Greetings to all, I hope everyone is well and taking care of themselves. This will be a lengthy and sincere review, so please bear with me.
I cannot in good conscience recommend this shop to anyone. My experience there was extremely negative and I would advise against going there. YOU BE THE JUDGE
I have very limited knowledge about car repairs and don't know what to do when my car has an issue. After doing some research and reading reviews, I came across WESTERN AUTO SERVICE INC, which specializes in Honda/Acura repairs. The owner, ANDY, seemed confident and explained the repair process thoroughly. Unfortunately, my experience with Western was extremely negative as I paid them $2000 but my car issues were not resolved. Here is a list of what happened and my overall impression of ANDY's work, so you can make an informed decision for your next car repair. Personally, I am now stuck and unable to use my car due to ANDY's poor job and change in attitude after I paid for the repairs.
I want to make it clear that before I began repairing the car, I paid ANDY the agreed amount of 130 to 180 dollars for his inspections, with the understanding that this money would go towards any necessary repairs. He provided a list of recommended repairs which we went over together, and he was very kind and patient in explaining them to me.
Cabin Air Filter Replacement
Brake Fluid Exchange: due to time and mileage
Brake Job - Front (Replace Pads and Rotors): due to low pad and rotor had deep groove
Front wheel alignment
Shock Absorber Rear
Engine Air Filter Replacement
Brake Job - Rare (Replace pads and drums)
After the initial repair, I retrieved my car and quickly noticed some loose cables. To keep it brief, while my car was in the shop, there were difficulties with starting it and ANDY and his team had to do some troubleshooting. This involved messing with my dash cameras, which resulted in a cable hanging loose under the steering wheel that kept hitting my legs while I drove. They didn't bother to properly put back everything they took out. Thankfully, Best Buy had installed my dash cameras and fixed the issue for free, but this was a clear indication of incompetence.
After picking up my car from Andy, I noticed a loud cranking noise every time I parked and took off. This was something I had never experienced before. Additionally, the new brakes he installed were not performing well; the car would slip and shift when braking. When I brought these issues to his attention, he brushed me off and made excuses. Even though there was a loud sound coming from my car while driving, he ignored it. Unfortunately, I had already paid him by this point. The brake repairs were completed in either mid or late August, but as of December 21st, my car is still experiencing the same problems. I feel like Andy did not do a thorough job with the brakes or any other repairs listed for my car.
Next on the list of problems was either the battery or starter. I explained to Andy how my car would not start properly, and he mentioned having a similar issue when he had it at his shop before. I couldn't tell if this guy was actually fixing the car or just trying to scam people, but he insisted it was the battery. Since I have no knowledge about cars, I asked if he had checked anything else, but he kept rambling on about technical car stuff that went over my head. In the end, I ended up replacing the battery, but the starting issue still remained unresolved.
I gave Andy a call and immediately he recommended replacing the starter. I asked if it was okay for me to purchase the starter from NAPA and bring it with me for him to install, and he agreed. So, I followed through with that plan, picked up my car, but unfortunately the starting issue persisted. I waited a few days before calling Andy again, but this time his attitude had completely changed. He started blaming me for everything and his tone became hostile.
He adamantly refused to admit that he had ever suggested replacing the starter. When I confronted him about it, he asked "Who told you to replace it?" and when I said it was him, he flat out denied it.
Here is the Video of my car after battery and starter replacemnt:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DM5e93P6Q6E
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fijivt_yrBM
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YSTfa8FFwsw
At this juncture, I am at a loss for what to do next. He was supposed to be the expert car mechanic who would thoroughly diagnose and propose necessary repairs. However, in my situation, that did not occur, and now I am left with a malfunctioning car after spending $2000 with no clear resolution in sight.
The last time I talked to him, he still had a negative attitude and was not very helpful. The customer service was lacking, so I decided to put the issue on hold for now. I will need to find a car mechanic who can properly troubleshoot my car and give me recommendations for repairs.
That my honest review of WESTERN AUTO SERVICE INC in univerty read more