0 stars.
I have been without a reliable vehicle for eight months because of the way The Wreck Center and Allstate handled an engine replacement on my 2018 VW Atlas after Valvoline in Maumee improperly threaded the oil drain plug on 11/14/2025 causing catastrophic engine damage.
Because The Wreck Center was an Allstate "Preferred Repair Shop," I believed my vehicle would be repaired correctly and that I was "in good hands". Unfortunately, that has not been the case.
From the beginning, communication was extremely poor. We were repeatedly transferred back and forth between Allstate and The Wreck Center just to determine whether the repair had even been approved.
Our primary contact for much of this process was Drew G. He was handling communications regarding the claim, the salvage engine ordering, the initial engine problems and misfires, and when the vehicle was supposedly ready for pickup. Drew did not seem to know the status of the repair, and we were often given inconsistent information from him. I later learned that Drew had been reassigned to the paint department. Knowing that the person who had been handling communications regarding a complex engine replacement (and test driving my vehicle while it had active misfires) was subsequently demoted to the paint department only added to my concerns about whether my vehicle was ever being properly overseen.
I repeatedly requested the VIN number for the salvage engine because I wanted to independently research its history. Despite numerous requests, neither Allstate nor The Wreck Center would provide it. I was even told by Leandro at Allstate not to worry about the VIN information.
I ultimately did not receive the engine VIN until several days after I had already paid my deductible and picked up my vehicle.
When I finally researched the VIN, I discovered that the donor vehicle had sustained moderate front-end collision damage. More concerning, the vehicle carried a certificate indicating that the engine could not be started after the accident, meaning its mileage could not be verified. The engine that was installed in my vehicle therefore could not be of "like kind and quality" since it's unverifiable.
I also repeatedly asked what warranty came with this salvage engine. I was given conflicting answers--first 6 months/6,000 miles, then 12 months/12,000 miles, and later back to 6 months/6,000 miles after problems developed. Even when I finally recieved the paperwork (months later), it contained conflicting warranty information.
Things became much worse after the engine was installed.
During The Wreck Center's own initial test drive, my vehicle was experiencing active engine misfires and the check-engine light was flashing. I was told that it "just needed new spark plugs." I trusted that explanation and took the vehicle home.
The vehicle continued to have serious problems, including moving misfires. This raises serious concerns about the condition of the replacement engine and whether the salvage engine was ever properly diagnosed prior to being installed in my vehicle.
There were also additional issues with the repairs, including non-TTY subframe bolts and a melted grille shutter that had been sitting on my exhaust pipe (????). These are not the level of repairs or quality I expect after being without my vehicle for such an extended period.
There were also concerns involving exhaust fumes/carbon monoxide. Because of the issues with the vehicle and the exhaust system, I became concerned enough about potential carbon monoxide exposure that I purchased a carbon monoxide detector for the vehicle. A vehicle that has undergone an engine replacement should not leave a customer questioning whether it is safe to drive or whether exhaust gases could be entering the vehicle.
The entire experience has involved repeated delays, inconsistent information, unresolved mechanical problems, and a lack of accountability between Allstate and The Wreck Center. I have spent an enormous amount of time making phone calls, asking for basic information, trying to determine who was responsible for what, and attempting to get answers about a vehicle that should have been properly repaired the first time.
What makes this especially frustrating is that I did everything I was supposed to do. I had full insurance coverage, trusted Allstate's preferred repair facility, paid my deductible, and trusted that the replacement engine being installed in my vehicle was appropriate and reliable.
Instead, I ended up with a salvage engine whose mileage could not be verified, a history that I was not allowed to investigate before installation, conflicting warranty information, continuing misfires, catalytic-converter problems, concerns about exhaust and carbon monoxide, and numerous other repair issues. read more
