Automotive Training Institute Sucks

ATI or Automotive Training Institute 705 Digital Dr suite v, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090

BUYER BEWARE!!

It is this writers opinion that Automotive Training Institute or ATI based out of Linthicum, MD is a big sham. Many have referred to them as an outright Scam as youll see in the many complaints outlined herein.

One thing is certain, they go out of their way to have negative reviews and comments taken down from the internet.

It is also my opinion that the owner Christopher Chubby Frederick has a highly trained, fast talking team of snake oil salesmen looking to reel you in like they did to us.

I have read MANY instances online were other small shops like ours were misled at a very high price.  The salesman who visited us was a very smooth talker and before we knew it, we were locked into a 4 year contract at $1,400 a month along with a personal guarantee buried deep in the contract so even if we closed down, we would be personally liable to keep paying. Even though he said on multiple occasions we could quit anytime we wanted. We quickly found out that was not the case. Their so called "performance guarantee" a complete laugh.

What did we get for our $1400 a month? A 20 minute or so call from our "coach" once a week patting us on the back. Their answer to making more money, RAISE prices. Keep raising prices. Raise the labor rate, tack on extra labor, bump up labor quotes, charge more for parts, raise shop supplies. Raise, raise raise prices. A small business, in a small town for over 40 years we soon started losing long time clients. 3rd generation clients  Following ATI's model nearly put us under.

We ended up hiring an attorney to sue them to get out of what we considered a deceptive contract and ended up paying a lesser amount to buy out but even so they came out smelling like roses, Chubby laughing all the way to the bank I'm sure. After all the dust settled, they even tried to con us into signing a "Non-Disparagement Agreement" or NDA which we refused to do on advise form our attorney as doing so would have prevented us from even writing this! This is how they play, dirty.

How many others have they done this to? Its been almost a year and we are still recovering. Slowly getting lost customers back having to explain what had happened.

If you are thinking of doing business with Automotive Training Institute (ATI) I highly recommend you do your research. Research public records and look at all the lawsuits the company as well as Chubs have been part of. Its all public record.    A great place to start is the Maryland Judiciary Case Search which can be found HERE just place a tick mark "Company" and search for "Automotive Training Institute" or even person for "Christopher Frederick". Hmmm take a look at some of the cases and case history! Fascinating.

Look at Better Business Bureau complaints. HERE are TWENTY of them (as of 3/1/2022). Read them all VERY carefully, see a pattern yet? Dive deep into Google and other search engines and look for complaints and bad reviews on ATI, use keywords like complaints, ripoff, scam etc..etc.. though they work extremely hard to make negative comments go away. Most importantly if you do decide to go with them, read that contract from top to bottom, every single line, scrutinize closely and look for that personal guarantee! Its in there. Buyer Beware, that's all I can say, buyer BEWARE!

When we launched this site there were 5 complaints with the Better Business Bureau now there are 20 (NINE last few months alone!). If you feel that you have been SCAMMED by Automotive Training Institute (ATI )  we urge you to FILE A COMPLAINT AS WELL. The more people that see their shady business practices the better! You can file your own complaint with the BBB right HERE 

They are piling up so many complaints they now have a message on their BBB listing "encouraging" you to contact them PRIOR to making a formal complaint LMAO!! Seriously? Screw that! If YOU feel you have been abused or misled, FILE YOUR COMPLAINT! Get the word out!

May 12, 2021 - CHECK THIS OUT! 10 years ago, an employee of ATI filed a suit against them. Seems they treated their "employees" as "independent contractors". According to the law suit to pay less taxes (cheat the IRS) and get out of paying any benefits whatsoever to said employee.  Its a very good read. Download and read the acutal complaint HERE Here is a quote from the complaint "his refusal to participate in an illegal scheme to defraud the IRS andPennsylvania state agencies" WOW!!!

Look at this Yelp review HERE. Seems to be an ongoing scheme of deceptive practice.  HERE is yet another Yelp reviewer in distress.  Take a look at this hard to ignore complaint on Ripoff Report HERE.  Seeing a pattern yet?

Here are even more complaints on scamero CHECK THEM OUT.  ComplaintsBoard also has several complaints against ATI You can check them out HERE. One thing is for sure, the pattern of Automotive Training Institutes behaivor is the same! BUYER BEWARE!

And even more complaints all pretty much echoing the same treatment can be found HERE  So many complaints speaks for itself. BEWARE!

March 25,2024 - Just found a new review site loaded with one star complaints. These are a must read! SEE HERE

Contact me at Contact@Ati-Sucks.com

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