The local AAMCO centers in the Bay Area are having this promo where they'll do a full diagnostic on your car for absolutely FREE! Now, I'm always a sucker for free stuff but I haven't had any experience as far as dealing with AAMCO. I did a search on this forum and it seems like a lot of people don't think too highly of them.

What do you guys think?

 

I think your search turned up some accurate information, lol.

They normally charge over $300 for this, so if they're doing it for free, I'd think they plan to make it up somewhere. I'll bet their diagnosis will be that you need over $1,000 worth of repairs.

Be careful with them. If I say anything else, I'd probably be open to slander, lol.

 

Over the years, these "free" diagnostics have determined things such as the following for me:

The tranny needs a complete rebuild. The sprag is shot (the noise for which I took it in turned out to be loose torque converter bolts).

The tranny needs a complete rebuild. The cost will be something slightly in excess of the retail value of the car (I rebuilt it myself for about $150).

There's nothing wrong. Looks good. (Later, when I pulled the pan for an fluid change, I found a plastic plug floating in the pan that is used by the Ford factory. Wasn't there the last time I did a fluid change.)

You get what you pay for.

Edit: To be fair, one time they did get it right. Metallic particles in the pan were from the TC. Took the tranny apart, replaced the TC, worked great after that.

 

Thanx for the advice...I skipped my appointment for the FREE diagnostic today and decided that I'll just be taking the car to this shop that works only on american cars a couple of blocks from where I live.

Thanx again.

 

not true ehhe although my local shop does free diagnose transmissions only i knew what it was my flywheel was loose or cracked....but he fixed it for free....and said just tell all your friends about me. great guy to deal with nice shop