Community Automotive Repair

Matt Tichon

★★★★★

Edited 10 months ago

Amazing experience at Community Automotive! They replaced a transmission on my Honda Pilot and it drives like it is new. My service advisor, Dave, was fantastic and kept me apprised and updated along the way. I paid about 1/2 of what the dealership was asking. It’s geat to have an honest auto shop for my future needs.

Maxwell Taylor (MHTBravo)

★★★★☆

Edited 2 years ago

I made the right choice! I moved back to the Grand Rapids area back in September 2019. Shortly after moving here I bought a new (to me) car. Whenever I get to a new area I look for three specific buisness to become a regular at. A barber, a coffee shop and a mechanic. I did all my research online mainly via reviews and landed on Community Automotive. The first expirience I had was when I brought my car in for an inspection. I did not get one before I bought the car. (Shame on me.) They completed the inspection rather quickly and gave me list of suggestions but did not try to pressure me into getting any expensive work done right away. I ended up coming back a couple months later to go ahead and get that suggested work done. I did everything but the brakes they suggested. Now that leads me to my one and only gripe. I did not get the brakes done because they wanted over $500 just for the front brakes and that seemed high to me. But they completed everything else for me in a nice timely manner. And when I had a small issue relating to the maintenance performed I came back and the adjusted the issue quickly and for free! Kevin specifically is the one who I had the most contact with and he was very helpful. This place has a few horror story reviews, but I learned that in most cases those are retaliation for something the customer probably messed up or misunderstood. And it seems Community Automotive apologized and fessed up to any mistakes they KNOW they made. So dont let those scary 1 star reviews keep you away. All in all, I will probably be returning to this shop as long as the quality of service stays the same! Thanks guys! 2023 Update: I recently purchased a new to me 2001 E320 Mercedes-Benz. I was experiencing an odd electrical problem with the car, so I brought it in for diagnosis. I had an idea of what was causing the issue but wanted an expert to look at it. The diagnosis I was provided with made no sense with the symptoms I was advising. I feel as though this was a fault of communication between the service advisor and the actual mechanic. I asked to speak with the mechanic and was just told he was too busy. I ended up paying over $400 for an oil change and a diagnosis that was completely unhelpful and incorrect as I found the problem. I was almost charged another almost $400 for something that would have not solved my problem. I went home and fixed the problem myself for $200. I am disappointed because I had such good experiences 2 years ago with my Subaru. I am not sure if I will return or not.

Ondrea Spychalski

★☆☆☆☆

a year ago

I wanted to be able to give a good review after my boyfriend recommended Community Auto. Unfortunately, his experience was much different than mine. I wish they would have told me when I asked if they were available for me to bring my vehicle in that they were busy as they had it for 5 days with hardly any communication – I would have gladly found a different shop that had the capacity and time for communication. I had an alternator replaced at a different location when I got stranded a week prior to bringing my vehicle into Community Auto. It turns out the part that was installed was defective and needed to be replaced a week later. After dropping off my vehicle to get it “looked at” for an estimated total of $135, I had to call them and ask what the issue was as they never got back to me. They asked about my battery, and after telling them it was rather new, they simply said “Well, it’s dead and you will need a new one for $237.00” – Oh, and also here is a $2,000 estimate for what else we think needs fixing”. Now, I’m no mechanic, but I assumed they had also checked the newly installed alternator, since that is what charges the battery, but it seems they completely missed that part. After having to call again for an update, they said the vehicle was ready (battery replaced). Upon picking it up, before I even put it in reverse, all of the sensors that had gone off before went off again immediately. They said they would take another look and “hopefully have an answer for me by tomorrow”. I heard this response over the course of 5 days after I had to continuously call for an update. And yes, it was the alternator that they finally decided to check that was the problem – shocker. Once they decided to contact the repair shop that put in the alternator, they had to take another day to “run numbers” on the warranty. Again, I did not hear back from them. Instead, I got a call from the original repair shop, stating that they would happily cover the part, however, Community Auto was going to charge me an additional $500 for a new alternator of their preferred choice, which they never told me. When I asked them why there was an additional charge, I was simply told it’s because “they don’t purchase cheap parts”. I had to get this additional charge and information from a secondary source who was simply looking out for me. When I told them I would be taking it to a different location, they literally asked if I would be driving it off the lot right then and there while trying to hand me my key. Driving a car that clearly does not work – seems safe, right? I had my vehicle then towed to a different repair shop – they had answers regarding the main issue, had my warranty confirmed, a part ordered, and my car back on the road within 48 hours, without the run around and ridiculous attempt at additional fees. Was overall just very disappointed in their lack of communication and blatant disregard for my time.

