AAMCO rip-off horror in New Jersey

If you are ever thinking of having AAMCO repair your transmission, think
again.

Here's my AAMCO story.

I purchased my car in May of 1998 in Toms River, NJ. After owning the car for three months (July of '98), the transmission died. It was still covered under warranty by the dealership which i purchased it from. They dealt with AAMCO, so I had to bring it there. AAMCO "fixed" it. Two months go by, and I leave for school in Boston, MA. I'm gone from September through
June. My car was sitting in my driveway that whole time. It was driven a couple times a month just to make sure everything was running right and to keep it maintained.

I come home from school in June and I am excited about being able to drive again. After two to three weeks of driving, my transmission dies once again. It died almost exactly a year after AAMCO "fixed" it. So, I bring my car back to AAMCO again in July of 1999. Does it get fixed right away? No, it takes TWO MONTHS. I get my car back in September, right before I have to leave for school. My car was gone almost the whole summer that I was home.

When I finally got my car back from AAMCO, it ran, but it was still not right. The gear selector did not match up with the gears. If you wanted reverse, you would have to click it down a notch instead of putting it in "R". The same thing with Drive and all the other gears. Also, the speedometer cable was apparently "missing". They claimed that I didn't bring my car in with one (which I did). At this point, there is not much I can do because I have to leave for school again.

A couple of months go by, and Thanksgiving came. I went home to New Jersey for Thanksgiving. During that short break, I brought my car to a local transmission shop whose name is well respected. They checked my car out for free. After one day of looking at it, they told me that my car needed $1800-2000 worth of work done to it. I think to myself, "How can this be? I just brought my car into AAMCO two months ago." Thanksgiving break is now over, and I come back to Boston. I write AAMCO an email telling them my little story. A couple of days go by, and a Customer Relations Representative calls me back. I tell her my story. She tells me that she is going to talk to AAMCO of Toms River. They agree to fix my car, yet again.

At this point, it is time to go back to New Jersey for Winter Break.

I'm home. I bring my car to AAMCO. They "fix" it once again. Now, the speedometer cable works, but the gear selector still does not line up with the gears like they are supposed to. I ask them if my car is finally fixed.

They tell me yes and there is nothing to worry about. Still, I am a little hesitant. I ask them once again if my transmission is entirely fixed and that there will be no problems in the future. Again, they reassure me that
there will be no problems.

Winter break is now over, and this time I bring my car back with me to Boston. Two weeks go by, and my transmission just isn't running right. It's not running like it should. It has good days and it has bad days. Sometimes it will run good, sometimes it will run bad. But, at no point, will it run right. And, as an added bonus, my speedometer cable only works after five to
ten minutes of driving. It takes a little while to click on. I have to bring my car through inspection, so I am a little worried as to whether my car will pass or not. I bring my car to an AAMCO Transmission Shop here in Boston. I don't tell them that I previously brought my car to AAMCO. I don't want them to jerk me around. After spending $40 for a diagnostic test,
my car is returned to me. They tell me, "You need a new speed sensor and your shift linkage is mickey moused." That is their own words.

So, yesterday I called 1-800-GO-AAMCO to speak with a customer relations representative. Of course they couldn't talk to me yesterday. They had to call me back this morning. Some lady from AAMCO called me. I told her my entire AAMCO experience. She told me that she would call AAMCO of Toms River and that she would call be back. Low and behold, I haven't heard from her.
Who knows how my little adventure and experience will turn out? This is my story, and I am telling you to hope that no one will ever go to AAMCO.

Ryan Mahoney