[¡Oracle!]

I do all my fluid changes, but changing the filter and fluid on the 4L30 is a real PITA from what I'm hearing for a home mechanic.

Anyone have any horror stories or priase about AAMCO?

They provide a nice guarantee on their work for $103 parts & labor. It's not like I'm asking for a rebuild or anything. The BBB shows one resolved complaint in 3 years for the location I'm considering visiting.

My dealer wants $235 minimum for parts and labor with a 30 day guarantee.

 

[Amigo-2k]

Is this the first time you're going to change the filter? I only ask because I don't know how many 30k flushes I can do before I need to change my filter.
-Ryan

 

[¡Oracle!]

First time I'm changing the filter. I have never done a flush on this tranny and I never intend to. By flush I eman hooking it up to one of those machines that pumps fluid through the radiator lines.

It has never had the pan dropped, only the plug pulled and a refill every 30K.

I expect the filter to be a mess as I probably should have done this at 60K.

112K miles on the car BTW.

 

[HunterD]

old topic but I couldn't resist posting.

Yes I had a horrible expirience with a shop advertised as AAMCO
simple clutch replacement resulted in an engine replacement.

long story short, make sure ANY place you take your truck KNOWS how and HAS worked on an Isuzu.

 

[zukeeper]

AAMCO BLOWS GOATS, they ****ed up my blazer tranny

 

[wareagle]

AAMCO screwed me over in '91 on my '86 trooper. I'll never ever go back.

 

[93RS]

I had them do the fluid change on my 98 tranny recently. no complaints and about $85 cheaper than my local dealer wanted. just make sure they know how to put the damn drain plug back in correctly.

 

[j-turbo]

Aamco turned my perfectly good 93 trooper into a piece of crap.

I took my trooper to them after my dealer told me i needed to have the trans overhauled as it would not shift into high or passing.

I went to my local seemingly knowledgeable and friendly Aamco.

The told me 1500.00 to fix it with lifetime warranty.

3 weeks went by and it ended up being more than the dealer.

Price came out to $3995.0 + the gold warranty.

I was also upset as they then told me that the reason I came there was not what they do after they already performed the work.

I went there for the gold AAMCO lifetime warranty. Well Guess what they tell you about this charge you and then tell you that it does not apply to 4x4's

And they only took CASH or Visa.

I was upset at this time and picked up my truck.

I drove it 1 block and the Tranny light came on and went into limp mode.

I went back and told them this they made me wait 30 minutes before they looked at it.

I JUST SPEND 4k of my hard earned money.

Then they told me ooops we forgot to install the sensors on the tranny for the computer.

Well then I got my car back.

Drove the car it seemed to work ok but had a strange whine at 70mph.

I brought it in 6 times for this and a late shift.

I put about 30k on it and then this tranny which was supposedly completly rebuilt started the same problems as before.

I went back to them again and was told they would take care of it under warranty but as I was a 4x4 they would have to check.

The car ran fine except when on the freeway it would not go into passing gear.

I left the car with them against my better judgement.

They had it for 1 week did not call me back.

Then on friday they called me and said we have some good news and bad.

1. your tranny is trash.
2. we can get you a new one for 2500.

Well this is BS

they could have done this the first time.

I tried to get them to take care of this under warranty and they flat refused.

I called AAMCO and they told me everyone is independent and they cannot help.

So I got Boned for 4k and now my prized truck is a P.O.S.

they begrudginly put my truck back together and I went to pick it up thinking I could drive it as it was for a while.

Well that was a joke.

I picked up the truck drove a block

heard screws etc falling from the truck

turned around and went back

Skid plates missing exhaust bolts missing half bolted items etc.

They had 4 more days to give this back to me as it was when I dropped it off working but not busted completly.

they had one of there techs work on it and put the bolts back that I noticed initially.

At this point I talked with the manager and said this is unacceptable.

He then threatened me.

All I wanted was the service I paid for.

Well trying to limp my wounded friend the trooper home was an unbelievable journey 20 miles by street.

I planned this the day before as I knew it might be jacked up since there attitude was so bad.

Well got my trooper back proceeded to drive home.

a loud bang came out of the trans then the truck would only go about 5-10mph

Got it home and found out I can't Back up either.

My Trooper RUINED by AAMCO.

STILL PAYING ON VISA for the work that wrecked my car.
:twisted: :twisted:

 

[LTC Don]

AAMCO = MAACO :roll:

Just in case this is news.

Unfortunately, you don't hear many success stories about this service. I have never used them, but because of the number of horror stories about AAMCO, I probably wouldn't either. Conversely, it's also the success stories that you never hear about, so I suspect for every 1 horror story such as j-turbo's, there are prolly 10 happy customers.

BUT, AAMCO corporate suits should do better than allow their name to be used by dealers who routinely screw the customers - as this is poison for any business. Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would want to do business this way.

Research, research, research. Then do more research. First warning flag is NEVER take your vehicle to a franchised chain servicer. Find a local independent shop with a positive history - ask for opinions from the various parts houses, search the web - discussion boards, etc. Even where I live, I've talked with a couple of local-yocal shops who talked a good game, then did pretty sorry work - so you just have to be absolutely careful. I've learned to do as much as humanly possible on my own vehicle even though I've had to spend quite a bit on tools - and as much as I hate doing driveway jobs - that labor rate is pretty good incentive to do my own work and deal with my own consequences if I mess it up.

One thing that isn't always possible, is to inspect the vehicle after the work is done with the tech while still on the lift, if at all possible and have the tech go over what was done - some shops do this and I used to do it wth customers at the RV shop I worked at.

I actually enjoyed this as it was a point of pride to show what work was done - and at a labor rate (at the time of $50/hour) that can run up in a hurry, it makes the customer feel better about the service.

ALWAYS get estimates in writing, and read EVERYTHING, especially the fine print for exclusions - if the bill is going to exceed the estimate, then find out why the estimate was wrong in the first place (before the work is completed) and if the service with not stick with the estimate, don't allow the work to continue. Escalate up the management chain if at all possible when estimates don't jive with the final bill - and most of all - don't pay the bill when the discrepancy is huge. Make sure the originals (estimates and bills) are protected somewhere and work with photocopies for possible future legal action.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience j-turbo. Maybe you can hook up with some 'Zuheads in your area and get the trannie replaced with a legit reman from ISUZU or something. There are plenty of units out there available from the various online salvage sources.

Good Luck.

Cheers,

 

[dieseltrooper]

Sounds like it's time for some creative revenge.... :twisted: