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    Bristow's Auto Repair

    4.2 (63 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Services - Bristow's Auto Repair

    Check engine light

    Engine oil light diagnosis

    Auto general diagnosis

    28 More Services

    Auto noise diagnosis

    Tire Pressure Monitoring System diagnosis

    Auto no-start diagnosis

    Auto vibration diagnosis

    Auto diagnosis or inspection

    Auto pre-purchase inspection

    Auto maintenance

    Auto fluids and filters maintenance

    Oil changes

    Auto wheel alignment

    Auto repairs

    Auto battery or electrical system repair

    Auto brake repair

    Auto engine repair

    Auto exhaust repair

    Auto HVAC repair

    Auto light repair

    Auto steering and suspension repair

    Auto transmission repair

    Auto wheel and tire repair

    Routine automotive maintenance

    Transmission leak inspection

    Tire balancing

    Tire installation

    Tire repair

    Tire rotation

    Tire Pressure Monitoring System repair

    Wheel alignment

    Bristow's Auto Repair Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Bristow's Auto Repair

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    Bristow's Invoice

    First of all, I hate writing negative reviews, especially for businesses that have high ratings. I later find their one star reviews here on Yelp, and they sound a lot like what I went through with Bristows. On 8/25/25, after talking to Bob at Bristow's, we arranged to have our 2001 Dodge Caravan towed from our island to have our electrical system fixed, which had gone dead. On 8/27/25, the lady at the front desk called and said that it needed a new battery, alternator, and serpentine belt, and the charges were to be $1020.00, which we thought was pretty high. We told her that we only had $1800.00 to spend for the total electrical repair (which was all we could afford). 8/28/25, Bob called and said the van was ready. On 8/29/25, we arrived to get the van and reviewed the invoice, which was a surprise. It was for $1885.72. We noticed the following: 1. Labor was $400.00 for a diagnostic (this is twice what most garages charge). 2. They charged $321.36 for a new battery and charged $136.00 for labor to remove the old battery and put in a new one (which usually only takes about 15 minutes). 3. They said they needed to replace the serpentine belt (which was replaced in 2023), and charged us $81.83 for the new belt. We requested to have the old belt (which, subsequently, after showing the belt to two other garages, we were told that the belt didn't need to be replaced). 4. We wanted to take the old battery with us and were charged $83.40 for not leaving the old battery core. We checked with both Interstate Battery Co. and Costco (where we bought the battery from), and they said they only charge $5.00 to $20.00 for a core. Showing what Bristow's charged us brought looks of disbelief and eye rolls from them. 5. We were charged $72.02 for 'shop supplies, and the lady at the counter explained that this was for things like 'using shop towels,' etc. That's a lot of towels... 6. But here's the clincher...After picking up my van (I had to pay and sign for the van before I had this repair bill worked out, or they would charge me $100 a day if I left it on their lot after they said it was ready). After driving a half a block down the street, we noticed that all of the instrument panel lights were off, the heater didn't work, and the electric windows didn't work. I called Bob and told him, and he said they could look at it, but it would cost us $200 for the diagnostic test only, which didn't include repairs! After telling him that the reason we brought the van to them was to fix the electrical problem, and it wasn't fixed. His response was that at least the van was starting, as if that was the only thing they needed to fix...for $1885.72. Solution: We found a well rated auto electrical place about two miles down the street, and they fixed the problem for $320.00. We showed him the Bristow's invoice, and his comment was, "Boy...that's just wrong. All they needed to do after getting the van started was to check the fuses under the hood to see that a few of them were blown." But they didn't check. I don't think they took it for a test drive. If Bristow's had driven the van after getting it started, they would have noticed that the instrument panel wasn't working, checked the fuses, and fixed the problem. But their excuse was they got it started again...and charged us $1885.72 for a battery, belt, and a rebuilt alternator plus labor. These folks might do well with exotic car folks, but we think we, regular folks, were taken to the cleaners. Resolution? I would like to see them man up and refund the $834.00 in labor they charged, or some reasonable refund.

    Highway robbery
    Emily C.

