Affordable Muffler Scam Game

Today we're discussing:

Affordable Muffler Inc
13130 Lorain Ave
Cleveland, OH 44111

Two years ago, we had a bad catalytic converter in the '99 CRV and had it replaced with an aftermarket piece. Peace of mind? The owner's signature under the handwritten words "5 year warranty."

A while back we had a rattle and soon after a check light and had it checked out: catalytic converter failure (the rattle was a piece of the converter dancing around in the tailpipe). Since we can't just drop everything and drive into Cleveland at a moment's notice, it took some time to get up there. Three weeks ago I took it back to Affordable Muffler with the original, hand-signed receipt. Mr. Owner's response? The converter has melted down and his warranty does not cover meltdown. It's running too rich; take it to a dealership and get the engine fixed, but no free converter either way.

So we took it to a Honda dealership with all the pomp and circumstance that that entails and they said exactly what we knew: the converter sucks, is falling apart, and there is absolutely nothing else wrong with the engine - no rich, no lean, no problem.

Then we returned to Cleveland with this dealership-endorsed revelation and the man in charge at Affordable Muffler was stone-faced: It's melted down; my warranty does not cover meltdown. Seeing as the warranty was a signature on a piece of paper, how were we to know? "I'm telling you right now," he stated rather gruffly.

If there's nothing wrong with the engine, then the failure of the catalytic converter is the cause in and of itself of any further fall-apart or meltdown, since a check engine light switches up the programming and dumps extra fuel which could cause extra heat. But the converter is and was the only thing wrong. Besides that, a catalytic converter should certainly not fail in only two years.

Affordable Muffler, you win a Bad Business Award for providing
poor quality parts, shady service, and a warranty on whatever terms you decide at the time. For shame.

AC Automotive

I drive a PT Cruiser. 2002. Manual. It's pretty sweet. However, recently it started overheating. It wasn't all the time: forced air cooled it on the highway and above-35mph roads here in Winston. But it started getting bad; I couldn't stop at a drive through bank or fast food place and slowed traffic was driving me off the road. It got to the point where I couldn't fake it anymore. It had to be fixed.

Well, several months ago, I ran out of gas (for the first time ever) taking my daughter to school. After walking almost a quarter miledown the road (even though there was nary a gas station within three or four miles), a man stopped, said he had a shop up the road, and would help us. A C Automotive. And help us he did: drove us to the shop, his driver drove us back with a gallon of gas, and when that wasn't enough (parked on a slope), he went to the nearest station to fill up his gas can. He filled us up and we were on our way.

Very deceptive. Okay, just niceties overshadowed by the subsequent experience.

Naturally, I thought of them when looking to have my fan assembly replaced. Problem was, they wanted over $500 for the assembly from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, I haven't yet begun to crap money, so I asked about aftermarket parts. "They don't make any aftermarket parts for what you're looking for," he said. Funny, because being the online searchmaster I am, I found several.

Then it got better as I turned it over to my wife who has much better bargaining abilities. The gentleman had said that there were no aftermarket parts for the vehicle, but changed his position with proof. But oddly. He said he only dealt with certain aftermarket manufacturers and those didn't have anything available anywhere in the area.

Dude, strike two. We found the part, using one of his "reputed" aftermarket names and were able to have it in our hands in 24 hours.

Lie on lie.

So Mrs. Shambles went back to pick up the car (not even dealing with any additional charge beyond the diagnostic) and said we were doing it ourselves. Do you know what the bastard owner did when she said that? He laughed at her. I almost hit the roof when I heard that.

But you know what? It took some time and it took a jack, but we replaced the assembly ourselves.

And A C Automotive? You're out the money, but gain the negative exposure of ...well, anyone who reads this blog.

Buggers.