My experience with Duett auto shop--called and got a labor quote to install a part which I ordered, was given a direct answer and brought my car in later that day. On arrival, got a friendly greeting at the desk, took my information, my keys, and immediately handed them to a short, balding, brown-haired mechanic named Jerry. As we were leaving the office prepared to hear a call back in a few hours, we see Jerry trying to use my Stratus keys to open a van that wasn't mine. We pointed my car out to him, and he sneers 'Oh THAT nightmare? I can't even believe you brought that thing in.'
Unbelievable... It's a 2003 V6 3.0L coupe, I'm sure they see older, less costly, and more damaged vehicles every day.
...and an hour later I receive a call that my car is done and ready, without any word of it being a pain.
My experience with Duett Tire Shop--
Fast forward to the following morning when I needed one tire and chose to trust their Tire Shop since it was the closest option. Parked my 'nightmare' adjacent to the tire place out of sight, jacked it up, and rolled the tire to them. I got there pretty early, about 9, but they already had a semi truck whose tires they were attempting to rotate off the rim. I waited patiently on their bench by the office, and whaddaya know. JERRY was the one in charge of the semi, and we had a front row seat to the sideshow act of this small man trying to pop giant semi tires off the rim with hand tools, just feet from the waiting bench. Lots of colorful language flowed from his mouth as he struggled, and when a tow truck rolled in, clearly with someone he knew driving it, the driver asks, 'You sure you know what you're doing??' He says yes, but seconds later, a more manager-type person pokes his head out of the office and says, 'You're putting those on wrong, Jerry..' So he then had to take off the tire he'd barely managed to get on the huge rim, and the one he'd just done.. An hour later when we were still waiting, little man was still struggling with the semi tires, office guy sees what's happening and takes it upon himself to get our new tire on the rim. Finally roll our tire back to the car, (tighten up the lugs by hand to avoid potential damage from their impact driver), and drove off the long way, directly in front of their tire shop bay. Jerry was still busy sweating over the semi tires, but that didn't keep him from looking up and dropping his jaw on the ground when my car rolled by and sped off in excellent running condition.
Conclusion--
These guys will suffice if you're in a money pinch and need some labor done for cheap, and the Hispanic gentleman(seemed like a manager) at the desk and on the phone, was extremely polite and helpful. If you have a semi that needs tires, clearly best to go somewhere else!
EDIT: A week later, I noticed the tire they sold me has a huge patch up against the sidewall. They didn't say anything about it when showing me the tire and now that I know about it, the manager-type person had been lingering in their office with my tire, and now it all makes sense why. Rude, dishonest business. read more