They always do an excellent job reasonably priced. They really care and take care of their customers. I wouldn't go anywhere else.

Without going into a long story on how many time this man showed us his kindness that night. Joe helped us when we were stranded on the side of the road with a 30 ft trailer in tow. He offered to help my husband move our vehicle to a safer spot and even took a look at our truck, which had been having issues after some recent upgrade work done by a local shop. That shop kept failing to fix the problem they caused, but Joe mentioned he had his own shop and could help. When he heard we were about to leave for a family trip, Joe took his personal time to find the issue and fix it so we could safely get back on the road. He truly is a blessing, and it's refreshing to see that genuine, kind-hearted people still exist. Since then, we've gone back multiple times for service whether it's maintenance, upgrades, or repairs and Joe and the entire family continue to impress us every single visit. Their customer service goes above and beyond. They've helped us so many times, always making sure our family's towing vehicle was ready so we could enjoy our vacation plans without stress. It's rare to find a place that treats you like family, but that's exactly what they do. Their prices are incredibly fair, honest, and upfront every time. It's clear their business is built on integrity and genuine care for their customers. We trust them completely and wouldn't take our vehicles anywhere else. If you're looking for a reliable, honest, and exceptional auto shop, this is the one. Highly recommended. A huge thank you to the owners, Natalie and Joe, and the rest of the crew. read more

This shop is great, very reasonable pricing, and they even worked on my Tesla model X, did an engine swap on my w222 Mercedes and fuel tank replacement on my b9.5 audi! What can't this shop do!! Joe is great and very experienced young man!! read more

Great and honest service! Always my go to when I get in over my head and need some help.

My experience with California Auto Centers; phenomenal. Natalie and her team are excellent and knowledgeable about vehicles both European and domestic. Brought my Jetta in to have the alternator replaced on the recommendation of another mechanic. Natalie's team did a complete diagnostic and told me that I had been misinformed. She saved me $1500. California Auto Centers, Natalie and her team are a honest auto shop and that's rare these days. I thank you Natalie for your honesty and looking out for me and my family. Side note, my wife really enjoyed meeting you. read more

This is not my first time at CAC and this visit further enhanced my opinion of this establishment...Awesome! Thought I knew what was wrong with my van and was professional schooled to the right cause of my leak which will save me a lot of heartache later. The whole crew is informative and prides themselves in helping the customer. Think I better bring donuts next time... read more

Going to the dealership is toooo crazy it doesn't make any sense. Here at Cali Auto Centers, Natalie and Family will take care of you. They're understandable, patient and willing to work with you. Stop on bye, have a coffee, laugh with Natalie and enjoy your time. You won't be disappointed read more

This place tried to charge me for work that didn't need to be done. This place used to be a very reputable. The owners must have changed. I have been coming here for almost 20 years. The lady that's there said she was the owner. She lied about the work done on my car. I Never had any issues before. Don't bring your car here. You won't know if the work was really done. read more

I have been a customer at this shop for a number of years. Unfortunately I have had multiple issues with the last one being big enough to have me writing this review. In 2021, this shop replaced the timing belt/water pump on a Chevy Sonic for me. After picking up the car I found a bolt about 4-5 inches long on top of the windshield wiper cowl. This was probably a bolt that goes in the timing cover they forgot to reinstall. In 2022 this shop replaced an AC compressor in a 2003 corvette. This repair had no issues. This year on July 5th 2024, I brought in my 2008 Corvette ZO6 to have the AC system recharged with Freon after I rebuilt/restored the entire car. 287$ dollars for an AC recharge with no diagnostics required is very steep in my experience. With it being 1 day after the 4th of July, they told me they only have one mechanic on staff, their newest guy, as all the others had that day off (Friday) Unfortunately when I picked up the vehicle about 3 hours later, I noticed a large curb rash damage area on the passenger side rear wheel. These are forged monoblock wheels that cost about 2,000$ per wheel. I called the shop, spoke with both office employees and the owner. He claimed they reviewed the camera footage and there was no evidence of them damaging the wheel. The owner Joe didn't seem to make the same connection I did.. their newest mechanic working by himself on multiple jobs all day, may have accidentally scrapped the curb when parking the car. This car is a high end toy that doesn't drive many miles, if the damage was there before going to California Auto Centers, I absolutely would have been aware of it. If you find yourself in need of service or repairs on a vehicle that you care about, I recommend avoiding this place entirely. They lack basic professionalism, attention to detail, business ethics, etc. read more

