Steer clear of C&H Foreign Auto or be taken for a ride As a business founder, a manager, and a lifelong Audi owner, I know exactly what industry-standard service, competence, and customer care look like. When you look for a reliable mechanic, you naturally want honesty and respect. As you read about our devastating experience below, you will quickly find yourself deciding to avoid C&H Foreign Auto completely. The existing reviews characterizing them as cowboys, crooks, and rip-off merchants are tragically accurate. This nightmare centered around my 16-year-old son, a 4.0 student at his high school and a volunteer member of a civic youth organization. He worked incredibly hard to save for his first car, a 2001 Audi TT. Unfortunately, taking it to C&H Foreign Auto for a simple "hot smell" resulted in a heartbreaking lesson in predatory business practices. We approved an estimate for $2,408. However, after the technician began working, the Service Advisor called with a staggering ultimatum: Pay an extra $567.77 or take the car back in a broken, "misfiring" state - you already know that the car was not misfiring when we took it in! But this was just the beginning of bill inflation. Manufactured Problems: The shop's own diagnostic report from 9:07 AM on the day of service proves the car had ZERO ignition faults or misfires when we dropped it off. Their technician broke the 25-year-old wiring connectors while disassembling the engine. Instead of taking professional responsibility for the damage they caused, they held the vehicle hostage and forced a teenager to pay to fix their mistake. When you carefully review their billing practices, you will recognize why it is essential to protect your vehicle from this shop: Extreme Markups: They charged $360 for four plastic connector clips (Bremi pigtails Part #219037005). These exact parts retail for just over $32. So nearly 3x market rate and more than the cost of a brand-new complete wiring harness... This is predatory. Similarly, the thermostat (Part #314187D) and coolant were marked up significantly beyond standard margins. Labor "Double-Dipping" & Double Billing: They charged $1,083 in labor for a valve cover gasket, then added $208 more to fix the wires right next to it. Since the engine was already apart, charging full standalone labor for the second task is egregious "double-dipping." Furthermore, they inexplicably charged us twice for a single gasket cover. Inflated Hours: They billed 3.5 hours for a thermostat, for example, even though industry-standard guides (AllData) show it is a 2.2-hour job. Appalling Customer Service and Intimidation: At the shop, I witnessed something that shook me to my core as a husband and business owner. My wife, standing just over 5 feet tall, calmly expressed her meticulous research into industry-standard rates, times, and costs of each part number they used. In response, two burly auto-workers bullied her. They were argumentative, condescending, and intimidating. I would instantly fire anyone in my business who treated a customer with such appalling disrespect. Even when presented with undeniable proof of double-charging and inflated labor, they refused to reduce the bill a single cent. The Aftermath: To add insult to injury, after doubling the price of the car with their extortionate bill, we drove away only to find their shoddy workmanship made things worse. They snapped off part of the bumper. The original "hot smell" is still completely present. The car idles harder than it ever has before, has a noticeable judder, and drives far worse than the day we dropped it off. Our son does everything right - grades, community service, and working hard for his belongings. Seeing a "professional" shop take advantage of him is devastating. As you absorb this information, allow yourself to never consider them for any work on your car. Save yourself the financial loss, the bullying, and the mechanical sabotage. You will feel much more secure when you take your business elsewhere and leave C&H Foreign Auto the absolute pariah they deserve to be. read more

C & H Foreign Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Spokane, Washington

