Tri-City Transmission in Tempe, AZ has been removed.
September 30, 2011
I (Mark Salem) removed Tri-City Transmission from this list on January 1, 2011 for ethical reasons.
This action is unprecedented for many reasons:
1. I’ve NEVER had to remove a shop before I removed Tri-City Transmission in January 2011.
2. Tri-City Transmission was the FIRST shop on my "Best Car Repair Shops" list in 1988. From 1988 to late 2009, Mike and Leon owned and operated Tri-City Transmission.
3.. Mike and Leon sold Tri-City Transmission to Dave Ricco in late 2009.
4. I broke one of my own rules when I let the new shop owner, Dave Ricco, stay on my list, in spite of my rule that all shop owners have at least 5 years of experience. Dave was a swamp cooler salesman before he purchased Tri-City.
5. Dave had more Customer complaints in 2009 and 2010 than Mike and Leon had in 20 years.
Below are three e-mails. The first one was from Dave to me. The second one (9 months later) is from Dave to me. The third e-mail is from me to Dave.
From: Dave Riccio
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 11:18 AM (NOTE DATE)
To: Talk2Salem@aol.com
Subject: From Tri-City
Mark,
Conversation about Cary Lockwood the other day spawned the question that I really had not thought about as deeply as I should have. However, with my needs from the business creeping up, in order to solidify Mike & Leon’s great retirement, I become a wholesale distributor for Certified Transmission out of Omaha, Nebraska. They are second only to Jasper in size with over 25 distributors throughout the US. http://www.certifiedtransmission.com/
Consequently, Tri-City Transmission wholesale is born under the DBA Transmissions @ Wholesale. We will be stocking in excess of 115 transmissions and distribute primarily to GR shops - secondarily to transmission shops & dealerships. Other than outside sales, as a marketing tool for moving “units” we will be supporting GR shops with a free member network on the web.
I’ve tried to get together with you to discuss this over lunch a couple of times. The Cary Lockwood conversation raised my sense of urgency for getting together. I don’t want this to be misinterpreted as a competitive play as you are the marketing workhorse for our retail business, as well as you have mentored and sheltered me as I have made my start.
As we are not charging for this (referral) network, it is not a profit center for us; it’s simply a marketing tool for helping the members of the network to sell our transmissions. I don’t really think it will even be a blip on your radar, and maybe not even an issue. But I would rather you hear it from me to ensure you understand the intent.
Also, I want you to know the project is not so far down the track that your suggestions aren’t welcome, in fact, I am soliciting them. I have always appreciated your 10,000 foot view of the industry.
In closing I would like to get together to discuss this in greater detail.
Let me know,
David Riccio, TriCity Transmission
Sometime in 2010,
Dave Ricco opened a "foundation" on a website called
http://www.autorepairgoodguys.com/ . Some 9 months later I am called by many shops owners asking me if they should join the Good Guy Foundation. I tell them I have no idea what they are talking about. They say they have been told that I am on board with this new website. I’m even told by mutual friends that Dave told him I was on board with this “Foundation”. I find the website and leave a message for Dave.
In a message dated 11/8/2010 7:46:42 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, dave@tricitytrans.com writes:
Mark,
I was surprised to find out you did not know about ARGG (Auto Repair Good Guys) . Maybe too “pussy foot”, but, I asked you for permission back in February when ARGG was just an idea (see below). After an attempt to get together and a specific email, I assumed you simply blew me off, not taking me serious or took a "Wait & See" stance.
I hope you realize it was not my intent to stab you in the back or take advantage of our relationship; that’s just not who I am!
I realize our advertising relationship is going to change, and it may very well be for the better. I am going to insist we get together fairly quickly to discuss our relationship moving forward.
Would Monday or Tuesday work better? Name your local coffee shop and I will see you there.
Be in Touch,
David
110810
Dave,
The email you refer to does not exist in any folder I have and I save all e-mails. My earliest e-mail exchange between us is dated 020607.
This 021610 email of yours is nothing I saw or read. I have an "AARC" email from you dated 021010 and one 032210, but not one dated 021610.
Nothing in this newly discovered email says "ARGG" AND I would not have understood your code for what "GR" means. I would have seen wholesale and you stocking trans and I wouldn't have cared.
I am very bothered by your attempt to placate Michael Henry and others by telling them your cryptic messages to me clearly says I am OK with what you are doing.
Can you find anything from me that suggests I knew anything about your GP, ARGG or Foundation plans, maybe an e-mail I also have?
I think you are lying about this "foundation" not being a referral network, but please understand, you are certainly free to do as you please.
I think you lied to Michael Henry about me knowing or approving or being told about your ARGG plan.
I am canceling my contract with you and Tri-City. Until the end of the year, YOUR radio spots will have to be voiced by others or you may certainly ask Rosie or you can voice them yourself.
From this point forward, none of my live endorsements of Tri-City will be aired.
Dave, I am not going to meet with you, what would that accomplish? I cannot and will not discuss, create or plan your marketing strategy.
So it was then and is now that Dave Ricco was calling his new website a "Foundation", yet he admits it is really a ploy to get lots of other repair shops to buy and install his 115 rebuilt transmissions he just bought.
Saying one thing and doing another is NOT what I'm all about. ~Mark
Since early Nov 2010 and the first day of 2011, I mulled over these e-mails and the effect this could have on the credibility of the “Best Car Repair Shops” group. I was bothered by the creation of this B.S. Foundation which was nothing more than a ploy by Dave to meet new shop owners and solicit their purchases of rebuilt transmissions in his effort to become the largest transmission shop in AZ.
Today the web site has been removed, but if you call the Good Guys phone number 866-747-1331 and pick option #1 they says this, “We always do the right thing for the right reasons, even when no one is looking.”
Dave tells people I removed him because I was mad when he opened a competing website that would refer repair work to “his” shops. Here’s why that is B.S.
1. “His list” of shops is the same as “my list” of shops.
2. I started in 1988. Eleven others followed. AAA, Angies List, Dex, GarageFly, Auto Repair Good Guys (ARGG), Kudzu, NARPRO, Repair Pal, ToFixIt, Your Auto Network and Yelp. My shops dominate their lists and I am proud of that.
3. My list is the same as Narpro and Auto Repair Good Guys and both copied my list of requirements and I am OK with that, actually I am flattered.
4. The owner of Garage Fly and I have been best of friends since 1979. Call Garage Fly, ask them if I am not a supporter of our common cause, which is to identify the Best auto repair shops in and around Phx and NOT hiding behind a hidden agenda.
I am looking for constructive criticism or questions that allow me to see if I am performing at the level you expect . . . or . . . not. It is important to know I will sincerely take into consideration only those emails that are signed. Please let me know if I can post your comment. ~Mark