Christibaby

Ok so...
Augie's Garage & Smithtown Transmissions removed and replaced my clutch February 1, 2008 (when it still belonged to the original owner). In March 2008 I was noticing that once the car warmed up, when I shifted into gear, pushing the gas would only rev the engine, not cause the car to move any further. The car would no longer shift into gear. I had Augie's tow the car to their shop, where they checked it out and told me it was not the clutch (which would be covered under a workers guarantee by them), but the slave cylinder, which they failed to replace when they worked on the clutch. They then kept the car for a total of 4 days without working on it, then finally replaced the slave cylinder. I picked up the car, paid the $271.18 for the work, towing, and part, and then proceeded to drive it home. Halfway home, the car warmed up, started revving without gaining speed, and after a bit stopped shifting into gear at all. After barely getting the car home safe, I noticed that the entire block now smelled of burnt clutch. I called Augie's to dispute their work, and they were unwilling to help. I am now stuck with the $271.18 charge, without them having successfully fixed the problem. When they looked at the car initially I told them to check the clutch (because that is what I believed the problem was, and that is what they fixed before and would have to not charge me for because it had only been replaced a month earlier), and they told me that the clutch was fine, that the problem was the slave cylinder. After I disputed their work, they are now claiming that "they don't know what the problem is, it's probably the clutch".
Now, when he said that, I started getting very mad and saying "that's why I SENT it to you- you said it wasn't the clutch!! Shouldn't you be able to TELL, considering you're a TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST?!" I swear to god.
This man is just guessing back and fourth with parts, not taking the time to look and see what the actual problem is.

I feel like I'm not explaining it enough- basically this guy scammed me. My car's still broken, and I almost died on the way home because it stopped shifting into gear and it was raining and I couldn't move 02.gif I'm absolutely livid, almost in tears, these people won't even try to compromise with me, and I definitely don't trust them again to bring it back to them. NOW I'm going to have to replace the clutch (again) also because all of this driving around with it broken must be destroying it. Needless to say, I want the money back from them doing that also. Jerks

Bottom line-

If you live on Long Island...DO NOT go to Augie's Garage/Smithtown Transmissions in Smithtown. They are an absolutely horrible company, and they do NOT know what they are doing.
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Ericy321

What I would do is take it somewhere else to get it redone correctly. Then have a lawyer walk in and hand them papers to cover the new parts and labor from the other garage and if they refuse then take it to small claims court. Working at a shop we have fixed other shops mistakes many times.

Tibbychick

I know exactly where that is. My buddy works in a shop called Branch Auto right near there, and he's pulled apart my other friend's Elantra manual tranny and clutch MANY times (the kid went through 9 of them). He knows Hyundais very well, you could probably give them a call and see what they say.

capn tibs

i would also file with the Better Business Bureau. I had a gf whose dad worked for the BBB and he used to tell me how one person could shut down a company without spending a dime of their own...and in some cases get their money back

Christibaby

Thank you everyone for being so supportive and helpful...

I called my regular mechanic (Rob at Tilden on Middle Country in Centereach- he's awesome). They were furious about this also, said that it sounds to them like a clutch problem and so I will be letting their transmission specialist work on it, and then, great suggestion to bring a lawyer and the paperwork to the place although I don't believe they'll actually do anything (these guys are real jerks.). I'll probably end up in small claims court, and I did already file with the BBB, and also put a bad report on Angie's List (a list of businesses and their ratings, it's a free membership for a year and you can look up anything.. it's really great I highly recommend it.)

Thank you again so much, and so I suppose the lesson in all of this is don't trust a garage with a name like Augie's.

Just kidding.

OH! Funny thing, on their receipt (and now I'm suspicious of the reciept from the clutch too because the same thing happened), the dates are wrong, and it says the mileage didn't change... although they supposedly drove it around to warm up the transmission and check the problem (and also admittedly took it on a few joy rides... "oh we took it out for a quick spin earlier... blah blah blah), and I had set the odometer, and they drove it at least 20 miles. So.... they're liars.

LIARS!

<3

AGreen

That's a simple clutch pedal adjustment issue. There's not enough freeplay. Clutch fluid expands when hot. Everything does. That's why there's a vent port in the clutch MASTER cylinder for the expanding fluid to bleed out. If the pedal doesn't have any play in it, the vent port is now covered, and it will actually disengage the clutch when it heats up.

So yeah, you probably need a new clutch, and their balls need to be ripped off shoved up their asses for not properly finishing their damn job. You <u>always</u> check clutch pedal freeplay after installing a new one.

Christibaby

Thanks guys laugh.gif I hate them so much too..

Now that all the smoke's cleared, I got my clutch fixed by my regular repair shop and the final results are in:

Augie's Garage/Smithtown Transmissions installed a DEFECTIVE clutch in my car. When I brought it back for them to fix, not only did they fail to recognize and fix the problem, but misdiagnose the problem and do unnecessary work , but they also in doing that installed a DEFECTIVE slave cylinder. I don't know who they're doing business with, but they are seriously making a huge profit and giving their customers really shotty transmission repair work.

Oh, and after I talked to Augie himself about it, told him what my mechanic found and asked for the $1000+ back that he was paid for this clutch and the slave cylinder (and all labor), he said "I owe you nothing, you didn't pay for the clutch" (uhm, yes I did, in the agreement when I bought my car...) and when I told him if he doesn't give me the money I'm taking him to court he told me I was "a stupid little girl" and "you have no case, no leg to stand on", spent an hour yelling at me and trying to scare me away from bringing him to court.

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I can't wait to destroy this guy, but still guys, if you live on Long Island near Smithtown, do NOT go to that place. You won't be happy with the work and obviously the customer service is horrible.

<3
(I'm pretty sure I love this website, and everyone on it. )

Tibbychick

Wow. You know what you could do, go to the news with it. Get like 7 On Your Side or something that to cover the story, they'll get your money back.

Christibaby

Yeah, I wrote to Fox 5's "Shame Shame Shame"... I'm hoping they cover it. I should contact more news stations though with it also, just in case.

I just feel like people need to know. I really have to wonder how many people have faulty parts in their cars from this place- it could be dangerous! 02.gif

majik

I would ask the good garage, the one that noticed and fixed the problem, if they would be willing to go on record stating what they found.

I would also get the clutch and slave cylinder installed by Augie and have another shop verify it's quality. News people like props, so if you can show the clutch/slave and how they were defective, it shows you as much more reliable.