Horrid experience that resulted in more than $4,000 out of pocket and a completely malfunctioning car. Our car, 2008 Subaru Forrester, broke down in Red Wing and Johnson Tire and Auto Repair was convenient. After my husband spoke to a person named John there, they said they could put in a good used engine that would work well given that the car was in such good shape and had low miles, 126,000. We paid over $3600 for that used engine (and other costs for fixes in the following two weeks). It malfunctioned within 5 miles of leaving the business. They spent several hours checking things out and said it was a timing belt (Had to take a vacation day). We got back in the car and were able to get it up to Minneapolis, allegedly fixed and working well. The next morning I noticed a very large oil spot. I immediately brought it to a Midas store a mile away and they told me if I had driven a few more miles, I would've had a catastrophic engine failure.
We picked up the car from Johnson on Friday and this was Saturday morning. I paid out of pocket and spoke to John the following Monday and he did reimburse the oil leak. Three days later, another oil sensor problem and fix needed. Again I contacted John and said this was another couple hundred dollars and I was completely confounded how a good used engine could have multiple problems within a week of driving it (drive less than 200 miles in that time). I said I needed to get a refund for the engine as it was a non-reliable car and he said I could bring it down to Red Wing to fix it. The car was not drivable so I was confused as to what the point was. The Midas place also said I had a cracked axle and that would've easily been viewed by the people that put the engine in before putting it in and they should have told us as that is another expensive repair of several hundred dollars (which we did not do as it was a money pit situation).
In the end and within two weeks of the big expense at Johnson, we traded it in for $2500. Thousands down the drain. When we had problems the day we picked up the car in September, the mechanic John (different John), repeated more than three times, to my husband and I, "you never know with these used engines." Obviously if that had been told to us upfront we would've simply gotten rid of the car rather than spent the $3600 with Johnson. Absolutely no financial relief or warranty support (said it was 90 days) from Johnson other than bring it down and we'll fix it (how when it has no oil and I live 64 miles from Red Wing). My second post-car trouble conversation with John resulted in hun quietly hanging up on me. Do not have anything significant done with your car there would be my recommendation from this experience.
They may be absolutely fine with oil changes, tires, etc. but we felt completely bait and switched and again our out several thousand dollars as well as losing time at work. Extremely poor decision to go with Johnson Tire for a used engine. Bottom line, they said the car was in great shape and once we get the used engine, we should get many more miles out of this car. The used engine was a good way to go we were told (again the mechanic working on the car did not provide confidence that day with his repeated - you don't really know what you are getting). Well it didn't go and we are left out big $$, inconvenience and non-reliable transportation read more