Dan "Fat Tony" E.'s Profile

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  3/28/2008 First to Review

  I was driving with my wife about 2 weeks ago when the front end of my Suburban began to squeak as I drove.  A sense of dread overcame me as I realized that the squeak didn't go away, and as the week progressed -- the squeak got worse.  It eventually turned into the dreaded 'brake grind noise' when I would apply the brakes.  (It's kinda like that sound of screeching nails on a chalkboard but worse -- it involves you not being able to stop a large object quickly, too).
  
  I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but I was pretty sure at least one side of my front braking system was hosed to the point of needing a new brake rotor.
  
  I discussed the situation with my significant other and I decided I would try doing something that I was totally uncomfortable with (because I had never done it before):  I was going to actually try getting estimates from at least 3 different shops and see which was the best shop to do the repair.  In the end, I got estimates from 4 shops.
  
  After getting the first shop to let me come join in the initial inspection of the brakes, I knew exactly what repairs needed to be done, and what the first shop was going to charge me for them.  I then thanked them, and let them know I'd be pricing this around -- "so put the wheels back on and I'll be on my way."   It was uncomfortable, but in addition to giving me excellent 'Yelp fodder', it turned out to be a great decision financially.  
  
  The shop that I finally decided to go with was 'Sun Devil Auto', on Frank Lloyd Wright.  
  
  Here's why.
  
  Friendliness / honesty:
  One of the things that struck me about this shop was how friendly they were right off the bat.  I explained that I'd like an estimate, and they were totally OK with spending a little time putting together a nice quote.   Not only that -- they were proactive in discounting the labor costs for me.  Each visit was very friendly, and they recognized me after the first visit.  
  
  They were also proactive in saving the parts they removed and discussing them with me after the repairs.  As a guy who sometimes does his own repairs on my truck, I can't tell you how much street cred they got from me with this kind of honesty and willingness to share information.  
  
  Update 4/3/2008:  I actually got a follow-up call from Sun Devil Auto to a.) See how my brakes were doing, and check on the quality of the work and b.) Thank me for my business.    The call came roughly a  week after the work was done.
  
  Attention to detail:
  Not only did they completely inspect the brake system (which is originally why I brought in the Suburban in the first place) but they also pointed out specific issues with my steering and an issue with my rear axle that I was not aware of.  
  
  I want to make it clear that these were not high pressure 'upsells'.  The mechanic that I worked with pointed out that these weren't safety issues -- and also pointed out that he didn't think I needed to repair these issues yet, but that it would be wise to save up for them.
  
  Price:
  Considering the cleanliness of the shop, the amount of repair work done, how quickly the repairs were done, and how thorough they seemed to be in their work, it continues to amaze me that they were so inexpensive.  They turned out to be the 2nd lowest bid (but were almost the lowest).  
  
  Here is a breakdown of parts / labor and my costs:
  Front disk brakes shoes / pads
  Rear drum brakes shoes / pads
  2 new rear drums
  2 new rotors for the front
  2 new front calipers for the front
  All labor and taxes
  Total cost: $789
  
  Every other shop I talked to wanted to charge me more money for equivalent (or sometimes less!) parts and labor.
  
  Quality of workmanship:
  So far, I can say that my truck brakes MUCH better now that the repairs have been completed.  No squeaks, no rattles, no unusual braking patterns.  
  
  Waiting room experience:
  Their waiting room is everything that you'd like in a waiting room:  Roomy, clean, quiet, cool (it's Arizona, after all) and with a TV, restroom and drinking water.  Why is this formula so hard to reproduce in other car shops?  It's rare to find a shop that has all of these items.
  
  Summary:
  I would highly recommend this auto shop for basic repairs.  They seem inexpensive, efficient, and friendly.
  
  The ways they could possibly improve their service?   Provide more free alternatives for food and drink (half a star) and provide an inexpensive or free shuttle for customers dropping off their vehicles (half a star).  
  
  On the basics of what an auto shop should be (and even a bit more) -- these guys are hitting on all six cylinders.

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