AAA Engine claims to re-manufacture engines, but has set up a warranty that allows them to send a painted, used engine with no recourse for consumer. All options offered to address the faulty engine through AAA Engine cost as much or more than the engine itself. Further, the consumer has to pay a third party as much or more than the cost of the engine to identify the problems with the engine in order to take legal action. Obviously this I assume has deterred the majority of legal actions from consumers. I suspect they are a completely fraudulent business taking advantage of their consumers financial situation and vulnerable position.
On 2/10/2015, purchased a remanufactured engine for 2003 4Runner from AAA Engine as advertised at http://www.aaaengine.com/toyota14.php at that time. As of today, advertisement is still up. Had shipped to Woodburn, OR and installed by
Case Automotive , an established local auto shop. Cost of engine was $2,800.
Per Case Automotive, engine was installed by technician in accordance with guidance provided by AAA Engine. After installation, Case
Automotive found the following:
1. Significant leak in rear main seal that would have to be replaced.
2. Error messages around cam sensors/timing and engine running poorly.
I contacted AAA Engine who claimed this was always do to poor installation and that they would not cover any costs associated with repair. I elected to send to Toyota Dealership to make repairs and inspect the quality of the engine.
After inspection, Toyota found the following:
1. Rear main seal was improperly installed, causing significant leaks.
2. Crank Shaft installed had large gash complicating leaking rear main seal and needed to be replaced
3. Timing was set incorrectly and had to be redone
4. Camshaft was installed incorrectly, causing it to break. Broken pieces damaged some timing gears. All had to be replaced.
5. Timing chain was stretched out of allowable specifications, had to be replaced (Triggered check engine light).
6. Rear plugs were leaking due to engine heads not being properly machined. Heads needed to be remachined.
7. Silver paint found in oil even after multiple flushes. Matches paint on exterior of engine.
8. Catalytic converter failed and had to be replaced. Technician speculates this was due to the paint chips in the oil, which likely damaged the
Got my engine rebuilt and instalation labor done there as well. Timing off, bolts missing, parts not screwed in all the way, parts missing, silicone everywhere, smells like oil burning, and AC power to the compressor isn't working anymore. Called them and gave me attitude. We need to get this place shut down Asap.
This company is a complete scam. Josh, who claims to be the co owner with his dad is a complete scam artist! They do not rebuild engines, they clean engines and send them out as rebuilds. When you call to get the issue resolved they act like they have no idea what happened, and only want to send out parts but will not cover any labor nor will they return an engine for a refund.
They state they won’t cover labor even though they failed to provide the service and engines that were agreed upon. They advertise that the engines will have new oem parts but this is not true! Do not do business with this company! A reputable company would take ownership of there mistakes and fix the issues at no charge to the consumer, this is not a reputable company!
If only I had read these reviews before dealing with these scamers! I purchased an engine from this company and it arrived within a week and I shipped the old engine back for my core charge refund ($500). I tracked the shipment and confirmed the engine was delivered to their phony address on july 9th 2017.
In mid-august I contacted is company to ask how long refunds usually take. A man said its usually a 15day inspection then the refund is mailed out. I stated my engine was returned in July, it has been over a month and I've yet to recieve my refund. The man seemed so apologetic and sincere. Quick to take down all of my information and he insured the check would be in the mail the next day.
August 31st arrives but my refund has not. I call the company, same man answers. I inform him we had spoken a few weeks ago and I hadnt recieved my refund. He apologized and says hes looking for my paperwork. He then asked me if he could call me right back in a few min so he could look through everything, I say sure and he hangs up. 45mins pass with no call. I call back and he answers. I asked when he was going to call back and he just tried to play it off. He says he has found the check, for some reason it wasnt sent out and it would be in the mail at the end of the week.
September 14th comes, and still no refund. I call back and same man answers. I am angry and frustrated at this point. He tries to put me on hold and i refuse to let him. He gives me another BS excuse as to why the check was not sent out.
Obviously, I'm never going to see my refund without legal help. I have read from other complaints when customers recieve their refund it is for only a few dollars and the company claims the core engine was not repairable.
I know for a fact, my core engine was is working condition and the cylinder heads and other major components were new and are worth more alone that the $500 core charge. So, there should be no reason why I shouldn't be refunded the full amount.
