A major dealership told me I needed a new transmission, cost $5700. Thought I needed a second…read moreopinion so set an appointment with Capital City Transmission. The outcome is my transmission is fine. It's really a minor engine issue and may not need immediate fixing. Honesty is fantastic in this small business. So I saved $5700. Not sure if the big dealership is just incompetent or worse. Obviously when I do need a transmission, I know where to buy it! Thanks for the help. Tom

So my car was taken to this place and at first it was a normal experience then I started asking…read morewhen my car would be fixed after a week of waiting pretty normal right then I finally got a answer after two weeks they said it was done I went and picked it up and made it about 25 miles then the transmission was slipping shifting hard for about two miles then it was barely able to move so I got ahold of them and I was told to take it back here is when it got very frustrating I looked over the work on the car that was supposed to have a new transmission it was not new it was not replaced so I took it back to him and said that there was nothing done to my car I was told I was wrong but why would a new transmission stop working in 25 miles it would not have stopped working like that so then I was told I have to wait at the back of the line because he is busy I would think that being I already paid in full I would be first in line sence I have waited over two weeks at this point but nope he will get to it when he has Time

Erik was so thorough and honest about the assessment of repairs needed for my car. He completely…read morethe diagnostic in record time and gave me a clear understanding.

Eric went out of his way to help us find hard to get parts. Outstanding customer service! I would…read morehighly recommend Independence Automotive!

I'd heard wonderful things about Joe and his business but never dealt with them before. I was very…read morepleased with the communication and no pressure information. I highly recommend this business for ANY auto repair!

Joe and Lance are amazing! I am new to Helena, so I got on my groups on Facebook and asked for…read morerecommendations with testimonials for mechanics because I needed my car fixed ..... a majority of people said West Side Wrench, and more importantly they were the ONLY place that didn't have a negative experience about them sent to me, literally! Even others that would have alot of good reviews had some scathing ones as well, EXCEPT West Side Wrench. I was going to call them but Joe, the manager, reached out to me first! Then they squeezed me in, despite me being last minute and kinda in a rush and they did it without any nasty attitudes! My car is now running better than before plus the price was incredibly fair and reasonable-and that's coming from a single mom with NO extra money!!

Not impressed. Had an electrical issue with a truck that I'd communicated specifics about in…read moreadvance to them and they scheduled me with their oil change tech instead of one a journey-level mechanic and had no near-term appt I could get in to to see one of their experienced mechanics. They did address a minor other issue (removing a front hitch) I'd told them about at no charge and I want to acknowledge that but it was a distant second to the priority work. The next week I had a subsequent appointment to have an issue on a separate car fixed and they hadn't been able to track down the part that entire day. I'd been specific about what it needed in advance. All in all. I didn't feel listened to when I described what I needed, and two days were wasted. I did find the staff there to be courteous and professional in all instances. However, I wanted to try this place out just in case I needed something fixed and my longtime preferred mechanic wasn't available, and I won't be going back.

Came in for brake repair and two days later they had replaced one sensor which didn't fix ANYTHING,…read morebut cost almost $450.00. Three days after that they hadn't even started the brake repair I initially asked for. Stay away from these guys!!!

Well, due to a variety of factors one of my vehicles had not had an oil change for way too long and…read moreso I was looking for somewhere to get it done very quickly. My normal shop when I stopped by had an hour and a half wait so I ended up at a place I'd never even heard of which was Helena import repair. Apparently, they used to be in the center of Helena, but have since moved to a place that's less convenient however they have a beautiful gigantic facility with tons of lifts and even friendly people and free snacks in the waiting room. I was impressed, especially cause I've never even heard of Helena import repair until then. Also, I was looking for the best price around and I knew that around $59 was a pretty good price and so when I called they said come on down, $59.97. So I went down and I got it done and my car is much happier now. But these guys seem to be really great and they had a great integrated system there so I think these guys need more business. I recommend them for oil changes and it certainly looks like they would be good for auto repairs as well. Good job Helena import repair!

My parking brake light was constantly on, so I figured I had to replace brakes, which I couldn't…read moreafford. Without telling the owner I couldn't afford new brakes he said, "Let me check your levels". Lo and behold right after he started putting in fluid the light went off. Any other place would have said I needed new brakes just to make money. Not Helena Imports, the owner is not that way. Will be always bringing my Toyota truck to this mechanic.

i lost my couple months ago so it seems like one thing after another. i called a mike at auto trim…read moreand he said iwen might.i called them and they said they were booked out but well see.5 days get have pickup there and they will take a look at it. pickup was dropped wednesday and i had it back thursday afternoon. aaaaaaaa++++i have never dealt with them before but i will from now on.thank you mechanics and the guys at front counter were great..thank you,pat inman. professional mechanic at it's best....good work great valve........lost my wife

Very friendly and helpful. Got three different quotes for work. One was $900, another $776, and…read moretheir quote was $524. I will be going back to them if I need other auto repairs. If you need work done, give these guys a call.

