TL;DR: I have been going to Frank's Coach & Carriage for more than five years, for all of my car…read morecare needs. Frank and his staff consistently demonstrate integrity, competence, excellent customer service, and fair pricing.
I found Frank's after a poor experience at a franchise dealership. The dealership proved to be unreliable by changing the oil on the same car twice within the same week, with a lack of attention to detail that I had come in the week before. I acknowledge my fault in that I mixed up the vehicle that needed the oil change, but they were not customer-focused enough to give me a heads up that I made a mistake. The main issue; however, was that during the second oil change, they told me I needed a new cabin filter and new brakes. This was within a week of the last oil change, so it seemed like there was incongruity in the first and second oil change. At first, I thought the dealership was trying to take advantage of me. It turned out that the mechanic during the first oil change forgot to check the cabin filter, and possibly, the brakes, during the inspection. After I explained to the manager what happened, the dealership offered an in-store credit. When I tried to use the credit, there was so much bureaucracy in getting the dealership to apply the credit that I abandoned it. Frank's was the first local shop I found after this, and I have been going back ever since.
Frank's has always been honest in diagnosing my car issues. I routinely go to Frank's for basic maintenance, as well as high-priced repairs, such as a new transmission. Frank's always patiently explains what is wrong, why it is wrong, and what needs to be done to fix the problem. For example, when explaining why the business uses standard oil, instead of synthetic, Frank's explained their philosophy on how different oils affect the car, and how often I should return to get the most life out of my car. Another example was when my front headlight was fogging up, Frank's diagnosed how much time I had left before the bulb would break due to corrosion, and showed me how the headlight worked so I could get a better understanding. Frank's works hard to find the root cause of problems, even being willing to roll a window up and down 300 times to see if the motor broke. The business looks for ways to find ways of resolving problems for as little cost to the customer as possible, even if the resolution will not lead to profit. For example, my tire sensors were dirty and needed cleaned. Instead of replacing the sensors and charging me, Frank's cleaned the sensors to extend their product life at a lower cost. Frank's also gives extra to customers, such as being willing to transport the customer to and from their homes in emergency situations, or replacing a license plate bulb at no charge. Frank's also offers good advice on what to do when problems arise, or how long to expect a vehicle to last in Northeast Ohio. Frank's prices have always been fair.
Every time I go to the shop, it is always crowded, but Frank's always manages to accommodate my appointment in a reasonable amount of time. I can also drop my car off the night before and drop the key in the key slot without trouble, for my convenience.
The shop itself is recently remodeled, and is very clean. There is coffee and water available at no-cost, with a couple of candy machines, complementary mints, and reading material while I wait.
Frank's staff has always been personable and friendly. I don't mind waiting for my car to get repaired because I enjoy being in the facility and interacting with the owner and staff.
I recommend Frank's to anyone looking for an honest, highly competent auto shop, with fair prices. I endorse Frank's over franchise dealerships due to better prices and customer service. I have had my Cobalt and Corolla for about 10 years, and I attribute the lifespan to Frank's timely advice, competence, and care for my vehicle.
