Great experience at CAR KARE in Bend, Oregon. (December, 2025) My 2013 Honda CRV needed a new serpentine belt & tensioner. CAR KARE saved me over $400 compared to the Bend Honda dealership's quote! Russ and Austin were fantastic--providing clear explanations and updates throughout the process. Their truly transparent, professional, and honest service earned them a loyal customer. read more

Great service and always honest and up front with the customer. Clear communication and no hidden agenda or up-selling. We have 4 cars and we only bring them to Car Kare. read more

You couldn't find a more dedicated and professional experience if you looked for one,not to mention great guys to be around. The total sum of the experience at Car Kare is a no brainer excellent results from folks that actually care hence the name Car Kare! read more

This place was great. As a young female that knows next to nothing about cars traveling alone, I felt these guys were honest & that they communicated really well. Seemed like a reasonable price for the work that was done - I was expecting to spend more. I called two days ago and the guy let me know they might not be able to do my brakes on such short notice, but they got me in and out with new front brakes, oil change, road trip check, and new taillight same day :) And they let me know I should probably get my front tires changed somewhere to be safe since I've got a long fkn drive ahead of me!! read more

A really excellent shop. I have used them for 3 different cars. Every time they have been timely and done excellent work. Also, the scheduling has been organized and they are really helpful and friendly. read more

Very happy with Car-Kare. This is also a revised update to a previous review. The quick review is this, the full story is below. The shop does not work on RVs. The space is small and I can understand why, no room. My RV was throwing errors and I was worried I could not make my trip as planned. I could have been turned away and told I would need to go some where else, but the shop went above and beyond to help me out. The end result of the assist was a very appreciated and the original reason I liked this shop in the beginning. Finally and honest mechanic is still true here! Read below for the full encounter and my retraction of my previous bad review that was not warranted. I was packed up and only my way over the pass ready to for a race. Traveling along on and suddenly lost all acceleration power and the dreaded check engine light and maintenance light came on at the same time. I did some quick calling around and got several recommendations to stop by Car Kare. As you will read below I had a bad and great experience here. I gave it a shot on word of mouth recommendation. I showed up with my RV, now they do not normally work on RVs. What I was looking for was a code scan so I could decide on go or no go for the trip. Turns out after reading the code and discussing the results it was 2 small parts that read the air flow and the position of the throttle cable that work together to tell the computer how to act in a given situation. The decision to go was mine after talking it over the pros and cons. Turns out all he said was true and other than a little slower than normal (speed limit was easy) I arrived safe and sound. Parts were ordered and I stoped by on my way home and replaced the parts. Works perfect! Now I am a bit more mechanical inclined than most, but not a true mechanic. The shop owner gave me the very basics and I researched a few how to videos and it really was very simple. Both parts had a special slide lock to keep the wire connector it in place, (the necessary video so I did not destroy the connector) and a total of 4 screws. Plug and play and no problems. THANK YOU AGAIN!! Update on a unfair review; Time for me to eat the humble pie. 4 years ago I was very happy with this shop. They have and still do excellent customer care and ability to to the gob right. 3 years ago I had a bad experience but apparently my bad experience was not a fair review. I had a recent conversation with he individual that finally fixed my car, turns out it was a "needle in a hay stack" find. One bolt only slightly under tight ( a 1/4 turn to proper tension) was the problem. Only reason the individual who fixed it knew what wrong, the mechanic had experienced the same problem on an identical car He owned. So truly unfair on my part. read more

My go to for all auto maintenance. Friendly, communicative, fair. Sad we moved out of the area, trustworthy mechanics can be hard to come by. read more

I've used Car-Kare in the past for my diesel repair work and just your run-of-the-mill oil changes. Austin was my go-to person and I hear he is now the owner. Great to hear he owns it and will still be working on my vehicles. read more

No BS, quick service. Employees are both approachable and knowledgeable. They know what's up and make sure you are in the loop as well.

