Absolute hacks...and biggest liar I've ever met.
**** Update…read more4/27/26 I had forgotten that my wife had a mini dash cam in the car showing front/rear. I will be posting a youtube video about this shop later this week. Will post the link here. It proves all that I've claimed (and they denied)
This review, although long, may be helpful to non savvy automotive people.
First and foremost, I was a dealer technician for over 20 years mostly for German and Swedish car dealers. That was after being diesel mechanic in the military for over 8 years.
Since then, I've gotten into other things so my time has been limited. We also own 8 vehicles so I sometimes sublet some repairs, such as my wifes Mercedes ML350 just last week with Joe's automotive.
This is the diesel version which has been amazing for 7 years. Never once has it failed. I'm pretty sure it has (never) even had a check engine light on since we've owned it.
Anyway, it needed some fairly simple maintenance stuff and took it to Joe's. The two main things neded: new motor mounts and serpentine belt along with an oil change. I supplied the parts from a very reputable online supply house (FCP Euro) that Joe agreed to install by phone days before. This was the first time I've ever used this shop.
I agreed to bring it in on Saturday (4/11/26) he said more than once that he'd only be there until "exactly 12" - and he knew we were coming.
We got there at 11:42 and the place was locked up tighter than a drum, rude.
I ended up writing everything down again on the key drop envelope and left it.
Days later, he calls back trying to sell me that it's all set. It was close to his closing time so I said we'd be there in the morning. Luckily, I called in the morning before leaving. Joe then explains that our vehicle is "barely running" and in limp mode. I thought he was kidding at first.
He seemed totally stumped as to what was wrong which was concerning to say the least.
Hours later, he calls and trys to sell me a sensor that should NEVER have been touched for my requested work, I thought, (nonsense) part was fine. Then explains that I have an aluminum turbo intake pipe that is also broken, and leaking air.
A pipe THEY needed to REMOVE to access the serpentine belt.
Joe then tells me that it was "broken previously" and talked in circles.
He went on and on how these things can happen "out of nowhere" not knowing I was a mechanic as well, at the time.
He then complained about how much time he had "wasted" on this vehicle and reminded me again, he wanted it gone.
Hours later he called and assured me that it was now "fixed" and we should come soon. It was once again, almost shop closing time so I explained that we'd have to come the following late morning which he didn't seem happy about.
I arrived there without any bad attitude, none. I'm well aware that things break, and I wanted to go over everything in person. I simplywanted to "see" what happened and pay the bill.
However, in my experience, mechanics are like some cops.... they don't like to have their SAY "questioned" even when wrong.
SO, we pop the hood on my wifes vehicle and my jaw nearly dropped (some pictures attached) I've NEVER seen such hack work in my entire life. Not only was it beyond shoddy work, it said: I don't care about your vehicle, or your safety and I'm going to lie to your face and get "huffy" when you don't buy the bs.
He ran a BOLT that was flopping around (threaded to nothing) jammed between live fuel lines to support the turbo intake that THEY broke. I immediately said.... wow! I've never seen something like this, it's not even safe. I still WAS NOT nasty about it.
Joe however went ON and ON about how they didn't do it, I can't prove it, it's old (every excuse you can imagine) Just sat behind the desk sounding like Joe Pesci denying everything.
** However! I just recently replaced the fuel and air filters on this same vehicle. As my usual practice, I took pictures of the engine so everything goes back to factory specs.
In these couple of pictures it shows my turbo intake, NOT BROKEN which I showed to Joe.... he yet still continued to DENY, because... he's a liar.
Funny thing is, if they told me it broke, I wouldn't have cared.
While still in the office, waiting to pay the BILL that he didn't have prepared, his wife threatened to "Call da' POLICE" I actually laughed and offered to do the same.
As I went outside and started the Mercedes, I immediatly noticed that the radio, climate control not working as well as "SOS" flashing on the dash. None of which were EVER an issue. Of course, Joe knew nothing about that on an 89 degree day, after his "road test" I poked my head in the door and asked about it just prior to leaving.
Within 6-7 miles driving home, it lost power and we needed to have it towed. Instead of fixing his horrid work myself, I'm having it towed to Mercedes of Springfield and will file suit of all expenses.
Joe did everything except set the vehicle on fire.
