I've been a loyal customer but my recent oil change was a huge letdown. They missed threaded my oil pan and I had to do the work myself, which cost about $300 since it would have cost over $1000 at the shop given I had to remove my exhaust pipe and coolant pipe to access my oil pan. I called starks to give them a chance to make it right, but they denied any wrongdoing. I'm not one to leave reviews, but I hope this helps others avoid this headache. read more

Stark's Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Do NOT go here. The people are friendly and will talk to you for sure but that might be to try and get you to trust them. Don't. I'm not familiar with the original owners but the current one will lie to get himself and his people paid as much as they can get out of the customers. They over charge and try to tell you to fix things that don't need to be fixed. They also lied about issues that weren't there and needing things with and for the car which I did not need. When I first came in I asked for an oil change and a state inspection and that was it. It was clear what I was asking for and how I asked for it. Then they told me they can't pass the inspection because of 7 different issues including ALL the tires and brakes. Okay that's annoying but it's whatever. I'm not a car guy but I gave them the benefit of the doubt I might've needed some fixing. Given the price of new tires yes the bill would be expensive but the total was WAY more than it should have been. Also the brakes were brand new so they were just straight up lying to my face. I didn't want to go through with it since the price helped my suspicions of them so I asked them to FAIL the inspection so I would be able to see what was wrong with it on an official document and try at a different place. Surprise they never initiated an official inspection like I asked for, Wasn't able to provide me with any official documentation of the inspection or failed inspection, And basically ignored my requests entirely. At the end of the day I paid for the oil change which I did actually get surprisingly but at a price of $200+ JUST FOR AN OIL CHANGE. When I asked why the bill was so high, the owners response was that he pays his workers hourly and that's the price I would have to pay since my car was there in the shop being looked at. Again the inspection never happened so I payed $200+ just for an oil change (included the oil; filter and such). I didn't trust them at all and hated the fact the people trying to rip me off had access to my car so I drove 2+ hours to a different shop where they were able to get my inspection passed and everything looked at within the hour. I showed them the price and list of things Stark's auto service wanted me to change or fix and literally LAUGHED. I've never seen or experienced anything like that before where a mechanic laughed at a projected receipt. They explained to me 5 of the things on there were completely falsified and they were trying to rip me off. Again with the benefit of the doubt I brought my car to another shop just incase It was opinionated or something but they said the same exact thing. Do NOT go to starks auto service. If I could I would rate this place 0 stars but I can't. read more

I went to get my brakes checked out, and they were able to be get my car up within in hour and tell me what was wrong. They broke down the pricing for different parts and what it'd be for each item. Additionally, they listed what should be done asap vs. what could wait. The guys there were nice and professional. 10/10 would recommend them. read more

Stark's is a great place for repairs, service, and advice. Mike Stark is quick to find a problem and quick to fix it. Small repair shops like Starks's can be the best solution to the majority of car problems, thanks to their experience and good attitude. Compare my experience of ordering windshield wipers from my dealership and getting the wrong product not once, not twice, but three times. This was due to the bureaucracy and inefficiency of a large dealership, as compared to small enterprises such as Stark's where everyone there has a handle on everything that's happening in the shop. They see problems as a whole, not just a job with a job number. read more

I'm a broke college student and was super nervous because I just got to state college and my front breaks started squealing. The previous auto service shop I got my rear brakes replaced for around 700 dollars, but they did not adjust the brakes after installing them! Starks ended up fixing rear brakes, replacing front rotors, and tires too all for around the same price!!! read more

I LOVE Stark's Auto Service! I had my radiator replaced in my Subaru Outback this week and was extremely thrilled with the communication and service! For years I was a loyal customer of the service department at Stocker, but now I found a truly honest and responsive mechanic that is more than fair in his pricing of parts and labor! If you are looking for a local mechanic in State College, and looking for a recommendation, here it is..."GO SEE MIKE at Stark's Auto Service"! read more

Even though I didn't have an appointment, I stopped in the get information on getting my car inspected and what I had to do to get my car road worthy. I spoke to MIKE, who is the owner, and he inspected my car as to the damage done by the BRINE that Penn DOT puts on our highways during the winter. He gave me the name and phone number of a Frame Shop to get my car repaired and did not want to charge me! Unbelievable! This is where I am going to do business! read more

