I bought a 2012 Jeep Compass from them a couple years ago. I had not owned a car for 7 years at that time, having been traveling and much overseas. The SE Michigan area had not been home to me for about 18 years, and back then I'd driven a car I'd owned for 19 years. Now a single, retired woman, I was knowingly very vulnerable in this situation. I only had a few thousand dollars to spend, so I knew I I would have to buy something basically good, that needed work - hopefully over time.
The car I chose was an adventure for me - Jeeps are their own breed. This one had been a rental vehicle used in New Jersey; it had a little rust and a couple minor dents, but it was decent and, with love, I figured it would serve my needs and my budget.
I took it to a name-brand all-round garage for its oil change and was faced with several thousands of dollars in "absolutely necessary" work.
I bought the oil change I'd come in for. But I took the paid invoice and list of "needed repairs" out to my Metro Auto Broker friends.
They are not an auto repair business; they buy and sell cars. They are not equipped to do work on them. I did not expect them to fix it or take it back or anything like that. But I wanted their advice re the items on the list AND where I might get a better deal on the tires and whatever else really needed to be done.
Here's where it gets good! The owner has been operating in that area for many years. They are at a location - where they can be found for questions or ongoing shopping. The owner has many friends in the business, nearby, who do great work in timely ways for fair prices!!
He realized my situation, took me under his wing, so to speak, and connected me with these local small businesses that treated me like royalty; "Sam had sent me" -- and everything I've had done since (with one notable exception when I thought I could just get an oil change from a big-name, coupon-sending car maintenance corporate place nearby and they scared me into spending over $1,000 extra, unplanned in my limited budget, for a new radiator I was quite sure I didn't really need...but the pitch was intense.
Within a few days of that shocking experience, I took my Jeep along with the list of things the big garage said I must do immediately...to Sam. His response was immediate and sincere. He agreed with me that the radiator most likely did not need replacement(!!!) and he had my Jeep checked out to see what on the list was legit - or "later" or fluff. He directed me to trusted garages he works with, for attention - over time - to a few expected maintenance matters.
Twice I got raided by big-name garages. An "old lady" with no man-who-knows-cars to filter the sales pitch... and every time I've gotten real help at reasonable prices from smaller garages - friends of Sam - who did excellent work and didn't push me to get unnecessary expensive work done.
When it is time for me to trade my Jeep some time down the road, I'm doing that, with all my business in the meantime, with Sam at the Metro Auto Broker on Michigan Avenue in Inkster, Michigan!
I can't recommend them strongly enough - unless you have more money than you know what to do with and enjoy waiting in the cool customer area with powdered beverages in a paper cup. (Metro does have places to sit, etd, and so do the small businesses mentioned. But there is not muzak, so you can work on your phone or simply enjoy the natural human ambiance and chat with whoever... you know, be a person.
PS: I was well into making the deal on my Jeep when I read a nasty review that scared me... but my gut was saying "No, go ahead, stick with these guys; it's going to be good." If I had believed the big-name garage I first went to, I'd not only be way deep it debt, but on their chain for the rest of my life. AND I would have missed getting to know and do business with some of the dearest guys in the business. Maybe we get what we EXPECT from people sometimes... just a thought. :-) read more
