- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Car-X
Rating Details »
Category: Auto Repair [Edit]
Neighborhoods: West Loop, Near West Side, Noble Square1314 W Grand Ave
(at Ogden Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 243-3111
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sponsored Result
You Might Also Consider
Midwest Performance Cars Inc
- 11 reviews
- Neighborhood:
- West Loop
"Bar none the most honest and competent car repair in the city. I tell them the problem, leave my Benz, and come back to pay the bill. Easy.…" read more »
42 reviews for Car-X
I went here with the intention of getting an oil change and fixing a really bad knocking sound coming out of my car. Turns out that knocking sound just came from some sort of loose material/shielding inside the engine that they ended up fixing free-of-charge!
I was really happy to see a $20-something bill for just the oil change when I picked up my car. Thanks again!
We had some deferred maintenance on our car that needed to be taken care of - oil change, tune-up, tire rotation, etc. We live nearby so I called and they said I could bring it in right away, which was great. Their front office is super-friendly and I have nothing bad to say about their demeanor or how I was dealt with.
They called a couple hours later with a list of things that needed to be replaced. I was a little suspicious of some of the items - the "really really dirty" transmission fluid for one. We had had it changed elsewhere just a couple thousand miles prior. I was also told the air filter was "black" and my husband had been told it was fine the last time he'd had the oil changed. But living in a city with less than awesome air quality, you never know.
Finally, I was asked if we'd noticed anything wrong with the steering - jerking or strong vibrations. Um, no. But turns out the upper ball joint is loose and needs to be replaced. Okay, fine.
We took a pass on the transmission fluid, said no to the brake work they quoted (it isn't a dire situation and I wanted to see how this repair came out before giving them more of our money). So I okayed the ball joint and filter and spark plug changes, and asked them to save the broken ball joint for me. They did me one better and saved all the replaced parts, and I will tip my hat to them for going a step above there.
Now, I expect that there are going to be some additional repairs that are discovered when a car with close to 180,000 miles on it is taken in for a tune-up. I am fine with that. Their general process and business practice was on the up-and-up - calling for approval before replacing anything, giving me accurate estimates - that was all very good and I have no complaints about that aspect of the service. The car also runs fine, they did not try to push any of the repairs that I said no to, and they were friendly and helpful when I went to pick up the car.
However ...
The air filter was not black - it wasn't exactly clean, of course, but it was not nearly as bad as I was told. The ball joint was a little loose, but not to the extent I was imagining from the phone call.
I don't have an issue with the replacement of the parts (the ball joint is indeed starting to loosen and would have needed replacement in the near future), but I do take issue with making part defects/faults sound a lot worse than they actually are; "dirty" is apparently very subjective and my definition of things like "black" and "dirty" and "really loose" does not align with theirs, so to avoid any further misunderstanding about the state of our car parts, I think we will be having our brakes worked on elsewhere.
Just went back for another oil change, and some more service on my 2002 Ford Focus SVT. I'm not happy that I had to repair my car, but at least the guys were friendly, kind and honest about what "really" needed to be fixed on my car.
Thanks again for the great service Mike & Mark. Hopefully I won't see you for another 3 months until my next oil change.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/18/2007
After reading the previous reviews about this Car-X, I decided to take my Ford Focus in for repairs… Read more »
Probably the most painless experience I've ever had at an auto service shop.
I set up my appointment for an oil change the day before (FYI-I believe oil changes are the only thing you can set an appointment for). When I got there, they brought my car in immediately to change the oil and gave me a call about 20 minutes later when it was finished. The staff was very courteous. I paid for the oil change (very reasonable -- about $22 I think) and was on my way.
I will absolutely come back if my car is ever having problems. A quality auto repair shop like this is not always easy to find.
Took my car in to get an oil change and new battery. I asked them to check the brakes. They came back & said "everything" on the brakes needed to be changed. Ok, the car is older and has not had major work on the brakes.
My problem - they wanted to charge me over $1200!
