For years Cottman/AAMCO transmission has used coupons in the paper and various mailings that are deceptive and just used to get their phone to ring and get their high pressure memorized sales techniques to take advantage of you.
The "coupons" first of all say they have to be presented before any work begins. Why? Shouldn't you be able to present a valid coupon at the time of payment? There is not a fixed price for your transmission job so how can this be a real coupon? They won't give you a price up front until they remove your transmission from the car and tear it down to inspect it for damage. They say they need to do that to give you an exact price... So again how can a coupon help you here when you have to present it upfront and there is no limit to what they can charge.
When I buy a box of Cheerios and present a coupon I know what that will cost me afterwards because I know the price of the product beforehand. If the coupon still makes the product to much money for me to justify that purchase I can walk away and not lose anything. This coupon brings you into a shop that takes that option away from you as your transmission is out of your car and on a rebuilder's work bench and to walk away now will cost you anywhere from what I am hearing from $350-$600. Can you imagine having to pay something for a box of cereal that you picked up at the store but never purchased.
Don't be fooled and ask for a low and a high quote if they tell you the problem is inside the transmission. Surely they can give you that information upfront afterall they brag as being the biggest chain in the world and have done more transmissions than anybody under the sun. Surely then maybe that coupon may have some value if you get that quote in writing upfront but any other way it is a bogus come on and a rip-off in my opinion.
I will say that I am biased as I am an independent transmission owner and hate to see our industry cheapened by such practice. The local owner of this franchise warned local customers not to go to independent transmission shops but after seeing all the lawsuits in public records and all the bad reports on this and similar boards I would tell the consumer to go to a AAA, ATRA certified transmission shop and one that submits to an arbritation way of resolving your complaints instead of what you hear on this board about franchise customers service at headquarters. It's your choice and now that you have the facts don't get ripped off!
0 comments