Aamco ripoff and terrible work Brandon Florida

I was ripped off and trapped into the repairs by lies and dishonesty. Last sat. I had to limp my 2001 Dodge Dakota to the Aamco in brandon. They did a "free" diagnostic and told me the torque converter was bad but would not give and estimate. I told them I did not have alot of money and wanted to know a cost. They siad they would have to pull the trans. to give an estimate at a 389.00 fee to go towards any repairs. Well I don't know anything about transmissions so I signed the paperwork and the owner Sam told me they would not start on it till mon. since it was already 10:00 and they close at 12.

So since I don't have any money it made me nervous and I called several other shops and got firm estimates over the phone from 350-500.00 at the dealer all with new parts. On mon. morning at 7:15 am before they got there I called the owner again and TOLD him I wanted to know the cost BEFORE they started bacause I need to get the best price and I had gotten prices for the repair over the phone. He told me they already started on the removal so it was too late. Since I did not have the 400 to give them to put it back together and go somewhere else and the dealer gave me a 500.00 estimate I thought it would be safe, nobody is higher than the dealer.

Later that day they came to me with 2600.00 estimate for a full rebuild using rebuilt and refurbeshed parts that were costing more than NEW retail parts from the dealer. (he called Eddie at Jerry Ulm Dodge a liar)After going back and forth all day he reminded me that I already owed him for the removal anyway so I was screwed. He arranged finaincing somehow and I had to give them 300.00 down. I was trapped and had no choice it had gone too far and I neede my truck fixed. I went over the fluid requirements with Mark the manager 4 times to make sure they would be using the right full synthetic fluid REQUIRED by Dodge for my transmission and they went about fixing my truck.

At this point I knew I was getting ripped off but felt I had not choice. I picked up my truck wed. and the paperwork he had said I had to give him 489.00 down instead of the 300 we talked about. I went off and he got it changed but tried to threaten to not give me my truck if I did not give him the money. On the 2 mile drive back to my office it was slipping and shuddering all the way. I was furious and called Mark. He gave me some comp. excuse and told me I would have to drop it back off to fix the problem. Not wanting to give my truck back to him I said I would come the next day on my lunch hr. and wait for it . He told me that they did not have the machine to "flash" my comp. that it had to go to another shop. I offered to go directlt to that shop to keep my truck. Mark then relutantly told me that they had still accidentally put the wrong fluid in my trans. even though I went over it with him 4 times.

So the next day I HAD to drop it off again but at least they got me a rental right? Well one that the co held money out of MY acct. to guarntee please don't do me no favors right? The owner said that all synthetic fluid was just an additive and that was what they were going to do just add the additive. That day I called the other shops again and they all said the same thing," putting the wrong fluid in damages the parts and takes years off the life of the transmission". They still would not replace the fluid and just put in the additive. That thursday afternoon I got my truck back and it is still slipping in the passing gear and sometimes not shifting right at all.

I don't want to call the same Aamco or any one for that matter to fix it so I have tried to call and email the corporate offices with no responce. I have stopped payment on the 300.00 but they already have the rest from the finance co. What I want from them is all the money returned and the trans. fixed by another co. with a lifetime warrentee. Who knows how much damage I am causeing to my truck from their bad repairs. If somebody can help me let me know.
Thanks,

Christopher
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.

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