Anyone that knows anything about cars knows that the price is OUTRAGEOUS!
They would not budge. I took the car to A K Auto Repair at Pulaski and Lawrence, got my car fixed for $400 with all new parts. I would recommend this place to anyone.
Bottom line - CarX is a huge ripoff.
Don't believe everything yelpers say. I first brought my car year for a service check several years back based on its stellar yelp ratings. For a standard oil check, tire rotation, etc the price was reasonable and the service was quick - fine. The second time I brought it in was because my service light came on. They said I needed a new coil spring. So I went with it - about $350 - reasonable I thought including labor and parts. In 07, my car got in a huge accident. Gerber Collision did all the body work, CarX did most of the mechanics. When I got my car back (after 3 months of work) it made it strange sound when I breaked. I took it back to Gerber, Gerber took it back to CarX - free of charge - as should be since it was still technically covered under insurance. Just a month after I got my car back, my car was making a grinding noise that sounded like it was coming from the tires. I took it to Car-X, they told me I needed new inner and outer tire-rods. Seriously? Just one month after they "repaired" my vehicle for $10,000 worth of damages? I told him I was gonna think about it. I wanted to get a second look at the actual Acura dealership in Oakbrook. Instead a few days later I got a call from CarX saying my parts were in and to bring my car in. I never told them okay - but he still expected me to pay for the parts. So helplessly I brought it in and they made "repairs." $1300 down the drain.
Just 2 months later, I had two flats. One had a nail, the other had a bolt embedded. CarX is the closes shop to my place so once again, my only choice. I figured by then they knew my car so well. He told me one tire was unrepairable, but they also needed to balance my tires. They balanced my tires with one spare! He also proceeded to tell me that it would be best to replace all 4 tires and that he had never heard of the tires I had on my car...After shelling out another $350 for the damn tire balancing and tire repair, I drove over to Arandas on Ashland. They looked at the "unrepairable" tire and patched it in 10 minutes, no problem. I asked the guy if I needed to replace all four and he scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Your treadmarks are still in tact. These tires are solid."
UGH.
I suggest you only go to CarX for minor fixes and check-ups. Or if you go, know your car inside and out and do your research before you go. Be clear about shopping around for second opinions and make sure they DON'T ORDER ANY PARTS before you consent.
Okay... I have to reduce one star.
Two days after my car was given a new battery, it wouldn't start (again) in my downtown parking garage. Car-X was nice enough to waive the towing fee to have it brought back to their shop, but it would have been nice to have it diagnosed properly the first time around.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/1/2009
The last place I took my car blew. They were rude, told me I needed about $1000 worth of unnecessary… Read more »
Solid 4 stars. Their oil change is $20 and usually pretty quick. People are fine to nice and waiting area isn't scary.
Last time I had a tire rotation and a few other minor checks and the whole thing took an hour which was too long (seeing as I made an appointment to be first spot in the AM).
But 2/3 times it's been super quick, cheap and never any hassle about b.s. work I need to get done.
On one visit, I brought my own new air filters (big time mileage improvement!) and the guy had me walked out to the car and showed me how to pop it in. No charge, now I know and we got to do some manly under the hood sh*t...awesome.
I feel like such a knuckle head for not reviewing this place yet, I've been coming here for years!
I used to live in the neighborhood and wandered in for something or other. My dialogue with car repair places usually runs something like this:
Me: It's making a funny noise, kinda like "rrr...chchchchc....clunk." Am I going to die if I try and drive my car?
Them: Could you make that noise again?
Me: *taking a hostile tone since I am perpetually screwed over by auto shops* Are you making fun of me? Seriously? How much? Can you fix it? I want to see the parts!!!!! Ummm...are you laughing at me?
Them: We'll call you.
Me:*panicked whisper* Ok.
