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They do not stand behind the estimates at all. They underestimate the labor involved in completing the work. Then they come back and say are bad it was off and the shop charged what is industry standards. There customer service agents claim that they have gone through ASE training yet they can not explain how according to there system it takes 2 hours to put a gasket on an oil pan that is being replaced and that it requires 10 quarts of oil to complete the job. The vehicle only takes 5 quarts of oil. When the estimate is off they say oops we will update the website.
After being referred to repairpal.com by CarMax, I found Main Street Garage in Upland, CA. After two attempts at repairing my alternator (they said it was a bad part both times), the third time the owners of Main Street Garage told me to take my car and go elsewhere after they refused to make good on a warranted part unless I would sign papers exposing me to having to pay for another diagnostic for the same issue. Meanwhile after calling repairpal.com to complain about their vendor (Main Street Garage) all she (Terra) seemed to do was make excuses for their behavior. Don't try and save a few bucks by using this resource just ask friends and family for a referral!
Hi Bridget, sorry to hear that you had a terrible experience. Faulty parts is an issue and by fault of the manufacturer, not the shop, most times. It seems like the shop tried to fix this issue "both times" and then suggested you to go to another repair shop to complete the repairs. Hoping your repair was ultimately repaired with good parts and that you found another trusted repair shop by word of mouth. If there is anything we can do to remedy your experience, please respond back to [email protected] within reason to what we can do for you.
Thanks!
I put in a search for a Porsche mechanic on Cape Cod. We are villages, and don't really have a Porsche dealer, just an Audi/Porsche, who are criminal in their jacking up the price of parts; a vacuum tube for the leak I had - their price, $1700, actual price, $176.00. RepairPal found the most honest and reliable mechanic I've ever had! He not only replaced the rear tubes, but replaced the top system between the turbos as well. Total cost including parts, $2,200. Ed Hannigan, owner of Patriot Automotive in Harwich, MA, has also become a personal friend.
Hi Ron, glad we're glad you found Patriot Automotive in Harwich, MA. We know it's hard to find a shop alternative to service a Porsche. Our independent repair shops will always charge you fairly on parts and labor. And in your case, not only did you find a great shop to take your Porsche to, you also gained a friend. Thanks for sharing your story.
The below is my yelp review about their certified auto shop - "Alpha and Omega Automotive Repair"(A&O) that fixed my car, I posted my review on 3/14/2018 and updated on 3/18):
I'm so glad I found this trustworthy auto repair shop. Thanks for the yelp reviewers to share their pleasing experience! Also this shop(A&O) is certified by repairpal.com. Actually that's how I found it. Then checked with yelp to see what their customers said about this business. Amazingly, no bad words at all. Nowadays it's extremely hard to gain the full trust from every customer, but they made it, so far. Because of their outstanding credit, I believed them completely. Yesterday I left my Honda Accord in the shop. This afternoon I went to pick my car. Everything was perfect. The oil pan was replaced and the fault A/C worked again. I did a quote at Sears before. Although sears' price for the oil pan replacement of my 2007 Honda Accord was cheaper. I still chose this auto shop because of all the 5-star reviews. I think it's worth paying more to a credible business. Unfortunately lots of business owners don't realize - a good reputation is priceless. Once it's destroyed, it's so hard to do business.
By the way, I made my appointment with A&O via repairpal.com. This website states: they'll give you a guaranteed fair price range for your auto repairs if you go to their certified shops. So I gave them a call to find out why the certified shop charged more than their guaranteed price range. The answer from repair.com: "Yes, our online estimate price range is guaranteed. We will send you a refund of the difference." Wow! A big big surprise! They keep their words precisely. I'm going to use this website to book all my future auto repair appointments. So I don't need to worry about I might get overpriced. Remember, before you go to an auto shop, make sure to ask questions on repairpal.com to find out what your car's problems are and how much it would cost to fix them(repairpal's estimate). Then book your appointments with their certified shops. If anything wrong, call them. Repairpal will solve the issues for you. That's my experience.
In order to get people's attention to read my review, I purposely gave a 4-star to A&O instead of a 5-star because everyone rated as a 5-star except one 4-star. Actually, both repairpal.com and their certified shop A&O got a super 5-star in my heart.
Updated on 3/18/2018: Yesterday I got a small package from repairpal.com. They sent me a blue T-shirt and a handwriting thank-you note plus some small gifts(see the attached photos). I was moved very deeply. What a great company - they care about their customers so much!
Hi Summer! Glad you were able to track this shop down through our site and had a wonderful experience. Our Network of Certified RepairPal shops abide by our estimator tool which grants a fair price to each repair made by them. And yes, we care about the automotive industry, our shops and their customers, very much so!
