AJM Automotive Service Fremont

This is a long review, but if you are considering AJM Automotive in Fremont, Ne., it is time well spent reading.

5/5/25 Monday: Engine knock after oil change at Cornhusker Lube in Fremont, Ne. I took my car back to Cornhusker Lube and they said that it was doing it when it came in, it was not.

5/5/25 Monday: I went straight to AJM Automotive in Fremont, they didn't know what the knock was so we decided to bring the car in on Wednesday the 7th at 8:00 Am.

5/7/25 Wednesday: I come at 8:00 Am, no one in the shop, owner in the bathroom until 8:40 Am.

Owner still has no idea what the knock is and begins to remove the valve cover. This is my only vehicle, I am a disabled veteran, I live in Nickerson with no way to get back home, so I ask if it can be done today. He didn't have a valve cover gasket so he ordered it from Omaha, and they said it would be there by noon. I took my car home and would come back when they call.

The valve cover gasket should have been ordered on Monday, as we knew that the gasket was leaking and needed to be removed to investigate the engine knock. He said that he would call when the gasket came in. Early afternoon I realize that he never even took my phone number, so I called and yes, the gasket was there. I go in and there is a mechanic there, and I use that term mechanic loosely.

Apparently, there aren't any on staff, regular shop mechanics. Just guys that are called when there is a job. I say this because on Monday the 5th when I was there this same guy showed up but the work couldn't be done then because we didn't have a valve cover gasket. Anyway, he proceeds to remove the valve cover as we now have a gasket.

He is using an Impact wrench on a plastic valve cover, which I knew was going to have a disastrous result, but I couldn't communicate with him because he didn't speak English. He gets done and the owner finally comes in to check it. The valve cover was leaking bad as he had broken it with the impact wrench. I now can't take my car, and we need another valve cover.

The owner tries to locate one online. He finally locates one on Ebay or Amazon I assume, but the soonest it can be delivered is Saturday the 10th. The owner does bring me back home as I still have no way to get back home. I leave my car there.

5/12/25 Monday: I get a call from AJM stating that they have the replacement valve cover and that they will bring the car out to me at 5:30 Pm, and to have a check ready for $183.86.

I wait until 8:30 Pm, no call, no show. I tried to call them several times with no answer, which was also my experience with them. I have cancelled several doctor's Appts., have been eating canned tuna for days, which I have now run out of, and have had to skip necessary medications. I have no way to get groceries or get to town.

All that I have heard is we aren't going to charge you for the replacement valve cover. Thoughtful considering that their shade tree, unqualified help broke it in the first place. I understand that they have no control over the shipping time for the valve cover, but it doesn't negate the fact that if their help would have used common sense when reinstalling the valve cover none of this would have taken place.

5/13/25 Tuesday:It is now the morning of the 13th, 6 full days after it started and no car. Keep in mind that this is just for the valve cover gasket to be replaced, as they weren't able to diagnose the knocking noise.

One bright spot is that on Wednesday the 7th before I took the car back into AJM, a local man who is an actual mechanic, came here and it took him 5 minutes to find the knock. When I originally had my oil changed by Cornhusker Lube on Monday the 5th, they jammed the fill spout into the valve cover and bent the baffle which was hitting a lobe on the the camshaft. He bent it back, noise gone. When I told the owner at AJM he just said, "makes sense".

Not only could he not diagnose the engine knock, he just told me If the knock gets worse shut it off quickly. So now I will have a replaced valve cover and a new valve cover gasket that has been installed, removed, and reinstalled in a different valve cover for $183.86. For all that I have been through during this, I believe that to be a serious overcharge and should be half or less of that amount.

In my opinion if I can save one person from a fiasco such as this, the time that I have spent writing this review and providing the timeline is worth it. Please, take your vehicle to a real shop, with real mechanics, that has consideration for its customers.