This relates to an unfortunate situation I had recently with Cottman Transmission of 1005 E. Santa Fe in Olathe, Kansas. My Grand Am was leaking transmission fluid, so I went to the Yellow Pages to find a transmission shop. I recognized the name Cottman, so I called and they said they could check out my car that afternoon.
I left the car with them shortly after noon and waited to hear from them. The young man at the desk, Cameron Chandler, told me they would check it out.
When I returned later (shortly before 5:00 P.M.), he told me they had found a leak and that the cost to repair it would be $200. I asked him what the actual problem was and he was vague. I'm not sure, was the response. At that point, I should have pressed for more precision on the nature of the problem, since I think I have never had a car repaired in my adult life without knowing what was going to be done. So I was stupid, but I figured the Cottman people were a nationwide professional organization and they would have to be competitive (Big Mistake!)
When I returned the following morning to get my car, there was an additional charge of $28.50 (Mr. Chandler called it a shop charge) added to the $199 for the repair. I complained that he had quoted me $200, so he dropped the charge. I paid by debit card and drove my car home.
Two days later, I noticed a drip on the garage floor beneath the same area where the transmission fluid had leaked before. I opened the hood to check it out and found the fluid dripping from where a short (about 10 inch) piece of rubber hose had been clamped to the output from the bottom part of the transaxle. The hose ran to the radiator. It was than that I realized the repair for which I had paid $200 (plus tax) consisted of the replacement of a hose and the addition of a quart and a half of transmission fluid. (I'm not sure they used new hose; I think they possibly cut the bad part out of the old hose and just reattached it). The clamps were not new.
Anyway, that's my story. I made a visit to the shop on the afternoon of August 5 and talked to Mr. Chandler. He could not explain why there was no detailed explanation of my repair. When I asked to talk to the mechanic who worked on my car, Mr. Chandler reported he had clocked-out at 4:00 (convenient).
Mr. Chandler could not give me a decent explanation about why I was charged $200 for such a minor repair. He only mumbled something like, I'm not a mechanic, and I don't set the prices. A subsequent phone call to the owner, was not answered.
Anyway, I am the fool on this one for not being more demanding in the first place, but it's clear Cottman ripped me off.
My advice to other consumers, Steer Clear of Cottman!
Mark
Olathe, Kansas
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