Honest Engines Auto Repair

Reviews 3

FO

footlong beef

I can not recommend Honest Engines to anyone, at all, ever. I took my car in because it was leaking coolant, and would run a little hot. Eric initially could not figure out the leak, but noticed my fans werent coming on which was most likely causing the overheating problem. I agreed and after four weeks, got my car back with the fans rewired. Well the rewiring job was shoddy, and immediately caused electrical problems in my car. I experienced it shutting off while I was driving, all kinds of dash lights coming on (or not turning off) and my speedometer and odometer no longer worked. None of which was occurring before I brought it in. I took it back and let him know what I had been experiencing, and he promised to make it right. I was also able to make my car leak coolant at his shop on this trip, which he agreed to investigate. He held onto my car for another 3 weeks. He was able to figure out where the coolant was coming from, but nothing else had been done to my car in that time. After getting a little tired of not having my own car, I called to ask if my car was driveable so I could square up with him and take it home. He told me it was. When I arrived to get my car however it turns out that the fans were completely taken out, and he didnt know where they were. So I asked if I could just call the next day, and perhaps pick it up when he had found and installed them. He said yes. Next day came, and he had found the fans, but did not have them installed. At this point I was kind of over it, and just asked him what I have to do to get these things installed so that I can take my car. He told me to come by the next day so he could walk me through the process. I told him that I felt like he had already wasted a significant amount of my time, and frankly I had responsibilities I needed to tend to the next day. He seemed offended and offered that if I wanted to just take my car and purchase the wiring kit from him I could wire it myself. I then told him I had already given him money for the initial rewiring that had caused the electrical problems, and if I were going to wire it myself, he should just give me the wiring kit at this point. He then suggested that people “looking for freebies” like me are the reason he is broke. I told him I felt like I was getting screwed and proceeded to walk out to have my ride take me home. I got my car back the next day (with the fans wired—though not with the wiring kit) and didnt give him any more money. My speedometer and odometer still do not work and I am short one washer fluid reservoir after almost 2 months of my car being at Honest Engines. I would actively discourage anyone from patronizing this “business.”

AP

April Burrows

A man with all the urbanity of a Tarantino movie villain and the delightful cynicism of Dr. House, the owner of the aptly named Honest Engines was swamped with work from a huge local fanbase when I met him. Like a lot of us whod majored in a field irrelevant to daily life and who have little auto savvy, I had been duped repeatedly by an array of mechanics--Walmart, AutoZone, OReilly, and two mobile mechanics--into purchasing multiple unnecessary spare parts when my car refused to start up. Late January I was sold a used alternator ($65) and new battery ($60), which lasted two weeks before going out. I figured "You get what you pay for" and on AutoZones and Walmarts advice sprung for a new alternator (online $175) and new replacement battery (Walmart $65). Within 8 days my car was having the same issue--the engine wouldnt turn but would click. (In retrospect I believe the only reason these procedures helped at all was due to the kickstarting jump at the end.) I did a little research myself to have an idea in mind what the underlying issue might be, then called dozens of mechanics in order of their distance from me. All of them advised I would need a new alternator or possibly starter, but none of them considered it might be a connective issue like I had in mind. When, 3.6 miles out on Google Maps, I reached Eric, he expressed validating outrage at the ineptitude and dishonesty of the prior mechanics and offered to look at my car immediately despite a huge workload. He was the first person to be talking sense and also to not try to sell me. When I arrived he immediately knew what was up and Macgyvered the connective cables clean and operational as if by magic. He spoke completely to my level of expertise and explained everything to me. It was so empowering and so exciting to hear that engine rev. Its started ten times since which might be a record at this point. I had brought a decent sum of money but my boyfriend and I were exchanging worried glances it would not be enough considering how much work and skill Eric had devoted to our Impala, let alone the inconvenience. I wont put the actual price he charged but sufficeth to say it was a tiny fraction of what he could have--pennies on the dollar--I had brought over 6 times as much. I could sing the owners praises all day but Im late to an appointment and Ive probably already embarrassed him but long story short, many thanks to Honest Engines, and to customers reading--get in now while you still can.

AM

Amy Recht

These guys are great! We have older model Mazda minivans and Mazda charges an arm and a leg for parts now to keep these in service. Were able to get parts online at junkyards or replacement brands and Eric installs them with no problem. Mazda tries to force its customers to buy new cars by making the maintenance of the old ones outrageously expensive. I love my Mazda MPVs and since Mazda does not make them anymore, I dont want to get rid of mine. We use the oldest one as a truck for hauling plants, bark, mulch and whatever else is big and messy. The "newer" one (2004) is for hauling kids Eric has helped us to keep these running and not have to get rid of them due to the expense of the maintenance. For instance, the copper bus bar which attaches to the positive side of the battery with a cable that connects to a mass of wires corroded and after cleaning off the corrosion, the copper was really thin and probably would not last long. The Mazda dealer wanted $2500+ for a new part and then more for installation. Thats more than we could sell the whole van for! I searched the internet and bought a new replacement part for cheap but Eric said thats exactly what it was - cheap - and advised us not to install it. Instead he was able to weld a hurkier piece of metal to the thin copper enabling us to continue to use the original part. This cost us so much less than if hed installed the part we bought, then on top of that, he told us not to pay him until we brought in the other van for the problem described next! A bracket broke under the drivers seat and Mazda wanted almost $600 for the seat frame (could not buy just the bracket) and then more for installation. Bought the seat frame from a junkyard for $50 and the install will be less than $100 (itll be done next week due to our busy schedules) so I can still keep driving the van for hauling purposes. It does not have to be new or beautiful to haul bark and stuff to recycle but it does have to work and be safe. Thanks to Eric, it is!

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