Advanced Automotive

Reviews 3

JE

Jeffrey Beier

This is the third time I have used this shop and writing this review as I feel a bit obligated for the several services I have had done. The first time was with my 2001 Chrysler Cirrus which they were the company called or recommended through AAA so they ended up doing the work. (Story was in 2013) The second time I clearly remember as they picked up my car from another repair shop, fixed the repairs at a much more affordable price and all occurring while I was at work. Very convenient and how I prefer it! Great! (Story was in 2013) The third time I brought the car in was a separate issue relating to the brakes and was not entirely a surprise since the car was over 10 years old. I had a feeling it was going to be expensive, but after a few hours of them looking they took me out to the shop floor to show me underneath the car. The repair was $1,500+ and no way to tell how much more it would cost since a lot of the wiring/lines underneath the car was rusted so when he started to take it apart there could be more damage done/uncovered. Long story short, I asked for their honest opinion and the mechanic said he would go buy a new car so I drove to the dealership and bought a new car that day. Show me another mechanic who tells you to go buy a new car over having several thousand dollars worth of repairs....not many and thats when you know the repair shop is looking at the long term value of a customer and not the immediate pay day. (Story was in 2013) Fast forward to today (December 12, 2015), I hit a curb and ended up blowing out my front right tire. The dealership was the first place I took since it is close; however, they tried to sell me an alignment, new tires as well as a few other services that would be around $600 (and a few days to get the tire in). So I complained a little then thought I would call up Advanced Automotive since I have had good luck with them previously. The entire process was quick and over the phone they ordered the tire for me and when I drove in they put it on and had it ready for me that morning. Gave me a great deal on the tire and service was great! After reading some of the other reviews it is quite impressive that a body shop has such a high rating considering most cars break down at the most inconvenient time and you end up spending money that most people really dont budget for (talk about a hard industry to get good review!); however, I have always felt good after leaving Advanced Automotive because I know they do quality work and I never felt pressured to get extra services. Part of the reason I feel loyal is that I get a sense they are trying to build a trusted partnership with each customer and they want you to come back in the future. In closing please be mindful that they are a business and have costs of operation, training and equipment. As such when getting work on your car done keep in mind the overall cost, but keep in mind how helpful and supportive they are which is another reason I keep coming back.

TI

Tina M.

First experience, and it seems like I was scammed. I took a government fleet vehicle there to get a diagnosis for why my dashboard warning brake light was coming on when I tapped the brakes, and also because I heard some squeaking when braking. Well I guess their eyes must have lit up at the mention of it being a government vehicle, meaning they had Uncle Sams pocket to reach into, because after an hour of them "inspecting" the vehicle, they told me not only did I need new brake pads, but the rotors needed to be replaced, and the calipers as well. I asked about the rotors, because I had just gotten them replaced a couple of years ago and I dont drive the vehicle very far, and I certainly dont drive it hard enough to merit rotor replacement in such a short time period. At this point one of the mechanics held up his fingers, pinched them together so that they were almost touching and said, "oh yeah, its about this close, soon youll have metal against metal." He made it sound urgent, and added that my calipers were very rusty. All in all, they wanted $850.00 for the repairs. I told them that I had to get authorization but that I probably wasnt going to because of the cost and how recently I had had the rotors done before. I left with the estimate and went on my way. The issue with my rotors kept bugging me, so I decided I would go to another garage that I had used before, and whom I found very trustworthy. I asked them to please inspect the brakes and rotors, and let me know what repairs I needed. I also told them about the dashboard warning light and the squeaking noise while braking. After removing all the tires and inspecting everything, the mechanics there told me everything was fine, and that my brake fluid was just a little low. I asked them if they were sure, and they said the rotors were just fine, and that the brake pads were maybe about half-worn, but not in need of replacement.They topped off my fluids for me, no charge, and sent me on my way. And wouldnt you know, that fixed the problem. No more dashboard warning light, and no more squeaking. Now Im sure that if I had paid the $850 that the guys at Advanced Automotive were asking for, my problems also would have been solved. But clearly I didnt NEED the repairs that they were trying to sell to me. Id like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but its really hard for me to believe that they werent trying to squeeze me for every last dollar that they could. They ought to be ashamed at the fraud they tried to pull.

RO

Rob Grauert

I stopped by on 06/15/2017 Pros – This place will let you drop off your car, give you a ride to work, and then pick you up at the end of the day so you can come pick up your car. This is very convenient if you work close by. Cons – It was difficult to get estimates for the work needed. I brought my car in for a number of things (new starter, battery, weird sound coming from brakes, and state inspection among other things). When I was describing what the car needed, the guy at the front desk seemed very uninterested in talking to me. And when I asked for an estimate, he sort of reacted as if it was a stupid question and said, "I dont want to waste your time or mine. Should I look at it or not?" He was able to list the cost of a few things, but like I said, he seemed to be annoyed with the question to begin with. Not sure if this guy was having a bad day or what, but its not unreasonable for someone to want to know how much smaller their bank account is going to be after getting their car worked on. People dont have endless amounts of money... Secondly, I had asked them to do the safety inspection first in case there were more things that the car needed in addition to the things I initially brought the car in for. After the inspection I got a call notifying me that my car would indeed need more work, but again they had no estimate. The man over the phone just said, "yea this is going to cost a little bit," but of course he didnt literally mean "cheap" by "little bit." His listed a number of things that needed work, so of course it would have been costly. But again no estimate, only "going to cost a little bit," which I didnt find helpful. Frankly, I was put off by this. No other shop Ive been to has ever been unwilling to provide an estimate for the cost of repair. In fact, other shops have always PREPARED an estimate prior to calling me for an update. As a result, I simply payed for the safety inspection and left because (1) Im guessing the cost of labor for everything my car needs would have brought me to a total greater than the value of my car and (2) getting an estimate out of these guys is like pulling teeth. Even when I was paying for my inspection at the end of the day, the guy at the front desk still seemed like he didnt want to talk to anyone. Hopefully hes having a better day today :)

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