I don't understand why my experience is so contrary to everyone else's, as I found and selected Rod's based on others' Yelp reviews. I simply needed my oil changed and fluids topped off someplace close to my home and with competitive pricing. I rolled into Rod's right off Sunset Blvd on a residential side street....
Hole-in-the-wall is too kind a descriptor. I love true hole-in-the-wall restaurants and attractions, where quality and quirkiness are valued above marketing and profit, but I have learned that this isn't necessarily a good approach when it comes to repair and longterm maintenance of a vehicle. Rod's is the kind of the place where the workspaces are clearly delineated by trash, parts, screws, etc., that are within arm's reach, look like they've been placed there years ago, and will probably never be touched until the space is vacated in when Rod/Jose moves on.
To me that was a preview of the attitude and workmanship I was to experience; I should have trusted my instinct and left instead of being polite and allowing Jose & his staff to work on my car. His casually disinterested attitude convinced me that this was a guy who wasn't interested in taking advantage of people who don't know cars. But I later concluded that not only is he not interested in unfairly profiting off customers, he seems to have zero interest in performing quality work or in vehicle repair in general.
When I got the call that my car was ready, I was too far away to pick it up before closing, so I came the next morning. This shop has spaces for about four cars, and three of them have 'classics' in them - more likely someone's longterm abandoned project best suited to a junkyard. Where was my car? Parked on the street, two blocks away. Also, I was reminded to pick it up before 10am to avoid a street cleaning ticket. Not exactly cool, but whatever, I can deal, and thanks for warning me about the parking ticket...I used to park my car on the street for a few years, so I understand.
I was ready for my car to run smoother, with that extra pep that comes after every other oil change. How did it run? It shook, sputtered, and misfired when idling. I called Jose back, and he asked if I was sure it wasn't like that before I brought it in? Keep an eye on it another couple of days to see if it improves. The next day, the check engine light came on, and in rapid succession the gasket popped while driving on the freeway, the car began smoking, and died on me - while driving on the freeway! I improvised a temporary fix using the internet and some tools and took the car back to Rod's the next day. They reapplied the gasket after a few hours and said everything was OK. The car was ready for me to pick up and was parked one street over.
The same sputtering and misfiring continued, and the check engine light came back on, but I had learned my lesson. I like places with casual attitudes, but this was beyond the pale. I took my car somewhere else where the problem was quickly diagnosed, repaired, and ready to go. I cannot prove that Rod's caused the sudden, catastrophic failure of my aging car on the freeway, but the timing of the problems immediately after taking it to this shop, coupled with the disinterested, cavalier attitude of the owner/manager and his staff are reason enough for me to keep away forever and to write this warning to others. read more
