Hawthorneauto reviews

1552882979

Flint Redrock

google

At Hawthorne Auto Clinic we work hard to provide each customer the information they need to make the best decision that fits their goals for their vehicle and their budget. It is true that an 18 year old car can have expensive issues. (And delaying a needed repair can exacerbate a problem.) I am grateful Flint acknowledges our thoroughness and trustworthiness. We strive to provide high quality service to all our customers and a great work environment and wage and benefit package for our employees. I believe our diligence is reflected in our high Google, Yelp, Demand Force reviews and our 2 BBB Business Integrity Awards. I promise we will continue to do our best to earn the trust our customers have in us.

1540996237

1

EDIT: It's such a red flag when businesses feel the need to respond to bad reviews and argue with customers or try to discredit them for using a pseudonym for their online presence. This review is incredibly fair; you should listen to it before spending the extra money on car repairs here. I am conflicted about writing this review because I have had a lot of good experiences with Hawthorne Auto. I mostly trust the technicians there to diagnose and fix car problems, but Hawthorne Auto is a business and I need to review it like one. If you are not a wealthy person, do not get your car repaired at Hawthorne Auto. Even if you are, be very careful about authorizing repairs before you get a second opinion elsewhere. Or take it in to get diagnosed here, and then have another shop do the repairs. Sounds crazy, right? Every time I take my cars to Hawthorne Auto, there is a new problem. The second to last time I took my car in, I was told that I needed to replace a set of bushings, and that it would be $6-700. After a couple weeks of saving money to do that, I went back in and was told that now there were two sets of bushings to replace, and that it would be $14-1500. I didn't have that kind of money for the kind of car I owned, so when I got my oil changed elsewhere I asked them to give me a quote on bushings. The new place quoted me ~$500 to replace both sets of bushings. When I brought it in to get an inspection, they said that the bushings were in decent enough shape for an older car, and that they wouldn't recommend it. That's right, I offered a mechanic shop $500 for free and they kindly said no thanks that won't be necessary. I am not saying that Hawthorne Auto is crooked or exploitative. I think that they think they are doing a good job, they want their mechanics to make a living wage, and they want your car to run perfectly. At the same time, I don't think they take a holistic view of a car's health. This is an 18yo grandma car that I bought for $5000 cash, drove for five years, is starting to rust through the bottom, and will get a couple more years out of. It's not a car to spend its entire worth on fixing imaginary problems. I imagine that Hawthorne Auto is used to servicing much nicer cars for people with much more money to burn. If you are one of those people, Hawthorne Auto should be a great and reliable shop. If not, find a mechanic that has a broader perspective on car issues, and if you find one that tells you not to waste money, keep going to them. I own a much nicer car now, and I pay much less to get the kind of service I thought I was getting at Hawthorne Auto.

1427781067

April Patrick-Sonnenburg

google

1

Misdiagnosed and replaced the wrong parts, refused to admit it, then wanted another $100 an hour to look around some more.

1547145217

Jason Krumsick

google

5

I have been taking my 98 Subaru there for years. They are the best and keep my old car in tip top condition.

1558626935

Christopher Miranda

google

5

Very professional, and nice. They let me know exactly what was wrong and didn't tack on additional costs.

1524521879

Nick Reza

google

I am glad Nick found someone to perform the work that he wanted done. In my 35+ years of experience we far too often encounter very high mileage engines, like Nick's, that have suffered a blown head gasket, then suddenly have high oil consumption following the head gasket replacement procedure. (Modern piston rings are very thin and lose tension when overheated, engine cylinder walls are very thin and distort when overheated, milling the cylinder head, part of the procedure, raises internal combustion pressure.) We also provide a 2 year warranty. I explained to Nick that for the reasons mentioned we would not be able to warranty a head gasket replacement and therefore we decline that work under high mileage circumstances. The only thing we could offer would be a rebuilt engine, and that would exceed the value of his vehicle. We simply are not comfortable performing a high risk repair that may result in customer dissatisfaction. I hope in Nick's case this repair works out well.

1524527918

2

Seemed like competent shop, but their recommendation for repair was too expensive and they would not go any other way. Had a blown head gasket, only repair they offered was a new motor...yeah right. Paid less than 1/3 they quoted me to get it replaced somewhere else, with a 2 year warranty on parts and labor included.