Clearly, I don't do very well in these situations. At this particular Car-X, however, it is an entirely different story. Everyone in the shop is very friendly and I don't feel like they are looking at me and deciding if I'm going to fund their kid's braces or their next vacation. In fact, the owner, Mark, is one of the nicest guys in the world and always gives you the straight dope on your vehicle in language even an idiot like myself can understand and he does it without making you feel like a total mouth breather.*
I've always had fast and friendly service here and never once have I felt screwed over, pressured or taken advantage of. While you may be able to find a less expensive shop, at Car-X, when they fix something, you aren't going to have to come back and have it re-done 3 weeks later. They do it once and they do it right, quality work all the way. They are also very accommodating about off hour drop offs and rush jobs, what more could you ask for?
Locally owned, friendly and affordable service, a great option for any service your car might need.
*Funny story there - I met Mark a long time ago through the shop and taking my car in for service regularly, so I actually remembered his name. I met Mark's wife a couple of years ago and, not knowing who she was, said something nice about the store and how cool the owner was. She told me that Mark was her husband and now they can't get rid of me and probably wish they'd never met me. I have that affect on people sometimes.
I used to take my car to the dealer in the burbs for service because I didn't have a shop in the city I trusted and the prices weren't too bad. But now I do have somewhere to go, thanks to a fellow Yelper who owns the place. I brought my car in last Friday for a 40k mile check up, an oil & filter change, tire rotation, and to have some other issues looked at. They were very reasonably priced for both parts and labor (got my part by Mon) and did the job quickly. Also, while they gave me estimates for a few issues I asked about, they did no pressuring when I said I was going to wait to do that work. Today I went back to have the fan fixed, and it was done quickly as well.
Nice to have a place to go if I need to have work done on my car, and for usual upkeep.
I'm new to town. My car is old.
Not sure just whom to trust.
Sifted through these YELP reviews
And got my ride serviced!
I have a Nissan SUV
Creaky sounds like a ghost story
Called Car-X up, brought it in
And they began exploring
When I walked in, a short line formed
And behind me was my neighbor
Brad said 'just relax, your car's safe here.'
He added: 'Good rates for parts and labor.'
My car now runs smooth, noises gone
Repairs took just a short while
Now I cruise town without worry
I'm riding Car-X style
The staff was cool, they were quick
They were personable with their help
When they asked me how I found them
I responded it was YELP!
So have no fear, this place is cool
Trust your car to knowing hands
When your ride is needing some love
Bring it to Car-X on Grand.
C-c-Car-X on Grand
I'd only taken my car here for a $20 oil change before, had a good experience, basic oil change.
But then! My car door wouldn't close on one lovely freezing Thursday morning. As I work in the north burbs and commute on the highway, I figured driving to work with a flapping door or bungee-corded shut door wasn't gonna cut it. I stop by here (as I live 2 blocks away) in a small panic, and one of the uber-nice fellows who works here greased part of the latch for me and fixed it. No charge!
But then! The very NEXT day, issue happens again. I realize I'll be missing work for the day while they try to fit me in--their lot was entirely packed. They had to go somewhere across the city to find the part for my sad lil flapping-door, and were going to stay late that Fri night until it was done for me. All at a very reasonable $200, considering all that was involved (labor alone is like $85/hr).
Wahoo! Happy customer, once again in a fully enclosed car. Important for this thing we call Chicago winter.
Still amazing!
Their website offers coupons for oil changes and I don't think you ever have to pay over $20 to get a full service oil change, tire rotation and brake inspection!
When I asked for the optional free brake inspection, the associate at the counter said that it could take up to a few hours since it's a first come, first serve service. I said that would be fine and that my boyfriend and I would just hang out in the area and grab lunch because we really had no where else to go without the car. Once I mentioned that we were just going to wait for the car, she said that she would inform Mike (he's the guy who worked on my car both times) and let him know that we'd be hanging around. 40 minutes later they called and said the car was ready! I was super, super impressed. When I told Mike that I was still eating, he said no problem and to take my time - they'd be open until 6 p.m. so there was no rush to get the car right away. Awesome!