C & H Foreign auto repair (Crooks & Hustlers) Predatory Pricing and Billing for Damage Caused by Technicians I am writing this to warn other European car owners about the billing practices at C&H Foreign Auto. After reviewing my invoice and their own diagnostic reports, I found evidence of extreme parts markups, inflated labor hours, and charges for repairs to parts they broke during service. 1. Charging the Customer for Shop-Incurred Damage I brought my smooth running 2001 Audi TT in with NO misfires and NO ignition codes (confirmed by their own diagnostic report performed at 9:07 AM on 3/16). During the valve cover gasket repair, the technician broke the 25-year-old plastic connectors on the wiring harness. Instead of taking responsibility for the risks of handling an old harness, they charged me $567.77 ($208 in labor and $359 in parts) to fix what they disturbed. Upon picking up my vehicle I noticed the bumper had been broken also and told Brandon. 2. Astronomical Parts Markups (Bremi Part #219037005) The shop charged me $89.85 per ignition connector. These are Bremi pigtails (Part #219037005) which retail for roughly $35.00. Charging a customer $360 for four plastic clips--nearly 3x the market rate and more than the cost of a brand-new complete wiring harness--is predatory. Similarly, the thermostat (Part #314187D) and coolant were marked up significantly beyond standard industry margins. 3. "Double-Dipping" and Inflated Labor The labor billing at this shop is highly irregular: The "Overlap" Issue: I was charged 5.2 hours for the valve cover/tensioner seals and ANOTHER 1.0 hour for the connectors. These parts are in the EXACT same location. Charging full standalone labor for every item instead of adjusting for overlapping access is a "maximized billing" tactic. The Thermostat: They billed 3.5 hours for a thermostat. Industry-standard "book time" (AllData/Mitchell1) for the 1.8T engine is ~2.2 hours. They exceeded the standard time by nearly 60% while already having the car disassembled for other work. Diagnostic Fees: A $355.16 diagnostic fee is nearly double the rate of other specialist shops in the area. 4. The Bottom Line I was quoted an "approved amount" of $2,408.49, yet my final bill BALLOONED to $3,454.51. At a premium rate of $208.37/hr, you expect specialist efficiency. Instead, I received novice-speed labor billing and retail parts markups that are frankly insulting. If you value your wallet and want a shop that takes responsibility for the parts they handle, look elsewhere. I will be filing a formal complaint with the BBB and the Washington State Attorney General's Office regarding these billing practices. 5. Don't take your car here! Ask for exact item/part numbers and where they purchase from. read more

This place took such great care of my vehicle. They did quality work and did exactly what I asked for.

The staff is always helpful and accommodating. I have always received incredible service along with follow up phone calls on my experience. Highly recommend them to all my family, friends and colleagues! read more

So many levels they initially quoted me $140 to $400 to diagnose a problem ended up costing me $523 after I approved further Diagnostics. They went through more of the car that I wanted them to and when I made the recommended changes it didn't solve the problem I had on top of it all they said they didn't have time to wash the car when they had it for 3 days. This was the first and last time I will ever go to cnh auto. Furthermore why tell me you don't have time to wash the car if you couldn't I would have never known it was just adding insult to injury and they left some random USB cord in my car I didn't put it all back together there were plastic bit still on my seat. read more

C & H Foreign Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Spokane, Washington

My bug died in the middle of winter and while it took a little longer due the the holidays, Scott and James where very friendly and helpful, and the mechanics did a great job. Always appreciate the quality service we get from C&H. Thanks, Bryan read more

Bogus diagnosis * drive axle / CV joint - diagnosed boot torn (replaced with new part 6 mos earlier) - Local mechanic said fine. * right outer tie rod - diagnosed slight play (replaced with new part 12 mos earlier) - Local mechanic said fine. * distributor cap/plugs/wires - diagnosed bad - Local mechanic said Volvos have coil packs. C&H mechanics must be half-wits to diagnose a problem in a part that Volvos dont even have! * steering linkage / ball joints - diagnosed bad - Local mechanic said fine. * front brake hoses - diagnosed split - Local mechanic said slightly worn, still good. * front struts - diagnosed leaking, recommend replacement - Local mechanic said one perfectly dry, other one only slightly wet, fine. read more