I was visiting State College from out of town for a football game and after my 5 1/2 hour trip my car began to slow and was making terrible noise from the engine. I called and was able to visit right away late in the day. Thankfully it was a small bolt issue and they were kind enough to tighten the bolts and let me on my way. I'm very thankful for their help on such short notice as someone from out of town! read more

I did my research and found a lot of positive reviews for this garage. I needed some maintenance done to my car. I called and asked for a quote, and with the rate reasonable enough for a specific job, I made an appointment for one week later. I dropped my car off the night before, and was told they would get it in first thing in the morning, and the job would take about 3 hours. The service day, came and went. At closing, the garage called me and said they were busy, was it ok if they worked on the car the next day? I said, I guess I really did not have much choice if the work was not done yet. They said, they would start the next morning. At lunch time on the second day I called to check the status, they told me they had not started it yet, but would soon. Near closing time, I called, with no answer and their voice machine said it was full. I drove out, to find they were nearly finished with the car. They asked me to go to the office to wait. The owner came in and gave me my bill which was $100 higher than the quote. When I asked why, he replied the quote did not include parts, only labor. I have never been given a quote with only labor. It is supposed to be the price for everything, so you know what the job will cost. The job Stark's did, required the oil to be drained and filled at the end. I provided my own brand of oil. I also had my own filter. They overfilled the oil, and used a generic oil filter. When I said, I had my filter, they replied, they did not see that in the notes. I had to drain some oil out myself, because it was half a quart over full and smoked when the car started. They never apologized for not getting the car in when they said, and the work was sub par .Now if you think this is quality service, you are welcome to sign up for an appointment. read more

We recently took a trip to see Penn State with our daughter and wouldn't you know, our passenger window regulator just snapped! This was 5:20 pm on a Friday and we were far from home. The window was completely down within the door, wide open and we were heading to Pittsburgh for the next college tour. The weather was calling for downpours of rain of biblical proportions and we were desperate. We proceeded to phone and beg for help from around 5 diff auto repair shops and were told they were either too busy or the mechanics had left. As we drove we saw Starks. Yes, he was closing, but Will took a look and proceeded to get us back on the road! He was able to get the window back in place so that we could get where we needed to go without getting soaked. Fixing the window was no easy feat, but he did it with patience and a smile and we are forever grateful to him for helping out stranded New Yorkers when no one else was willing. Will Stark obviously has the work ethic that has fallen by the wayside in current times. People in State College, PA are lucky to have this wonderful auto specialist for themselves. He is one of a dwindling breed of people who provide true service and care more for their customers than the time clock and money. We wish him the best! read more

Incredibly honest! Every time we take our cars to Stark's we are shocked (in a good way) about how much we owe. Thank you Stark's. Please don't change anything. It works! read more

I called and made an appointment to have my truck inspected. Will, was friendly and accommodating. I dropped it off and they called a couple of hours later to tell me it was ready for pick up. Everyone I dealt with was friendly and helpful. We talked about replacing tires in the future and the rate they would be able to quote. I was very pleased with the rate and service. read more

Absolutely fantastic service! Super honest, friendly, and you can tell that Will and his team genuinely care about their customers' experience. As someone that knows absolutely zero about cars, I recently went shopping around for quotes on what was causing a terrible squeaking noise in the rear as I drove around turns and bumps. I got quotes for upwards of $1,000 saying I needed a whole new control arm and yada, yada, yada. Came and saw Will who was nice enough to squeeze me in early so I could leave my car with him while I went out of town. Within a day he knew exactly what it was, and then shopped around for the best price on parts for me. He saved me hundreds of dollars in unnecessary labor elsewhere and definitely has a customer for life. Would highly recommend these guys to ANYONE! read more

My elderly father recently brought his car to Stark's Auto Service in late May 2011 to have the transmission rebuilt and an oil change. He had been taking his car there for many years. Mr. Stark told him he would have to wait a week to have the car repaired. My father called two weeks later and Mr. Stark told him he hoped to finish it soon - no firm date requested nor received. On the 26th day, I phoned Mr. Stark who happened to be meeting in person with a family friend about the car at my father's request. Mr. Stark told both of us that a part was needed (no further information) and finally agreed to finish the repair 3 business days later. On the 31st day, Mr. Stark finally completed the repair. He never apologized nor offered to explain the delay. I believe Mr. Stark simply took advantage of my father's trust and patience. My father has assured me he will never take his car back to Stark's. read more