AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care

Great place! Very reliable and honest. Fixed my car and will continue to go there when necessary. I highly recommend.

My experience was different from the other 2 reviewers. I was attracted by «free diagnosis.» It’s sorta true. They test drive for free, but gave no evidence of electronic diagnosis. My car was dropping in and out of gear, revving, clunking and seeming, to a neophyte, like a transmission problem.
I give one star for the following reasons: the owner/​manager/​franchiser told me what he suspected was wrong with the transmission, but wanted several hundred dollars to take it apart in order to provide a precise estimate. He was adamant in refusing to provide even a maximum amount, i.e. «how much if it needs a whole new tranie?» Answer: «you have to trust in the people you bring it to.» Uh, so why should I trust you? He said the transmission fluid smelled burned as evidence of the impending death of my transmission.
Compare that with where I tried next (and review of): Active Transmission and Gear in Arvada: $ 0 to diagnose, tested with a diagnostic device and found it wasn’t even a transmission problem, but a sensor. Total: $ 160.

This is a sad and complicated story. Stay with me and you will see what you can expect. First of all, Lee, the owner is a pleasant guy to deal with. He is not rude. Mostly, however, Lee takes care of Lee and you can expect that if there is a conflict, you will come out on the losing side. I went to Aamco because of their reputation. My transmission was toast. A cooling line popped off and pumped the fluid out. I tried the used transmission route and it was a disaster. I figured I’d just bite the bullet and have Aamco rebuild it so that it was done right. I told Lee the story and he said he’d help me out. One of his technicians was always looking for side work, so Lee said he’d have him do the rebuild on the weekend and that way I could get the same quality work at a discount of about $ 500. I was all in. Lee said he wouldn’t give me an Aamco receipt/​warranty, but I could bring it back to his shop if there were problems. Sounded great to me! I paid him cash, he had his tech rebuild and install the transmission and off I went a few days later. Unfortunately, it started acting up right away. Hey, stuff happens so I brought it back for repairs. He said another part of the transmission went bad that wasn’t part of the rebuild. $ 200+ (in cash, no receipt later) and I was on my way again. Worked fine for another few weeks then the car stuck in 3^rd gear. I had reverse, third and park… that was it. When I shifted into reverse, the engine dang near jumped out from underneath the hood. It broke all three of my motor mounts in it’s jumping. Took it back to Lee and they fixed the shifting problem right away and then offered to fix my motor mounts for a mere $ 500. I wasn’t happy. I left without that resolved. About 5 months later, the transmission started shifting funny again… slow shifts, slamming into gear, flaring the engine speed between shifts, etc. I again brought my car back to the shop. This time, Lee wasn’t so accommodating. He said he ran a test on my car and said my car gave a diagnostic code that said my engine wasn’t running right. It was a simple error code… the engine ran fine. It was all just Lee starting to deflect the responsibility. Coincidentally, he said the tech that rebuilt my transmission was no longer with him and that I needed to contact him if I wanted further repair. Ironically, I was able to find the tech and he said that Lee split the cost of the rebuild with him. I figured that the whole cash deal I did was just so it could stay of the business’s books.
Bottom line: don’t do cash deals with Lee. He will screw you if it is in his interest to do so. Insist on a corporate receipt so that you can get it serviced by any Aamco. I blame myself for getting sucked in with the lure of a «good deal». This was no good deal and Lee is not nearly the nice guy he first appears to be when things get a little sideways. I wish the rebuild had just gone well, but it did not. Anybody can get a good recommendation when everything goes well, but you really see what a person is made of when things don’t go as planned.
I would rather eat a live iguana than do business with Lee again. I wonder if Aamco knows he does cash deals on the side? I wonder how many other people have gotten the «good deal»? I have no recourse and Lee knows it, but I can warn you away from this trap before you get caught too. Beware folks… all is not as it seems with the Aamco on Valejo St.

Great service and always fair. I’ve been going here for over a year and I’d recommend them to anyone!

Went in to check my transmission because the transmission light on my truck went on, their service was fantastic. They told me the light was just too sensitive (probably a way to con people to spend thousands a dealer service stations, my comment not theirs) and that the car was totally fine. They didn’t even charge me. The staff was very friendly, fast, and helpful. Certainly not what I have experienced at the dealerships.
On a side note, whatever you do, do not buy an American Car, they make it seems like it is a patriotic act. but you are really just encouraging them to continuously make crappy cars. Believe me, I learn my lesson and it cost me thousands.