I had a situation with my wife's car. Major problem that the dealer mechanic said would cost many thousands to fix. Shade Tree Garage gave it much closer consideration, and came up with a solution which repaired the car at almost no cost. This is at least the second time shade Tree has gone above and beyond to repair one of my vehicles and save me a lot of money in the process. I will continue to bring my cars to them. They put a lot of care into their work. read more

Great place - everyone is into what they do. Very trustworthy and good price. I have an 1973 Bronco & needed someone I could trust to work on something that needed a little TLC. Jim did the work on my car. Not only working on it but taking the time to walk me through the issues & improvements. My car went from close to un- driveable to a pleasure to be in. I'd thoroughly recommend Shade Tree. They're my new go to for any work I might need done. read more

first time there and it felt like I already knew them. owner John and staff Carey and Julisa were super friendly. Had electrical problems that previous shop tried to fix and couldn't. Kudos to tech that I did not meet for finding and fixing problem. you now have a loyal costumer. read more

They are always responsive & provide quality car care at reasonable prices & time frame..

I have been going for years and they always go the extra mile to make sure everything is done correctly

One of the most important policy aspects of Shade Tree Garage is to make sure that all vehicles that they service are thoroughly inspected by their mechanics for any possible safety issues. These issues may range from tire and/or brake wear, to fluid leaks, exhaust system leaks, to worn wheel bearings. They will inform the customer about their findings, prioritizing the severity, recommend a prudent course of action, combined with a cost estimate(s) to correct the situation(s). Most customers may not be aware of these issues and appreciate having them brought to their attention so they can make an informed decision on if, how and when to proceed with any necessary repairs or replacements. read more

Not good. Felt taken advantage of. 1. Threatened to charge me $400+ just for looking at the car (never was brought up until I was making a decision on the repair quote). 2. Also, the final bill was $1k more than the quoted repair (original quote was "worst case scenario" they said). 3. Next, they offered me a 5% cash discount, only to avoid honoring the full 5% once I brought the cash. The place is a mess. Stains all over the 1980's carpet. Smells like greed. Dealership would have been cheaper. Reach out to me and I will be happy to send you the proof of all this via emails. read more

Had our Hoinda servied extensively. Bill was very high so i called Honda for a quote $850 LESS and they advised not doing something these guys already did because it could cause the transmission to fail and advised a small extra thing be done because the work invilved removing oparts that got you close to that area and of course these champs had not done that and had already put everything back together. I tried one more time for convienience as they are close by and I just need snow tires and wheels swapped in for winter. When I went someplace else to have the sumnmer wheels/tires put back in in the spring they told me that these guys had put 3 of 5 bolts in 2 wheels in crooked and part way. I could have died. Just don't go here if you value your money and your life. read more

For the first time in the 15 years I've owned my 2003 SL500, it was given a thorough and all-encompassing going-over. John and his service techs at Shade Tree Garage addressed all the long-overdue items of deferred maintenance, which is exactly what I had been requesting over the years but never got. My vehicle now runs like a top, and I feel confident that I will continue to be driving it for many years to come. It was also a pleasure dealing with John and the friendly and efficient ladies who keep things running smoothly. Thank you all! read more

STG has provided excellent service to my classic BMW over the last 2 years. Jim has shown exceptional attention to detail as we have dealt with problems big and small to bring the car back to its full potential. John and his team provide old fashioned friendly, efficient customer service. They actually care about getting things done right. I can highly recommend STG. read more

Pleasant people, great technicians, perfect execution on the extensive list of repairs for my BMW. For improvements, better selection of hard candies on the desk Marge! lol. read more

I will not return because they did not honor the quote given (the job did not change) and for a service they were more expensive than the dealership. I called and told them the exact repair that I needed. I knew what I needed. They quoted me a price better than the dealership. When I arrived they tried to talk me into doing a diagnosis to ensure that I was correct. I declined because I didn't want to pay for a diagnosis. Well they called me after they had the car apart and told me it would be more than the original quote which now was a price match of the dealership, I agreed and asked them to do a fluid flush. They offered a quote that was $200 more than the dealership and when I told them it was more they stated that they had to drop the exhaust. I ended up going to the dealership for that service and they told me that they did not need to drop the exhaust. read more

I brought my Porsche to find out and fix why my check engine light kept coming on. After several procedures, and $8,000 dollars later, that's right you read that correctly, my car was not fixed or clean because they had no idea what the problem was. I drove my car out of the shop with the check engine light on! After speaking with several people about my situation and where I went, they told me that Shade Tree has a reputation for doing this to to other people. I will never use them again and I suggest that you think twice before you give them a call. read more

Finding an honest, helpful, and genuinely caring auto shop is a needle in a haystack these days. One day I hit a chunk of metal in the road that utterly destroyed a wheel. Having just moved to the area, I had no one to trust or ask for recommendations for a repair shop. I took a leap of faith and limped over to these guys hoping they wouldn't stick-it-in-the-rear and take advantage of my situation. They showed nothing but kindness and compassion as I juggled getting a new tire, a new rim, insurance, and a busy work week. This family-owned operation bought a customer out of me, and have consistently impressed me in my subsequent visits. Reasonable prices, stellar service. Highly recommended. read more

Brought my car in for a problem. When I drove it out nothing on the dashboard was working. The speedometer, odometer, etc. were frozen in place. They told me they could try tomfix it but since they didnt have the computer codes, and Saab was out of business, that after charging over $1000 it still wouldn't work. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but this was the third time that something new was wrong as soon as i picked up the car. A friend just this week reported to me a similar problem. read more

Great shop! Trust-worthy and dependable. John takes the time to answer all questions and explain in depth, going above and beyond to give you peace of mind. read more

This is a very good repair shop, and honest. They did a great job on my brakes for a very fair price. Would recommend them without hesitation. read more

This place used to be great. They were family owned, honest and would never over charge for repairs or insist on work that wasn't needed. Now they are crooks. Two years ago, they laced me into several costly "repairs" over the course of the year and told me I'd have to go back in 3 months to replace something, a valve or something, otherwise my car would one day just blow up into flames while I was driving it, and i would die a fiery and charred death. Needless to say, I declined the repairs, never went back, did nothing about the "fire hazard" and a year later, my car still hasn't spontaneously blown up, and killed me by flames. Find an honest mechanic. These people just want your money, they don't care about repeat business. read more

Took my aging VW van to them to fix check engine light. While there I was told the tie bars on the front wheels had been installed badly, and they needed to be replaced. They said that the left tie bar had been installed on the right side and the right on the left. THIS is mechanically impossible, since both are marked L & R. After I paid to have the check engine light fixed, the asked me to sign a waiver that I drove the car at my own risk. Took the car back to my regular VW dealer, who said that the tie bars were installed correctly, and only a knuckle joint needed replacing, which they did for free. And the check engine light came back on while I drove 13 miles to the VW dealer. Not a good experience at all. read more

These guys ripped me off. I brought my VW Golf TDI to this place almost a year ago, and they charged me almost $1500 for a repair that, at the dealership, cost me less than $500. If you have a VW to take in, do yourself the favor and take it to the dealership in Union. They're honest and they won't make unnecessary repairs. read more

I have used this garage for years. I started going because the owner is a parishioner at my church and had a reputation for being honest. I kept going back because I was generally happy with the service. Not anymore. I have heard it is under new ownership and, if so, it shows. Recently went because my wipers were finishing each cycle at the top of the windshield. From research, this is normally a problem with the lynching and it needs to be reset. Not a huge issue. If the wipers wipe, it generally is not the wiper motor but it can be. Anyway, dropped it off to be looked at. Got a call that the problem was the motor (this despite them not being able to remove the plastic cover that protects the lynching and motor.) Also, I had some leaky values (about $600 to replace) and other assorted work (about $1,400 worth) not to mention the $650 for the wiper motor! The serviceman thought the timing belt probably needed replacing as well (until he realized they did it last year.) Needless to say, I had them do the work on the wipers (since I would have been charged for some labor anyway) but that's it. I won't even slowdown as I drive by let alone go in again. read more

I've brought 2 cars to them for brake work and am very happy with the service, and entire experience. Booking an appointment is easy, communication is excellent, and there were no surprises. I'm very picky where I bring my car and am happy to have Shade Tree so close. I definitely recommend them if you need work done. read more

We came here to have our car seats inspected and it was a fantastic experience. I left very confident about how to reinstall the seats and the ladies who helped us were so knowledgeable. They were super nice and not judgmental at all about how the seats were previously installed, they just wanted to share all of the car seat safety info they had! I'd definitely recommend anyone in the area to get their seats inspected here. The program is run by volunteers so leave a donation if you are happy with this free service. I found their info on the nj.gov website and details of when they check car seats are: Hours: 8am - noon, 2nd Saturday of each month; 5pm - 8pm, 3rd Tuesday of each month For more information call: 973-540-9880 read more

Top notch service and friendly owners who go above and beyond make Shade Tree the best auto repair facility I've ever encountered!

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

Thank you so much, Shade Tree. You helped us tremendously. You corrected the mistakes of two other well-intentioned yet uniformed mechanics and you took the time to get to the root of the problem. Our Sienna has not run this well in years. The servos have been replaced, tightened and synced and the silence in the car is glorious. Fan belts replaced and timing belt tightened. Wonderful. From the moment I called, your staff was kind, courteous and knowledgeable. As a woman I don't always get this much respect when talking cars. Thank you Shade Tree. I will gladly drive half an hour again to bring our car back to you. Love that you can also be reached by train. Thank you for the ride to the station. The dealer quoted us $4000 and we paid you under $2000. And for ALL of these reasons, we'll be seeing ya further on up the road!! read more

My first time here. They are just amazing. Excellent customer service and cost-effective auto repair. They even have drop-off and pick-up service. read more

Bad experience here. Wanted to charge me $1,600 for a repair of a slightly leaking gas tank. Claimed it would take up to 12 hours for the repair. Tried to scare me into doing it immediately. When I shopped around, including the BMW dealer, found the real cost was about 1/2 that, or $800. It's a 4 to 6 hour job plus the tank. Be very, very careful with their estimates and it wouldn't hurt to get second opinion. read more

"Shady Tree" just quoted me $2200 for an $800 fix. When I asked Troy why he did this, he said he mis-quoted me for another model. The model he quoted me would have been almost the same price, so he lied to me a second time and then mumbled something about not being able to compete with the dealerships! Shade Tree has been servicing my cars for years and I'm wondering how many times they have ripped me off. Be Careful! Get a second opinion! read more

The quality of customer service will depend on which representative writes up your request. Jeremy is the go-to guy. He is confident and bright, and you walk away feeling that your car is in good hands. Troy, on the other hand, lost our keys on one visit. On another visit, he stalwartly told us that our car would take over a week to even look at. I knew this was wrong, so I left the car and called when Jeremy was there. Why would I leave a car that needs servicing over a week in parking lot? I guess Troy never heard of competition. Seriously, Troy really needs some basic customer service lessons, particularly given the clientele of this establishment. read more

Reading some of the other comments, I'm baffled by anyone who could give these guys a bad review. (Maybe someone has an ax to grind and is never satisfied??) I've been coming back to Shade Tree with several of my cars for many years and have had consistently great service. Yes, sometimes it costs more than I'd like to pay - who DOES want to spend money on car repairs? But, their prices are always competitive. And I never feel like I'm getting upsold on repairs I don't need. They've always been honest with me and they do know their stuff. read more

It's very hard to find auto mechanics that combine quality and honesty. I'm glad to know that Shade Tree is available to keep our cars running. Having a family owned business that quotes you the right job at the right price where you can talk to the owner is a much better experience than dealing with the big dealers. read more

Horrible, they wanted to charge $335 for just checking out the car and then $1000 to fix it. Their rates are more expensive than the original dealer and their parts are 100% overpriced. Got the car fixed for $300. Never again. read more

I would not go to any other garage. These folks are honest, professional and service oriented. Everything is explained thoroughly and options are provided. There are no "surprises" and you can always depend on them to go the extra mile. I highly recommend them for regular service and large repairs. Outstanding people. read more

I took my BMW to Shade Tree for the first time and they did a good job fixing it. They seemed to be very through and found some things that my BMW dealer had said would need to be addressed. I thought their prices were fair. Troy was did a good job keeping me informed. read more

Absolutely horrid. Either they are incompetent or rip off artists - or both. First visit had a problem that turned out to be a bad alternator. However, they charged me for a complete diagnostic of the electrical system (over $400) and still did NOT find the alternator to be bad. Another mechanic immediately identified that as the problem. Second visit was personally brought in and introduced to the staff by a very long term customer (25+yrs) who is almost considered family. FIgured that this would help me get decent service. Asked for an estimate for multiple issues. Not only was the estimate extremely high, but the most significant issue (the hood latch cable was stuck and the hood was not able to close fully) was not part of the huge estimate. When I inquired about that issue, the person giving me the estimate seemed surprised that I wanted that fixed as well1! The car would not have been safe or legal to drive with a hood that could not latch closed. How ignorant can anyone be - let alone someone who purports to call themselves an auto mechanic. How this place stays in business is something I will never understand. Since my last bad experience, I have heard similar horror stories about them. Beware and stay away! read more

went down the street to europcar and got an estimate for more than half the price of what these guys tried scamming me into. dont like people taking advantage of me. i dont recommend shady tree garage to anyone read more