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!
