I've been going here for eight years. The last time, three years ago, I came in for a blown tire,…read morewas told which of my tires could use replacing, and paid $35 per tire (they were used, naturally, but an incredible bargain). They even patched my very flat spare tire for no additional cost.
So why am I giving a 1 star review?
My tires were on my last legs, so I went in (for those who still want to go in, you need to enter through the alley on leland just west of clark) to get all my tires replaced. I was quoted 800 dollars. I talked them down to 650, after the person working called Sergio, the owner (I assume) and put him on speaker. He said it would have to be lesser quality tires, but I just need fresh tires and I don't put a lot of miles on them, so I wanted to just get it over with. Of course I've since found that I could get mid-level tires for around 600 at a nearby Pep Boys.
Sergio had me Zelle him $300 as a down payment (which felt insanely sketchy), and I had to come in at 9 the next day (today, actually) to get the tires put in. Honestly, I wish I had just taken my service elsewhere, but I already was pot committed with the $300 zelle payment (they only offered zelle and cash, even though they claim they take credit cards.)
I woke up early to get there by 9, and was put on speaker phone with Sergio again (the workers there have a mix of speaking very good English and then speaking Spanish for other things...but I speak spanish sooooo nothing really got past- and i heard them charging another car only 500 for the same service I requested). Anyway, Sergio said he accidentally only ordered 1 of the tires I needed, so I had to come back at noon.
To their credit, they did call me when the tires came in, at about 11:30, but then when I went in there and drove myself onto their work station, I was told "we need to talk." He said the tires I paid for are here, but they're not the best, and he could upgrade them for, eh, another $55.
I'm already overpaying, am frustrated, have planned out most of my Saturday around getting this done and over with, so I just say, no, use the tires I agreed to already. From there, the job got done quickly, about 10 or 15 minutes, but the entire process left me so disillusioned. I literally was bragging about how great of a deal and how positive of an experience I had with these guys right before I brought my car in. And instead I got blindsided, swindled, ignored and overcharged. I have to assume ownership has changed, because I don't recall any Sergio when I last was going here, and I don't think Sergio has his customer's best interests at heart.
I really want to support places like these, little alleyway garages with independent workers doing good work, and for so long that WAS this place. But I don't think it is anymore.
