It's always difficult to find a local mechanic or a shop you can trust, and I feel like this is…read moreespecially true in central NJ, which is packed with chains like Firestone, National Tire and Battery, STS, Midas, Meineke, etc etc.
I first got to try out this shop when I ordered new tires from Tirerack, and this shop was the local authorized installer, and they had the best price around for installing and balancing the tires. So I went there, and I discovered a very friendly place -- they were very polite, prompt, and didn't charge me a single penny over estimate. No surprises at all.
Then I returned there with a car where I needed to have an oxygen sensor replaced. I already had the part, and they were fine with that -- they simply installed my own part no questions asked. That's kind of rare these days, as mechanics often charge extra for labor if you bring your own parts.
Recently, I came in there with an exhaust problem -- my exhaust rusted out and split in half. I have an older Mercedes with 3 mufflers, and it's an expensive exhaust to replace. I asked them to bypass 2 of the mufflers with a straight pipe and just leave one muffler at the end. They went along with it, fabricated a properly bent exhaust pipe, and installed it. They fixed my exhaust for around $200 when it would have been closer to $1,000 if I had to replace the whole exhaust (which is what any other shop would have made me do).
Meineke of Bordentown is a well-managed shop, with a pleasant waiting room (AC and cable, what else do you need?). Dave, who is the service writer/attendant, has a great attitude and a great personality. Always professional and pleasant to deal with.
In summary, this shop is awesome, and I really can trust these guys to not rip me off, to do the job well, and to be punctual.