Atlantic Coast Appliance — Local services in Atlantic Beach

AUGUST 2023 UPDATE: 6 YEARS ago I had such a terrible experience I wrote a scathing but honest review (below). Last week, my dishwasher broke. A neighbor recommended Atlantic Coast. Seeing now their dramatically improved ratings, I thought it was fair to extend a do-over and then hopefully report back with a positive update. I called and scheduled.

Instead, I got a call saying I’ve been forever blacklisted and they would not come. I respect this is their right, of course, as spiteful as it may be. So, here’s my update and, again, YOU decide if you want to deal with a vindictive business which is more determined to hold a grudge than accept an opportunity to prove a past experience was out-of-the-ordinary, that maybe they’ve resolved any underlying problems from six years ago, and maybe there’s no longer a good reason YOU really should choose somebody else.

ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 6 YEARS AGO:

This place MAY have once had a stellar reputation but my experience with new owner Bill keeps me from ever calling again. Bottom line: I needed a replacement part that retails for $25. I watched the Atlantic Coast tech (Eric) take about 10 minutes to install it. Then, I was told the charges would be about $230…$60 for the $25 part (available on Amazon for $11), the rest for labor.

Ultimately, the owner offered to settle by dropping the cost of the part from $60 to $32.25 (full retail + their policy to mark up 25% for making the call to order it—with my credit card) and “only” $129 for the few minutes of labor (Atlantic Coasts’ minimum labor charge)…and if I was going to disclose this experience on YELP or elsewhere, he threatened to call off the whole settlement and told me “Florida courts are very friendly to businesses, you know.”

Their website promises "100% satisfaction guaranteed to each customer" but Bill says that means "only to normal people," which, I suppose, are those who don't stand up to such a blatant ripoff.

I won’t even get into the part where I prepaid $29 for a light bulb for my microwave only to be told by the same technician that it would cost an additional $200 or $300 to disassemble the appliance to put it in.

Is this the kind of business you want to deal with when your appliance goes on the fritz? Now Bill has my money (so I can avoid wasting time in those Florida courts he insists are so unfriendly to consumers) and you? You have been informed of what you can expect at Atlantic Coast...

Wow! These guys are outstanding. I have a Maytag front loading washing machine that is 8 mos old and since day one we have had nothing but issues with it. It stops, I get error messages, clothes are soaking wet when the display says “end”. I was constantly babysitting a machine invented to make our lives easier. The thing is under warranty, so a repair technician sent by Maytag comes out to work on the machine. Each time, I am told by this particular technician that I am using too much detergent. We have had lengthy conversations about measuring detergent. To the point where he was just rude and dismissive at his last visit.

It was a gigantic waste of time and resolved nothing. He would leave and my machine would still not work. I got all types of error codes. And at each visit I was told, yet again, that I was using too much detergent. Sorry - but it does not take a rocket scientist to measure detergent. I think I got it.

I knew there was more to the story so I sought a second opinion. Enter Atlantic Coast Appliance.

Aaron arrived promptly and cheerfully began listening to my washing machine woes. He got right to work looking at the machine and within just a few minutes told me that the water lines were hooked up in reverse. HELLO!!! That set my machine up for all kinds of nonsense. No wonder the clothes were not spinning out, cycles would just stop, etc.

Five service calls from the “other guys” could not determine this??? That is just pitiful. Wouldn’t you check the basics first??

Anyway, I am thankful for Aaron and his knowledge and professionalism. And likely the simplest, yet most impactful, service call of his career. He seriously saved the day AND my sanity. I would recommend...

Beware! We called in for a repair and attempted to give the lady on the phone the make, model and serial number of the appliance we were needing repaired. She said it was unnecessary and would not take it. We wondered why since we just needed to know if the door (broken glass) could be replaced and the turntable repaired on an older model built in microwave. When the technician arrived this morning within two minutes he said oh the door can’t be replaced or glass on this model every part to it is out of stock and showed me on an app on his phone. He was polite and it certainly was not his fault he was only making a service call as instructed. I wonder how many $89.99 per day they get by not asking appropriate details on the phone? I called the office and spoke with the manager Anna who informed me it is the consumers place to press the issue and request a technician call them back to look up the parts before they arrive but she went on to say they do not like to do this because every component can have a number of different parts. In a situation like ours had they have looked up the serial number waiting in a four hour time span and paying the service call would not of been necessary since every part is unavailable. Beware, when calling this company or any company like this. Press the issue of them looking up the parts and taking the make, model and serial number. In this instance they recorded and reviewed our call on our service request and said that we did not ask enough questions and did not demand a service tech to look the parts up and call us back. I hope that our mishap saves others in the future...