I tried to go to the Car X at Ashland and Wrightwood last Friday (it's closer to my house) and they said they had no available appointments for oil changes! Since it's a walk-in process, I figured that was a little bizarre and that I didn't really want to make an appointment. He said that I could leave my car overnight for the service and I was shocked - overnight?! For an oil change?! When I came back to this Car X on Grand they got me in right away. They seem to function on a very high level and they have their stuff together. They are thorough and just quick enough to make the service great and convenient.
This is officially my oil change place!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/9/2008
Great oil change! I had a coupon for the $19.95 oil change and the service was great. I'll be… Read more »
Don't worry call the Car X Man! I can't get that song out of my head and you know what, from now on, that is exactly what I'm doing! I have been going to a little guy mechanic for quite some time who has slightly less expensive labor rates but I realize now, you get what you pay for!
Recently I had a complete and expensive tune up of my crappy little convertible that still has some life in it., Like six months ago. So when it started dying every time I started it I was concerned. Turns out the mechanic used crappy parts and overlooked a sensor problem that would have been an easy fix at the time. Yikes!
Referred by a yelper who had a great experience here I went over and as usual when going in to mechanic alone, expected the worst. Steeling myself for the "you need a new engine" and "you should replace your serpentine belt" I actually got straight, concise answers and a thorough explanation of what was wrong with my car and what the repairs would do. Not only that, the final cost was significantly less than I expected!
Although this is a chain, this is actually a locally owned and operated business and as it turns out, these people maintain the cars of a bunch of people I know which gave me some comfort when dropping my car off by myself with absolutely no knowledge of the role of a fuel sensor.
Mark the owner was incredibly polite and helpful and actually a comfort in assuring me it probably wasn't as bad as I was preparing myself for. The guys who worked on my car were polite and efficient and the receptionist was super sweet despite the fact I showed up a few minutes before closing time! After biting the bullet and fixing the "now what" problems, Mark actually told me that my car was good to go for quite some time. He didn't throw the other mechanic under the bus for using cheap parts which may have caused the problem, he explained to me why using the right parts in the first place will save in the long run.
Thank you my favorite Car X man!
I received a coupon in the mail and brought my car in for an oil change. Friendly receptionist and mechanic and it only took about 30 minutes.
No complaints at all- two thumbs up!
They didn't seemed to be shady and they fixed my car.
Great place, friendly people. Decent rates, especially for the city, and they work fast. I work in the neighborhood so it's a great place to get oil changes and regular maintenance.
Sadly, a lot of other people like 'em too, they've been getting busier and busier lately!
Everyone here is so nice. They keep their appointments, try to get you out of there as quickly as possible and they are friendly and professional. The lone woman that works here is AWESOME. She's funny, gives you candy, is chatty, will remind you that you have coupons from your last visit etc. She's great.
Mark and the rest of the crew are also very nice. I only go here for oil changes, and I think they switched out a bulb for me. They were always honest with me. I think once they even told me I could do something minor myself for cheaper. I ended up paying them to do the repair b/c I am not mechanically inclined, but I appreciated their honesty.
0
14
Just like any chain, these guys are going to tell you your car needs more work than it actually does. I brought my car to them a couple years ago and I think the estimate was around $1600 with a long list of work. I took my car to a local place and told them the same thing I told the guys at Car X " I know my car has some problems, just make it so it can run. Don't need to fix everything". The Local Place called Augusta and Paulina got my car running fine for around $600. It's been a year and a half and I still haven't had any problems. Avoid wasting your time and avoid Car X unless all you need is an oil change or some tires.
Are you people insane?
My van's brake fluid starts leaking, so I go to the Grand Ave. CarX (after reading your reviews) and tell them, my brake fluid line is leaking. Guess what? They of course called me with an estimate of $1400, citing all sorts of things are wrong with the van. I told them to repair the leak, thats it. They charged me $160 to put in a new brake line, and billed me for 2 hours of labor ($190), which is, by any standards.. highway robbery. A retarded 1-armed monkey could install the brake line in less than an hour. And (after some research, a less expensive brake line)
When I came in to pick up my van, they chastised me for not fixing the other "problems" the van had. On top of that.. the "check engine" light came on about 15 later.
