🚀 go-pugleaf

The problem of the van at that time:  It had problem to accelerate 
once in a while. 

Here is what happened:

On Wed. Sept. 20, 2000 I took the van to aamco (9635, 63 ave.), I explained 
the problem to the receptionist (manager?) Jerry and said I did not know 
whether the problem was engine or transmission.  He said he would find out 
what the problem was for $39.95.  I let him do the diagnostics.  After the
diagnostics he told me that the transmission caused the problem.  I asked him: 
"are you sure?" and he said: " yes, after the transmission is serviced the 
problem will be gone."

I agreed to let him to service my transmission.  I asked him when I could have 
my van back because I needed the van for the weekend.  He promised it would be 
ready for picking up Friday (Sept. 22, 2000) noon time.  When I checked with 
him if the van was ready noon time Friday he said it will be ready at the end of Friday.  
At the end of the day he said it would be ready on Monday morning Sept. 25). And 
he kept saying that for Monday and Tuesday.  I was really pissed off and took 
Wed. (Sept. 27) off and went there personally and finally got my van in the afternoon.
While I was there I asked Jerry to show me the replaced transmission parts and he 
failed to show me.

On the way home, the van still stalled and delayed accelerating.

When picking up my van he told me that my water pump was leaking.  I told him my 
coolant did not leak when I hand over my van to him.  And he said servicing 
transmission had nothing to do with water pump, it's just a coincidence.  However, 
after I drove my van to my garage the coolant spread all over my garage floor, 
the radiator did not hold any coolant.  I called Jerry again and he insisted that 
he did nothing wrong, it's the water pump.

The next day (Sept. 28, 2000) I called an auto repair shop about the coolant 
leaking problem and they said if it's water pump it's not aamco's fault.  They asked 
me to tow the van to their shop and also recommended me to join the ama since towing 
costs $45 and ama membership is $68.  They did thorough checks and found out the 
coolant leaking was because the O-ring (where coolant goes into transmission) was not 
put on properly, and not the water pump.  The engine stall/accelerating problem was 
caused by malfunctioning fuel pump.  After the O-ring reinstalled and fuel pump replaced
the van doesn't leak coolant any more and it doesn't have stall or accelerating problem 
any more.

When I asked Jerry to pay me the coolant leaking bill and ama membership fee (towing) he 
photo copied my receipts and told me the owner (Gary) will write me a check soon.
I waited over 3 weeks and never see my check.  I left several messages for Gary and he never 
called me back.  After my wife went there and sat in his office for more than half an hour 
Gary finally wrote a check for the coolant bill but he refused to pay my membership fee (towing).
I called Jerry asking why my membership fee not reimbursed and he said it's not towing.  When 
I arguing with him he told me I was bullshit.

Conclusion:  aamco can not be trusted.  Their technicians don't have the expertise and their 
customer service sucks.  They don't care about your vehicle they just want your money.
They mis-diagnosed my van and damaged my van causing me a lot of money and inconvenience.


Charlie