Heather Osterink

★★★★★

a year ago

This was my first time going to Community Automotive Repair, and it was a great experience! I felt like they did a thorough inspection on my vehicle and very clearly laid out what were the absolute necessary fixes - like your car is going to die on you if you don't get these things fixed - and what were optional fixes but would be good for my car, and what we're absolutely not necessarily essential fixes. They let me do all the choosing and just laid out my options. They just did a great job with everything! Dave is amazing!

Keeplooking Up

★★★★★

Edited a year ago

very pleased with the service I received. Great communication, and honest. Madison did a great job keeping me updated on progress. I also spoke with Dana the technician that had done the the repairs, and informed me what needed to be done. Also the owner Brandon, who I scheduled my appointment with, listened to my concerns and took very detailed notes.

JT Farmer

★★★★★

3 years ago

Best place around for high performance European cars! They have done all of the installation and tuning on my 2015 Audi S4. My car has spent a total of over 2.5 months in their shop for a big project - I’ve asked countless questions, sent many text messages, called too many times to count - and they respond every time, and are happy to chat. It’s been great working with them to build my dream. Todd goes above and beyond to make sure things are done right.

Mindy Finney

★★★★☆

6 months ago

They do quality work for sure and I trust them. My only issue is that it would be nice if they communicated a little more effectively. It was hard to get an idea of when my vehicle would be ready and so planning around that was difficult. It’s totally understandable if they’re busy, but just be up front about that. Otherwise, top notch service.

Robby Thompson

★☆☆☆☆

a year ago

Rip off prices. I ended up getting quotes around $60-$80 for my mud flaps at other places. I installed the grille myself. The labor was not even hard for me. You would think the estimate here would be more than the mud flaps?! I went to muffler man for my exhaust for $120. Still high and I could have actually done that myself if I had the tools. It was only two bolts worth of work. West side garage did offer to replace the axelback for $70 but I was impatient and just wanted it done since they were already booked. And they couldn’t even tell me why their prices were so outrageously high. If you’re old and rich and know absolutely nothing about cars and want to feel “cool” then this might be the right place for you.

Luis Pena

★★★★★

4 months ago

This place was pretty awesome!! They send regular updates via text and include pictures of things that need fixing and they do full inspection on the vehicle. Very pleased they diagnosed problem with my wife's Fiat and fixed car for very reasonable price

Jay Cee

★★★★★

Edited a year ago

Cars always need something. Each time I visit for an issue, the team at CAR does an exhaustive inspection. Mine is a 2011, so requires a bit of upkeep. After each inspection, they highlight things that I can have done, to save me trouble down the road. I wouldn't take the "There's just this one other thing..." from just any mechanic. After several visits, I have consistently been bowled over by the quality of service. I trust Dave and the team at CAR, and will continue to ignore all the other shops in town. 😉 -John Clark

Lacey T

★★★★★

5 months ago

I live across the street and wanted to use a local repair shop to have my a/c recharged. Their pricing was not only competitive but they were extremely helpful and kind! I have even stopped in to ask for help putting air in my tire and they were so quick to help! Will continue using them for all my repair needs. Can’t recommend enough!

bbalconi

★☆☆☆☆

Edited a month ago

Charged me a $300 diagnostic fee and another $270 in labor to swap out an ABS sensor. Despite telling me it would be unfair to leave a negative review based on this, I will definitely say that price sure seems like a ripoff to me! Replacing this part is as simple of a job as they come.

