Writing negative reviews is something I truly dislike. Feel free to research my Google profile. Out of the 13 reviews I've posted over two decades, TruGreen was the only other business that deserved a one star. I feel compelled to share my experience for the benefit of others who might be considering similar services. To the owner of Five Forks Automotive: I hope my review serves as constructive criticism and encourages improvement within your business.
I regret to say that my first (and last) experience at Five Forks Automotive was nothing short of absolute disappoint. There's so much that makes absolutely no sense, I'm still trying to rationalize why I was treated so poorly. As a staunch supporter of Lilburn community businesses, I had high hopes. However, my hopes were decimated by utter disregard for customer service and basic decency.
On the evening of 1/24/24, I dropped off my 2011 Kia Soul with 165,217 miles at Five Forks Automotive for a humming/droning sound that faintly starts around 45mph, and much more noticeable at 65mph. At the higher speeds, a slight vibration moves into the steering wheel (just for context, I have new tires, and everything was road-force balanced beforehand). When previously making the appointment over the phone, I emphasized not just the symptoms, but that visually there was grease leaking onto the driver's side subframe , as well as grease leaking out of the boot on the driver's side inner axle. In my mind, I'm thinking the diagnosis is fool-proof, and I'll walk away spending $200-300 bill for labor, a new boot, grease and a clamp, or a worst case, pricier scenario - I'd need a new axle.
I received my first call on 1/25/24 from Amy informing me that they can't duplicate the sounds/vibration, mainly because it was raining pretty hard. This made complete sense. I then re-emphasize that it's much more noticeable at 65mph, and that they have permission to take the car onto a local highway (Ronald Reagan Pkwy).
Fast-forward to 1/26/24, the weather is much drier, and I receive a call from Amy stating again that they can't duplicate the sounds/vibration, even when taking it on Ronald Reagan Pkwy. She then states the boots were fine, there was no grease leaking, and everything looked in place. It was at this very moment I knew they were gaslighting me. But it made absolutely no sense at all - why the deceit? Why wasn't there more transparency on why the job wasn't worth their time?
Upon arrival to pickup my vehicle around 4:10pm, during the payment process everything was congenial and civil. Once the bill was paid, I casually walked over to my car, immediately got my phone out, as I then laid on my back I squeezed underneath the car and snapped some pictures of the leaking boot while dragging my hand across it to gather my evidence. By that point I had an audience of two automotive technicians staring me down. Walking back into the front office with a very greasy hand, I politely show it to a surprised Amy and state," This is the grease I was describing; I'm just going to go wipe it off in the bathroom."
When exiting the building, since I have the audience of two automotive technicians staring me down, I go to my trucks bed and get out my 3-ton floor jack thinking I can just end this now by showing them myself. As I start jacking the vehicle up, I'm approached by one of the older male technicians who keeps telling me to 'Stop.' Calmly, I tell him that I just want to show him the greased up boot. At that point he states "You can't, you need to leave," with Amy standing right behind him. Instead of addressing my concerns like responsible professionals, I was summarily kicked off their property. At this point, I acknowledged, packed up my jack, and left the property.
Outside of the pictures attached to this review, I'd like to point out that the odometer read 165,217 when initially dropping it off, and it read 165,219 upon leaving the property, translating they drove the vehicle a total of two miles. Remember how they stated they took it onto Ronald Reagan? The total mileage to the closest exit and back to Five Forks Automotive averaged 4.3 - 4.7 miles.
What's truly disheartening is the thought of other customers who may have been similarly mistreated in the past. It's concerning to think that anyone else seeking repairs might have their concerns dismissed and their voices silenced, all while entrusting their safety and the well-being of their vehicles to this establishment.
Supporting local businesses is important, but it should never come at the expense of basic respect and customer service. It pains me to say it, but I cannot in good conscience recommend Five Forks Automotive to anyone. Save yourself the trouble and seek out a business that values its customers and takes pride in its workmanship.
Lilburn deserves better. read more