I have been a loyal Brakes Plus customer for over a decade, using several locations around town and always appreciating their fair pricing and straightforward service. Unfortunately, my recent experience at the Val Vista and Williamsfield location on 6/26-6/27/25 (2525 S Val Vista Dr, Gilbert, AZ 85295) was a major disappointment, and I feel compelled to share my experience so others can make an informed choice.
I brought my 2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen in for a persistent oil leak that had been staining my garage for months. I also asked them to troubleshoot why my trunk would not open. Despite my detailed explanation and concern, the staff initially was unable to identify or resolve the oil leak or offer any practical solutions other than take it to the dealer as they "think" it is a upper timing cover seeping oil. Ultimately, they diagnosed a faulty water pump (unrelated to my oil leak and more of an "incidental finding") and quoted me $1,401 for the replacement--nearly double the written estimate I received from a reputable local competitor, Spectrum Auto Care ($762), and even several hundred dollars higher than the quote I received from a Volkswagen dealership and I got that quote from the service manager himself ($1,102).
When I went to pick up my car, I provided manager Josh Madison with written quotes and industry research, including the VW dealer's estimate--all of which were significantly lower than Brakes Plus's price. Josh made little eye contact, dismissed my data, and simply stated, "I don't know how they come up with that price," offering no clear rationale for their inflated quote. When I pressed again about my original concern--the oil leak--he told me, "it's the upper timing cover seeping oil," which had been mentioned only briefly by another representative, Anthony, the previous day. Their suggested solution was to "just keep an eye on it," which I found unacceptable. I wanted the issue fixed, but instead, the focus remained on selling me the water pump service.
When I asked Josh if they could repair the upper timing cover, he said I'd have to take it to the dealer. He said the same about a trunk issue on my VW, declining to even attempt troubleshooting. When I asked, "Is this not a good place to bring a Volkswagen?" he bluntly replied "NO," then backtracked and said they could do some work, but not all. This was surprising, considering my previous positive experiences at other Brakes Plus locations where they repaired both a Mini Cooper and a VW Jetta without ever referring me elsewhere that had many advanced mechanical issues, never mentioning to take it to the dealer.
To add to the irony, there's a large sticker on their building that reads, "Why pay dealer prices?" Yet here I was, quoted even more than the dealer for a standard water pump job. I asked for a discount, and the "best" Josh could do was $150 off, which I appreciated, but it still brought the total to $1,251.41--substantially higher than what this repair should cost. Frankly, more could and should have been done.
After leaving, I called Spectrum Auto Care--a non-dealer local shop--and confirmed they could repair the seeping upper timing cover, which Brakes Plus claimed only a dealer could do. This left me with the impression that either the knowledge or the willingness to work on VWs at this Brakes Plus location is lacking.
As a longtime customer who has spent well over $10,000 with Brakes Plus over the years, this experience left me deeply dissatisfied and convinced me to take my business elsewhere. I'll also be sharing my concerns with the Brakes Plus corporate office. For anyone considering this location, I strongly recommend getting multiple quotes before authorizing any work, and to be aware that you may not receive the customer-first service that Brakes Plus once provided. If you have a European car--especially a Volkswagen--do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. read more