Over a month ago, after an accident, my insurance company recommended that I bring my car to this…read moreshop.
We dropped it off and picked it up several weeks later. The moment I drove out, it was clear that very little work had been done. Here are just some of the problems I noticed immediately:
1. The car pulled so hard to the right that, when I let go of the wheel in a parking lot, it drove itself in a full circle.
2. The front-facing parking camera no longer worked.
3. The brakes made a loud "wub wub" sound.
4. The "service headlight" warning light came on.
5. The mirrors no longer folded in electronically.
6. Adaptive cruise control was not working.
7. Autopilot was not working.
8. There was a grinding sound when turning the wheel.
When I reported these issues, the shop manager admitted he hadn't test-driven the car, only sent it for a wash, and that no one had mentioned problems. He also said he hadn't checked the suspension because, in his words, "it doesn't make sense that the suspension would be damaged from such a small accident." Keep in mind: the impact was directly on the front passenger wheel. He told me to take it to Town Fair Tire for an alignment, where their technician said the suspension was so badly damaged that he was shocked I'd even been allowed to drive the car away.
The problems persisted, so I brought the car back. I was then told that the shop hadn't even plugged in the front bumper they had replaced. Once they corrected that and replaced an entire control arm (a major issue that this was missed the first time), most features worked again, but the brakes still made loud noises they hadn't made before the accident.
Another concern: when I first dropped off the car, I signed a form requiring OEM parts only. But the replacement camera is noticeably lower quality than my original one, which makes me question whether OEM parts were truly used.
When my wife later picked up the car, she immediately noticed the brakes as well. Once home, we found two loose metal parts in the center console, and the plastic cover from the seatbelt had simply been tossed onto the passenger seat instead of reinstalled. That exposed the airbag system, which is extremely concerning.
Today, many weeks into this process, after returning from a work trip, I called the shop again. This time, I was met with hostility. The manager insisted, "we didn't touch the seat," and brushed off the brake issue as "a wear item." despite the brakes being fairly new and having zero issues at all before the accident. When I pushed back, the owner, Brian, got on the phone. Before I could finish a sentence, he cut me off to talk about an unrelated tire issue, and then told me he "would not call Progressive because they would laugh at him." Honestly, I don't care about his relationship with the insurance company. I just need my car repaired correctly and safely.
To be fair, the shop manager himself was polite and seemed to be trying. But despite multiple visits and three separate attempts to get this resolved, the issues remain. Each time, we've left with glaring problems that even a non-mechanic like me notices right away. That raises serious concerns about the quality and safety of their work.
Auto body shops are everywhere, and based on my experience, I would strongly advise against choosing Xtreme Auto. At this point, the safety of my car is in question, and that's simply unacceptable.