Avoid them at all costs, please. They are the stereo-typical asshole mechanics who will lie and cheat just to make a buck.
THIS.... GUY.... IS.... AMAZING...
This is a nice-sized, clean, convenient shop. The owner, Mark, is very friendly to customers , and you can tell he treats his staff with the same kindness because they seem equally pleasurable. He works on site and is there from open to close. In my opinion, that has a great effect on a business.
I took my car in because my brakes were making noise and, although he could have taken me for a ride for upwards of $600, when he found out I was on a budget he told me that it's not immediately necessary to make any repairs and that I'd be safe to wait it out for a while.
In addition, he fixed my hood latch that was broken when some hooligan got into my car and broke it. The last repair guy told me it would be $200 for parts and labor, but Mark didn't even try to sell me the part. Instead, he repaired the broken part and reinstalled it for a whopping $40.
At the end of the day, I felt like Mark had spent more time just working with me than the time I paid in labor for all of the repairs. He never made me feel ignorant, he never made me feel like I was taking too much of his time, and he really seemed to want to make sure that I got a value, not just an expensive car repair.
This is my new mechanic.
$20 for an oil change, i'm in and out of there before I can read a chapter in my book. The waiting area was clean and the girl working behind the desk was friendly. Maybe I wouldn't dread bring my car in for regular maintenance if it was always this easy.
Ok, here's the deal with my rating.
I used to go to these guys for oil changes. I was faithful, always kind if I got pushed a couple times in the schedule, I lived close by so it was no biggie. They were quick when it came to that.
I've since found another place in Chicago that didn't repeat my latest (and now last experience with these guys).
I came in on a cold day, and my hood wouldn't shut all the way. I've read great stories about how these guys take care of people with these kind of problems with no cost, so I thought the same would happen. I walked in, and told them that I wanted to take it to them first and completely trusted them. They told me what they thought the problem would be, and I agree to pay a half hour for booking. No biggie, I'll come back I thought.
1/2 an hour later they diagnose the problem. Tell me I have a broken cable, and latch, and that it will cost me 430 dollars to replace.... WHAT? A brand new hood costs 250 bucks for my car, 430 for a cable? I was quoted at 4 times the price of what the part actually costs, I know, because I called my dealership 1 minute later and they laughed that I was going to pay 112 dollars for a 23 dollar cable. Add that to the fact that it would take 3 hours to fix?
I knew something was up, and they charged me for the labor to look in my hood for 5 seconds. What they didn't tell me, is that they engaged the locking mechanism before they shut it. When I drove my car back to my house, I thought I would have a look... that lever.... didn't work. My hood was essentially locked shut. I called a few other places, their estimates were way better, but my new guys told me I could do the repair myself. Sure thing. It took me an hour to pop the hood, but I fixed my problem for 40 bucks and it took me 20 minutes (I know nothing about cars).
Sometimes companies like this one rely heavily on yelp reviews that are glowing, because they think they can get away with screwing people over from time to time. There are better places in chicago that are more interested in repeat business.
car x saved my life! northside toyota quoted me $1200 to fix my exhaust (most of this cost was for a new catalytic converter). i called car x to get a second opinion, and even though they were technically closed, the owner answered and told me to bring my car in the next day after work for a look.
they were pretty packed monday night at 5, but they got me right in, took a look, and 20 minutes later told me that they could fix my car the NEXT DAY FOR ONLY $180!!!!!!! that means i don't have to eat ramen every day for the rest of the year, and i get to keep hanging out with my friends jim beam and mary j!
the parts came the very next day, i went in after work, an hour later it's good as new.... and they had a $10 coupon online! and the people there were super friendly. and the coffee was good and hot while i waited. i'll be back for all my car needs from now on!
