The reason I gave them one star is because they really did a good job on what I came in to have them fix. When I called them to get a second opinion on the price of getting new wheel bearing hubs, they were about $90 cheaper than a competitor I normally shop at ($487 compared to $577).
However, the reason I'm only giving one star is for multiple other factors.
1) When I got the $487 quote, they "conveniently" left out the $25 shop fee. I assumed the quote would not include tax, but I sure assumed the quote price would have included the shop fee. I did not balk at paying it in the end because it was still less than the $577 from their competitor.
2) I knew my front-end suspension needed multiple parts fixed (there was rattling, thumping, and other similar noises when I hit small pot holes or when I was driving on uneven ground). I knew I needed the wheel bearing hubs changed but didn't know what the other potential parts were. In me getting my hubs changed, I needed my whole front-end inspected so I would know what other parts needed fixed. Once I settled up and got in my car, I didn't leave the parking lot before I knew there was something else wrong with the front-end. I walked back in and asked if they found anything else wrong when they installed the new hub. The employee at the counter guaranteed the tech found nothing else wrong and essentially said my car was now perfect. He tried to say the problem was because my tires needed rotating. Now I do not consider myself a genius when it comes to cars, but I am knowledgeable enough and a fairly intelligent guy; I am not some ignorant, naive random guy. When I said I still heard racking in my front-end, the employee basically called me, the customer, a liar and said nothing else was wrong. Shoot, I could shake my tire/wheel while my car was in park and hear a knocking noise (and that is when the car was on the ground. Imagine how more easily it would have knocked around when the car was on the lift). I, for one, am not stupid enough to believe that rotating the tires would help stabilize the front-end when the car is in park, and I was not going to pay $20 to have them rotate my tires when that was not the problem. For one, how would he even know nothing else was wrong with my car? He was behind the counter the whole time of the repair. He was not the tech who evaluated my car. Second, it was obvious that their "17-point check" signs that are plastered all over their store are not something they really check. The remaining problems should have been easily detectable from their 17-point check, let alone after the tech replaced my hubs. Again, I am not a car mechanic genius, but I am smart enough to check the rigidity of a part after I replace it. While the wheel bearing hub was perfect, it would have taken all but 10 seconds to figure out something else was wrong. And to my shock, most mechanics will bend-over backwards trying to find anything else wrong with your car to milk every last dollar out of you.
3) After I left their store in total disgust for their brutal dishonesty and ignorance, I went to another competitor who had a very knowledgable mechanic who quickly diagnosed the problem as bad sway bars and strut assemblies. He did this by (1) taking the car on a short test-drive and (2) actually looking the front-end over for potential problems. Miraculously, my car's front-end felt brand new without suggesting to rotate my tires.
Mitchem Tire already knew I was shopping for new tires. Not only did they lose my business in $400 tires, they lost the potential $800 business in fixing my stabilizer/sway bars and strut assemblies. $1200 plus future business lost. Unfortunate for them.
I am not sure if anyone will ever read this review but if you ever come across this, my intent was to make you more aware. If you know your car only needs one specific item replaced, they did a superb job at fixing my hubs in a decent time and will probably do the same for you. But if you are getting your car diagnosed, don't be surprised if they are the ignorant mechanics in the end and you are the one looking for a new, knowledgable mechanic. read more