If anyone has found a way to seek action against this company and has won, please let me Know!
WARNING : THESE GUYS HAVE NOT GOT ANY INTEGRITY, THEY ARE CROOKS.
I am writing this to try and prevent anyone else being treated as badly as i was.
My Toyota 4Runner 2004 145000 miles needed to have the engine replaced unfortunately. I had just put new tires on it and replaced the stereo. It was worth $500 when it wasn't running properly which is why I decided to go ahead and put in a "reconditioned" engine.
I went to see my mechanic , a reputable shop who has worked on all my vehicles for 20 years. As soon as the engine was installed I noticed a tapping sound , usually worse first thing in the morning but noticeable throughout the day. I returned the car to my mechanics four times over the next 3 months to try and locate the problem. They told me after putting the car on the rack and checking everything they had done to eliminate any human error on their side . They also took off the belts to see if it was linked to the water pump or anything.
I then contacted Josh , at AAA Engines . I believed my mechanic had said it was a lifter noise . My mechnic had used the word lifter to try and explain what was going on in laymans terms . I knowing nothing about engines, told Josh that my mechanic had thought it may be the lifter noise. Josh was very defensive and told me the mechanic didn't know what he was talking about and should lose his license as there are not any lifters in the engine. He then condecendingly said I should have read the small print as it was in black and white that they warranty the engine and not the labour. He also said , no other engine companies warranty the labour ( this is not a true starement , apprently ATD do , I wish I had gone there. Josh told me to get the mechanic to figure out whats wrong with the engine. There is only so much you can do when inspecting a sealed engine. Computers wont be able to narrow it down. I told Josh I would drive the car to his warehouse so he could listen to this noise of this engine this "reputable" company sold me.
It goes with out saying the core I returned was not credited back with the amount they said they would, as it was "damaged." (more small print)
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because apparently the engine is warrantied for 2 years unlimited mileage, it is not economicly viable to pay for the engine to be removed and replaced (also I would have to trust these crooks to be honest when they inspect the engine to admit it was their fault.) If the engine is opened the warranty is void. How can a mechanic determine a complete diagnostic report if he can't unseal the engine. Even if AAA did admit they were at fault they still would not reimbiurse for labour.
You have to understand , I know nothing about engines . I made the mistake of buying the engine and getting the mechanic to install it, the mechanic warranties his labour and the engine supplier warranty their engine.
I then called back the next day, a much nicer person told me pretty much the same so then when I wanted to speak to his superisor I had the misfortune of finding out the owner of this scam compny is Josh . I did not have the time or patience to deal with this guy, who with running a business has the time to try and defend his company.
Beware, I'm sure Josh will respond to this complaint as he has to others on this site accusing the customers of lying. There is not a reason in this world if I was satisfied in any way with these people I would have took two hours out of my life to fabricate lies about this company.
There is reason they're address is not listed on their website , they don't want people like me knocking on the door complaining.
COMPLETELY RIPPED US OFF. GOT PRETTY MUCH CHARGED FOR ALL THE PARTS IT COST FOR THEM TO REMAN THE ENGINE THAT WE SENT BACK AS A CORE. TOTAL BULL. MY BILL WAS 5200 WITH THE CORE CHARGE OF 950. I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY AGAIN.
They are a scam. AAA Engine has gotten me for $3800. I don't know what to do. I am tempted to drive 2000 miles and confront someone about it, but who? This has to stop. They cant be allowed to do this. We need to ban together and go after them. This isn't right.
DO NOT PURCHASE FROM OR DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! IT IS A SCAM!! First of all, after promising to reimburse $825 for the core they only gave us $400. Secondly, the engine they sent us overheated after we got it installed, so we wasted a few thousand on an engine, getting it shipped, installed, diagnosed, etc. Then we tried to follow up with their warranty and they completely ignored us for a few weeks; they didn’t pick up their phone or respond to any emails. Finally they responded to the emails and basically told us we are out of luck and refuse to follow up with the warranty. They have faulty engines, a false warranty on their website, and horrible customer service. Avoid this company at all costs!