And 3 years later, they're still "woo-hoo! As good as it gets."; it's where I take my vehicle for all its maintenance needs. Ken, Cara & Staff have taken excellent care of me and my vehicle. I have an older vehicle - when I bring my vehicle in for routine service & I always ask "What expenses should I be planning for?" And I get honest, reliable answers. Spotless, comfortable customer area. Friendly Staff. Great Customer Service. If you're lucky, you'll end up there on a day Cara has brought something awesome to snack on: Homemade olive tapenade, cranberry salsa!, turkey chili... and always fresh, hot coffee. Car-Kare was recently voted "Neighborhood Favorite" in 4 different Neighborhoods on Nextdoor. read more

I called Car Kare after I heard a noise in my car. We had family in town so going down to one car or taking the chance of continuing to drive to cause more issues was not an option. I called and spoke with the owner, he said he could at least take a look to see if I could keep driving it over the weekend. Turned out to be a water pump issue, and I couldn't drive it. They said they may or may not be able to complete it before the weekend, but I was grateful they took time for me last minute. One day later they called and said my car was ready! Plus before the weekend! Not only were they kind and accommodating, but very thorough and helpful with explaining details. I will be loyal to them forever now! They have me as a client for life! Thank you so much for everything! I'll be mentioning your shop on my Facebook group "Sunny in Bend, Oregon - A Group for Newbies & Locals" if anyone asks! read more

These guys are marking up parts by nearly 100%!!! Air filters, oil filters, fuel filters! Is this legal? I can understand the need to make a profit, but this is really ridiculous. Also, I just got charged a bit over $150 for an oil change, air filter change and basic inspection of fluid levels, etc. This included a charge of $4.95 to top off my windshield washer fluid. Are you kidding me? No tire rotation, no DEF top off. I can go to the Chevy dealer in Bend and get an oil change, tire rotation, DEF top off, windshield washer fluid top off, visual inspection of brakes, fluids, etc for $69.95. Add a $25 air filter and it's $95. They are very friendly, that's for sure....they smile as they overcharge by 100% read more

These guys are great! We've had our cars Subara and Volkswagon serviced here several times. Every time they do a great job of communicating the issues, give the options and always deliver on time. Car repairs are a big of a bummer, for whatever reason it just always hurts me thinking about the costs involved in resolving whatever is the matter. I think part of it is because I am totally at the mercy of the merchant. I haven't a clue when it comes to cars, so am totally dependent on whomever I visit to help me. I will say that these guys are great. I feel very comfortable with them working on my cars after they spend the time with me to let me know what's going on. I usually drop off in the morning, get a call about 9-10 am with a diagnosis, costs and estimated time of completion. Never have they not delivered. Nice guys. Great service. I'm feeling good about recommending them to others. read more

Can not recommend enough!!! I was on a road trip from San Francisco to Canada and my check engine light went on while I was coming through Bend. I had already been having some issues with the vehicle starting and it seemed to be getting worse... Conveniently enough this happened late Thursday night so I only really had Friday to get the car fixed otherwise I would be staying much more than a day or two in town. After calling more than 15 mechanics in the area and explaining my story they said they would do their best to squeeze me in despite having a full schedule; upon arrival I realized they were definitely booked! I dropped it off mid morning and they got it done by the end of the day. Not only were they very helpful and fairly priced despite me having a spur of the moment crisis, they also went out of their way to make sure everything else was safe and up to par to continue for multiple more weeks on the road. They even helped with some recommendations along my planned route! Genuine honesty and give-a-damn in a world that at times is far too lacking is greatly appreciated! read more

Car-Kare has been great for servicing our Toyota van. Started taking it there after the warranty expired. No sense dealing with the Bend Toyota dealerships unreasonable rates. read more

I liked the people at this shop, but found the work of their mechanics to be sloppy and very unprofessional - simple oil change on my 2 vehicles was done so poorly I had to take one back to complete the job. If you go there, check the work, as in my experience it's really Car Don't Kare. Hopefully, the owners are more diligent with checking the work of the mechanics. If so, then this is probably a good place but just be aware that YMMV. read more

