John was honestly a godsend and a great referral for me. He did my timing chain as a side job out…read moreof the shop where he works his main job, and I genuinely appreciate both him and the shop for allowing that to happen. Every interaction I had with the other personnel there was also pleasant and respectful, and I would absolutely come back.
From the beginning, John's communication, transparency, honesty, and respect went a long way with me. What really sealed the deal was when he offered to let me stay at his home while he worked on my truck because I lived about four hours away. Nobody had to do something like that, and it spoke volumes to me about his character and the kind of person he is.
Most importantly, the timing job itself has been great. I've now put roughly 2,000 miles on my truck since the repair and changed the oil twice. There is no timing-related ticking, and she's running beautifully. John also spent additional time troubleshooting a charging-system issue that came up after everything was put back together, which I really appreciated. He also replaced my master window module, which has been working perfectly.
My only disappointment came from some of the additional work. While he had the truck, John recommended replacing the belt tensioner and engine mounts. I trusted his judgment and told him to go ahead. My original quote was around $1,100, and I ultimately paid approximately $2,100. I didn't mind paying more because I wanted the truck fixed correctly and assumed the additional parts being installed were OEM or comparable high-quality parts.
Unfortunately, the replacement belt tensioner failed shortly afterward and caused my nearly new serpentine belt to shred. The engine mounts were also not installed and were instead given to me. After what happened with the tensioner, I'm hesitant to install those mounts because I don't know their quality or how long they'll last.
I reached out to John afterward to let him know what happened with the tensioner but unfortunately never received a response. That was probably my biggest disappointment. I wasn't looking to argue, bicker, or demand money back. I simply would have appreciated some accountability--even something as simple as, "That's on me, bring it back and I'll take care of it," or offering to work something out the next time I needed service.
That being said, I want to be fair because the major repair I originally brought my truck to John for was done well. After 2,000 miles, my truck is running reliably again, and I'm very happy with the timing work. I trust John's mechanical ability and appreciate what he did for me, especially accommodating me despite the distance I traveled.
I also appreciate the shop allowing him to do the work there, and everyone else I interacted with treated me well. I would absolutely return in the future.
I plan on keeping this truck in my family for as long as I reasonably can, and if another major repair eventually comes up, I genuinely hope John is still around because I would consider bringing her back to him. Overall, I'm grateful to John for getting my truck back on the road and dependable again. I just wish there had been better follow-up and accountability regarding the failed tensioner and the additional parts.