California Auto Centers - Damage caused by California Auto Centers - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

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Welp, it's rat season! So thankful to have came across this Gem of an auto shop. Some of the kindest genuine people. Most definitely will be using CAC for my car/ future cars. Thank you!! read more

California Auto Centers - Rat in engine - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

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Mike, Connie, and the whole team here are a pleasure to work with. They have many years of expereince, have lots of resources and really know what they are doing. They communicate well (which is important) and are very customer-focused. For us, they worked on the cars shown and we were 110% satisfied! read more

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I'm a parts delivery driver I just had to come do a review on this business owner Joe he's a straight racist I've been delivering to this place for about 8 months all was good until I started coming in contact with Joe the owner on five separate incidents with him calling me Boy! And try to belittle me I asked him multiple times to call me by my first name which I told him multiple times what my first name was so Last week I delivered a 5 gallon bucket of oil when I pulled in the parking lot he was talking to a customer. He walked away from the customer just run up behind me and say hey boy! Hey Boy! I don't want you to put that over there put it over here boy!. And by the way, I'm 53 years old not a boy! So today I took a delivery there as I was pulling into the parking lot He was pulling out once he saw me he made a U-turn just to come up and make contact with me just to start running his mouth with the boy thing again I asked him to back off. I've already talked to you multiple times and I asks him what's wrong with you? Why do you feel you need to make contact with me every time I come to this establishment then he tries to play victim and blame it on his age‍then tries to offer me to 2 writing pens like that's supposed to clean up his mouth once I refuse them he threw them towards his business establishment turned around flipped me off and called me the N-Word I still can't believe We still have people like this! read more

California Auto Centers - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

Since 2016, I had my car repaired at CA Auto Repair Shop - AAA recommended shop. Yet yesterday, I experienced the worst customer service.t here. I had my car towed there to have my car checked for the engine for not turning over. This was a familiar auto repair place and at first felt comfortable there. i worked with Natalie there who was extremely unprofessional. She kept my car for two days and lied about fixing it and when I said. I had to initiate sal follow up calls about my car as she was unable to do that. I understand shops get busy, yet not one time did she initiate a follow up to me concerning my car. At 10 am on the second day, I again initiate a follow up call about my car. She confirms informing me that nothing was wrong with my car. So I I asked for an oil and filter change which she said was possible for me to receive later in the afternoon At 2:15 pmI initiate another follow up call where she says that now the spark plugs and wires need replacement. I inquire why was I not informed of this the first time I called at 10 am. And she says that the car won't be possibly ready until Tuesday of the next week as they are closed Saturday and Sunday. I inquire about the oil and filter change and she confirms it's been done. I inform her that I'll come to pick up my car and she inquires if I will be leaving it over the weekend When I I tell her no, she flips the script and tells me that they have the right to refuse service and for me to come get my car. then find out from asking a series of questions -that after 2 days nothing has been done and the original problem to the reason I brought it in still unresolved and now the car doesn't start as she said it did. She says that my car needs to be towed off property before the end of the weekend or they will tow it as an abandon car i see that you're just as confused as I am. When I inquired why she had lied about my car-- she repeatedly said the "they have the right to refuse service to anyone" "we don't service your model car here and you have to tow it somewhere else for it to be fixed" So after taking my car there my soley there for over 7 years CA Auto repair in Murrieta off Date Street no longer services my model car. Natalie, you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! This is by far the worst customer service that I have ever experienced. I believe that they never touched my car and just lied about everything. So I recommend anyone to AVOID taking your cars to CA Auto Repair for any repairs as they do not stand up to the AAA recommended shop to do anything for your vehicle .... regardless if they serviced your car for over 7 years. If I could select no stars I would as they don't deserve the one that I was force to give them to write this. What's sad is that I DONT write reviews. about services received from shops. So this is my first one I have ever completed thanks to Natalie at CA Auto Repair Shop off Date Street in Murrieta, CA. read more

