I love taking my car to these people because they know how to listen to women. They have women on staff, as customer service representatives and mechanics, and speaking to them is not a struggle. I can communicate with them more easily - the way it should be - and it makes for a less stressful experience. In other words, I don't need a man there with me to translate everything or 'mansplain'. Speaking with the staff at Shade Tree is unlike the experiences I had with male mechanics and customer service representatives at brand dealership repair shops, where in their eyes being a woman is the reason for your mechanical issues. I simply paid the extra expense to have a specialist do the same work at Shade Tree to avoid being treated that way by the brand repair shops. I also don't have to schedule days in advance or take a number, which is what I had to do at the large Toyota dealership down the road. I never go more than a day without my car.
We've been taking our car to them for years, and it's usually same day service; just drop the car off, and they'll notify you of the progress same day. They are always polite and not rough around the edges (or tired looking) like most small business mechanics. They continue the conversation while you wait in the office, even asking how your family is doing, and you can actually gain a friendship with the people who are fixing your car. They're also not single-mindedly focused on sales and profit. Their small size is an advantage. When I brought my Toyota to the local Toyota dealership's repair shop, I was another customer on a conveyor belt, where I had to park my car in a garage bay, enter my information into a computer to schedule a repair two weeks in advance. If I need same day service, I get it with Shade Tree. They also tell you costs and problems in advance because they know how to communicate.
These people have a soul, and I like giving my business to this garage because some of the money goes back into the community: they sponsor sports teams (they sponsored my soccer team almost two decades ago), and they are always involved in the town parades. They also hold free community education programs, such as state standard child safety seat installment or introduction to mechanical parts for women, among others.
I have only ever been treated with politeness and professionalism by the staff, but they are easy going and friendly enough. When I ask to have them explain something they are doing, they take the time to show me in the garage. If you bring enough service to them you get coupons in the mail for money off of future work, and sometimes they will give loyal customers free oil changes. The layout of the office allows a lot of light and is spacious; the office is also separate from the garage, which is in the rear, so you don't have to walk through the garage to get to the office.
These are good people who stand by their work, and ultimately I know I am getting very satisfactory work from them. I never had to bring a car back to them for the same problem twice. They conduct themselves with the same quality of service you would see in a large brand-name dealership, but they are your neighborly approachable repair shop. The only downside is they need to call in specialists for specific problems with certain brands. read more
