I was able to drop off and pick up my car with no contact. My Car Care Club membership saved me over $130.

I took my car in with a leaking gas tank. I was all ready to just replace it. They explained to me what that would entail and gave me some good advice! I would trust them with any future repairs and recommend them to my friends and family. Another perk is they pay half for a rental car through Enterprise. I had a brand new car to drive while my car was in the shop. It only cost me $12.50 a day. I have never heard of anyone else doing that before! read more

I had a horrible experience here.. I was quoted something over the phone by Mike (the guy at the counter) but when i arrived to pick up my car. I was told something else, Im not the arguing type but I know exactly what i heard via our phone conversation. 2 issues: Mike was denying that he said what he'd said to me over the phone. By doing so, Mike was calling me a liar. I told the owner (Carmen) that I didn't appreciate being called a liar. She was soooo polite and kind. She stated, "How can I make this right?" I told her, "There's nothing you can do because he's calling me a liar and I really don't appreciate It. I will just pay the money because I don't want to argue." Carmen then stated, "No I don't want you to leave here unhappy, let me see what I can do." Mike then barged into the conversation and stated, "Well that's if its going to make her happy. If it's not going to make her happy then..." Carmen interjected and said, in a very calm and caring voice, "No, no, no, let me see what I can do." She knocked 50 dollars off my my cost which was very kind of her. Her customer service was so great. Not because she gave me $50 off, but the way she spoke to me, and her genuine concern, saved the day. I don't ever desire to see Mike's face again. So, therefore, I will not be going back. Not to mention the part that I paid $279 for only cost $69 at Auto Zone.. Do your homework before going to car shops. It will save you a headache. Thank you, Carmen. You're a sweetheart. It will be wise of you to teach Mike something about customer service. read more

Great at marketing - not so great at service or follow thru - buyer beware, it takes more than a chocolate chip cookie on the seat and friendly folks to bring me back.... they will not even give you a price range for simple services, they want you to come in so they can sweet talk you!! read more

My first experiences with Northern Auto Repairs in Berkley; my car in twice in the last week. First the Pros: Friendly, timely service, car returned cleaned. Cons: Hours of operations; they close at 5:30, except Tuesday at 7:00 and cost. Example: shocks, pricing was about 25% greater than Belle Tire for like kind. In addition, what appears an arbitrary charge equal to 10% of the parts cost is written up as shop supplies and added to bill. In short, definitely not shy about charging and on par with dealership rates with regards to labor. Too early to tell if the extra cost equals more reliable repairs. read more

I found this place very expensive. Brought to fix air conditioner, they charged $1,300 to fix it, plus additional $800 for a fan.

I wanted to save money after 3 years of dealership only service for my 2013 vehicle. I was told by my dealer that I needed brakes so I decided to get a quote from Northern and try and save some money knowing the dealer likely would be more expensive. The mechanic at Northern convinced me I needed rotors too which seemed odd since There was pad left on all 4 brakes but their explanation seemed reasonable. I accepted their estimate and had them do the work same day. All seemed fine. A week later, my wife sees the brake light come on. We look at the manual and it's clear it likely needs brake fluid. She stops and buys fluid and fills it up. I take it into Northern on their next business day. They get me right in. They spot the leak and explain my brake line (that they in no way ever touched) has worn out and started leaking. They give me a quote of $170 to replace it. I told them I'd think about it, knowing I would drive to right to the dealer. They suggested driving it at all would be extremely dangerous given the leak. My dealer replaced a fitting for $90. The line was fine in their estimation. The dealers opinion was that the brake line fitting was loose and that doesn't happen by accident. If anything, it would get corroded and seize up but getting loose wouldn't happen over time. I'm not sure what happened but Northern was either deliberately negligent here or made a mistake during the original repair and tried to hide it. Either way, I can't see trusting my car (and my families lives) to Northerns judgement. All things being equal, my dealer proved not only trustworthy but less expensive. read more

Completely honest, trustworthy, fair, very reasonable prices, and great customer service from Mark and Carol. I can't say enough about the integrity of this business! read more

Told me I needed work done that the dealership then looked at and said there was NOTHING wrong. Pretty ticked at Northern....trying to take advantage of a person (who happens to be a female). Told me I needed $1378 to repair my front tie rods and pitarm and idler arm which was "really loose and worn". Called the dealership and was told they could do it for $1030...but when I took it in they said there was nothing wrong with those components....not loose and not worn. Jerks! read more