AAAEngine.com Reviews
AAA Engine claims to re-manufacture engines, but has set up a warranty that allows them to send a painted, used engine with no recourse for consumer. All options offered to address the faulty engine through AAA Engine cost as much or more than the engine itself. Further, the consumer has to pay a third party as much or more than the cost of the engine to identify the problems with the engine in order to take legal action. Obviously this I assume has deterred the majority of legal actions from consumers. I suspect they are a completely fraudulent business taking advantage of their consumers financial situation and vulnerable position.
On 2/10/2015, purchased a remanufactured engine for 2003 4Runner from AAA Engine as advertised at http://www.aaaengine.com/toyota14.php at that time. As of today, advertisement is still up. Had shipped to Woodburn, OR and installed by
Case Automotive , an established local auto shop. Cost of engine was $2,800.
Per Case Automotive, engine was installed by technician in accordance with guidance provided by AAA Engine. After installation, Case
Automotive found the following:
1. Significant leak in rear main seal that would have to be replaced.
2. Error messages around cam sensors/timing and engine running poorly.
I contacted AAA Engine who claimed this was always do to poor installation and that they would not cover any costs associated with repair. I elected to send to Toyota Dealership to make repairs and inspect the quality of the engine.
After inspection, Toyota found the following:
1. Rear main seal was improperly installed, causing significant leaks.
2. Crank Shaft installed had large gash complicating leaking rear main seal and needed to be replaced
3. Timing was set incorrectly and had to be redone
4. Camshaft was installed incorrectly, causing it to break. Broken pieces damaged some timing gears. All had to be replaced.
5. Timing chain was stretched out of allowable specifications, had to be replaced (Triggered check engine light).
6. Rear plugs were leaking due to engine heads not being properly machined. Heads needed to be remachined.
7. Silver paint found in oil even after multiple flushes. Matches paint on exterior of engine.
8. Catalytic converter failed and had to be replaced. Technician speculates this was due to the paint chips in the oil, which likely damaged the
Worst shop ever
Got my engine rebuilt and instalation labor done there as well. Timing off, bolts missing, parts not screwed in all the way, parts missing, silicone everywhere, smells like oil burning, and AC power to the compressor isn't working anymore. Called them and gave me attitude. We need to get this place shut down Asap.
This company is a complete scam. Josh, who claims to be the co owner with his dad is a complete scam artist! They do not rebuild engines, they clean engines and send them out as rebuilds. When you call to get the issue resolved they act like they have no idea what happened, and only want to send out parts but will not cover any labor nor will they return an engine for a refund.
They state they won’t cover labor even though they failed to provide the service and engines that were agreed upon. They advertise that the engines will have new oem parts but this is not true! Do not do business with this company! A reputable company would take ownership of there mistakes and fix the issues at no charge to the consumer, this is not a reputable company!
If only I had read these reviews before dealing with these scamers! I purchased an engine from this company and it arrived within a week and I shipped the old engine back for my core charge refund ($500). I tracked the shipment and confirmed the engine was delivered to their phony address on july 9th 2017.
In mid-august I contacted is company to ask how long refunds usually take. A man said its usually a 15day inspection then the refund is mailed out. I stated my engine was returned in July, it has been over a month and I've yet to recieve my refund. The man seemed so apologetic and sincere. Quick to take down all of my information and he insured the check would be in the mail the next day.
August 31st arrives but my refund has not. I call the company, same man answers. I inform him we had spoken a few weeks ago and I hadnt recieved my refund. He apologized and says hes looking for my paperwork. He then asked me if he could call me right back in a few min so he could look through everything, I say sure and he hangs up. 45mins pass with no call. I call back and he answers. I asked when he was going to call back and he just tried to play it off. He says he has found the check, for some reason it wasnt sent out and it would be in the mail at the end of the week.
September 14th comes, and still no refund. I call back and same man answers. I am angry and frustrated at this point. He tries to put me on hold and i refuse to let him. He gives me another BS excuse as to why the check was not sent out.
Obviously, I'm never going to see my refund without legal help. I have read from other complaints when customers recieve their refund it is for only a few dollars and the company claims the core engine was not repairable.
I know for a fact, my core engine was is working condition and the cylinder heads and other major components were new and are worth more alone that the $500 core charge. So, there should be no reason why I shouldn't be refunded the full amount.
