My phenomenal auto service experience at Spring Street in Windsor Locks
I am inspired to write and share with you the incredible service experience I had at Spring Street Service Center, and with Eric Carlson, who was nothing short of exceptional. I'd also like to point out that this is the first time I have ever written a review, and no, I wasn't even asked or offered to fill out any kind of survey.
My Background: You see, I spent many years working in and managing auto shops - both at a dealers and independent shops, and thought I'd always treated my customers fairly, and was upfront with them regarding cost and how long a repair would take no matter what. I was blown away at how well Eric and the highly skilled technicians treated me from start to finish.
The Problem: For a few weeks now, I've been hearing a ticking noise coming from the right front engine compartment of my car, but just chalked it up to its age (2000 Nissan Maxima with 185,000 miles). This past Friday, I was driving from northeast Mass. to visit my sister in Windsor, CT, (approx. 160 miles), and when I was about 15 minutes out, the dreaded 'service engine soon' light came on and had a bad engine vibration. So, I contacted my sister and brother in law for a recommendation, and they sent me to Spring Street, and I limped my car there by about 1:30 pm.
The Meet: I met Eric at the service counter, and explained my situation; I am travelling from out of town for the weekend (not to mention, my car still has CA plates!). I asked if they were open Saturday (they're not), and was told maybe they'd get to check it out that afternoon, and depending upon what was needed, I'd probably be looking at Monday or Tuesday. I just casually mentioned that I'd hoped to return to Mass. Sunday afternoon. Not only did I feel out of place with a new shop, out of town, but trapped and was feeling like I could be very easily taken advantage of!
Eric very calmly reassured me and answered all my questions, including when I told him my expectations for communication of the diagnosis and cost estimation approval. I was again reassured that, "We do things right here." Hmmm, this was unusual and I was becoming more comfortable with my situation.
Results: Well, turns out Eric got my car in right away, two of the best techs (mechanics) worked on it, and it was running well and was ready for me to pick up by 4:30! One of my spark plugs had come loose and created a host of other issues, including the possibility of some debris from the spark plug inside the engine! We took it one step at a time. Eric communicated to me several times the diagnosis, status and the cost estimates, and calmly and very reasonably answered all my questions (I grilled him pretty well on a few things). Now, I have must confess, because I had grown more and more comfortable, there were a couple of times I preauthorized a repair to help keep things moving, because I knew if it didn't pass the next step, repairs would stop and I would get a call.
Today, my car is running great and the SES light is off. And the pros at Spring Street diagnosed the issue, fixed the problem, and provided ideal timing and great service. All around it was a great experience, and I felt taken care of, not taken advantage of. And most importantly, my return trip was trouble free! Its why I brought them cookies!
I heartily recommend them and suggest you check them out for your own auto service experience! Eric and the service center are located at 436 Spring Street, Windsor Locks, CT 06096, and can be reached at 860-627-5987.
Thank you,
Robert W. read more