Friendly Service People, Good Marketing Pricing is not competitive in my experience Needed a Cadillac repaired Northern vs. Cadillac Dealers Northern Labor 495 Parts 485 _____ 980 Prestige Cadillac/Warren Labor 230 Parts 389 _____ 619 Somerset Cadillac - 765 I like to work with small local business people where I can. I called to make sure I understood their estimate - give them a 'fair shake' They said to bring them a written estimate and they would 'work with me' That's not good enough. Moving on....... read more

I thought maybe their prices were a little high, but I really have nothing to compare it to as I've never had to service my car before. I would definitely go back and recommend them. I didn't have a ride home after dropping off my car, so thought I'd hail a cab. The owner gave me a ride home instead. I found the mechanics and technicians to be very honest and trustworthy. Great, friendly place all the way around. read more

I took my car to northern auto for my long overdue 100,000 mile maintenance. They did a ton of work for a reasonable price, vacuumed the floor and left me a cookie! My car drives like new and should last me another 100,000 miles! Thank Jan for bugging me to get this done. I going to feel much more confident driving up north in a couple weeks. Everyone at Northern is so nice and friendly too. read more

When I moved out to Michigan and bought a used car, I was really worried because I did not have a mechanic. Angie's List led me to these guys and I am pretty happy they did. One thing I love is that they only do what you want them to. They do not go rooting around "finding" broken things. They are not the cheapest guys on the block, but I prefer not to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. At least I know they will not take me to the cleaners. Plus, I have come to trust their work. One time, the owner dropped me off at work while they were doing a repair. Their rental car arrangement is handy for really big jobs. read more

Got a complimentary oil change because I had been unhappy with the customer service at the counter on a previous visit. The owner came out and talked to me the whole tome I was there. Their business is very important to them and they wanted to be sure I knew my voice had been heard. They did excellent work on my car and showed me the things that need repairs. read more

Look, these guys are in business to make money just like everyone else but have you ever had that cousin or uncle that you took your car to that you just knew you could trust to give you the skinny? That's how these guys are. Straight questions, straight answers. Honesty and integrity you can afford. read more

I have been going to Northern since 2012 and will continue to do so in the event I need their services. They are very knowledgable, straightforward and friendly. They deliver on what they promise and do their best to accommodate their customer's needs. The repairs repairs on my Saab have always been 100% and the cookie from Pinwheel Bakery that the staff leaves on my front seat when the work is complete is an added little bonus! read more

Love this place! Staff are very friendly and took the time to actually take me into the shop and show me what was going on with my car (just needed a new axle, but I'm not very knowledgeable about cars so it was new to me). The price was very reasonable and the loyalty program they offer is excellent. There's obviously a reason they keep winning local prizes! read more

Carol, who runs the front desk and is responsible for scheduling, is always very helpful and friendly. She shows genuine care/concern about our questions. Mark is always a friendly face - fun to talk to, knows a ton about cars, and always honest and forthcoming about necessary or unnecessary repairs. Max has been our mechanic several times - he thoroughly explains and even shows me the problem. We've been here many times for repairs and oil changes, and they've even told us when it would be cheaper to get work done somewhere else. It's very refreshing to find a repair shop we can fully trust. I would strongly recommend Northern Repairs to anyone who lives in the area. Check out the NPR Car Talk website if you want to read more rave reviews. read more

I dropped my car off at 8am, at open, to get some work done. I thought they would call me when they were done working on it. It's after close now, and I'm sitting here confused and screwed over because I thought I'd have my car back by the afternoon. ?? I love this place, I love the people, I love the service. But where's my car!? read more

Had a nail in my wife's tire. I took it to Northern since it's close to our new home. Everybody was super nice and friendly. $25 to plug the tire. Had to leave the car for a couple hours but none the less, tires fixed and I was on my way. Very happy with the service and staff. I will be going here the next time we are in need of any repair. read more

I have used Northern Auto several times over the years. They may be a bit more expensive than competitors but you get what you pay for. Their work is top quality, their customer service is amazing and they all are very professional. Everything they have repaired has worked really well after. They also do those wonderful little touches like vacuuming the car for free, leaving a cookie or a nice smelling soap bar or something like that to let you know they value your business. When I have tried to save a buck and go somewhere cheaper, I have lived to regret it. :( I give them 5 stars. read more

