Just want to add to other complaints I've seen (including one from an Elite Yelp Reviewer with 200+ friends and reviews), which are similar to what I experienced.
TLDR version: *Go here if you don't care about the possibility of being treated rudely because fair price and I am just ranting about one particular employee (Todd Stork), the same one mentioned in complaints by some other, more popular Yelp reviewers.*
Came in for an estimate on rear bumper damage. Got a price higher than I expected because I recently brought another car for repair on what I thought was a similar front bumper damage with a price ~$400 cheaper. I explained my previous experience and asked, "Why is it more expensive? Is there some extra work associated with this damage?"
Response: "Well, then just go there" (to the other body shop). He seemed to have been offended, although I sincerely didn't mean to be challenging or argumentative.
As he mentioned about the work that was to be done, I asked another question, "Why is it necessary to remove the bumper to repaint it instead of repaint it on the spot?"
Response: "Because that's the proper way to do it." Uninformative answer, again. Also, rather condescending. He basically went on and just repeated the types of work he already mentioned almost verbatim and slowly, as if I am stupid (well, I probably am, at least about car repair costs, but I'm a customer, not an expert).
Turns out, after going to other body shops, price was similar although the best price I found was $130 cheaper. So granted, they all gave reasonable price, but Sunroad Collision's employee gave poor explanation. The people in other body shops were much more professional and open to answering questions to customers who do not understand much about reasonable collision repair price like me, so certainly I felt treated like a customer at those other places, but not in Sunroad Collision. So, go here if you choose. Fair price, but possibly rude service, if you end up being served by the guy I got.
By the way, here's another review from someone with 224 friends and 242 Yelp reviews (Alison N.), who gave 1 star:
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Let me preface this review with saying that I purposely am NOT going to get my car serviced here because of the horrible service and experience I received in regards to my estimate.
I was driving around Burbank to San Diego for school, and long story short, I was rear-ended and ended up in a three car collision. Both of the drivers behind me were new drivers, the car that hit me was a permit driver and the one that hit her was an illegal 13-14 year old driver with no insurance on her car. Messy situation, right?
Anyway, my car was the least damaged of the three, but my bumper was damaged and on top of that, my trunk was unable to close.
Knowing that I needed at least one estimate, I was fully prepared to just go ahead and go with the Honda dealer's suggested collision repair, Sunroad Collision Centers.
I went in and at first, I thought that this would be an excellent choice to get my car repaired. My estimate was prepared by Todd and he estimated that my car would cost around ~$2,000 to repair. The reason why my trunk wouldn't close was because the impact from the collision dented my bumper. Fair enough, I was satisfied and glad to hear that the repairs were not as costly as I initially thought.
I went ahead and got two more estimates from other auto body repair shops. The second and third repair shops actually went underneath my car and informed me that the structural integrity of the unibody frame of my car had been compromised and that the damages would cost anywhere from $4000 - 5000 dollars.
I still wanted to go with the Honda dealer's collision center, so I went ahead and called back saying I had gotten another estimate and that it was so much more than SunRoad's, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. I said that my family had been in previous accidents where we had been rear-ended where we were paid an amount in full, based on an estimate alone. I told Todd at SunRoad this and he became EXTREMELY rude and argued with me saying HE would deal with the insurance and it was NOT a problem at all. I was VERY put off by the conversation and after going to more shops to get more estimates with nicer employees, I realized that SunRoad is NOT the way to go.
I TOLD the person at SunRoad that I STILL wanted to get my car fixed with them and was STILL treated with disrespect. I refuse to tolerate any hostility from someone that I would be PAYING.
Honda, I'm disappointed that SunRoad is your collision repair center of choice, and SunRoad, I'm really disappointed on how rudely I was treated.
Also, after reading the Yelp reviews, it sounds like the actual servicing of these cars SUCK as well. Sh*tty and rude estimators AND your car isn't fixed properly?? Ugh, I'll take my car someplace where I have a good experience all around!!"
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