Auto repair service near Longview, WA

Really competent and highly experienced shop. The guy's got decades of experience on all makes and models. My first choice / preferred shop in the Longview area. No nonsense or over-charges.

I will be as objective as possible in this review. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt whenever possible, but I cannot do so with reviewing this transmission shop. I was planning on taking my 2000 Honda Odyssey to Portland to have a rebuilt transmission put in. The total cost around $1,600, and would be completed within 24 hours. I saw an ad for free transmission check-up and diagnostic at American Transmissions in Longview, WA. Since it was close, I went there. They had it for most of a day, but did not call me back. I finally went back in and Duane Todd, the owner/manager, pulled a bait and switch on me. I said the problem could be fixed for around $600-800, and that I wouldn't need a complete rebuilt most likely. since that was at most half of what I was going to pay for the replacement, I made the mistake of leaving it with them. My experience with this shop would take an entire book if I gave all the details, so I'll summarize. Once the transmission was taken apart, I was told I would need $2800 worth of services. I told him to throw it back together and I'd take it down to Portland, but he refused to do so. I was getting upset about the bait and switch, so he started coming down on the price. We settled on $2100. The next three weeks held continue frustration with dishonesty, and blatant lies, particularly when the owner would promise to get right back with me, and generally would not. Repeatedly I had to come into town to get information and elicit specific time goals. None of which, not a single one, were ever met. Now admittedly, the shop had too much work, too few mechanics, and a horrible shop environment. The employees were unhappy, and made no bones about it. One threatened to quit and go home right in front of me when the lady in the office told one of them my transmission had to be put together within 24 hours. In fact, since then, three employees have quit, including Mr. Todd's brother. One employee quit after not even one day while my minivan was there. Ultimately, after 3 and a half weeks, I finally got my vehicle back. It promptly leaded transmission fluid for the next 3 weeks. When I reported the problem back to Mr. Todd 3 times, he said it was normal to have overflow out of the overflow valve. I am quite sure every transmission job does NOT lead fluid for weeks on end, so I finally came in to the shop of horrors with dread. One of the mechanics, no longer there, checked the fluid and said it was several quarts overfull, even after 3 weeks of leaking. He said that after filling it, he had left the cap off and the spout in, and the other mechanic must have filled it also, putting double the fluid into the transmission. I know that would be very bad for an engine, but I'm not sure about a transmission, but I can't be good to have that extra pressure. The mechanic pumped a bunch of fluid out and sent me on my way. It kept leaking, so I brought it in again. Now there was far too little fluid...he had pumped too many quarts out. They finally found that the plug was in crooked and that was the source of 4 weeks of staining everyone's concrete where I parked. Since then, there have been some issued with the shifting, but not enough to ever walk into that shop again. It was the worst, unbelievably bad automotive service shop I have ever seen in my 35 years of driving. Please save yourself grief and money and go to another shop. A+ Transmissions were recommended as a good shop, but I have no first hand experience with them. Good luck!

On Saturday June 30th, 2012 at 2:30pm we needed emergency help with a stuck "ON" ignition switch in our 36' Winnebago Cat diesel motorhome and found our way in to DSU Peterbilt in Kelso, WA. We were promptly assisted in the office and the office sent a polite younger man by the name of Jeremy to our coach. He personally fixed our switch with a temporary repair that enabled us to continue on our vacation (it was day one of our 17 day trip!). He declined payment and/or a personal tip. Both he and the dealership are commended for assistance on a rainy Saturday afternoon. What a nice young man: polite, courteous, knowledgable and mechanically proficient! YOU have a true asset in Jeremy!! :) Tony and Renee Ford, Camano Island, WA

 went in to have a muffler installed in my honda. It's the type of muffler that has the exhaust tip on the end of it, often called a "fart can". He did the job, the welds and placement looked good, and I drove it home. After getting home I looked at and realized that the muffler was on upside down. It has a logo on the tip that is supposed to be on the top and it was on the bottom. Not too big of a deal, just doesn't look like a completely professional job is all. So I called today and explained the issue and the lady asked if it was much of an issue that the logo was on the bottom. I said (politely I might add) that it works fine, it just doesn't look professional. She called back a while later and said that he (her husband, the owner of the shop. He installed my muffler) said I could drop by anytime and he would love to take a look. So I stopped by and she sent me out to the shop where he was. As soon as he walked up to me he got right in my face and asked if I was the ****ing guy that called and was rude to his wife saying they were unprofessional. He used a lot of foul language and was being VERY intimidating throughout his rant about people like me being disrespectful to his wife, all the while just inches from my face. He then told me to go in and apologize to his wife and that he would put the muffler in "however the h*ll" I want it in there for free. I went into the office and told his wife that I was sorry that I seemed so disrespectful on the phone, as it was not intended to sound that way. She looked very surprised and said that I wasn't disrespectful. I have no problem with her, as she was very polite and I had/have no intentions of being disrespectful towards her. I will, however, not do business with the owner again.