My girlfriend took my car in to fix a high pitched squeaking sound that I figured was a simple loose belt. They told her it was my idler and tensioner pulleys that needed to be replaced, 300 bucks. They had no problem flirting with my girlfriend and taking their sweet time with my car, raking in the money from their fairly steep hourly labor rate. Fast forward two weeks and the same sound is back, just slightly quieter. A week after that and I'm driving down the road and I hear a pop. AC shuts off, no power steering. Great "fix" guys! read more

I highly recommend Car Kare! The service is great and the prices are fair. Ken and Cara have always been so nice and helpful. Russ is a great addition as well. From getting towed in for a serpentine belt, bad radiator hoses to routine oils changes Car Kare handles all of my Subaru needs. Thanks for a job well done time and time again. read more

Took me at scheduled time; ordered out the charcoal filter I requested and had it within 30 minutes. Only problem said could not do tire rotation as to busy. I had advised this was 30,000 servicing prior to appointment and that is part of that service. read more

Very pleased. Called Wednesday about 4:40 and they got me in at 8 the next morning. Had a noise they could hear as I pulled in. Put car on rack spun tires, no noise. Took for drive and noise was gone. Likely a stone in brakes. Problem solved...no charge. I love fair honest businesses. read more

Russ did a terrific job fixing my 25-year-old Suburban during the incredible snow storm Bend recently had. My son and friends had driven it over the pass and it started stalling out both when idling and moving. Russ and his team even spoke with my local mechanic over the phone. The problems were solved as quickly as was possible, so that my kids could safely return over the mountains to Portland. Russ even called my son an hour into his drive home to be certain that all was well. These are not only very professional mechanics, but CARING! Thank you, Car Care of Bend! Liz read more

Russ & Cara were great! I am in town for work & needed an oil change... quick, honest, price was right. Thanks guys!

My daughter was wanting to buy a used vehicle and I have NO mechanical experience what so ever. She found Car-Kare online through reviews, made an appt. Long-story short, we made the appt, cancelled, remade, got there right before the cut-off time (trying to coordinate with the seller) and even though I am quite sure they would have liked to go home late on Friday they performed the inspection, it was VERY thorough, explained the things the found, gave estimates for future fixes and emailed the report to my daughter for future reference. We bought the car and now feel very good that she knows what will need fixing and likely will send her back to get things repaired by them. (we live in Sisters but I feel it would be worth the drive). Thanks Car-Kare! :) read more

We've been taking our vehicles to Car Kare for about 5 years. The staff is very professional and they set proper expectations with good communication. Their estimates are fair and the final bill usually reflects the estimate. This builds trust and that is why we keep coming back for our maintenance and repair. I would recommend Car Kare for any type of maintenance, and most types of repair. Their honesty and commitment are top gear! read more

I move a lot so I never know where to find a good auto place when I get to town. However, my parents recommended investing in the assistance of Click and Clack (of Car Talk fame) who have reviews of auto shops on their websites. It was through them that I found Car Kare. I arrived early (as I so often do) and was one of two customers in the shop. They took my car in quickly and offered me coffee and a giant couch to sit on. And then I think they broke the record for my shortest wait in an auto body shop. 45 minutes! Essentially I was in for an oil change and a trip check (to prep for my next move). The service was excellent, the price was right and oh, to not spend my whole day at the auto shop! Definitely worth checking out! read more

Absolutely saved us while on vacation in Bend. Trustworthy. Very responsive, knowledgeable, and extremely fair priced.