I wouldn't trust C&H to repair a Big Wheel. I had our Volvo in on three different occasions for the same issue and their incompetence created an on-going issue with my front passenger brake rotor. They were unable to repair this correctly and put the backing plate far too close to the rotor at 1/8" versus the 1/2" on the driver side they didn't repair. This caused rocks to continue to get into the rotor. After taking it back multiple times they were unable to fix the issue which they caused. I took it to a 3rd party as I was sick of dealing with C&H and within a few hours they did their due diligence and found the issue and determined it was due to the way the backing plate was installed by C&H. During this entire time they tried to place blame elsewhere and that they did the work correctly. If you care about your vehicles and want something done correctly I would avoid C&H at all costs! read more

C & H Foreign Auto Repair - Brand new brake rotor with rock damage due to C&H's inability to do a proper repair. - Auto Repair Near Me - Spokane, Washington

My BMW is supposed to be there a week ended up being two days short of a month, they couldn't figure out the problem with my serpentine belt. And I knew that there was a gas leak and they told me two sources I took the car home after the appointment because they didn't care to look into it and put it on my own lift there was no hole in the gas filler neck and there was nothing screwed through the top of the tank so they couldn't find the leak and didn't care to look for it. Very unprofessional and it constantly dodged phone calls. read more

C & H Foreign Auto Repair has maintained my 2006 Volvo XC70 since I moved to Spokane in 2017. They are thorough, friendly and accommodating. They explain what needs to be done in a way that I, a 69 year old person, can understand. They have had my trust since the first repair. There were a few times a warning light came on while I was in town. Since I live 30 minutes from town, I called them as soon as the light came on, asking if I could drop by for them to check what was wrong, and set up an appt to fix it. This way I knew how serious the problem was. They always said yes, even 20 minutes before closing time. My most recent repair was to fix the 4-wheel drive that I learned never worked! The parts were expensive, but the final bill was 10% under the estimate. Thank you. A car may be a great model, but without reliable mechanics to maintain and repair it, it won't last. This is my 4th Volvo station wagon since 1979. With C & H to maintain it, it will probably drive well for another 250,000 miles. read more

Can I give them 0 stars? C&H may be BBB accredited, but their prices are about as fair as Rosauers' groceries--that is to say, not very. They charged me $260 for a diagnostic and oil change, and then tried to hoodwink me into paying $90 for a water pump I could get at Napa for $40. The part probably only cost them $20 since they get wholesale rates. They quoted me $250 more for a repair job than the DEALER. If I can get it done at Appleway considerably cheaper, something is wrong. Save your money and the hassle--go to 5 Mile Auto instead. Not only are they also BBB, they are AAA associated so if you're a member you get 10% or $30 off and their work comes with certain guarantees even if you're not a member. read more

I received a referral from my local mechanic (Luper Automotive) for a reliable mechanic in Spokane to look at a vehicle I was considering buying. They were very accommodating. I pre-authorized $300 for an inspection. They looked at the vehicle I was thinking of buying, realized how many problems it had almost immediately, and stopped the inspection. I was charged a very nominal fee. They documented everything they found (including pictures), and I was incredibly impressed. Interestingly, the salesman at the dealership where the proposed vehicle came from said that he knew the shop. He said, "They're really expensive, but they are one of the best in town. My dad used to bring his cars there." I told him that sometimes you had to pay for quality. It's too bad he wasn't selling a quality vehicle, but that's for my other review. read more

I love C&H Auto . Scott is very nice to work with and explains everything they do or are doing. I feel good about taking my car there and don't worry about them taking advantage of me because I am a woman. I have an 11 year old Mini Cooper and have taken it to other shops and been over charged or offered things to be repaired that I did not need. I have seen several reviews ,some bad...Honestly you can't please everyone all the time and there are a lot of keyboard cowboys out their whining they didn't get their way. Give them a try they are competent and very nice. read more