Don't be taken in by the free cookies and friendly chatter. This place is not as nice as it seems and is a rip-off. I had been having intermittent problems with starting my car in park and would have to wrestle the gear shift into neutral in order to start it. The Northern mechanic could find nothing wrong, and I was told that maybe it was the fact my battery was 3 1/2 years old and needed to be replaced (although it had recently tested okay at their shop). I agreed to purchase an overpriced battery. I drove away, stopped briefly, and again could not start the car in park. When I got back to Northern, I demonstrated the problem, and now they said they knew what it was and would try to find "the part," which they did not describe or name. Less than an hour later, I was approached and told that my "transmission fell apart," that they "don't do transmissions," and my car would be towed to a transmission shop. That shop replaced a roller pin, which I assumed was the broken part. However, the problem continued. (Incidentally, according to their website, they actually do "do transmissions.") Recently, I learned that the problem was a faulty Neutral Safety Switch, and I had it replaced at a reputable shop outside of Michigan. I wrote to Northern to inform them of this finding and received a defensive letter saying that because I was "emotional," they had not charged me for the diagnosis and the towing of my car. The account in their letter was completely inconsistent with my experience. The battery test had not indicated it needed replacement; they never provided me with a diagnosis; the needed repairs were never made, and I spent several additional months dealing with the problem. Although customers are repeatedly urged to vote for Northern in various competitions, their winner status does not speak accurately to the quality and cost of their work. The many comments that follow do speak to a consistency in their operation and should be heeded. read more

Last January, I took my car to Northern Auto Repair. The oil pressure light was on, and just to be safe, I had it towed two miles to Northern. It is a 2002 VW Passat, a car known for oil sludge problems. They called me the next day with the estimate: about $5,000 to fix this! Yes, That is not an exaggeration. They said they needed to change the oil pump, dip stick and spout, timing belt and tensioner. The car is only worth about 3,000 so of course I declined. On a hunch, I took it to a repair shop in Waterford that specializes in VW's. They dropped the oil pan (what should have been done first by Northern) and saw that the pickup screen on the pump was clogged. They simply cleaned that out, cleaned the pan out, and that's it. The noise from the timing chain then went away, because the tensioner runs on oil pressure (any decent mechanic would know this, but not at Northern apparently). The car runs perfectly - I've driven it to work and back (20 miles each way) for over 8 months now. The repair: $520. Yes, Northern was trying to charge me TEN TIMES what it actually cost to fix my car. these people are nice, and they are good at marketing, but don't have skilled mechanics. Stay away. read more