Jennifer Tendero

★★★★★

3 months ago

Community Automotive has been my go-to place for car wisdom and knowledge for over 20 years. Todd has counseled me through -very reluctantly - letting go of my ancient Volvo 240 that was in the shop more than not, and years later, an old Discovery I loved, but that was a heartbreak and money pit from day one. I have called them for advice many times before buying a used car, and they have gladly given it. I can think of no group of people I trust my cars with more than those who work at Community.

Monreau

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

Brought in vehicle for exhaust issue. Took multiple days of not being able to look at it, with an appointment in order to get a "answer" I spoke with multiple people as the communication was strictly fueled by me calling and finding out details. Once a "diagnosis" was revealed, repair was completed. Except, that did not fix the issue. I was then told that the tech never experienced what we were describing, therefore replaced and expensive part that was not necessary. The only resolution was to bring the vehicle back in and have them diagnose AGAIN. Very confused as that what we thought was happening the FIRST time. I would not bring any vehicle here again. The communication was terrible and the fact a part was replaced that didn't need to be...I will go elsewhere and suggest everyone else to do the same.

Andrew Moon

★★★★★

a month ago

First time taking my Volvo to Community, and I will be back again and again. Dave was fantastic, the quote was reasonable, and thhe courtesy drop-off was super handy. Much better than the local Volvo dealer!!

Keith Remelts

★★☆☆☆

a year ago

My experience with my LR4 has been a mixed bag, but the most frustrating issues have come from incompetent repair shops. I've taken my vehicle to several shops, and each has created new problems rather than solving the existing ones. While this particular shop hasn't outright broken my vehicle, their lack of attention to detail and diagnostic capability is deeply disappointing. They rely too heavily on computer readouts and fail to listen to customer concerns. For a shop charging over $250 an hour, I expected a far higher standard of service. For instance, they once failed to diagnose a blatant coolant leak despite my car leaving massive puddles every time I drove it. Even after keeping the vehicle for several weeks, they claimed they couldn't replicate the issue. It wasn't until I insisted they look again that they "miraculously" found the leak. More recently, I asked them to investigate an air suspension leak caused by a hack job from another shop. Unfortunately, this turned into another ordeal. Despite my clear instructions—including photos highlighting specific areas to inspect—they assured me there was no leak and instead blamed the issue on a failing compressor. They even confirmed this over phone calls and texts. Yet, less than a block after leaving their shop, the suspension fault light reappeared. My partner and I spent more time squeezing the vehicle into our small garage than it took to identify the actual problem ourselves. Within 40 seconds of removing a wheel and spraying soapy water, we found the exact leak I had tried to have them find. I've attached the photo I sent to them when I desperately tried to have them do actual diagnostic work. Their inability to perform a basic visual inspection or follow simple diagnostic steps is hard to excuse. Had I agreed to their $1,800 estimate to replace the compressor, the issue would still have remained unresolved. Instead, I spent a few hours and $39 on a new line and fixed it myself. While my experience may not reflect everyone's, the repeated lack of competence and attention to detail has been enough for me to decide never to return. I’m sure they’ll be just as relieved to hear that. Good luck if you decide to trust them with your vehicle—you’ll need it.

Olivia E.

★☆☆☆☆

a month ago

They had my car for a week and didn't do any work on it. I dropped off my car last Wednesday to get a coolant leak identified and fixed. Based off their quote it seemed like a easy job. On Friday they called saying they had not started work yet. On Monday I called several times throughout the day but they could not answer any questions because the service manager was unavailable. I was told he would call me back be he did not. After having the car for a week with no updates I finally had to pick it up with no work being done because I can't let them hold my car indefinitely. When it was picked up, they said they weren't able to find the issue but that cannot be true since there was no update for me when I called and I was the one to initiate picking up the car. I'm very disappointed because this shop appeared to have good reviews and initially seemed very professional. As a side note, my appointment was scheduled a week in advance so there is no excuse not to have the proper time scheduled to inspect it.