I've gotten several quotes from repairpal, and have yet to have one be very competitive. One of their referrals was to a company that wouldn't even give an estimate for super routine maintenance (brake pad replacement) without paying $79 to have the vehicle inspected. Warning sign #1 for a company that will over charge you. They know they aren't competetive, so they try to get you to spend money there before getting a quote. Don't waste your time.
Hi Darin, we're sincerely sorry you had a bad experience with RepairPal and the Certified shop you chose to visit. We guarantee that our Certified shops have been checked out for fair pricing with customers and if the shop does not honor our quoted estimate range, we'll pay the difference. You can find more information on this promise on our FAQ page: https://repairpal.com/faq. By using RepairPal, your repair is also covered by the shop's warranty – but extended nationwide once registered. These are only a few benefits of working with RepairPal. If you'd like to send us an email with your information, the shop name, and where it's located, we would be happy to look into the issue you came across. You can email me directly at [email protected].
P.S. Since you specifically mentioned brake pads in your review and it's currently October, you should see if a shop near you is participating in Brakes for Breasts. A portion of the labor costs on your brake pad replacement could go toward a cure for breasts cancer. I'm not sure where you're located, but here's a map of some of the participating shops in the RepairPal network: https://repairpal.com/blog/brakes-for-breasts-october-2017 – safe travels, KB.
Owner, Service Writer, Mechanic, Receptionist all friendly, informative, clean environment, knowledgeable, took time to explain and answer questions. I will be going back.
Hi Steve, glad you found a great Certified shop as part of our Network.
Thanks for your review!
I typed in several examples of repairs and the estimates seem to be either too high or too low. This site might help shops get more exposure but I don't think it is reassuring for consumers. There is no guarantee any of the shops listed are better or less expensive than the mechanic down the street. Remember, they pay to be listed here. I ended up getting 3 'real' estimates from mechanics in my area and they were less than what was quoted here.
Hey Ann, thank you so much for the review and your concerns. Any shop that is listed with RepairPal has gone through a verification process to ensure a good customer experience, the use of quality parts and tools, a high level of training (and the continued investment in education) for their technicians, and a warranty that backs up their work. When you use RepairPal and list your repair with us, we also back that warranty nationwide at any Certified shop. There are incredible auto shops throughout the country that go above and beyond to help their customers, but many people continue to have a bad experience when it comes to car repair. We hope to give a little peace-of-mind, help people find a shop that will honor a set price, and no matter what, we're glad that you were able to find a great shop to get your car repaired at! We hope this helped shed a bit more light on the program and that we can help you in the future. Thanks again Ann, and safe travels! -KB
Repairpal is a site that charges shops and recommends only shops that pay them. That doesnt mean you are getting a good shop, do your research, ask around, talk to local friends and family. Most shops will give you free info about them, their services, background, shop tours etc.
I did not expect to find an "All in One" Auto Repair Shop, but I did. Using one of your RepairPal Certified Auto Shops - Andy and Terry Automotive Specialists Inc. We called the shop when it opened on 08/24/16, The shop stayed within the price range on your site, got our Expedition back the same day. It confirmed what you said in your ad. You made us believers that Great Service is still out there!
The estimator was off by almost $400. They worked with us and paid the difference of the repair. Customer service is great. The network of shops is beyond compare. Repair Pal made it easy to find and support small business repair shops.
I'm sorry, but there's waaaay too much deception and price-gouging in auto repair. Everyone I talk to wouldn't trust their mechanic to watch their dog. And that really sucks because there are a lot of great, trustworthy mechanics and shops out there (I know at least one!). RepairPal is helping weed out the stinkers in the bunch and raise the bar for everyone else. And the best part is they'll even have one of their Master Mechanics talk to the repair shop FOR you to make sure the repair being recommended is ACTUALLY what you need. I'm not a mechanic, I have no interest in being a mechanic - I just need my car to work right, and I don't have the skills to know when a mechanic is completely misleading me. I'm grateful RepairPal is there to make sure that doesn't happen.
Seth and his whole crew are great workers honest people that will fix ur car right and great pricing as well love them wont go anywhere else!
They said to replace a Fuel pump on a 2001 ford Escape is $386- $475. The pump is located under the back seat and take 3 minutes to access. It took me 15 minutes to remove and replace with new pump ($125.00). I'm a Chef, not a mechanic but I checked UTube and saw it was easy.