Boo - shame on Northern Auto. I've been taking our cars there for some time with good experiences, but recently the prices are going up and the service is going down. Summary version is I declined to pay $600 in diagnostics, and got my car actually fixed from O'Brien's in Ferndale for $190 instead. Full version is... Problems seem to coincide with NAR's hiring of the "front desk guy," whose name is Mike. Normally husband & wife team dealt with the customers, and service was friendly, reliable and fairly priced. But now that Mike is there, things have changed for the worse. I'm not sure if he was hired to more aggressively price their services to increase the profit margin, or what. I had new brake pads installed. Upon pickup, car now has a squeaky wheel. Brought it back to be fixed after a few days, still squeaks. Drove it for awhile on their advice to "wear in" the brakes, no change. Called, and Mike told me I had exceeded the time for complaints! I still have the squeak. Plus, every time I came in for an oil change, they'd give me a report a what else needed to be fixed on my car. Very high pressure to accept their proposed "fixes" on things that seem unnecessary. Thought I'd give them one last chance when my son's car wouldn't start. Towed in & Mike called to tell me they needed to replace the crank shaft position sensor for $350. I approved & Mike called back to say that didn't fix the problem & they were going to need another $250 for "electrical diagnostics" to figure out what the problem REALLY was (and he couldn't guarantee that $250 would fully diagnose the problem). When I asked if the $350 charge went away, since it didn't fix the problem, Mike said no. When I asked if the $250 (or more) diagnostic fee would be credited against the repair, Mike said no. Digging into this a little more, I asked about the $350 charge. It was $136 for the part, and $214 for labor. Going online, I found the part listed at several auto repair stores for $15-$25. When I researched changing out a crank shaft position sensor, the do-it-yourself website said it could be done in 10 minutes, the only tool required is a wrench to loosen/tighten bolts holding it in place, and rated the fix as "easy." When I asked Mike about NAR's hourly rate, it's $115/hr, but Mike says he doesn't charge by the hour. Instead, he creates a "by the job" price. Which apparently means, if the customer appears to know nothing about cars, rip them off. Comparison shopping had others at $80-$90/hr. When I called around to four other local shops, they were all shocked at the proposed costs. Couldn't understand why I'd be charged for something that didn't fix the problem. Two of them advised me to call the State of Michigan's auto repair complaint line. When I calmly discussed all of this with Mike on the phone, he told me that the parts Northern uses are all under warranty, which is why they cost more. When I mentioned I had received lower quotes, he stated NAR is an ASCE-certified shop, which is why I should trust them more. When he insisted on billing me the $350 even if I took my car elsewhere, I mentioned the State of Michigan consumer line and he basically stopped talking & hung up on me. Mike then called me back later to tell me, "the owner feels we've lost your trust, so you would probably be better taking your car elsewhere. As a courtesy, we won't charge you & will write off the cost of our technician's time. " When I asked when my car would be ready to be picked up - since I needed the original part put back into the car - he told me it would be ready in 15 minutes!!! Obviously not a huge deal to get the crank shaft position sensor in/out of the car, and that $214 worth of "labor" was baloney. Towed the car to O'Brien's in Ferndale. Problem was a broken wire, which they fixed for $190 out the door. Included clean up & soldering of a few other wires so it wouldn't happen again in future. Nothing to do with the crank shaft position sensor at all. Sheesh. Thanks, Mike. You helped me find a different auto repair shop I can trust. read more

They told me I need my cooling system all replaced , took it to another shop the cooling fluid was replaced and we r at one and half year latter no issues. They wanted to just make money I don't trust this place if I were you. read more

I arrived at 5:30 with a disabled car. Turned out it was the battery and they fit me in and fixed it!! On top of the expertise of the mechanic ( another shop misdiagnosed the problem), they have fresh baked cookies to die for now I have a family repair shop and don't intend to go anywhere else.... read more

I have always treated my auto mechanic as a trusted partner. I was living in Royal Oak for a short period and my car overheated. I was nowhere near my main mechanic (Main Street Motors in Ann Arbor). After checking around for some ideas of where to go, I was referred to Northern. The service was quick and the price was fair. I can't really hope for anything better. I'd like to consider them my go-to mechanic but they're a bit too far from where I currently live. But my sense is the shop is honest, fair, and competent. read more

I always get the best service and prices from Northern Auto Repair. And of course the cookie on my seat after the work is done

I have taken my Volkswagen Rabbit to this shop for oil changes for the past two years. Yesterday when I had my oil changed they said I needed a new serpentine belt for a cost of $187 and a new air filter. I took my car to another auto place later in the day and they told me my serpentine belt is fine. No cracks or anything and the guy at Northern Auto lied to my face and told me this belt was cracked and needed to be replaced. I will never return to Northern Auto. They are not trustworthy. This is a big disappointment for me. I used to take an older Volkswagen Jetta there for service in 2005 and I thought they did a good job then. I paid around $1000 to have my front wheel bearings replaced on the Rabbit in the spring of 2012 at Northern and now I wonder if this was really necessary. It is obvious they were trying to take advantage of my lack of car knowledge, but they will not get another chance to do so. read more

The last time I went to Northern repair I was very badly treated. The man at the front desk was very rude. He called me to say they could not open the hood of my car and to come pick it up, they were not going to work on it. I did not know where this rudeness was coming from so I had my husband call and he got the same treatment. After a few more phone calls I found out the reason for the treatment I got from all the people there and is as follows. The last time I brought my car in they fixed it and I took it home. After getting home I saw the temperature control nob was missing so I called up Northern and I talked to Bob. I told him my control nob was missing and I cannot find it in the car and could he please replace it. He said he would do that and he ordered the part which arrived in due time, they called me up and I went uptown to pick it up and they gave me the nob, I thanked them and put the control nob in my car and I thought nothing of it. It turns out that they have all been mad about that missing control nob for the last 3 months. They say that I accused them of stealing the nob. I was floored that something as petty as a nine dollar control nob could make them drive away a good repeat customer. I will not go back there again. read more

Went in for the first time today to get an oil change. Increadibly nice staff, and quick service. Will definitely be coming back!