I Took my Mercedes to this shop on the recommendation of AAA. I didn't complain about the $136 Diagnostic fee although I and they knew exactly what was wrong. The car was ready as promised on Monday and I did not complain about the $1047 invoice which included a new battery for my 2015 E400 Mercedes. I realize that Mercedes parts are expensive so I didn't balk at the $363 charge for the new battery. Yet, today, more than a week later I realized that I did not have a warranty I called and "Mike" who stated that he would email the warranty to me. I received that written warranty but was very surprised that the battery was a AAA battery. I priced that battery with AAA and learned that it cost only about $200, without their member discount. I was disappointed and felt that I was taken advantage of, which is likely the reason that they did not give me the warranty when I paid the $1047 invoice. Very disappointing! read more

There isn't enough words that could describe how much I trust this shop with all of our American & foreign cars. The honestly, experience, professionalism, fair value is above and beyond from the owner Joe to the rest of his staff. We've been going to this shop for many year and we'll keep taking our cars for service and repairs for many more years. read more

I broke down on the 15 north towing my 40 foot fifth wheel with my 2004 Chevy Dually. I've been having some issues with air getting into my fuel line when it's hot outside and sure enough when I hit a dead stop at the traffic in Temecula my truck died. I tried restarting it but there was too much air in the line for it to build any pressure so I ended up killing the battery. I called triple A and they sent a tow truck. The tow truck could only tow my truck since the trailer wasn't covered on my coverage. I asked the driver to bring it to the local dealer and he said he'd have to back track a bit and it might be over my 7 mile coverage so I asked if he knew a mechanic that was honest and wouldn't try to take advantage of me. I already knew what the problem was so I figured I'd try a shop besides the dealer since it was a pretty easy fix. I called them to confirm it had arrived because I couldn't leave my trailer on the freeway and I told them I'd give them authorization over the phone and she said it was gonna be about $150 for a diagnosis. I told them what the problem most likely was so I figured the the diagnosis would go towards the repair like a lot of shops I know do. 2 days later I get a call telling me their diagnosis was exactly what I said low fuel pressure and they recommended changing the fuel filter housing, she said she'd call me back with some pricing. Few hours later I get a call saying to change the fuel filter housing would be $1650. Wow, in my head I was like the fuel filter housing is like two bolts and two hoses and a filter attached and it's easy to access, why is it $1650 to do the jobI couldn't believe the quote being that high the part must've been well over 12-13 hundred bucks. I called the local dealer in riverside and asked for a price and availability on the part and list price from them was $163, good in stock. I was dumbfounded on why the hell they were charging me $1650. I understand the $150 diagnose fee, she told me 1 hour of labor to change the housing which I thought was fair, it's literally two hoses to disconnect and reconnect , two bolts and the fuel filter. and their labor rate is about $150 /hr so they were charging me 1350 bucks for the part that the dealer lists at $163 and I know they get it cheaper than that. I understand shops need to turn a profit and make money but come on, It left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. I told her I'd call her back and when I just kept thinking about it I just kept getting more and more upset. I called them back and said I couldn't afford the repair and I'd pick up the truck. I paid for the services they did over the phone cuz in my head I was like who knows what they might add on to the bill. I ended up taking an Uber from Riveside to murrieta to get my truck. I walked in to the shop, it was nice and clean and the ladies were nice in front. I wasn't there to cause any commotion just wanted to get my truck but it bothered me so much I had to ask why it cost so much, I told her I called in the part at a local dealership and it only cost $160. They kinda looked at me like I was crazy. I gave her the number to the dealer and she called it in and sure enough and they confirmed it was. They said World PAC was who they get their parts through and they gave them price way off from that. Idk what happened but as a professional shop they should have knew that the price they were given was off. This is such a common issue on these trucks I'm sure they've done a job like this before. I know for sure that World pac is a lot cheaper then the dealer price. I mean even estimating and invoice programs sometimes give prices. All I had to do was google it and I found some from $100 all the way to 500 dollars. She asked if I wanted to get the work done but I said no, I already paid for my Uber to get me there and I just had a bad taste in my mouth thinking they were just taking advantage of me. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they were given the wrong price but as a professional shop and something so minor of a job they should've known that price was a bit inflated. They did get my truck started but all it needed was to get the fuel pressure back up, the only reason why I couldn't do it was because my battery died from turning it over too much. I don't like bashing businesses because I'm a business owner myself but I really felt Ike I was getting taken advantage of. I even tried having my wife call the shop to speak to the owner so I could tell them about my experience just so I could get some explanation but they haven't called back so I'm here on Yelp. I even would like to let triple A and tow company that towed my truck there about what happened. I feel terrible writing about this but maybe this review will change things around. You can find prices and labor times for certain repairs at your fingertips with your phone nowadays read more

