I've never heard of Bartels until I received a coupon in the mail a couple of years ago for an oil change. I normally change my own oil, except during the winter months, so I decided to give them a try. Since then, I've had two really bad experiences with this Bartels location.
The first was 1/5/15 when they replaced a knock sensor. My engine malfunction light was intermittently coming on. After AT LEAST AN HOUR, they finally told me they found a hammer under the driver's seat that was on top of the sensor and that was what was setting the indicator off. I felt a bit silly and they even showed my the hammer, although I didn't even recognize it as being mine and couldn't even remember what I was working on, or that I would have left a hammer in my car. Anyway, I paid $90 for this "diagnoses" and moved on. A DAY LATER, the indicator came back on. I took it back to Bartels and then they told me that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. I told them that I was just in there in regards to the "mysterious hammer" that they told me was causing the trouble. The rep just told me "well, we have to start SOMEWHERE" and refused to apply the $90 I already paid to this new repair. I told them I think the knock sensor was going bad all along, but they still wouldn't apply the previous $90.
My second bad experience with them just occurred today. Last Spring, my oil indicator and engine malfunction lights were intermittently coming on. Now, back in Dec of '14, Bartels replaced an oil gasket. This time around, they replaced the upstream and downstream CO2 sensors and finally the catalytic converter, all on different occasions between April and May, as the indicators kept intermittently coming on. Around two months ago, they started coming on again and I have been losing oil. At this point, I just wanted my car fixed and so I decided to take it to my Honda dealer. I normally do not take my car to the dealership, especially for things like routine maintenance, but I'm starting to feel that for unusual things, such as what I have been experiencing, the dealership is the way to go. It sounds cliche, but they work on my type of car all the time and probably have the best percentage rate of fixing it correctly THE FIRST TIME. Anyway, the dealership just told me the catalytic converter needs to be replaced! I told them I just had that done. They said the part used was NOT up to Honda's specs and that the indicators are coming on because my oil is burning within the system. Honda's catalytic converter is MUCH more expensive than the one Bartels put on my car, which was my first clue. I decided to let Honda do the work. After Honda dropped me off, I called Bartels to explain my problem and to ask them about their 36,000 mile/36 month warranty. The rep refused to honor it, unless I took the car back to them so that THEY can do their OWN diagnostics. I told them what Honda said and that they are already working on my car. The Bartel's rep advised they would "put a better part" in my car if I would bring it back to them. I asked him why they didn't do that in the first place and the only answer he could give me was to "save on cost". I advised that if the indicator doesn't come on again after I get my car back from Honda, wouldn't THAT be proof enough that what Bartels did in May did NOT fix the problem? The rep had no answer other than they would not honor their warranty unless I brought the car back to them.
I'm amazed that they didn't even offer me a rebate, or ANYTHING - not a dime. Their catalytic converter "repair", along with labor alone, was over $700. I even suggested he call Honda just to see what they found, even if it helped Bartels in the future, and he didn't even take note of it. After several minutes of nothing but push back, I told him fine, that I would not be giving them my business in the future and that "there is always social media".
To Bartel's credit, I did find this location clean and they do offer shuttle service. I also initially found their rep to be friendly, until I brought up these issues, at which point he acted "put off" that I would even consider asking for any sort of rebate, etc. In fact, I remember him literally asking me "why" when I asked him about the first repair for the knock sensor, as if I was way out of line.
Hopefully many potential customers will see this post, along with the other negative ones, and take their business elsewhere. read more