what I had told him and already knew.
I found out a short time later the tech at Aamco overfilled my tranny for me. I did not tell them this. I had the ohter FREE estimates done to find it was a electrical connection in combination with a clogged from the new fluid causing my problem. A $300 problem, not a $2100 problem.
I got incontact with the PA attorney general and the y agreed they baited me with a free diagnostic only to charge me. I called Aamco to get a refund and was told I did ask for the service they performed and was mistaken. Bill told me several times he told me before on the phone and when the tech took the car.
I reiterated my stand on what happened and he only suceeded in making me angry at him. I had called asking for his boss, but he felt he could handle me. After arguing on the phone for ten minutes his boss listened in when Bill decided to accuse me of threating him. Frank told me he would not talk to me if I could not be civil and hung-up on me.
I called him right back and got Bill again. I asked for his boss again and this time he was calmer and actually nice. He pulled my work order and said "I will give you a refund for $39.95, no on the tax since it had already been paid"."you kind of people", Frank said "are not worth dealing with". I told him he has to refund the tax as well, it is the law when collecting sales tax (I had a small bussines, so I do know about this).
He started in about how long he had been in bussiness adn he knows what he is doing. It finally came down to me showing up at his shop in my Subaru SVX (I do all my own Subaru repairs if possible), singed a waiver and got my refund. I said a whole tem words to them as I pulled ot of their lot as fast as I could. Oh, I did get the sales tax.
The WORST customer service and so called professional knowledge ever experienced. NOT honest in the bit.
Edit: I just found a coupon for a free service on Their web site for the service they charged me.
Kris
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.
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