Mark, the owner/manager, has been a SUPER help to me! Not only did I get an oil change at a very good price, but he took a look at the nice scrape I put on my door, gave some useful advice, calmed my fears, and was just nice and honest! Plus, after inspecting my just-washed car and discovering some *gasp* rust spots, I called him up and he gave me another super useful suggestion that'll save me a lotta money! They've got my business!
Update: 10/20: Took my car to Mark for an unidentified rattle. He was kind enough to check out the exhaust system (the culprit I suspected) and took the car for a drive with me. No rattle!! It was raining, so he said that the reason for the absence of the rattle could be the rain. I'm taking it back next week when it's NOT raining. Sweet Mark!
Bonus: They're open on Saturdays!
I drive a six-year-old car, which means I have to really pay attention when it complains. The brakes were making a scraping / squeaking sound, so of course I didn't put off getting it looked at. I was also due for an oil change.
I had previously had a bad experience at a different Car-X, but after learning that one of our fellow Yelpers, G R D. is a co-owner with her husband of this particular Car-X, I opened my mind and took my car in to get it examined and serviced.
Mark, G R D.'s husband, manages the shop, and he's a very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable guy. He knew I needed synthetic oil before I even said so. While I sat in the comfortable waiting area sipping Mark's darn good coffee, they determined that my brake rotors were a bit rusty on the edge, but nothing needed to be replaced. They fixed it up and now my good old car is running just fine, smooth as can be, without the alien sounds.
This location is easy to get to from the Kennedy: take the Ogden exit. I highly recommend this Car-X!
I'd give them five stars but they wiped my bank account out. Okay seriously they really took care of my trusty Subaru.
My hubbie took the car in on a Monday morning around 9 and was out by early afternoon. The nice manager at the shop explained to him that the last shop had put the cheapest pads available on it, which is why they were never right and wore so quickly. So for only about $75 more than I had paid the last shop, I got new rotors on the front and new good pads all around. And they are like new. I had to brake hard the other day (gotta love the traffic camera at Division and Halsted) and remembered what stop on a dime really means.
Completed only what I requested be done to my car and without any pressure for additional work. They even fixed the exhaust rattling for free.
Mark is friendly and seems like a real honest guy. I don't have any reservations about taking my car here in the future.
Super nice front desk! The oil change I got for 19.95$(w coupon) was a steal and they fit me in w/out an appointment. They were so quick and once again really nice. This is my new and only car care center : ) Hooray for me!!!!
Thanks to all the staff.
Can't wait for the tire change....
Let me preface this by telling you that I am a 24 year old woman who looks 16. If they were going to try to rip someone off, they'd go straight after me. Most auto places do. They didn't.
Went here for an oil change today and they were great! I called at 4:00 in the evening and they were able to get me an appointment for 5:00. They were quick, all employees were very nice and I left happy.
My one gripe is that when I came back to pick up my car and pay, the receptionist informed me that my car required a special-ordered filter (that they happened to have in stock) that cost $25 extra and that they already installed it! This shot the cost of an oil change up from $25 to over $50! I'm not accusing them of lying, but I have over 30,000 miles on my car and have had the oil changed many times at a number of different places without ever hearing this one. I have also never paid more than $30 for an oil change- even when having it done by my dealer. Bottom line- I would just like to know about this kind of thing before they install it. I kind of debated it with the receptionist and the manager shrugged it off and said that since it wasn't special ordered for me, I didn't have to pay extra. Most importantly though, is that they were all very nice and accommodating regarding the situation and I didn't have to get unruly. That's good, trust me- I may look little, but I can be "embarrass the boyfriend in public" anal when it comes to these kinds of things.
*There a few cute shops that you can visit in the area while you wait, or you can always meander over to Starbucks!
