The KAR Shop

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Andrea Perkins
5 months ago
I just came in for an oil change and they automatically do an inspection which allows you to prepare financially for any upcoming maintenance your car will need. As always they were right there for me. Rusty was who I spoke to, and he helped me understand the things that I need to prioritize and what I could have a bit more time on and still be safe. This openness and honesty is incredibly hard to find and fills me with such trust no one else will ever touch my car! I also love that I can drop it off the night before and they can have it ready for me usually in the morning.They are always excellent at communicating with you and answering all of your questions! They make everything easy too with the printout text estimate and you can just select what services you want to have completed, no pressure. They ALWAYS stand behind every repair and keep track of your warranty on the parts they replace which saves you time and money! If you need an honest and excellent mechanic look no further.Services: Steering & suspension replacement, Auto maintenance

  Will Sivilli
a month ago
Below this review today, which I m giving Kar Shop a 1 star overall score.The previous 5 star I did last year was well viewed, Google sent an email congratulating me on the fact that the number of views had gone over 3000.Today I m sad to give them a one star. I ll explain in detail my reasons. First I have to say that Kris the owner is a professional, friendly and funny guy. He has always treated me, my wife and my daughter with respect and great service. The same cannot be said for his current manager Rusty. Kris seems to have placed a great deal of trust in him, which in my opinion is misplaced. However Kris is the owner so it s his responsibility to inspect the behavior of all of his employees. But lately I haven t seen or heard much from Kris at the shop. Again it s his business and his decisions on how to manage it.So to the first reason that I m editing my review;I called the shop on 2/15 to set up an appointment to have the oil changed on my Infinity, Rusty answered and told me the soonest was 2/28, it must be nice to be so busy that an oil change would require an appointment that far out. I called Firestone and they said I could come in that day and get it done. I didn t but over the weekend I decided to call Kris on Monday morning and talk to him personally. My call went to an answering machine so I left a message clearly saying that I would like Kris to call me back at his earliest convenience.I get a call from Rusty, he said he got the message, apparently he didn t get it , I didn t want to talk to him, so I simply said please ask Kris to call me.As of today 2/28 I haven t heard anything from Kris. Unfortunately it leads me to more distrust of Rusty, I don t think he even told Kris.Now on to some ether examples of why I m disappointed with the overall general service since Rusty took over. My wife has spent over $4000 dollars last year on major repairs. The problem is that the repair was not done correctly and she had to return her Mazda several times to get the problem fixed. One time it took so long they gave her this dumpy minivan to drive around because she was without her car for so long. Each time it was not fixed properly and today she told me that it was giving her the same problem again.On to my truck, I felt that my brakes were feeling soft, so I took it to the place I have trusted. Rusty tells me that the entire brakes need replacing, the cost $1800. I need my truck for home projects so I told him to do the job.When I got it back, the brakes felt pretty much the same, with the same problem, when stopped if your foot is not pushing very hard, the truck will just continue to nudge forward. This time s after an almost $2k repair? I took it back to have it checked, explaining to Rusty the problem is still there. When I got my truck back after the second repair, it wasn t any different. It still like this today.Now to my Infinity, my wife and I were returning from an out of town trip when the car acted up. I knew there was something wrong, so I took it to the shop. I told Rusty that we were getting tired of, what seemed like, every time we came in we were getting hit with $1000 to $2000 repairs.I said to Rusty I don t want another $1000 repair, if so I was going to go elsewhere.He came in at $918, but telling me that he had to bare bones on this repair. You know what the trust I once had is gone, I didn t believe him.Now I get to why it is important for me to take the time to explain how hard But since Rusty has been managing the estimates have gone up considerably and the wait times for appointments are not reasonable. Look I understand that everything in terms of pricing has gone up, look at gas, food and travel. However the estimates are not in line with the bump in the market economy. I m sure Rusty is showing an overall increase in revenue which would make any boss or owner in this case happy, but at what price?I hope to hear from you Kris as I have no other means to give you my opinion on what I m seeing. You know how to reach me. Thank youWill

  liz m
4 weeks ago
Rusty and Kris are awesome.Everything you could want from a mechanic - reliable, honest and trustworthy. So glad we have them!