I was pulled over and told that one of the tail lights was out. I looked up these guys online and based on the good reviews, took the car in. Scott was manning the front desk. He was courteous, conversational but not to the extent of talkative. He got the car right in and 20 minutes later, I was on the road with the taillight working as before. The repair charge was also very reasonable, $20. Why 4 stars then and not 5? Because I don't think that one can't properly review a business based on a single interaction of 20 minutes. That said, these guys get aces from me on all counts. read more

C & H is the best ever. We purchased our first Volvo, which is a preowned XC90 T6, and took it to C & H. They thoroughly inspected the vehicle putting safety items first, followed by lesser important items. We were very impressed with their thoroughness and honesty. The agreed to work was completed on time and came in lower than the original estimate. We so appreciate the extras you did. We have since made a trip to the West side and the vehicle performed flawlessly. It's almost boring to drive, no road noise, drifting, handles and drives like a dream. Thank you Ed, Scott, Dan and the entire service team for your excellent work. read more

I am absolutely blown away by the service of C & H. I am a new resident of Spokane, and I panicked when I ran into some car issues. I was impressed with the Yelp reviews and drove by in the afternoon. They helped me immediately and courteously with no wait. The workers are very very friendly, and I was in and out because they were so quick with fixing my car. I would definitely recommend this place! read more

I have a Volvo and since the dealership closed, my warranty work isn't honored in Spokane. Instead of driving to Boise or Seattle, I called up the kind people at C & H. They empathized with my situation, got me the best possible quote, saved me money on things I didn't need and gave me a run down of costs and services I would need in the future. They also cleaned my car and removed all the sap! Not your typical Mechanic, they were so friendly and honest. Even if there were a dealership here, I'd still choose this place over any other. Thanks guys! read more

We have an older Lexus. C&H did a nice job of thoroughly going through the entire vehicle and recommending a reasonable approach to getting it in excellent operating condition. They aren't cheap but the quality of work and customer service is quite high. read more

Phenomenal customer service and incredible level of detail provided. Exceeded expectations and provided great future servicerecommendations without being pushy at all. Better service than any European auto shop I've been to including metro Detroit area and BMW dealers. Thank you Scott and staff! read more

$60 for an oil change and full service check up is much better than Joe Hack down the street. I am glad to pay for the extra services they provide me since without them I could have missed a serious oil leak in my engine! They are always very polite, offer shuttle service anywhere you need to be, and are family owned and operated! If you don't like paying for services and think youre a do it yourself person, I don't recommend coming here- you will be severely dissapointed at how far these guys will truly extend a helping hand. Thank you C & H for servicing me and my grandparents for years! I will truly miss you- and thanks for the Nashville shop recommendation!! read more

Ed and Scott may be polite but they are polite thieves. My Volvo's turbo failed. They said they could rebuild it for $1300 but charged me $1700. Then the turbo failed within the next week, spewing out smoke like a locomotive. Luckily, I thought, I had not yet paid the bill. But they took me to court and sued me to collect full payment plus interest. I even had another shop verify the failed turbo. They refused to honor their warranty or refund my money despite the fact that the invoice clearly states that all repairs are warranted for 24 months. You are hereby warned. I later bought a factory remanufactured turbo (better than rebuilt) online for about $900 and had it installed for less than $100. read more