I went to this location because of other Yelpers and I'm glad I followed all of the good advice. I called around noon on the day I wanted to get an appointment and they were able to get me in at 4:30pm for an oil change. The receptionist is super nice and it was a very efficient process. I highly recommend. They didn't try to sell me extra things and I got a $5 coupon for my next visit.
I also followed the advice of going to wait down the street at The Sip Coffee Shop. Cute little place and a perfect way to spend the 45 min I had to wait.
A fellow Yelper, whom I trust, owns this place. My car, Phoebe (yes, I named my car), had brakes that were really bad. I could tell they were grinding on the rotors -- not pretty. Anyway, I called her, told her about my issue and the shop was able to put new brakes on the next day. Everyone was very courteous (although Mark admonished me for not coming in sooner) and professional. The cost, also, was not nearly as bad as I thought it would have been. I know that if I were to have trouble again, I can come in here and not worry about getting a bad deal.
In trying to adapt to my new neighborhood, I took my car here for an oil change in hopes that I could stop trekking back to my old oil change place and, wonder of wonders, it actually worked out. They were nice, quick, devoid of insisting on installing a spoiler, and, when I came back with my dog to pick the car up told me, "we like dogs more than people" and allowed her to come in with me while I paid. Mark even gave her a treat... and another one when she complained that I never fed her.
I took my car to Car-X for some repairs. The rear-end was making a ton of noise, and my exhaust was leaking. While they did a good job replacing my exhaust....they told me that the noise was the rear shocks, which they replaced.
Humm...excuse me Car-X...why is the noise now LOUDER than it was when I brought the car in? Turns out that the shocks weren't bad at all, and the $450 dollars in repairs were unnecessary. They then tried to sell me on more parts and more repairs which were also unnecessary. Beware.
I have been going to this shop for the past 6 years, and even though I have given Mark more then my fair share of money, the place is top notch. He will be honest with you and give you alternatives if it is more then you can afford.
I am pretty upset after reading what the poster Tobia C. wrote about this shop. I am positive if he had taken his car back and explained the situation, Mark would have fixed free of charge. I have had this happen a couple of times where the repair didnt take 100% and in both instances had my car repaired free of charge. I hate it when people complain and dont follow up on it, as I know through my experiences with Mark and his crew he always does what is right.
I have gone to Car-X for everything from oil changes and annual maintainance on my '97 Civic to tire rotation and CV boot replacement. Inevitably, I always have a lot of questions, which, Mark, the manager, always seems happy to answer - and does so respectfully. The prices are very competitive ($19.95 for an oil change) and I can often get my car serviced quickly. (I usually wait over a latte at the adorable coffee house Sip, which is diagonally across the street.)
I go here to get my oil changed, as well as random repairs. Mark has always been incredibly nice, and even remembers peoples names and their cars. It's immpressive!
Mark the owner is great. He remember everyone that comes in for the second time and is very helpful. I'd give it five stars, but the last couple of times I've taken a car in and waited because they said it would only be 45 minutes, it's turned out to be much much longer than that, and not because there was a surprise with the car. It's still my go-to though.
The coolest thing about the guys that work here is that they are honest about the costs, they take the time to make sure you understand the work that needs to be done, and they put in the work to make sure the repairs are done correctly. I recommend these guys highly.
I had my car towed here (free through my roadside assistance plan) with a flat tire. I was amazed when they called back (several hours later) to tell me that it needed over $1000 worth of work, in addition to the flat tire. When I asked them to break that down, they listed a multitude of things, including $150 for the tow!!! That was obvious fraud, as the towing company had confirmed that the tow was free of charge! I called the towing company, and they were as dumbfounded as I was, as upon dropping the car off, they had informed Car-X there was no charge.
Still at their mercy, I had Car-X replace the flat tire. I then took the car to two separate mechanics, who concurred that I did not need any of the other work quoted by Car-X. My other three tires, which were supposedly "dry-rotted" have 10,000 more miles of life in them, according to Just Tires. This experience was incredibly disheartening. I wonder whether a male bringing in my car would've received the same treatment.
