Oakmont Service Center - A Referral That Fell Short…read moreReferrals are the backbone of any reputable business, especially in the world of classic cars. I own a 1949 Chevy, and like many classic car owners, I rely heavily on trusted recommendations. Skilled mechanics who truly understand vintage vehicles are rare in our area, especially since the retirement of one of the most respected classic specialists Eugene has ever had. Oakmont Service Center came recommended by a respected transmission expert, and my first interaction with Jerremy, the manager, was positive. My initial visit--radiator exchange, exhaust leak repair, and a minor carburetor adjustment--went smoothly, and meeting the two mechanics who handle classics gave me confidence in the referral. That confidence didn't last. A Breakdown and a Missed Diagnosis During a casual weekend drive, my Chevy wouldn't start after a coffee stop. After checking the usual suspects with no luck, I called Jerremy. The car was towed in, and it took two days before Eric looked at it. Because I'd had a starter issue in the past, he removed and reinstalled the starter without performing a full diagnostic. A professional approach would have been to verify the actual cause rather than rely on history. The real issue was the distributor. I chose to upgrade to an electronic module and coil. Eric removed the distributor and sent it to a shop in Cottage Grove for the upgrade. When it returned, I made it clear--in front of Eric, Jerremy, and Mike (the owner)--that if there were any questions, they should call the builder directly. No call was ever made. Critical Steps Missed The builder later informed me that Oakmont suggested they "needed to get into the engine," which was unnecessary and incorrect. The distributor had been installed improperly, and a firewall-mounted module was still running six volts--something any experienced classic mechanic would have caught immediately. The car would never have started without correcting that. To suggest engine work without completing basic diagnostic steps was a bad call. Lack of Accountability When I stopped by to speak with Mike about the missed steps, he was "too busy" to talk. Jerremy took my number, but no one followed up. When I reached out again, I was offered a $100 refund--an acknowledgment that mistakes were made, but not a meaningful resolution. I was also disappointed to walk in and see Eric working on my classic without a fender mat. That alone speaks volumes about attention to detail and respect for the vehicle. A Referral That Didn't Hold Up This referral fell short. As another reviewer, Von Sellz, pointed out--we don't all have dash cams to monitor what happens behind the shop doors. Some shops, like Joe's Garage, take thorough check-in photos and run a professional, accountable operation. They've been doing it right since 1952. Oakmont Service Center had an opportunity to live up to their reputation and the trust placed in them through referrals. Instead, they missed critical steps, failed to communicate, and didn't take ownership of their mistakes.

Been coming here for years! Mike's shop is vetted with honest and competent professionals. Always a…read morefair price for services! Clear communication and relevant recommendations to keep vehicles in tip top shape! I definitely recommend them and will keep coming back.

Amazing experience! Super friendly, super efficient staff got me in and out in less than 90 minutes…read morewith no appointment and at a very reasonable rate. I won't go anywhere else in the future.

Another excellent experience at Joe's Garage. These are my go to guys for auto repair. The large,…read moreexperienced crew did a great job replacing a remote wiring part, or chew toy for my local rodents .... Everything was done on time. Problem was quickly diagnosed, and part promptly ordered. They were ready for me at the time of my part replacement appointment. I was in and out in 30 minutes. The repair cost was very reasonable for the work involved. A great value all in all. My family uses Joe's Garage for their auto maintenance needs. You should too! I* highly recommend Joe's Garage for your alto mechanic needs. *Resident of Eugene for 60 years

He price gouged then suddenly wanted to charge for $50 more for labor and whatever he wanted for…read moremiles and when I shared my truthful opinion he talked crap so here it is the entire conversation. Make up your own mind. Thank you.

Landon the owner, Talk me out of spending more money than I needed to.Gave me a great deal.I was…read morereal happy with his service, Highly recommend him.

wonderful experience! they were honest and quick! and kept in touch! They deserve 10 stars! I took…read moremy vehicle bmw to euro Asia first which I was quoted 6,300 for valve cover etc they said I needed a oil change in which was done the day before and that I needed brakes at 15% which was done the year before! i Think they thought they could take advantage of me! Then I bring it to absolute automotive! They replaced my valve cover and even replaced my tail light for 1/3 the price! They said I had 75% life left in my brakes! This will be the only place I will go from now on! Thank you!

Charged $450 to replace a blower motor even though they couldn't get it to work. Then tried to…read moreblame us saying it's because we didn't ask them to diagnose the issue, just told them the motor needed replaced. We assumed they would do their job correctly but they charged us for 6 hours on a job that shouldn't have taken more than 3, killed a replacement blower motor and still didn't know why it happened. Ended up paying over $500 for an oil change, the main issue we brought it in for wasn't solved and they blew up a $150 part. Not only did they over charge us, but were rude in the process. I would not recommend them to anyone.

So they have a good reputation with the folks they do standard maintenance and repair work for, so…read moreI won't go below 3 stars, but I've tried two times to do business with them and the result is that they are simply not an option. 1. They "do not work on cars older than 2005". This is frankly stupid. It's completely arbitrary as the technology on say, a 2003 cayenne turbo is the same as a 2006 cayenne turbo. This is the case for nearly every generation of German car from that era. Also, many German car enthusiasts have a mix of older and newer cars. Guess you don't need the business! 2. They do "not do modifications". So, a blanket statement indicating no ability to think outside the box or leverage widely known and adopted techniques outside of the service manual. Again, dumb. I realize these are their choices and that's fine, but I also know that a ton of enthusiasts like myself won't want to waste their time on a shop that simply wants to make money on people who really aren't THAT into their cars.

They are always honest and explain work needing to be done. Most importantly is the i recommended a…read morefriend and he was impressed by the level of integrity. Thanks guys, see you soon.

I called to ask for pricing based on a diagnostic scan. They asked for the code and when I didn't…read morehave it, called me f**king useless. Avoid at all costs.

I'm new to town and went with my gut by what the Yelp reviews said about Bob James Auto Repair -…read moreand glad I did. When I arrived, I was promptly greeted. I was only there for an oil change and was happy to see their prices were very fair. I also felt they weren't trying to jip me or try to up-sell me with anything I didn't need. I also really appreciated the location because I could take a nice walk in the Rose Garden park next door while I waited. You can tell Bob takes pride into this business.

If you want peace of mind, Jerome is your guy. He is knowledgeable, kind, honest and fair. He is…read morevery clear with repairs and prices. I recommend Jerome over anyone else around.

Jerome is honest, fair, and knowledgeable. Doesn't skimp on quality but also helps to triage…read morerepairs to what you can afford!