  Elizabeth Corolis
7 months ago
By far, my favorite car repair shop. Rusty and the other mechanics/team members I spoke with were all incredibly kind and knowledgeable. They go above and beyond for their customers. They are quick and the prices are very fair. Really can't beat their service and superior workmanship.Service: A/C installation & repairService: A/C installation & repair

  Susan Baker
5 months ago
VERY disappointed. Car booked in today on the understanding that if the brakes needed doing I would get a loaner vehicle. I told them multiple times I had to be back home by 9am. I was there at 7:25am, I said I could wait ONE hour without taking the loaner car he said fine. They didn t even take the car in until 8:10 am, by 8:35 I was getting concerned but he said it was ok. Turned out it WASN T OK!!! By 8:55 I was frantic, but he then decided to tell me he wouldn t have had a loaner car for me anyway! I will never use them again because he just lied! If you want somewhere that you can trust, SORRY KAR SHOP IS NOT THE PLACE TO USE. IF THEY CANT BE HONEST AND UPFRONT THEN AVOID THEM. They certainly lost my business!I have read some of your response but gave up when I saw all the lies!!!!!!!! You did NOT inform me at the beginning that you had no loaner vehicle that is a TOTAL lie. You did NOT tell me until I got annoyed at the end, so I didn't bother reading beyond that as like I said you cannot be TRUSTED. You are a service industry and if you LIE to your customers, then for me you are a non-entity!!!!!!!!!

  Jennifer Nossem
8 months ago
My car is almost important as breathing, so when it breaks down I take it here! The techs are very knowledgeable. I know my car is in great hands. I have never been up sold on parts. They always check things thoroughly. Because they are so good at what they do, they do get busy, but it s worth the peace of mind.

  Todd Cuddy
9 months ago
Kris and his crew are fantastic! We have used them for a few minor issues over the years and it s always been a great experience! This go around we had a problem with a check engine light and loss of power. After diagnosing the issue and discussing all of the options we ultimately decided to sell the vehicle and purchase new. Throughout the process though, Kris and his team stayed in constant communication and provided their open and honest assessment.If you are looking for a trusted mechanical team for your vehicle(s) I would look no further!

  Anna Chamberland
5 months ago
We ve been bringing our vehicles to the Kar Shop since we moved to AZ 7 years ago. We appreciate that we have never been advised to get work done that was not needed at the time of our service appt.Service: Air & cabin filter replacementService: Air & cabin filter replacement

  David Parisi
10 months ago
This is the only shop I trust to work on my truck and my girlfriend's jeep. I don't trust auto shops, been ripped off at Firestone, Gerlach s, and others. But not here, Kris is honest and always emphasizes customer service. Two thumbs up!

  Kathy Calle
6 months ago
We have been customers here since they opened and keep coming back for good reason. The staff is always nice and the work is always done in a timely manner. The most important part is they have always been honest and do not cut corners, being honest and up front!Service: Electrical repairService: Electrical repair

  Matthew Fleener (Matt)
7 months ago
They overcharge for parts by up to 300%. Was charged $900 to replace 1 ignition coil, 6 sparkplugs, intake manifold gasket. 6 months later another ignition coil failed and I found out they charged me the price of 6 ignition coils and only replaced 1. I replaced all 6 ignition coils and sparkplugs myself for under $300 and a few hours of labor.Edit: the only misinformation is that it was more than 6 months ago. Regardless the repair didn't even last a year and I had to replace the same exact ignition coil . I commend Rusty for reaching out to me and his customer service but the fact remains that I was charged entirely too much for a repair that didn't last more than a year. I'm sorry but I have no confidence in this shop to do affordable and effective repairs .

  Metui Tuaone
9 months ago
Don t get scammed. I took my Nissan Altima in for a simple drive belt replacement since I was honestly just too lazy to do it myself and the belt was shredded in half (I m at about 85k miles, never replaced it before, it makes sense that the belt just succumbed to age).An hour after I dropped it off with Rusty - I get a quote showing a bill of $2500, and them claiming my AC compressor was locked up and that s what caused the belt to shred.. Umm excuse me ?!? My car was blowing crisp cold air when I dropped it off, no way it could ve been the AC compressor. They claimed that they looked at the AC compressor and that the pulley was completely locked and not moving. Not true. I brought my car back to my garage and took the tire off to see the entire drive belt system - sure enough the AC compressor pulley was moving along fine and keeping up with the other pulleys.Well I ve completed the drive belt replacement and the car is running fine, AC is still blowing cold crisp air, drive belt is moving smooth. If what Rusty was saying were true - my new drive belt would be shredded again after grinding along a locked AC compressor pulley, the air wouldn t be cold, and I wouldn t be able to VISUALLY see the AC compressor pulley moving fine.It s summer, it s hot and this shop seems to be riding the wave of taking advantage of folks and AC - anything they can blame on the AC system, better believe they will to make you pay exuberant amounts for big, unnecessary jobs. Be safe and avoid these guys.