California Auto Centers - This is the part that needed replacing. Only two bolts, two hoses and a filter attached. $1650 worth of work??? - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

I broke down in Murrieta on a Sunday so the next morning AAA recommended this company. It was towed and I got a estimate of $1300. I said go ahead and drove home some 120miles away after it was complete. Within a week my oil light came on and the smell of burning oil was evident. The engine was leaking oil because according to my mechanic at home gaskets needed to be replaced rather than just clean up the mess that made me unable to drive home in the first place. After multiple calls nothing was done.I had the gaskets replaced by my mechanic for another $300 dollars but it's running great and no oil burning smell. Don't go to this repair shop! read more

After a ski trip to big bear on Dec23, my family and I were headed back to Chula Vista, when our van started shaking horribly. We quickly pulled into a Honda dealer, who told us it was an axle and we could safely get home. No sooner than 10 minutes later the shaking began again and we realized it was getting worse and also getting dark out. Still far from home, we pulled off the highway while we debated what to do. We were simply driving and discussing options when I saw California Auto Center. my husband decided to pull in and just ask their opinion on if we should drive the rest of the way. We were still about 1.5-2hrs from home. They had a sign on the door that said they closed at 11am for the holiday, it was now around 3:30pm....But there were people inside and we were desperate so my husband opened the door and asked if anyone could help us. This is when he met Joe (owner). Joe came out and took the van for a test drive and proceeded to get the van lifted in the shop. He spent the time finding out the actual problem with our van. This took a couple hours and they had to stay much later than planned because of us. Right before their holiday break. In the end, Joe and his staff got us back on the road, safely and with full hearts. They could have turned a family of 5 away easily. Could have suggested we tow it and call someone for a ride. But they didn't. They were honestly out Christmas miracle this year! The service they gave was amazing, of course, but the generosity of their TIME is what I am most grateful for. Now on to the shop: My dad was a master mechanic while I was growing up so I have spent a lot of time in garages and repair shops. So I feel qualified to say that Joe's shop is the cleanest I have ever been in. There are Toys for the kids, that are actually clean. Books and magazines for any interest and age group, and again, they are clean. Now ladies, here's one you will appreciate. An immaculate bathroom! Multiple hand soaps to choose from, a hook for your purse and room enough to bring in your stroller if needed. A stocked vending machine is there with lots of options, not just candy. And there's coffee and water if you need them. My husband and I keep saying we wish we lived up in near Joe's shop because he would not only take care of our cars (Honda odyssey and Mitsubishi Montero) but we see them as friends now. read more

California Auto Centers - My youngest son playing with the legos in the waiting room. - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

I really like this place! Their top quality is their excellent customer service. The office staff is super friendly and I usually like to wait there for my car instead of dropping it off. I observed their interactions with other customers and they treat people like they are all friends. :) They provide free snacks and drinks (soda, coffee, tea) while you wait. There is a big screen TV in one of the 2 waiting areas. They pretty much go above and beyond normal customer service, but it didn't feel fake or taught. They really are just NICE people. Currently, they have an excellent mechanic who has been with the company for many years (forgot his name). If you are lucky enough to chat with the owner, Joe, you will be impressed by his experiences and knowledge. I personally ask a lot of questions and he was generous with his time. He helped direct me in choosing a 1st vehicle for my teen. Joe has a background in European autos, and has been trained in Germany on VWs. Their prices are very competitive. Smog price was $10 less than their nearby competition (I'm a price shopper) and only takes 15 minutes to run. I recommend arriving early AM if you don't want to wait. I think they also take appointments. read more

I don't know what happened. These guys use to be so good. They use to try to make the right repair for the customer but lately more and more it seems like they're trying to find ways to add additional repair costs....nickle and diming you... read more