If anyone has found a way to seek action against this company and has won, please let me Know!
WARNING : THESE GUYS HAVE NOT GOT ANY INTEGRITY, THEY ARE CROOKS.
I am writing this to try and prevent anyone else being treated as badly as i was.
My Toyota 4Runner 2004 145000 miles needed to have the engine replaced unfortunately. I had just put new tires on it and replaced the stereo. It was worth $500 when it wasn't running properly which is why I decided to go ahead and put in a "reconditioned" engine.
I went to see my mechanic , a reputable shop who has worked on all my vehicles for 20 years. As soon as the engine was installed I noticed a tapping sound , usually worse first thing in the morning but noticeable throughout the day. I returned the car to my mechanics four times over the next 3 months to try and locate the problem. They told me after putting the car on the rack and checking everything they had done to eliminate any human error on their side . They also took off the belts to see if it was linked to the water pump or anything.
I then contacted Josh , at AAA Engines . I believed my mechanic had said it was a lifter noise . My mechnic had used the word lifter to try and explain what was going on in laymans terms . I knowing nothing about engines, told Josh that my mechanic had thought it may be the lifter noise. Josh was very defensive and told me the mechanic didn't know what he was talking about and should lose his license as there are not any lifters in the engine. He then condecendingly said I should have read the small print as it was in black and white that they warranty the engine and not the labour. He also said , no other engine companies warranty the labour ( this is not a true starement , apprently ATD do , I wish I had gone there. Josh told me to get the mechanic to figure out whats wrong with the engine. There is only so much you can do when inspecting a sealed engine. Computers wont be able to narrow it down. I told Josh I would drive the car to his warehouse so he could listen to this noise of this engine this "reputable" company sold me.
It goes with out saying the core I returned was not credited back with the amount they said they would, as it was "damaged." (more small print)
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because apparently the engine is warrantied for 2 years unlimited mileage, it is not economicly viable to pay for the engine to be removed and replaced (also I would have to trust these crooks to be honest when they inspect the engine to admit it was their fault.) If the engine is opened the warranty is void. How can a mechanic determine a complete diagnostic report if he can't unseal the engine. Even if AAA did admit they were at fault they still would not reimbiurse for labour.
You have to understand , I know nothing about engines . I made the mistake of buying the engine and getting the mechanic to install it, the mechanic warranties his labour and the engine supplier warranty their engine.
I then called back the next day, a much nicer person told me pretty much the same so then when I wanted to speak to his superisor I had the misfortune of finding out the owner of this scam compny is Josh . I did not have the time or patience to deal with this guy, who with running a business has the time to try and defend his company.
Beware, I'm sure Josh will respond to this complaint as he has to others on this site accusing the customers of lying. There is not a reason in this world if I was satisfied in any way with these people I would have took two hours out of my life to fabricate lies about this company.
There is reason they're address is not listed on their website , they don't want people like me knocking on the door complaining.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE CRIMINALS
Scam
Caused me stress and money
NOT HONEST
COMPLETELY RIPPED US OFF. GOT PRETTY MUCH CHARGED FOR ALL THE PARTS IT COST FOR THEM TO REMAN THE ENGINE THAT WE SENT BACK AS A CORE. TOTAL BULL. MY BILL WAS 5200 WITH THE CORE CHARGE OF 950. I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY AGAIN.
Wishing I had seen these reviews
They are a scam. AAA Engine has gotten me for $3800. I don't know what to do. I am tempted to drive 2000 miles and confront someone about it, but who? This has to stop. They cant be allowed to do this. We need to ban together and go after them. This isn't right.
HUGE SCAM
DO NOT PURCHASE FROM OR DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! IT IS A SCAM!! First of all, after promising to reimburse $825 for the core they only gave us $400. Secondly, the engine they sent us overheated after we got it installed, so we wasted a few thousand on an engine, getting it shipped, installed, diagnosed, etc. Then we tried to follow up with their warranty and they completely ignored us for a few weeks; they didn’t pick up their phone or respond to any emails. Finally they responded to the emails and basically told us we are out of luck and refuse to follow up with the warranty. They have faulty engines, a false warranty on their website, and horrible customer service. Avoid this company at all costs!