It makes me cringe when I think about all the money I've spent at dishonest garages or the dealership. Northern surprised me at every turn, the service is exceptional. I'm a mom of a toddler and an infant so their cute play area was great and I would have enjoyed sitting there waiting for my car but I didn't have to since they offered to drive myself, the kids and the car seats back to my house before they got started. Woohoo! The quote they gave was $400 less than the dealership where I'd taken it earlier in the month. That was almost 50% less! The invoice breaks apart parts and labor so you know what your getting. The communication from them was great, I never had to call and say, so hi, what's going on with my car which I've done many times with Toyota. They offered to come get me and the kids but one was napping so I did after hours pick up. They cleaned the windshield, vacuumed the front carpets and left a cookie! Why didn't I go here earlier. read more

I had gone to John when he opened but he specialized and I didn't always have the need for that service. More recently I had gone and was told I needed wheel bearings and it would cost $760. I went somewhere else to check and they said I only needed it on one side and that would be $168. HUGE difference. I can't trust their recommendations any more. read more

The best place in the area! I have been screwed by major chain oil change shops and one even damaged my truck pretty badly. These guys took great care of my care and gave me a discount. I will definitely be back read more

Northern Auto is a rip off. They charged me $210.00 just to look at my car, then told me they were not sure what was wrong with it!!! They did offer to replace my power steering hose(which is an unrelated issue) for an additional $240.00. I found out that the part only costs $19.00 and takes 5 minutes to install. My advice is to avoid this shop at all costs!!! read more

Top-notch service and customer care. They beat another repair shop's estimate by a whopping $500 and the quality of the work was excellent. I was pleased that I was able to talk to the tech so as to put my mind at ease about all the steps that went into the repair. A month after the repair, I noticed a broken bolt on an exhaust clamp that could have happened during the fix. They told me to bring the vehicle in and they'd have look. After talking to the tech, we both realized they were not the cause of it. Still, the tech replaced the broken fastener and even welded a broken exhaust hanger that I never even noticed -- and at no charge! And he did so in less than 30 minutes, allowing me to get to work on time. I now have a new go-to repair shop for any job that I feel is beyond my expertise. read more

Each time I take my older car to Northern Auto Repairs, the staff has been courteous, most helpful, and they have completed the necessary maintenance and/or repairs in a stellar fashion. I trust my car to them. read more

I've just moved to the area and needed to find a service shop quick. The heater in my car, with less than 11,000 miles, was not working and the first snow was coming. I had recently had a part installed at another shop but that didn't solve the problem. When I came to pick up the car...YEA heat. They explained that the part I had installed was only part of the problem an that to get it to work properly I would need to take it to the dealer to be calebrated, one of those computer things only they can do. Don't care, I have heat!! The thing that suprised me though was what I found when I went out to my car. They had cleaned the front windsheild, vacuumed the car an left a fresh baked cookie on my seat as a thank you. Is my car totally fixed...no. but I also know the cars are much more complicated now and dealers make sure there are things only they have the ability to correct........but I have HEAT!!!!! read more

They charged me over $100 to LOOK at my car and do a diagnostic. Then when I asked them for the results they did not seem to want to give them to me. I finally asked them for the computer code, and they gave me one, but I have no idea if that was really all the information they had on hand about my car. Their primary intention is to make as much money off of you as possible, not let you know what is wrong with your car. No such thing as a free estimate with these guys! And the price they quoted for the repair was outrageous. I got lucky, because after five hours of waiting I finally called and, it seems, took them by surprise. They told me they were looking for a part, which seemed strange to me, because they had said that they would consult me first before doing anything. I guess they never found the part because they called me back in fifteen minutes and said I could pick up the car in half an hour. When I got there they told me I could replace the part if I wanted (for an outrageous price), but that it was drivable, and seemed to be working ok for now. (The next day, the problem came back). If you have other options, go somewhere else!!! Angie's List, Car Talk--la la la. And they fill your car with so much advertising and paper just so that you fall under the spell of their "great reviews"... --just YUCK. read more