This place is absolutely the best. I dont always take the time to write a review about a business, but this is one of those times where I just have to share my experience with others. The shop here is super clean, organized and professional. The staff are all very friendly, personal and professional as well. As I sat in the waiting area I saw one of the staff members interacting with a young child that was with her mom and the child was loving it. This place is very family/kid oriented. The bathrooms are super clean, they have coffee and water available while you wait. Those are just all of the amenities. The real professionalism comes in when they do work on your vehicle. I have an old vehicle (1973 Jeep Wagoneer) and I have had trouble finding a shop that would even work on it, many shops would just tell me that they flat out do not work on vehicles that old. The owner Joe fixed several issues on my vehicle including a cracked transfer case in which he actually fabricated a custom bracket, gave my jeep a huge upgrade and saved me thousands in repairs. I can honestly say my jeep is in better shape now than when I took it in. If you are looking for an honest shop that will not take advantage of you, this is the place! read more

California Auto Centers - Joe doing some custom fabrication for my old Jeep - Auto Repair Near Me - Murrieta, California

We have been CAC customers for quite a few years and have always felt secure in our choice. They are knowledgeable, dependable and trustworthy. Our thanks to Natalie, Mike, and crew, for the commendable job they do on our vehicle every time we need them. Lilia B. read more

Let me start off this review by saying that I was completely shocked by how personable and caring Connie was on the phone with me. I brought in my car because I was having issues with the battery. When I got there I was met by Joe, who completely helped me out. I went in not knowing a thing about what was wrong with my battery, and Joe and the other mechanics were there to help me figure it out. What was huge for me, was the fact that they did not take advantage of me or try to upsell me...plus the quality of the work was amazing. They were very honest with what was wrong and they were able to fix it in a timely manner. I appreciate California auto center so much, thank you for the work you do! read more

Joe the owner took time out of a work day to help repair two bumpers on my vehicles. The bumpers look great and Joe provided excellent customer service and craftsmanship. Thank you Joe I'll never forget this! read more

Took truck in for an estimate on differential leak. I left my truck, about 2-3 hours later mechanic calls back and says they'll need 295.00 just to do the inspection and that he also found an intake manifold leak and that alone would cost 730.00 to repair. I left to get a second opinion. Took it to a different shop, they would charge 106.00 to diagnose the problem. Mechanic calls and says that I didn't have an intake manifold leak. He said I had a thermostat housing leak and it would be just over 200 dollars to repair. He also gave me an estimate on repairing the differential. The guys at Sear Auto in Temecula referred me to this shop because they couldn't work on the differential leak, it's a service that they don't provide. I called the manager of Sears Auto to let him know about my experience, maybe they need to reevaluate who they refer. I won't be back to California Auto. read more

Michael and this place ripped me off. When I called to complain they refused to acknowledge the terrible work they did. I took my car in for an oil change and marked my oil filter with a sharpee to see in fact if they replaced it as I was charged for. And after paying for the complete service I checked under the hood and saw my old oil filter there just as it was before I took the car in. This place has really high prices and sells services that are not needed. Then when you buy and purchase services they dont even do the work completely. read more

AAA Service Guy referred us to this place and we are very thankful they did. California Auto Center is possibly the friendliest staff of people with the knowledge of any auto service provider I have ever dealt with. They know what they are doing and they take care of the problem. They are very loyal and trustworthy. I love this place when in need of auto service. Another Great Experience at California Auto Center. Very Trustworthy and Personal Team! Great Job! read more

I came here to get my smog done ONLY because my family member recommended them. I liked the quick service but the price on the website was lower than in the shop. The manager tried to give me the excuse that he did not update the website. This did not sit well with me. He did match his web price, but it should have never been an issue. Many SMOG competitors within a block are lower priced. Just post a price a stick with it. read more

I will never take my vehicles anywhere else. Joe, Scott and Erin are a class act and their customer service is excellent. We own 5 vehicles, 4 of them are considered "expensive to repair, but we have always had such trust and confidence in his work, honesty and fair prices that we have never regretted owning these cars. Joe also has a lot of contacts to help with other services, many times things you wouldn't expect this type of center to help you with. I highly recommend you try them out and you'll find that he will become "your car guy." read more

