STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE…read more
If I could give a negative rating, I would.
Extremely disappointing and misleading experience at Carmine's Import Service.
I was told by Tesla that my 2020 Tesla Model Y Performance needed a battery pack replacement. Before committing to Tesla, I called this shop and spoke with someone I believe was named Max, who assured me they could do the job and had third-party battery options that would be cheaper than Tesla.
Based on that information, I paid $400 out of pocket to tow my car from Raleigh to their shop.
That's where the red flags started.
* It took over two days just to get a diagnosis, and I had to repeatedly call for updates.
* I was charged $243.13 for the diagnostic, despite the delays and lack of communication.
* My advisor, Marissa, told me she was "looking for a battery," which alone took another full day.
* When I finally received an estimate, I was shocked: $28,000 total, with $23,000 claimed just for the battery.
For comparison, Tesla charges around $13,000 for the same battery replacement -- and I personally found a compatible battery online for $14,500, which still makes their quoted $23,000 battery price extremely inflated.
When I asked for a detailed, itemized estimate (battery source, labor hours, cost breakdown), I never received one. They could never explain where the battery was coming from, how many labor hours were involved, or why the price was so high.
I asked twice to speak with a manager. Messages were taken both times.
No manager ever called or texted me back.
Because no repair was done, I then had to pay another $500 to tow my car back to Raleigh, wasting $900 total in towing alone, plus the $243.13 diagnostic fee -- not counting time and stress.
Between the lack of transparency, the exaggerated battery cost, the inflated estimate, and zero management follow-up, this experience felt misleading and unprofessional. I wasted time, money, and trust bringing my vehicle here.
I would not recommend this place to anyone.