TL;DR: Took my car to Valet Auto Body for a minor repair. When I picked it up, a dashboard control was visibly broken. Shane acknowledged the damage and promised to make it right, but the owner, Trace, refused to take responsibility, dismissed the issue, and shifted blame. Repairing the damage now costs thousands. Disappointed by their lack of accountability and poor customer care--wouldn't recommend this shop.
I really wish I had a better experience with Valet Auto Body, but unfortunately I was sorely disappointed with their lack of accountability and customer care. I cannot recommend this shop to anyone and urge others to think twice before trusting this business with their vehicle.
I brought my car in for a minor repair and everything initially went smoothly. They worked with my insurance, and after a week and a half, I was able to pick up my car. Shane, the tech I spoke with, walked me through what was done and handed me the keys. However, as soon as I got back into the driver's seat, I noticed a control on my dashboard was visibly broken and no longer functioning properly.,
I immediately went back into the shop and pointed it out to Shane, who came out to inspect the issue. He agreed the control was broken, took accountability for the damage, and even compared it to the check-in photos, confirming that the damage was done while the car was in their possession. Shane assured me they'd make it right and suggested I contact the dealership to determine the best solution.
I spent considerable time calling every dealership on the Wasatch Front to find the most reasonable repair option for Valet because I genuinely wanted to be fair about the situation. The dealerships all confirmed that the damage was significant and required the entire gauge cluster to be replaced, amounting to thousands of dollars in parts and labor.
When I returned to Valet and asked to speak with Shane, he wasn't available, so I spoke with Trace, the owner. This is where everything took a disappointing turn. Despite Shane's earlier assurances, Trace completely changed the narrative. He refused to take responsibility for the damage to my vehicle, dismissively calling it "weird" and claiming his employees wouldn't have a reason to be my dashboard. (Shane had previously mentioned that it likely happened when they were cleaning my dash--a service I neither requested nor consented to.)
Trace repeatedly emphasized that he couldn't justify spending thousands of dollars on a repair for a job that only brought in a couple hundred for his shop. Instead of apologizing or showing any sympathy, he attempted to shift blame by suggesting the control "delaminated" due to a "known issue," which it absolutely is not. I thoroughly researched this claim through Reddit, car forums, and by consulting four different dealerships. The control had worked perfectly for over a year, with daily use, and there were no signs of pre-existing issues.
To make matters worse, Trace suggested I attempt to get the dealership to cover the repair under warranty, which felt like an unfair and unprofessional way to avoid taking accountability by pawning it off as a defective piece.
At the end of the day, I trusted a local, independent auto body shop to handle a simple bumper repair and ended up with thousands of dollars in unexpected damage. I'm deeply frustrated because I thought I did my due diligence by reading numerous online reviews and comparing quotes from multiple auto body shops before deciding to trust Valet. I wanted to support a local business, but their dishonesty and lack of responsibility have made me regret that decision.
This experience has made me rethink avoiding the larger chain businesses. At least larger companies, there's typically a level of accountability that this shop clearly lacks. Valet Auto Body's customer care and professionalism fell far below what any vehicle owner should expect. read more