    If there was an option to do zero stars I would have, but you have to choose at least one. This place is the most ridiculous auto shop I've ever been to in my life. We had our car towed to the shop because they told us they had time to fix it and that was a free diagnostic because they would put this incredibly extremely high diagnostic fee Towards fixing the vehicle. They call us up and tell us that they don't know what's wrong with the car that they need Take apart the whole engine for $8000 to tell us what's wrong with it . Apparently, they have time to take apart the whole engine, but they don't have time to fix the car till January instead of taking apart the whole engine why don't we just put a new engine in it and if I brought the engine, it would've been three grand And of course that can be done till January sorry but I can't go without a car for six months so it was a total waste of time a bunch of bullshit and they wouldn't let me get anything out of my car after because they were scared. I wasn't gonna pay the bill, which is super illegal. Save yourself a headache and don't go to this place

    2009 BMW 535i
    Lynn E.

    Recently had my 2009 BMW 535i worked on due to a check engine light and power lag. Jordan took the time to explain everything that was done and left a great impression. I would not hesitate to recommend Bristow's Auto or the technicians that work there! If you're a woman looking for an honest shop you can trust...look no further than Bristow's. You won't be sorry! Thank you, Jordan!

    THIEVES & SCAMMERS: I took my vehicle in for repairs that I started myself but could not finished because I was pressed with time. They did not complete any of the repairs. On the contrary, they gave me a list of recommended work amounting up to $5,662.72. But the initial condition about touching the vehicle was to do a detail clean up since the vehicle had been sitting for a few weeks. I agreed to the detailed cleanup and repairs. Then they told me the diagnostic fee and the cleanup were about $298.99. Once I realized they were not serious about repairing the vehicle but just to milk my pocket, I decided to take the vehicle somewhere else. They called me nearly every day of every week until I could take a day off from work to go and remit the payment of $300 myself and got the receipt and my key. Once I got to the vehicle, I realized that it was never cleaned as they had offered and charged me for it. Upset, I requested to speak to the store manager. A lady by the name of Dawn with a black dog in the office came to de-escalate the situation and offered me a refund. Because I had already paid for this, I offered that they tow the vehicle back to my place instead and we would be even. They agreed. A few weeks later, my vehicle was till not at the house. Subsequently, I went back to the store to inquire. Before going to the store, I drove around the shop to locate my vehicle. It was not there. So, I went inside the store to inquire from Kathy, the lady at the reception. She told me the car was supposed to be towed by a certain tow company. She aske if they did not call me. I answered no. She gave me the phone number of the tow company. I called them and identified myself and the vehicle. They told me the vehicle was sold at auction because they supposedly called me, and I did not answer. After ending the call, I went back to Kathy to report what I found out and asked her why she did not call me when the tow company said they could not get a hold of me. She answered that their Bookkeeper at Bristow called me. I aske to talk to the said Bookkeeper and Dawn. She said Dawn was not in and the Bookkeeper was not in either. I was with my domestic partner who witnessed the whole thing from the day I took the car in until then as she was my driver. After several attempts to talk to the store manager Dawn, I found out that the new shop manager was Pete. I talked to Pete trying to bring a resolution to the matter out of court. But Pete told me on July 25, 2023, through a telephone conversation at about 9:27 AM PST that they did what I asked them to do. I guess we will be meeting in court. Please do not take your vehicle to this shop. In sum, it is as if I paid them to steal and sell my vehicle and keep the profit. I checked my call log. No one has ever called me from Bristow or any tow company since I went to pay them. But they were very adamant in calling me when it was time to pay for the cleanup and diagnostic fee to get my vehicle back. I never missed their call. My phone history, which electronic and on the cloud (never deleted), can support my assertion. How ironic?

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    2 years ago

    Used Bristow's for Porsche for quite a few years. Now I have an old Alfa, which they also are known for work on. Will be in again soon.

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    2 years ago

    It was my third time there and I had great service work done right the first time, so I'm keeping my old BMW.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Bristows is a great place to get your Porsche or European car serviced. Friendly people, reasonable prices, great service.

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I'll never take my vehicles anywhere else for service. Always timely with getting me in, results are received quickly, great prices!

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    3 years ago

    Good job guys , I will be back again , I would recommend this shop for just about any vehicle

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    We regularly take our vehicles here, great service, quick turn around and knowledgable staff!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bristow's Auto Repair

    Review Highlights - Bristow's Auto Repair

    Brian at the front counter is great at getting things setup and making sure the customers are being taken care of.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Matsenko Auto Body and Repair

    Matsenko Auto Body and Repair

    4.1
    (10 reviews)

    I unfortunatelly got into an accident in my Civic, hitting the side of the freeway, which cracked…read morethe firewall on the passenger side. Caliber Collision deemed it a total loss and refused to work on it. I called around to several auto body shops in the Tacoma area, but all of them were either unwilling to take on that level of damage or also classified it as a total loss. My insurance wouldn't cover the repairs, so I was stuck paying out of pocket. I was nearly ready to scrap the car and buy a used one, until I found Matsenko Auto. I spoke with Mike, who was very friendly and provided updates throughout the entire process. After explaining the situation, they took my car in without hesitation. They assessed the damage quickly and assured me it was no problem for them to fix, which gave me the confidence I needed that the car was in good hands. To top it off, they quoted me a price significantly lower than the other shops I contacted. The repairs took about a month due to backordered parts, but now my car looks good as new. They even repainted the scratched areas in-house. This is a very professional shop that gave me a chance when no one else did. Would give more than 5 stars if I could.

