The transmission in my car started slipping so I called this shop to see what their policy was on quotes. The owner, Tommy Kampe, told me that quotes AND towing were FREE with service BUT... If I disagreed with the quote all I would need to pay was $55 for the towing. I arranged for him to pick my car up. This was on a Saturday.
Monday he calls me and tells me he needs my SS# to "get started on the quote". Reluctantly, I gave it to him. At this time, he told me "it looked to be about $800 to fix, but he needed to look futher to make sure".
He called me later and told me that my car would be ready in the morning. I was shocked! I did NOT authorize him to FIX my car!
I asked how much it would cost and he told me $1700!!! I said no way! I told him I would be there in a little bit with the $55 and I wanted to pick up my car. He got really angry and told me I wasn't getting the car until I paid him the money. I told him I was calling the police. Finally he told me he was pulling the transmission, throwing it in the trunk and that I could pay him $400 for the "work he had to do to get the quote". What happened to the "free quote"?
He towed my car to a grassy field and it sat there while I awaited my court date. 5 months later, the judge awards me my car back. When they towed my vehicle back to my property it looked awful! I had a REAL mechanic come out and he told me the motor mounts were broken now due to the engine sitting without the transmission's support. Most of the bolts that went to the car were rusted from sitting out.
The car was worth about $3000 before it went to that shop. I ended up selling it for $700, just to try and cover some of my loss.
All-pro transmission still has a sign out front that says "free quote". I cringe when I drive by and see someone pulling into the parking lot of that "business". He should be ashamed of himself!!!
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