I brought my vehicle to Tire Barn after it broke down on I-69 because the location was listed as a…read morefull-service repair shop. I had the vehicle towed there expecting them to diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs.
I was initially told that the water pump had failed, and I authorized them to replace it. The price they quoted was already toward the high end of the typical range for that repair, but because my vehicle was already there and towing it to a shop closer to home would have been expensive, I decided to proceed.
After the water pump was replaced, I was told that the vehicle also had a blown head gasket. This is where my concerns with the service became much more serious. I learned that no diagnostic testing had been performed before the water pump was replaced, not even a block test, which can help identify combustion gases in the cooling system and indicate a potential head-gasket problem.
When I questioned why this had not been checked before beginning the repair, I was told that I had not specifically requested diagnostics. I brought the vehicle to a repair shop because it had broken down and I needed the problem diagnosed. I should not have to specifically request diagnostic testing when the purpose of bringing a non-functioning vehicle to a full-service repair shop is to determine what is wrong with it. If additional diagnostic testing would have involved an additional charge, I would have expected the shop to explain the options and costs to me before proceeding with a repair that ultimately did not address the full problem.
I was then quoted approximately $10,000 to replace the head gasket, which was dramatically higher than the typical cost range I found for this repair. When I questioned whether the head-gasket issue could have been identified earlier, I was told there was no way they could have known until they got the vehicle running. However, there are diagnostic tests that can provide evidence of a head-gasket failure without simply proceeding with repairs and hoping the problem resolves.
I was also told that I could drive the vehicle and was referred to the repair shop next door. I found this particularly concerning. Driving a vehicle with a blown head gasket can cause serious additional engine damage, particularly if the engine is overheating or losing coolant. Later, Tire Barn told me they could not get the vehicle to stop smoking, which made the earlier recommendation to drive it even more concerning.
At that point, I had the vehicle towed to another repair shop. The second shop was able to properly evaluate the vehicle and provided a much more reasonable repair estimate.
There were also some frustrating logistical issues. I had to repeatedly explain that I needed to pay for the work remotely so that a tow truck could pick up my vehicle. Tire Barn initially would not take a credit card payment over the phone or provide an online payment option, which made an already stressful situation more difficult. Thankfully, they ultimately agreed to take the payment over the phone so the vehicle could be released to the tow company.
To add to the experience, after everything was finally arranged, Tire Barn called to tell me that one of their mechanics had accidentally left his cell phone inside my vehicle.
Overall, this was an extremely frustrating and expensive experience. My biggest concerns are the lack of diagnostic testing before performing a significant repair, the communication surrounding what could and could not be determined about the vehicle, the extremely high estimate for the head-gasket repair, and the recommendation that I drive a vehicle they had identified as having a blown head gasket.
I ultimately took the vehicle elsewhere and had a much better experience with a shop that properly evaluated the problem and provided a more reasonable estimate. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Tire Barn for major mechanical repairs. Perhaps my experience would have been different if I had simply gone there for tires, but I would not trust this location with a significant engine repair based on what happened with my vehicle.