  Sydney Mann
8 months ago
Just moved to Arizona, the cross country drive caused an engine light to pop up (falsely) and we failed emissions. Made an appointment, the light had turned off since making the appointment but we wanted to make sure it was okay. Rusty ran it for codes and told us to go to emissions considering our situation and we passed! It would ve been easy to keep the car all day and run tests on it to charge us but instead they were honest and upfront. Very professional and friendly. Will definitely be going back for all of our maintenance needs.Service: Auto engine diagnostic

  Richard Scerbo
a week ago
I m old school Rusty Kar shop . Is a excellent repair service. He takes care customer .

  Paige Kowalesky
5 months ago
Russ was very polite and informative, when I was in a little bit of a hurry. So happy with my first experience at The KAR Shop.

  Sam W
a year ago
The KAR shop is the best! I've been taking my cars to them for years.They're always honest, have fair prices, and never prescribe work that doesn't need to be done.They stand by their work and if something is ever missed (which is rare), they make it right!Services: Air & cabin filter replacement, General repairs & maintenance, Vehicle Inspection, Brakes, Wiper blade installation, Auto maintenance, Battery, Oil change

  Alexis Romanos
a year ago
I have been using the Kar Shop for years now. I don t know much about cars but they take the time to explain everything to me. They let me know what needs to be done now and what I can hold off on. They are the most honest, hardworking, and nicest people I ve ever met. I ve recommended them to several friends and family and they all go to the Kar Shop now! Today, I was an hour late, and they still took my car in right away. Chris from the Kar Shop is super funny and has amazing customer service skills. Highly recommend the Kar Shop.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  D Portschi
a year ago
My entire family has been taking our cars to the Kar Shop for years. They run a honest repair shop, I never feel like they are quoting me a higher price because I m a female. Just compare that statement to going to your dealership? I ve had some major issues with one of my cars and Kris worked through it from the least expensive to the total replacement, just to ensure that I didn t overpay for service not needed.I would recommend taking your vehicle to The Karshop for all of your repair needs!Thank you Kris for running a very honest business!Services: Air & cabin filter replacement, General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic, Brakes, A/C installation & repair, Air conditioning, Vehicle safety inspection, Wiper blade installation, Auto brake replacement, Oil change

  Lise Seavers
a year ago
I can't give this company enough praise! A VW dealership told me that I needed a repair costing over $2,0]0. The Kar shop examined my car and confirmed that nothing was wrong. They've become my auto repair shop! Customer service is above and beyond!Service: Auto engine diagnosticService: Auto engine diagnostic

  Michelle Sweezey
10 months ago
Oil change fine. Didn t quote cost for a diagnostic ended up being more expensive than other places. Took our car to Canes to grab food only know this after we found napkins and ketchup in OUR car- rude! (They were eating the food behind the counter - when I picked up car) Quoted us $4,000 worth of work that was higher than other places. Diagnostics showed only 1 thing wrong NOT all that was quoted. Lost our trust. Get a second opinion.

  Rachel Howland
a year ago
I absoultely love the people who work here. I've taken multiple cars here and I know I'm going to get accurate information, and quality work. When my battery wouldn't work, or charge they saw it had a warrenty, communicated with the company, and got my battery and replaced it at no charge. They care about their customers and give them guidance and suggestions on what they would do.Services: Auto engine diagnostic, Auto battery maintenance, Oil change

  AlysonsWonderland
a year ago
The Kar Shop is a horrible, shady, and slimy establishment! They took advantage of the fact that I don t know a thing about cars to charge me nearly $1000 for a part that didn t need replaced. I can only assume that the two reception girls are somehow related to the owners because how they got a job in customer service is beyond me. Jessica ignored me completely and Elliot was rude and incredibly unprofessional with an outrageous attitude. Oh and the problem that they fixed for nearly $1000 is NOT fixed at all. I had to take it to another mechanic. A complete waste of time and money. They are a money pit shop that are constantly looking for something wrong and that something is always going to cost $$$$$.Even if you have a scheduled appointment, expect it to take at least 3 hours longer. You will also get lots of attitude

  Patricia Palermo
a year ago
I am convinced that I received the very best customer service of all time!!! Great experience with the KAR Shop!!. Earlier this year, my very first impression of the kind of business they have is when I was sitting in the front area waiting on my car to be done. Most of their customers that came in and out on that particular day were women. Hmmm, to me this speaks volumes for everything that impressed me. As I continued to watched the interaction between the crew and their female customers, I was convinced that the KAR Shop would be my go-to for my car needs. I have been back again since and sill remain very satisfied. Not only is their service excellent, staff honest and mechanics experienced, but their respect and commitment, they give to their customers, is still very strong. The KAR Shop has raised the bar!!! Thank you to everyone who is part of this amazing shop!!! YOU ROCK!!!