Dellinger's Tire & Auto became part of the Repair Pal network last spring. We have been very impressed with the great customer service, attention to detail and communication we have received from this company. In the short time we have been certified by Repair Pal, we have seen growth in our business. As the Marketing Director, I value the ability to listen to the calls that come in to our store from Repair Pal and also find the detailed monthly reports of our progress very helpful. Keep up the great work! Denyse O'Connor
I own a RepairPal top shop and am glad that I have their service. RepairPal is only one of our ways of reaching out to new customers but I would have to say one of the best. It is a user friendly system for both the shop and the customer. Every business advertises some how and a good business owner will stick with the ones that produce the best results, that's why I have stayed with them for years. I agree that a customer should find a shop they trust and stay with them. I think their estimator is pretty accurate but every job is different and condition of the vehicle being repaired is always a factor. Until the vehicle is inspected and diagnosed a reasonable estimate is no more than a guess. I think that you should affiliate your business with as many reputable recommendations as you can get if you want to stand out in a business that in most places has no standard to its industry. I thank RepairPal for all they do for my business.
As the owner of a repair shop specializing in European cars and current RepairPal Certified Shop, I found their vetting process quite stringent. Our background and experience was checked and verified. We were required to provide a list of Tools and Diagnostic Equipment that met both their criteria and current Industry standards. Our customers were interviewed to confirm their online reviews of our shop. The RepairPal Online Estimating Tool is accurate but not omniscient. If we or a customer feel it does not reflect a certain repair, they are willing to discuss the matter. For consumers, they are a valuable but not perfect tool. For Shop Owners, they play fair.
In 47 years I have heard everything from A to Z. How long a repair should take to it is only a 5 minute fix. Repair Pal is an independent service that lets customers know approximately what a repair entails. It doesn't take into consideration that it is totally rusted, bolts break or what it came in for isn't the right thing. It is the job of the Service Writer to explain why it costs more than what somebody else has said over the phone or?
RepairPal has been more than fair with the estimates and the tows that are brought to us. It is only a tool, not your whole business.
When a new customer comes and asks me why they should do business with me. I can truthfully tell them to find a shop they trust and then stick with them. If they are unhappy, please tell the owner or manager. We can't fix something that we don't know about.
We have been truly happy with RepairPal. They aren't a complete fix to your business, but it sure helps when they send us a customer. We hope we take care of all their needs.
I own a shop and I have been a repairpal member for 5 years. They will not take "any shop" they actually call your customers to verify you're not screwing people over, and that you provide good customer service. Their repair estimator tool is the same tool NAPA uses for their website, and it gives customers a point of reference to ensure fair pricing. Auto repair is complicated, getting an accurate estimate can't be done by calling around, or by clicking a few buttons, that is why the range on the estimator can be large. Using quality parts and having certified technicians is a requirement for Repairpal shops, and if your shop gets complaints, they'll bump you down the list. There was one customer complaining that it was just "paid recommendations" and that the shops were "higher than the dealer" but that is not the case. There are actually certain, very rare, jobs that the dealer will be the cheapest. For the vast majority (99%) of repairs, our independent shop is 10-40% cheaper AND offers a longer warranty! RepairPal is no different than Angie's List, Yelp, or any other review site. ALL of them have "premier" listings that the businesses pay to be in. The difference is A: the consumer doesn't have to pay RepairPal, and B: RepairPal actually checks on the shops themselves, instead of just relying on reviews (some of which are inaccurate or put on by competitors).
Awesome company, dedicated to educating consumers about repairs & the cost, then putting them in the good hands of shops that have been fully certified to do the repairs. This company rocks! Try them and the shops they have certified to give you the best value in automotive service!
I've been using RepairPal since its inception and they are truly an asset to our industry. Their shop certification process is thorough and they care about the well being and forward progress of the auto repair industry. Take negative reviews with a grain of salt as their shop review process is sure to make some people unhappy.
From the business
Business History
- +1 800-969-9204
- San Francisco, CALIFORNIA, United States
- Founded in 2007
Hi Robbie, our estimator tool is updated monthly now, whereas before it was every couple of months. The tool holds tens of thousands of estimates that are backed up by industry standards and labor guides based where you are in the nation.
Consumers ask us repeatedly to help them understand what is wrong with their car, even though we both know it's impossible without seeing the car first-hand, experiencing the problem and performing a proper diagnosis. So we take an approach somewhere in the middle. We try to always provide several possible solutions to avoid the perception of us performing a "diagnosis", we recommend a diagnosis as a next step, and point out the next steps a shop will take is to verify the issue and perform a diagnosis to determine the cause of the issue.
When estimates are off, we do correct them, yes! We take full responsibility for when that occurs, although it is very rare that the estimates are incorrect.