Complaint Review: Americas Service Station - Woodstock Georgia

A while back my Jeep started to experience transmission problems. At 213,000 miles it finally quit. I had it towed to the local Americas Service Station, AKA a*s or 'Ripoff Central'.

It was after hours, so I knew I'd have to wait until the next day for an estimate. I got a call around 10:00 AM from some punk kid who obviously thought he was real funny and that I was born yesterday. His 'assessment' of my vehicle's problem.... 'It doesn't move when it's put in gear.' Brillant Sherlock!! What gave that away? The fact that it was towed in and that was shown as the problem?!! Wow. He thought this was quite original and the height of hilarity. Now for the real punchline. He tells me they can have it fixed for me for 'just over $4,000'. I swear!!

I told him to forget it, I'd come have it towed elsewhere. He tells me the Jeep is in awesome shape and $4,000 is nothing to put into it. If it's so much nothing, maybe he'd pay for it? I told him I'd make some calls and then send a tow truck.

And I did make some calls. I asked several other shops what the absolute worst case situation would be cost wise if they had to do the tranny on my Jeep. Sight unseen, how bad could it possibly be? The estimates ranged from $1800 to $2100, and all of these shops guaranteed that would be the MOST money I could possibly spend having the transmission fixed, and that it might possibly come in LOWER. Not a lot lower, but possibly somewhat lower. I always figure if they tell me worst case, they'll charge me that.

Before I could call the tow truck to have my Jeep hauled to someone who was obviously more honest, I get a call from someone who sounded a bit more serious and at least in their 20's asking why I wasn't having the Jeep repaired there. I told him the quote for $4k was outrageous. He told me he thought it was a fair price for the work and the vehicle was worth the expense. Sorry, as nice as the Jeep is, it's 10 years old and has in excess of 200k miles. While I like not having a monthly car payment, I will NOT be sinking $4k into it.

He asks me what would be a price I was willing to pay? I told him I had three absolute worst case estimates that if I brought my Jeep to them that I was guaranteed would not be exceeded, and were half or less of what he was telling me was 'a good deal'. He asked me what the best price was and who was going to do it. I told him. He asked if he could call me back in a little while. I said OK.

30 minutes later he calls back and tells me they can match the $1800 price I had from a competitor. So I asked some questions. Torque converter included? Yes. Warranty? Yes, 12,000 miles. Sorry, I say this guy is giving me 24,000 miles. He hesitates and says they'll match that. I told him I'd be up to get it all in writing before they start work. They did the work. The car has given me 2.5 more years of service and 45,000 more miles.

So I wasn't completely ripped off. But had I not had some information or decided to make some calls before I let them do anything, they'd have screwed me. If you go there, go in with your eyes open and a little knowledge of what it is that needs fixing and what it should cost. Tell them you need to think about what's being done, and make a few calls to other shops. Compare!!! It will either confirm their price or tell you they're messing with you. I firmly believe they jack their estimated prices and hope that unsuspecting, uninformed people will just say, 'OK, fix it.'

So my advice is to do your homework before you let these guys do any work. It saved me a bundle.

Needless to say, I've not been back to them. Nor have I given them any recommendation to friends in need of automotive work. I'm not complaining about the quality of the work done. I'm just still angry that they tried to get more than double from me while telling me what a 'good deal' I was getting.

George

Woodstock, Georgia
U.S.A.

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