    Scam alert: Blatant overcharging Buyer beware. My car show a…read morelot of warning lights on board. I took my car to Matsenko Auto Shop for a routine alignment and ended up getting scammed out of $590. They used sweet words to lure me in. They told me everything about they have to do check and work on all sensors to make sure my car working perfectly. That why I agree let them repair my car. But they do notthing in my car just using their computer to clear codes then return car to me within 1 hours. When I looked into standard pricing later, I realized just how badly I had been taken advantage of. Charging over $500 for a basic alignment is completely unacceptable and dishonest. More than a week warning lights issues come back I did call let them know about that they ask me bring my car back to them for check it. When i bring my car to their shop they ask me pay the same prices 500$ more to do that again. And replace all suspension. Bad customer service. No professional with customer. Look elsewhere for a mechanic who actually has integrity.

    Center Street Auto Repair

    Center Street Auto Repair

    5.0
    (9 reviews)

    They fix your car or truck according to manufacturer's standards, not your insurance standards!…read more They mainly hire previous military staff, I love that! They also give a car away to a deserving individual that people write in about why that person deserves a helping hand with a new car. Love that too!

    I'm shocked, shocked I say, that there aren't more reviews for this place. It's so hard to find…read morehonest mechanics who won't try to charge you an arm, leg, and first-born son for something that is an easy fix, by saying that the problem is a lot more complicated than it actually is. Enter Gary at Center Street Auto Repair. The heat went out on our car the other day, and without the savvy necessary to fix something (read: anything) on our car, my husband took it to Gary yesterday. Gary told him that it probably be Wednesday before he could even take a look at it, which is bad because my husband works in Auburn and had to be back at work on Thursday. We were also stressing about the cost, worried that with it so close to the holidays, we'd have to crunch some numbers to be able to afford repairs to the car. We need not have worried. Gary called this afternoon, said that it had just been a loose wire, and the car was ready to be picked up. Best part? It was only $70! Many mechanics in this type of situation would have said it was a motor issue, and that parts had to be replaced. He very easily could have, and we wouldn't have known the difference (though we would have been hurting financially if that was the case). So, a big thank you to the employees at Center Street Auto Repair! We won't trust our car to anyone else, and highly recommend this place!

    Lapin Auto Repair

    Lapin Auto Repair

    2.0
    (1 review)

    I really, really wish I would have gotten a quote before coming in. I got on Yelp to search for…read moresomeone to do an oil change for my 2025 Ford Escape and received three responses right away. Two quotes were $100, so I stupidly assumed the third would be competitive at that price as well. Since they were the first to reach out, they got my business. I had been asked several times for the SAME vehicle information (blamed on a "bot" doing their initial reach out, of course). After getting there, the guy that took the appointment wasn't even there, and the tech didn't even know I had an appointment. He's feverishly making phone calls and getting voicemails. I should have walked, but gave it a few minutes. Daniel at the front desk does not ask me what kind of oil I use, but did say I was not being charged for labor. The bill comes and guess what? I was charged for labor! They used synthetic oil, which I would not have chosen since it costs three times the amount. Total cost? $202 for a dang oil change! Next time I will get a Groupon and go somewhere else!

    From the owner: Lapin Auto Repair – Electrical, Mechanical & Programming Specialists in Tacoma, WA…read more We provide dealer-level diagnostics, advanced programming, and complete auto repair services for European, Asian, and Domestic vehicles. Our specialties include: • Advanced computer diagnostics • ECU, PCM, BCM, and module programming & coding • Key programming and immobilizer services • Electrical troubleshooting & wiring repair • Engine diagnostics and repair • Transmission diagnostics and service • Brake system repair • Suspension and steering repair • Cooling system repair • Air conditioning service and recharge • Hybrid system diagnostics and battery service • Battery, alternator, and starter diagnostics • Check engine light diagnostics • Pre-purchase inspections We use professional diagnostic equipment and follow manufacturer procedures to ensure accurate repairs the first time. Honest estimates. Transparent communication. Quality workmanship you can trust.

    Bristow's Auto Repair - autorepair - Updated June 2026

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