I had a check engine light come on during my trip to San Diego and I stopped by here to get my car checked out at the very last minute and the staff here was extremely helpful. They helped me get the parts I needed to fix my car and get back on the road and not be stranded in Temecula. I highly recommend them for any of your automotive needs! read more

Last week, I had my car towed by AAA to this place (AAA will tow for 7 miles or under without charge - so this was the place CHOSE by AAA) after it broke down in the middle of the street. I was told by this AAA approved auto repair shop that they were going to run a diagnostic first, which cost me $106.20 (with AAA 10% discount) with my permission. They said that they couldn't tell me what was wrong with my car right away, so it had to stay overnight. They knew that I really needed my car back asap. However, the manager called me the next morning telling me that the transmission was bad and it needed to be replaced plus other things needed to be fixed as well. They quoted a price of: $5,143.71 What???? Really???? But my car is relatively new 2008 and only 58.000 miles... Feeling uncomfortable about the situation, and very upset, I decided to get a second opinion. I took my car to Mountain View Tire & Service, within a day they diagnosed the real issue which they didn't charge me for it. It was fixed in under two days, totally fixed. No more issues were found. It turns out that the transmission wasn't the problem at all - they found an electrical short causing transmission issues!!! Total cost: $930.00 :)))) I just thought everyone needed to know about my extremely disappointing experience with California Auto Centers!!! It was pathetic and it made me feel like a complete idiot!!! What a shame!!! 12/26/2013 - Shortly after I wrote my review about California Auto Centers, the owner Joe A. Becht, got in contact with me apologizing for the bad service. He assured me that the misdiagnosis was not intentional and he was working to correct the issue immediately. He also sent me a refund for my $106.20! Thank you and I really appreciate it! read more

Try to sell it as a good guy that they refunded my money. The truth is I had to file a complaint with the bbb. And another one with the california bar. Again 490 dollars here or 150 somewhere else. Oh and the 150 somewhere else included an oil change read more

Joe took my car in on a Sunday and had it fixed Monday morning. Great shop, great mechanic, great family man. Chris Davidson 1957 Chevy read more

Nice guys, great service. But they'll really take their time with the repairs and charge you for it. And comparing prices on parts they used and recommended, they definitely over-charge. If you've got money, then I would suggest going here for the best customer service an auto repair spot has to offer. But if you're on a budget, I would shop around. OH! And their AAA service discount is 10%.....but $50 at the most. So if you're car is requiring repairs over 500, don't expect anything more. read more

I get it that working on an older car (1978) is difficult, but drop the attitude when I call to find out if my car is ready after two days. The owner acted as if he could care less. Maybe the high ratings have gone to his head. I picked my car up on day three with nothing done. Erik didn't seem to care either. There are plenty of other reputable places to take your car for service, I know I will. read more

I called California Auto Centers after a recommendation from Sears, where I was getting a new battery. I needed my trunk latch & driver side cable repaired. They gave me a quote $100 less than the local Honda dealership. I still needed to save up for it though, so I came back 6-8 weeks later and they still had my quote in the system, lovely. The person helping us, Erin, also made sure to ask if I had AAA so I could get a 10% discount. Hey, every little bit helps and I appreciated that she asked. They were done with the repair by the next day and my trunk works again! They also do a variety of other repairs (a/c, smog checks, etc) so I will probably be back to get any work done. read more

Went here to get my car smog done after seeing all the good reviews on Yelp. Thank you Yelpers! Good call, they were very nice and I like how a lot of their pricing is posted so clearly. They got my car done and gave me the smog certificate in no time at all. Great service, definitely recommend. read more

Great and fast service! My car died on the road and Erin was able to get my car in and fixed and back up running in about two hours. Really saved my day! read more

Very nice place. Came in as a walk in and they were able to fix my car that afternoon! Very honest about price and also very friendly. First time here and I will be back. Lorie read more

It was a good experience. I had read Yelp reviews, and they were correct - the waiting area and restroom were immaculately clean and the waiting area was very comfortable. With free wifi, I was able to get out my laptop and get some work done while I waited. I also appreciated that they didn't try to "up-sell" me on other services; made me aware of a (cosmetic) problem on my car, but didn't pressure me to fix non-essentials. As a woman consumer, I can't tell you how many times the opposite has been my experience. I was very pleased with the communication and customer service. read more