Kars Auto Shop

Paris Jung

★★★★★

2 months ago

I came for a transmission issue after going to multiple other repair shops. Everywhere else told me it would cost a couple thousand dollars and made it sound extremely serious and expensive. A family member referred me, and I’m so glad they did. They were honest, knowledgeable, and upfront, and the cost ended up being less than a couple hundred dollars. The issue was fixed properly, and I haven’t had any problems since! It was such a relief to find a shop that’s trustworthy, reliable, and not trying to overcharge. I finally feel like I have a consistent auto shop I can depend on. Highly recommend!!! :)

Brian

★☆☆☆☆

3 weeks ago

I am documenting my experience in technical detail so that other customers can better understand how the repair process unfolded. 1. First Visit – CV Axle Replacement: I visited due to persistent suspension-related noise. Considering the vehicle’s mileage, I anticipated that a thorough inspection of the front suspension assembly and interconnected components would be mandatory. The shop diagnosed only the CV axles and indicated that other suspension components were acceptable for continued operation. Based on that professional assessment, I approved the axle replacement. 2. Second Visit – Wheel Bearing Diagnosis: Because the nature and volume of the noise persisted identically even the day after the repair, I had no choice but to return later. Since I fully trusted the shop’s initial diagnosis, I assumed the noise might be tire resonance and visited again specifically to perform a tire rotation. It was only then that the issue was identified as a wheel bearing failure. From a mechanical standpoint, the axle nut preload (commonly 150–200+ ft-lb) must have been released during the CV axle replacement at the first visit. This preload acts as a force compressing the inner races of the hub bearing; once released, the bearing becomes free-spinning, creating the ideal condition to inspect its internal wear. At this stage, standard inspection procedures include: Checking for manual hub rotation roughness or notchiness; tactile detection of early damage such as brinelling, pitting, or spalling; checking axial and radial play; and measuring runout with a dial gauge if necessary. Even without disassembly, a bearing issue can often be diagnosed by simply checking for play while the vehicle is on a lift (e.g., a "shake test" of the wheel). While I'm unsure of the procedures during the first visit's disassembly, the fact that a faulty bearing was missed then—but found later without disassembly—raises serious questions about the shop’s competence and diagnostic thoroughness. 3. Post-Bearing Repair – Emergence of Steering and Chassis Vibration: After the wheel bearing replacement, even the very next day, I began experiencing steering and chassis vibration at highway speeds so severe that it was frightening to drive—vibrations I had never felt before. Upon returning, additional repairs were recommended for strut assemblies and control arms. During the previous CV axle, bearing, or knuckle-related services, the steering knuckle is detached and ball joints are separated, making all major suspension components mechanically exposed. In this state, a qualified technician should easily identify ball joint play and boot damage, cracked or delaminated bushings, signs of strut hydraulic leakage or damping loss, and excessive compliance movement. Technically speaking, it is highly irregular for an experienced technician to miss these signs unless they were purposefully ignored. Given that the labor for these repairs is substantially overlapping, I remain highly skeptical as to why a comprehensive assessment was not provided from the start. Conclusion – Concern About Repair Sequencing and Structural Implications: The repair sequence and communication style described above structurally result in clear benefits for the shop while causing significant financial, temporal, and psychological loss for the consumer. Presenting limited repair items initially fundamentally prevents the customer from making an informed and correct judgment regarding the repair. Because the root cause is not fully addressed, the likelihood of a return visit remains high, and as additional problems are introduced sequentially, customers find themselves in a "sunk cost" trap. Furthermore, performing these repairs separately leads to redundant disassembly and reassembly, forcing the customer to pay far more in labor than if the full scope had been disclosed at once. Because the full scope of repairs was not fully disclosed, this raised many concerns. Do this shop’s business practices in this case objectively align with consumer-oriented standards?

Alaa Alshrouf

★☆☆☆☆

Edited 2 months ago

An hour and a half to diagnose a suspension noise. They did tell me it would take that long initially so I was willing to accept it. After diagnosing, apparently I needed 2 new shocks on front side and both lower and upper control arms on the left front side to be replaced. I was quoted $1500 to do this work on my 2021 GMC Sierra. I thought it was too new of a truck to need all that work so I took it to another mechanic. The other mechanic drove the truck with me in it so I could explain what noise I'm talking about. Then he put it up on the lift and showed me there was a loose nut attached to the lower control arm. He tightened it right in front of meand allowed me to test drive it after he tightened it. NOISE WAS GONE! I came back and looked at his smug face as if he knew that was the problem. He then goes NO CHARGE. LETS JUST SAY IM NOT GOING TO KARS AGAIN. Update after they responded to my review. They said they recommended I go to the dealer in their response. THAT IS A LIE. They said nothing to me about the truck being under warranty nor did they recommend I go to the dealer. If you stand by the "complimentary inspection," I definitely won't be coming back and I feel bad for the others who do. Good luck scamming others.