Be Warned If You Use Carr's Auto Sales & Service!
This is a small-town mechanic outfit with the undertone of Deliverance. I was in a jam with a bad transmission and used Carr's Auto to help me. The diagnosis revealed that the transmission needed to be replaced. I agreed to a re-built transmission with new parts being used such as the torque converter, etc. The price was reasonable - $1,900 - and was back on the road in a reasonable amount of time.
Within 6 months I began experiencing the exact same problems as before, however now I was back in Florida nearly 900 miles away. Carr's provided a limited warranty, so I contacted them for advice. I was told not to take it to a local shop - they would fix it. I was shocked that they actually sent a wrecker to Florida, took my truck back to Tennessee and replaced the transmission again with another rebuilt one. The driver was in the process of moving from Florida to Tennessee, so it was convenient for him to help with his move.
Lots of rattles and strange noises but the transmission seemed to work. Until a few months later when I began having the exact same problems! This time I had it towed to a professional (and reputable) local transmission shop. I was suprised when the owner called me and refused to tell me over the phone what was wrong. All he would say is, "you're just gonna have to come in so I can show you." When I got there, he showed me the opened transmission case with several pieces of metal and broken pieces. He pointed out several transmission parts that he says were installed wrong, including one item which was in backwards! He pointed out numerous items used in the rebuild process that were modified to fit and came from other makes/models of transmissions. Although it was not a new transmission, he indicated that new components are used to rebuild transmissions (seals, etc.). My entire rebuilt transmission contained components that were old and worn, some which were identified as being over 10 years old. He sympathetically made the comment that I had been ripped off and would be $2,300 for him to repair it. He also opened my eyes to why Carr's had gone through the trouble to tow my car so far to repair it - so nobody would see what had been done inside the transmission!
I called James Carr, the owner, and explained what I had experienced. As you can imagine he was not sympathetic whatsoever and pointed out that his limited warranty had just expired. I argued that if he had rebuilt the transmission correctly in the first place the warranty would never have been needed. When I informed him of the parts installed incorrectly and backwards, he made insulting derogatory comments to me and refused to discuss it any further. I demanded that he help pay for the work needed to fix his shoddy work, which quickly concluded our conversation.
In the end I paid over $4,000 for a rebuilt transmission due to the incompetency of Carr's Auto Sales & Service.
I strongly suggest you use other sources for your auto repairs, even if it means paying a little more. I'm sure he takes great care of the "locals" who he has to see everyday. If you are from out of town, I would suggest towing your car back home before even thinking about using this ocmpany for anything. You will be sorry!!
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