Cooper Lake Automotive

Address:	4739 S Cobb Dr, Smyrna, GA 30080, USA
Phone:	+1 770-431-1936
Site:	cooperlakeautomotive.com
Rating:	4.3
Working:	8AM–5:30PM 8AM–5:30PM 8AM–5:30PM 8AM–5:30PM 8AM–5:30PM 8AM–1PM Closed

Location

Photos 43

Reviews 7

Bill Bohling

After seeing their sign saying Best in Smyrna and reading so many good reviews, I took my Mini Cooper in here a couple weeks ago to see if they could beat the dealers price on a water pump the dealer said needed to be replaced. After a thorough inspection of my car, including a 45-minute pressure test of the cooling system, the guy told me that much as hed love to sell me a water pump, it just didnt need one. The inspection did reveal a cracked serpentine belt, so we set up an appointment to take care of that as he said hed need to have the car for a whole day. I got my car in first thing in the morning, then got a phone call around 3pm saying that theyd gotten things halfway apart and discovered that the job required a tool they didnt have. The guy went on to say that he wasnt going to buy a tool for one job, so I was going to have to find someone else to do the work. When I went to pick my car up, I asked what tool they needed, and the counter person just said a "Mini Cooper Serpentine Belt Tool". I asked if that was something only dealers had and she didnt know. When I got home, I googled it. Amazon has the BMW Mini Cooper (R50/R53) Serpentine Belt Tool Kit for $29.95 (retail, $65.25). They could easily have bought the tool, added it (or at least part, since theyd be able to use it again) in the cost of the belt, and I would probably never have been the wiser. I would also have gone back there the next time my car needs work. Instead, Ill be going elsewhere. Honesty is great, but customer satisfaction counts for just as much.

Marc McAfee

You go to some mechanics because they’re cheaper, some because they know their stuff and you trust them, maybe others because they specialize in a certain type of work. Cooper Lake Auto is all of the above. I brought Gary what must have looked like a test of his patience right from the start, and it turned into what could have been a major aggravation. Instead of turning me away like a lot of other mechanics have, he treated it like a personal project and got the work done. Like a good surgeon or engineer, he dissected and troubleshot every aspect of the project, working and reworking until he got the result he wanted—which of course is the result I wanted! I brought him my 50-year-old Cadillac, I’d messed up trying to do the work myself. Gary fixed it, told me what the problem was, and suggested other fixes. I know he didn’t charge nearly what he could have for the hours he and his people put into it. He even gave me back extra parts I thought I needed and told me the originals were holding up fine. THAT should tell you all you need to know. If you’re on the fence about testing a new shop—don’t be. Go here. This is old-fashioned service at its best. Be patient, let them work, and they’ll take care of you. I’d bring the old girl back every week for more TLC, but I want Gary to like me. And trust me—he’s earned a break!

Anonymous User

CAUTION – They tried to sucker me into thousands of dollars of unnecessary repairs and their online ratings are misleading as they offer customers discounts for leaving 5 star reviews (as stated by a sign on their front desk) effectively drowning out the bad reviews, read on for more info. I took my car in for routine maintenance knowing ahead of time that it has a slow leak in the power steering system that I just top off every 6 months…no big deal, not worth the money to correct. So I assumed they might call to alert me to this issue and offer to repair it. Instead they told me a gasket in my transmission was bad and cannot be replaced and that the only way to fix the problem was to REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION!!! I check all my fluids regularly and have never noticed the transmission was missing fluid so how could it be leaking? They took the leaking power steering fluid as their opportunity to sucker me out of many thousands of dollars. I laughed at them on the phone, told them to touch nothing on the car, picked it up immediately and went home to write this review.

Kyle Glave

Very nice people and very clean place. Just spent $250.00 to have my hitch installed on my brand new Outback. Not happy with the quality of the cut into the bumper shroud. For that amount of money, I would expect a cleaner cut, than what was done. Disappointed. After speaking with Bill the owner and him explaining to me the process of installing the hitch and trying to be as careful as possible as they are just as nervous when working on a brand new car as the owner is, they did do a very good job. The cut lines are difficult even with a fine tooth saw blade and a reciprocating saw as well as following the template. Hence the reason they provide a trim strip as well with the hitch. Again, great people and the owner does take a personal interest in making sure their clients are happy.....a very rare characteristic in todays world. Id highly recommend these folks if you need work done on your car.

David Blanton

I have had both mine and my wifes personal cars serviced at Cooper Lake after hearing Dave Ramsey promote them. What Dave says is true. The people you get on the phone are knowledgeable, courteous, and professional. Most recently, my company vehicle had the AC fail. The dealership who normally services my companys vehicles wanted an astronomical amount to fix it. I called Cooper Lake and they promptly got me a quote for the same parts and services at about what 2/3rds of what the dealership wanted to charge. These people do what they say they are going to do, are friendly, and keep you informed of the status of your repairs. They do not try to up-sell you services your vehicles do not need like chain service centers Ive used in the past.

Anonymous User

I thought that based on their reviews I would get my 2003 Infiniti G35 fixed! After three days I went to pick up my "fixed" vehicle. They charged $1600, which I had to empty my savings acct to pay. I drove about 1 mile, if that, and my car began lurching forward and the check engine light came on. I drove back to CLA where they told me they couldnt fix it and I needed to take it to a dealer. I asked if they could give any of my money back and they said we were fair and cannot refund any of your money. I had it towed to a dealer but with no money left I had to trade in my favorite car ever! I wouldnt suggest them to my worst enemy! I dont even want to leave 1 star, negative 5 stars is better.

Suellen Heintz

Cooper Lake Automotive is hands down one of the best auto shops Ive ever taken my car to. The staff is friendly, its easy to make appointments and the turnaround time for getting your car fixed is quick. Im always looking for businesses that I can trust, especially when it comes to costly repairs. Cooper Lake Automotive is thorough in their inspections and fair in their pricing. They never tried to upsell me on things I didnt need and they also told me which repairs could be postponed. Even after you drop off your car, they keep you posted with pictures and reports so you can see exactly what their mechanics are diagnosing on your car. I highly recommend them.