  K N
a year ago
All the staff is very knowledgeable. They do what they say, do it right and all for a reasonable price. I ve been using the KAR Shop for several years and always recommend them when someone asks for a reputable auto repair shop.Service: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Barbara Black
7 months ago
I have been going to the KAR shop since they opened in Gilbert years ago. Every time I get the absolute best service! They listen, check everything, review the diagnosis with me and do amazing work at great prices and always follow up to make sure everything is working properly. I couldn t be luckier to have found this shop. I highly recommend them to anyone! Thank you KAR Shop Services: Electrical repair, Air & cabin filter replacement, Steering & suspension repair, Auto water leak repair, Auto side window replacement, General repairs & maintenance, Steering & suspension replacement, Auto engine diagnostic, Auto brake repair, Engine repair, Vehicle Inspection, Wheel alignment, Brakes, Vehicle safety inspection, Auto maintenance, Auto brake replacement, Oil change

  Donna S
a month ago
Great customer service! Just wish they were open later on Fridays.

  Oscar Rabago
5 months ago
I used to work at the O Reilly next door. I hated doing business with the owner, I had to file a police report against him after he almost hit me with his truck while I was walking. Two stars even though the owner almost hit me and said I was just messing with you! So I knew it was intentional. Shanon is a cool guy, he s one of the techs at Kar shop!

  Bryce P
a year ago
Found these guys years ago because of their great reviews. They live up to the hype. I never take my cars anywhere else and have yet to be disappointed. Used to get the owners themselves in the shop but they ve grown and, thankfully, made sure all their employees share their values of honesty and no pushy sales tactics like other places. They are willing to explain things and show you what they re talking about without making you feel dumb. And I love getting a text with a rundown of what they found where I can review and approve/decline services.They definitely aren t the cheapest place to go but I m happy paying for quality.My only gripe is that they are too popular now and harder to get an appointment ;) but I can deal with that as it means they ll be around for a long time, hopefully.

  Alex/Rita Valdez
2 years ago
I took in my car to get the brakes fixed. As always, Kris and his team, did a thorough check of the car, not just the brakes. I had mentioned we were going on a trip and he said he would get the car trip ready . He found the spare tire was low and fixed that problem, and topped off all fluids. Since we are going on a trip, I felt at ease since this was done. We received a call letting us know what the cost of the brakes would be and when the car would be done. There were no hidden costs, just the cost they had told us, and we got our car before they closed for the day. Thanks Kris and your Team. You guys are always so nice and not afraid to strike up a conversation.Service: Brakes

  The Gory Geek
2 years ago
Crooks with rude and terrible service. They charged us over $700 for work that led us to believe it would fix, or at least improve to some degree, the issue we took it in for. It did not in any way, and according to them, the part they replaced 'looked new'; their words on my car inspection, so, why replace it and charge me $715? Shocking. The problem is still there and it's worse. We then had to contact them to say we were now having new issues that were not there prior. After having my car for an extra 2 hours on top of the 4.5 hours they already had it for, they finally told me it would take an additional 5 hours to fix. That would have been a total of 11.5 hours! The time frame was agreed upon by us both before bringing the car to them. I was there as the first customer of the day at 7:30am, with an appointment. Completely unreliable service. Even then it was just to 'test' to see if it would fix this new issue. An issue that was NOT present in THEIR inspection two days prior. Of course, at our expense. We told them no, and that we'd be taking it elsewhere. We're out $715 and our car is in worse condition than when we brought it in to them. They had our car for over 15.5 hours over the course the two 2 days they had it (and wanted it for an additional 5hrs!). Not at all the "quick" service they advertise. We were in complete shock at how we were treated. Elliot should not be interacting with customers at all as she's extremely rude, and Jessica simply acted like we were putting her out, and that they were somehow doing ME a favor. I was also completely ignored by Jessica when coming to pick up my vehicle once she discovered they'd be getting no more money from us. Simply unprofessional and completely untrustworthy. If I could give 0 stars, I would. Avoid at all cost.Services: Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance