I'm disappointed with my experience at Speedy Apollo. I want to be fair and respectful, so I'm simply describing what happened.
I brought my 1994 Mazda MX-6 in for an inspection and paid $99. After inspecting the car, I was presented with a very substantial list of recommended work. The recommendations included:
* Remanufactured brake booster replacement
* Front rotor replacement
* Rear rotor replacement
* Brake fluid flush
* Control arm/suspension work
* Timing belt kit and water pump replacement
* Tire balancing
* Wheel alignment
* I was also advised about a valve-cover gasket leak and other concerns during the inspection.
Taken together, the repairs being discussed amounted to thousands of dollars -- more than $5,000 based on the estimates and work being recommended.
Because this seemed excessive, I decided not to authorize the work and took the car elsewhere for another professional opinion.
The other garage disagreed with many of these findings. In the end, they replaced the one part they determined actually needed replacement, for approximately $250. The difference between the two assessments was more than $5,000.
I understand that mechanics can legitimately have different opinions, particularly with a 32-year-old car. Preventative recommendations are also different from repairs that are immediately necessary. However, the enormous difference between these two assessments left me very uncomfortable with my experience at Speedy Apollo.
I'm glad I sought another opinion before proceeding with thousands of dollars of recommended work. Based on my experience, I would strongly encourage anyone receiving a large repair estimate here to get an independent second opinion before authorizing the work. read more