Car Kare is the best!!! Recently dropped off my Chrysler 300 at Smolich Motors to have front door key lock repaired....at end of day my son picked up the car and paid a fifty-five dollar charge and drive it home. We later discovered to door lock still did not work! I called the service department at Smolich Chrysler and inquired what had happened and why the door lock still did not work. The service tech replied the mechanic has removed the inside door panel to diagnose the repairs and a part would need to be ordered and the repair would cost us $285 (plus the $55 diagnosis charge of course). I asked why "not a call" from the service tech regarding the repair needed and the costs to do the repair and he replied that that information was listed on the service receipt when my son picked up our car. Hmmmm. This is the second such time this has happened to me at Smolich. I forget what happened the first time at Smolich but I recall it required me to look at my service receipt to discover repairs needed. I want to say it was leaky power steering hoses. I just recall that I would have wanted to know by way of a phone call from the service tech...and yes there was a diagnosis charge, ***So !!! regarding the door lock issue...a friend recommended I take my car to Car Kare in Bend (Del and Leon) to have my door lock looked at and in the end....the door panel was removed, a part was needed plus they brought in a locksmith because the tumblers in the lock needed lubricated and there was needed a repair to the tumblers...and the best news yet my charge was ONLY $140, diagnosis, locksmith, parts and labor and all...and a phone call to boot about the repairs needed. read more

Thank you Ken and Cara! Stopped in late Thursday morning with some front brake issues, no appt.... Cara and Ken super friendly, got my car in immediately and on a rack. Brakes were just done 200 miles earlier in Grants Pass...Ken found the problem (glazed pads) and made the adjustments necessary and got me on the road in a matter of an hour or so! To top it off the repair was warrantied, they were able to accept payment from 3rd party. Many mahalos (thanks) I highly recommend CarKare of Bend! Mark C. (Kona, Hawaii) read more

Russ and the team took care of my 2014 Volvo whose air conditioner compressor went out. The dealership had a 5+ week wait list but Russ was able to get us in the next week. It was a big job and I was satisfied with his explanation and overview over what went wrong. Friendly, honest, transparent pricing. I will be returning again. read more

The owners and most of the employees are fair and honest, but when we took our car in we had cash missing afterwards. One of the employees are jacking cash, so I don't recommend leaving anything important in your vehicle if you go here. read more

Had an oil change scheduled and my car went in promptly when I arrived. Took exactly the amount of time they said, nice clean facility with comfortable spots to sit. I appreciated a future maintenance issue they drew my attention to. read more

Great service and a very friendly staff. They got me in the same day and did the work for much less than the other quotes I got that were a week out for service. The mechanic even came out and talked to me about a car I just recently purchased after I asked a few questions. I'm a DIYer usually, but they did such a good job I'd come back and highly recommend them. read more

I had been searching for a good, honest mechanic, and my search is FINALLY over! Twice, the technicians at Car-Kare showed great diagnostic care, and repaired my car perfectly (on two completely unrelated issues!). On this visit, my engine had started running rough out of the blue, and they immediately identified a bad spark plug wire. They ordered the wires locally, and fixed the problem while I waited (they were sure compassionate about the "pickle" I was in!). Car runs like a champ! Previously, they diagnosed leaking valve cover gaskets, and fixed the problem I had with leaking oil burning on the exhaust... what a relief! Both visits were one-time stops, diagnosed professionally, without repeat visits (yes, they're HONEST!). A suggestion was made about my front-end axle (something I knew about already), and the staff was HONEST about the urgency of the repair. When the time comes to make that repair, I'll definitely go back to Car-Kare. In fact, I won't take my cars anywhere else! Finally, the customer service is fantastic. I'm spacing her name, but the front desk person was absolutely wonderful, and kept me in the loop on the progress of things. If I had 3 thumbs, these folks would get all of them UP! We all know how valuable an honest car mechanic is... I just can't say enough about how great Car-Kare has been to me. read more

This place is amazing!!! Fantastic customer service, friendly, honest, quality work! Very impressed!!!

They were Amazing, such great costumer service, they were patient and kind! I got quoted out by another mechanic saying to fix my distributor, ignition control module and so on would be $600 and over. I ended up buying the part they needed at O'reilly's for about $280 and installing it at Car Kare only cost me $96 including diagnosis and labor. I spent $200 less than expected and have a Mechanic that I will go to time and time again! Thank you Car Kare!!!! read more