DO NOT GO HERE -- Lied to me, overcharged me, and treated me like garbage…read more Meineke completely blew my trust -- not just once, but twice. First Visit (July 2025) I brought my car in for severe shaking and engine misfiring. They diagnosed bad spark plugs and one bad ignition coil -- and that part was accurate. But they overcharged me by billing $252 for a single ignition coil. Not a set -- just ONE. You can find a full set of four online for $90-$140. They also charged me $90 for 20 minutes of labor, which breaks down to $275 an hour. That's three times what local shops charge. Then came the upsell: they pushed a BG full induction service, claiming it would help smooth out the engine. Here's the problem: * Ignition coils and spark plugs are part of the ignition system, which controls the spark that fires the engine. * A BG induction service is meant to clean the air/fuel intake system, including the throttle body and intake valves. These are completely different systems -- like fixing windshield wipers to stop your tires from leaking. Pushing an induction service to fix a misfire caused by a bad coil is misleading at best. I told them I had a strict $500 cap (due to warranty coverage) and couldn't afford the full service. They said: "No problem -- we'll just do the first part of the induction service to keep you under." That "first part"? Just a quick fuel additive in the tank. No BG tools. No throttle cleaning. Just a bottle dumped in. They charged $30 -- which, to be fair, is what BG 44K costs, so I'm not upset about that part. They were transparent about it. I'm including it here because it sets up what happened next... Second Visit (October 1st, 2025) -- Where Things Got SHADY Still shaking. So I brought it back. This time, they said carbon buildup in the throttle body was to blame -- and pushed the full BG fuel induction service again, which they said I "declined" last time. I agreed. What did I get? Just a quick aerosol spray into the throttle body. That's it. * No specialized BG tools. * No multi-step cleaning. * No proof that anything beyond a spray was done. They charged $129.26. Let's break that down: * $90 for labor (for a job that took 20 minutes). * That's $275/hour -- for a basic spray I could've done myself. * Even worse, the invoice claimed 0.60 hours (36 minutes) -- but I dropped the car off at 4:00 PM and it was done by 4:17 PM. So unless they time-traveled, that's a falsified bill. I Have Recorded Proof * In a recorded call, Jeremy (the mechanic) admitted it was just a spray, not the full BG package. * He also admitted he didn't know it was billed as the full service. * When I calmly pointed out that this was false advertising and billing fraud, he swore at me, got belligerent, and transferred me because he couldn't handle being called out. * I also recorded a call with a respected local mechanic, who agreed it was not the real BG service -- and said $130 for that kind of work was laughable. What Happened After? I submitted all of this to the Better Business Bureau, and Meineke never responded. BBB was forced to mark the complaint "unresolved" and it now appears on their public record for three years. Then I went to the Montana Office of Consumer Protection. Even they agreed it was egregious -- but said I'd have to file in small claims court. So that's where I'm at. Bottom Line: This business is shady. What I was told I'd get is not what I got. It's textbook misrepresentation, and I have the receipts -- literally and figuratively. It's like a salon telling you they'll give you a perm for $100, then giving you a mullet, and saying: "Well, mullets cost $100 too, so what's the problem?" Then later realizing they charged you $400 for it anyway. Where You SHOULD Go: I now take my vehicles to Frederick at QRF Automotive. * He's honest. * He's patient. * He's fairly priced. * He treats you like family and won't quit until it's fixed. Call him at 406‑916‑2690. Forget Meineke -- he's the real deal.

Brought my husband's truck in for a simple oil change and said it was gonna be $180....LEFT and…read morewent to Daves Exxon $120! THANKS DAVES EXXON!!!!

5 Star service $10 coupon online they were very fast and answered all questions I had. They…read morechecked all the fluids and topped them off plus vacumed the inside and a car wash was an extra $10. I'll be back

Overtopped oil significantly on a very common older vehicle. Glad I caught it on site. They should…read moreknow better. I won't be back.

I have used this business for years! Several vehicles and have never felt taken advantage of until…read moretoday. I dropped off my Jeep because it would not start asking that they check the battery. $160 later I was told that I needed a new battery which was another $60ish to install and a $400 battery. I cut my losses at $160 to be told I had a dead battery, which I suspected and got a new battery elsewhere for $209. I will not be returning or using their services again... sad because as a single mom this was a local business I trusted.

Even though they were booked for weeks they managed to squeeze me in for a quick weld-in catalytic…read moreconverter job. They did a great job and their secretary was very kind and helpful. Price was extremely reasonable too. Thanks Guaranteed Muffler!

You ever had to have your vehicle fixed fast? I did and at a better price too. Called and was…read moreseen promptly. Did the same thing as the big guys. You might need a good mechanic, I did, they were.

Extremely overpriced, slow and his cutting corners/not doing the job properly caused significant…read moredamage to my motor. This resulted in me having to spend thousands completely rebuilding the motor, which I of course had done elsewhere at a trustworthy shop. Don't make the same mistake I did, go someplace else for your vehicle repairs.