AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care

"This place has horrible service. They will lie to you. They will not do what you asked them to do. Instead, they will look for the most expensive repair and tell you that it is what you need. Save your money and take your car somewhere else. Sam and Mark mistreated me as if they were doing me a favor. I paid $5600. After picking up the car, it is still making noise indicating that the front axles still need to be replaced. The coolant wasn’t flushed, I have a coolant error message on the dashboard. The car hard shifts at times. Read my horrific experience: I called and asked that I need both front axles (left and right) replaced, and the radiator flushed. He told me it will be $900 for each side. I brought the car in. After 3 days, I called him. He said that the axles never fail in this type of car and the transmission needs to be rebuilt. He asked me, how do I know that the axles are bad? I told him that the dealership told me. With persistence, he let me know that I do not need to change the axles and the transmission needs to be rebuilt. I said okay, how much would that cost me. He said $3000. I said okay and that I also need the radiator flushed. He said no problem. I called him twice a week to get an update. Every time I called; he told me that the car would be ready in 3 days. About 1 and a half weeks later, he let me know that the torque converter needs to be replaced. He told me that it would be ready in 3 days. After 3 days, he told me to stop calling him and that he would call me. After a week, I called him, he told me that the valve body needs to be rebuilt because he doesn’t like the way the car shifts between 2nd and 3rd gear. About 1 and a half weeks later, he called me to let me know that the car is ready to be picked up. Suddenly, he’s aggressive and is calling me every hour. They kept the car for about 4 weeks. I incurred additional expenses for transportation to and from work. The bill was $5600. I pulled out my credit card. He looked at me and said “are you going to use 2 credit cards?”. He judged me! I do not recommend this place."

"I brought my older car in to AAMCO last January and the repair didn't quite hold up. I brought it back in to have the repair fixed, my warranty was up in the next few miles/days. Instead of them or my repair guy SAM just giving it a quick fix and getting it out the door to just be able to work; they took the time and patience to do the job completely right, and hopefully help my car to work a few more years. A lot of you may think (that's great they did their job and upheld their warranty) but a lot of places would not have taken the time to do it right, they would put a quick fix and when I had another problem a few months down the road and came back they would just tell you sorry the warranty is up/past due. So thank you SAM and AAMCO for taking the time having the patience and getting the job done right, especially SAM it was not an easy or quick fix took, a few tries I was told to pin point my cars issue(s)."

"Beware of Aamco in Clearwater, Hwy 19: I took my 1993 Mazda MX3 to Aamco for a transmission rebuild, hoping to extend its life. What followed was a year-long nightmare of misdiagnoses, unfulfilled promises, and ultimately, fraud. Aamco charged me nearly $3,200 for the rebuild, promising a smooth-shifting car. Instead, the transmission remained clunky and occasionally wouldn't engage at all. My repeated calls were met with shrugs and assurances that "everything was fine." Months later, after multiple trips back and forth, another mechanic confirmed my worst fears: Aamco never rebuilt the transmission. They simply took my money and lied. Proving this was a struggle. Thankfully, Mazda and another mechanic documented the untouched transmission with photos and videos. Aamco only admitted their fraud after being confronted with this evidence. Even then, my ordeal wasn't over. The "repaired" transmission developed a leak, and Aamco's "fix" was shoddy at best. While Aamco reimbursed me for the diagnostics and offered a warranty, the experience left me shaken and distrustful. My car may be running now, but I wouldn't recommend Aamco to anyone. Save yourself the stress and avoid this dishonest business."

"I brought my 1993 Mazda MX3 to Aamco in Clearwater on Hwy 19 for a transmission rebuild. With over 140,000 miles on the car, it was time for this essential maintenance. Initially, Aamco quoted a range of $2,600 to $3,200 for the rebuild. After a week in their care, I picked up the car for the final cost of $3,199.63. Although pleased initially, I noticed the car was shifting hard. Aamco reassured me that it was normal for a newly rebuilt transmission. However, the shifting issues persisted, and occasionally gears wouldn't engage. Despite being within the 18-month, 18,000-mile warranty, Aamco insisted nothing was wrong after multiple checks. Suspicious, I sought a second opinion from Westshore Mazda, revealing that my transmission was never rebuilt. Pro Care confirmed the need for a transmission redo. Confronting Aamco with evidence from Mazda and Pro Care, they admitted to fraud. Aamco rectified the issue, reimbursing us for diagnostic fees and providing a 3-year unlimited mile warranty. Unfortunately, the ordeal didn't end there. Aamco's faulty reinstallation led to a loose transmission bolt and a muffler leak. Pro Care estimated the muffler repair at $175.55. Aamco covered this cost upon our return. Despite Aamco's claims of a stellar BBB rating, they only had 2 one-star reviews, and the business is not BBB accredited. Be cautious when considering Aamco for your automotive needs"