First experience: Car diagnosed for simple service item. Before I dropped car off we talked on phone. I was told they'd take a look and perform a complementary inspection. I was quoted about $1200 and decided to hold off because the car is nearing 300k miles and too much to invest. I shopped around and eventually had it repaired at Perfection Tire for less than half. The $80 diagnostic fee presented to me at pickup surprised me as it was never mentioned before. I take some responsibility for confusing diagnostic work with complementary inspection and offered to meet in the middle. I gratefully ended up paying $40. As my payment processed, I thought he (this was not Scott) was very social taking interest in my professional work. What surprised me was he was only gathering information about my work to use as an analogy as to why you need to pay for diagnostic/assessment services. Unfortunately for him, my job in the medical profession does not charge to perform an assessment. Only when an intervention is provided. I understand C&H's position to charge for diagnostic work, but the rather high diagnostic fee and tacky analogy left me less than comfortable with their business model. But I am appreciative of the complementary wash and vacuum. Second experience: I decided to give them a second chance because I believe the mechanics are reputable. When I dropped off the car I was asked to sign acknowledging there would be a diagnostic fee near $200. I think they have a good documentation system, probably making a note from last time. Keep in mind the diagnostic fees are in addition to the actual work done. I thought the fee was high, as do other mechanics I've spoken to in the area (one mechanic slapped his forehead and cursed a few times), but I was willing to pay for what I have heard are great mechanics. I was then given an estimate that was again tough to invest into an older car. Unsure whether to proceed, I asked for their recommendation based on the condition of the car but said there was a note in my file not to do the complementary inspection. Perhaps because of the last encounter? The mechanic said he'd be more than willing to do the inspection. I again did not proceed because C&H was three times higher than other quotes. I replaced the part myself for $90 (C&H was $195 diagnostic fee plus $550 estimate). Unfortunately the part I replaced did not fix the problem (perhaps the nature of tricky mechanical problems, the mechanic was stumped and figured we should at least try something, or I installed the part wrong). If I paid the additional $550 for the repair and it wasn't a fix, I'm concerned C&H would charge their normal rate for plan B and plan C. This is only an assumption based on my past experience with them, but other mechancis tend to charge less and prioritize getting the job done right. Maybe there is more advice part of the $195 diagnostic fee, but I honestly feel more comfortable going elsewhere. But then again, most places don't have a complimentary car wash and vacuum. I do appreciate advice from Scott and his ability to promptly return phone calls. I believe C&H does quality work but so do other places. There are specialty foreign auto repair mechanics in Seattle I've worked with that are rather expensive but C&H makes their prices seem quite affordable. Perfection tire on 2nd in Spokane has been great. Their recommendations for repairs beyond their ability have not failed meme coworkers/friends yet. Shop around if you're on a budget, otherwise drop your car off and it'll probably still be fixed correctly...just at C&H's higher rate. Also get diagnostic costs/fees up front and even over the phone, otherwise small talk might not be just small talk. This is the first time I've provided an online review. As with most businesses, there are many more positive experiences than negative ones, please keep this in mind. The point of this review is not to dissuade you from going to C&H, but to keep you from experiencing the same frustrations if you are frugal/on a budget, and to inform you of the patronizing analogy and note in the computer to not provide a complimentary inspection. read more

We've been customers of C&H since 2000, and travel all the way from Boise to bring our Volvo there. They are prompt, knowledgeable and fair - as for those griping about the cost - you get what you pay for. Won't take my Volvo anywhere else. Period. read more

Scott and Ed run a great operation. They are not the least expensive repair shop in town but they do a quality job. A Nordstrom in the auto repair business. If you don't mind paying for service and quality bring your car here. If you want cheap and little value take your car to Silver Star Auto. My assessment is based on three years of taking two Volvo's to C&H. read more

I was incredibly pleased by the service I got at C & H Foreign Auto. I have an Audi TT Quattro that I baby, it's my wife's daily driver, and have had it serviced at Audi dealers all around the country. The level of knowledge that C & H has about cars and their willingness to explain fixes, why they think it's necessary and what options I have, was refreshing and unparalleled. They want to do a good job, and they deliver. I genuinely felt that Scott actually cared about me and my car, not so that I would buy more parts but because he cares about what he does. I know that I saved a bunch of money over taking my car to a dealer based on past experiences. Anecdotal evidence isn't always reliable, but as an example I had sway bar bushings replaced at C & H. The last dealer I took the car to couldn't even tell me for sure what the problem was and it would cost a couple hundred to "try to fix it" with no guarantee. C & H fixed it, they were confident and did it for less. I also wanted to have my windshield wiper system fixed. There was a busted hose and the dealer wanted $400 for the repair, new hoses and labor. C & H thought outside of the box, offered to try to patch the hoses and then calibrate the sprayers instead of trying to get me to spend money that I didn't need to, all for under $100. My wife picked up the vehicle, and had questions about some of the work done. They were patient with answering her questions and very good at explaining to both of us, laypeople, in terms we could understand. My wife remarked to me how nice it was to not feel like you're being taken advantage of simply because you don't know about cars. I agree. I have two foreign cars and will not even waste my time in the future going to another dealership for repairs. My experience was very pleasant, the prices were about two-thirds of what I expected (usually even less) and my time and money was appreciated. The repairs were well done and I will definitely be going back. read more

We decided to try these guys out for an oil change on our VW Jetta TDI. The dealership advised it would be just over $100 to get an oil change as the diesel takes a special oil. We called C & H and they quoted us $95 for the oil change. We dropped our vehicle off and when we went back to get it the bill was $136.00. This was more than $40 more than we were quoted. All they did was change the freakin oil! WTF read more

These folks ROCK! My Volvo dealer said $400+ for a value-sensor repair, as my car failed emissions due to this part. Took it here, they said maybe, but likely the $49 sensor. They did a complete check of my car so I had a list of future things to consider, fixed the $49 sensor AND drove my car to emissions and got it checked for me. When I came in, paid and had my passed notice so I could just go get my tabs. read more

Visiting from out of town. Found their shop. Very courteous and efficient. And instead of replacing the headlight that burned out, they were able to replace just the bulb, saving lots of money (and time). Great demonstration of integrity. read more

I had a 2004 BMW 325 CI in "Limp Mode" which indicates a faulty TCM (Transmission Control Module). Basically, the car would not go through the gears and a light came on the dash. After they had the car for about 3-4 hours, Benjamin called me and patiently and methodically went through all the procedures and tests the Diagnostic Tech went through to determine the problem. Bottom line, it wasn't the TCM as it was a smashed and crimped engine electrical harness that had been damaged. I had previously taken my car to a friend who owns an auto repair shop to change the valve cover gasket. He does not generally work on BMR's etc., but the both of us thought it was a simple procedure and by taking it to him, very inexpensive. Easy-Peasy. The only problem is that he badly crimped the electrical harness which in turn caused a short and ended up costing me lots of money. Lesson learned folks. If you own an expensive finely engineered foreign car such as a BMW, you are going to get killed if you expect a non-foreign car repair person to work on it. But, back to C&H, they were absolutely wonderful in the work they did and the care they showed. Would highly recommend. And yes, it was expensive, but peace of mind knowing it is truly fixed, pays in the long run. read more

Don't take a Saab to them. I agree with one reviewer that they are polite, but they have no idea what they are doing when it comes to Saab. I asked them specifically if they had a Tech II diagnostic tool. He paused, then said "Of course". This should have been a sign that he had no idea what a Tech II diagnostic tool is. I asked them to reset my airbag and they didn't (you need a Tech II to do this) and to diagnose my starting problem. They called me and told me that they thought it was under my battery but was unsure. And for $400 they would fix it. I told them no thanks and they charged me $250 for a diagnostic that they have no idea the outcome of the diagnostic. I had to take it to the Saab dealership which actually knows what they are doing. read more

Overpriced and flaky customer service. Final bill was several hundred dollars over estimate due to multiple "complications" during service. Poor communication on status, repairs took 2 days longer than estimated. Seems like they bid low and over-performed for my first few visits, then when something really went wrong and they had us over the barrel, then they really milked us for all they could. Just as good, much cheaper places elsewhere in town. Last they will see of me. read more

Don't let their polite friendly conversation fool you. These people not only failed to properly repair my car (as verified by another shop) but they did not honor their written repair warranty. My repair lasted a week and they sued me for full payment. And did I mention they are very expensive. I got a factory refurbished turbo shipped from Boston Volvo for significantly less than what these guys charged to repair mine. Dishonest! read more