Central Avenue Automotive Inc

Reviews

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

  Jodie McCallum
2 months ago
The staff were awesome to work with! We had to be towed to their location and they immediately took time to address our truck issue. They got us back on the road by late afternoon the same day. The mechanics were very helpful in showing us what needed to be completed to fix the problem. Outstanding service and communication, highly recommend them! Thank you!!!!

  Steve Shafer
2 weeks ago
I needed to get a pre road trip inspection done and these guys were so helpful. We discussed what might need looking at and came to an initial list of tasks. After looking at my truck they had identified some other work that could be considered, their inspection report was awesome and included the urgency of each item. Communication is very good.After they were done, including another repair that came up as they dug in to the job, they did a complimentary detail job on the truck. My truck has rarely been that shiney! I guess they saw the sadness on my face as I contemplated the rising repair bill. Thanks Guys!!

  Sandra Bolden
4 weeks ago
Took my vehicle to Central Ave Auto with a check engine light, after 7 days was told I needed a (Air Injection Pump),waiting on dealer for a part could take a week. They then submitted a claim to my Warranty co, to replace a (secondary air hose) which is not covered under the warranty, but the pump is. I voice my confusion, I felt they were trying to avoid the Warranty co, which they admitted the warranty co was considered the worst . So , I opted to take my vehicle home until the part was ready, they charged $380 Dia fee. I took my vehicle to 2 other auto facilities they confirmed in writing that I needed a (Air Injection Pump). I called CAA asked for the owner Blake (repeatedly), but, Paul/manager refused, instead gave me the run around. SO, I contacted the Attorney General office and unfortunately there are many complaints regarding Warranty co & Auto shops, with the same or similar story. Warranty co may try to deny your claim, but they also serve to regulate auto repair shops to provide honest prices and services... BEWARE!!

  Patrick Wells
2 months ago
Excellent customer service. WAY above and beyond. Best experience in more than 10yrs. Needed my lower control arms replaced on my 2014 GMC ACADIA. They worked with my "after market" warranty. They found additional stabilizer bushings that needed to be replaced also. Spoke to Krystel, she was very professional, and able to give me a loaner. Another shop in Auburn told me I had to pay $1000, because my warranty would not pay "market" rate for parts or labor. Well that was a lie, as Central Ave Auto not only shocked me by only charging me my $100. deductible, but put up with the warranty company not wanting to authorize a 2nd shop to work on my SUV.I have already told coworkers to go here, because of the loaner available, now I will be telling everyone to go here, if you need work done in the Kent, WA area.Big Thanks to Krystel & Mark at Central Ave, Auto.Made my New Year already.

  Steve
3 months ago
My family had been going there for years. Went in for a misfire, a bad plug and damaged coil. Ended up with an estimate suggesting several thousand dollars worth of work. I said I only wanted to fix what was broken. Had to say it more than twice.Drove it from the shop when the work was done. Parked it. Next time I try to start it the key gets stuck in the ignition assembly and the steering collum looks like its been taken apart recently. Coincidence?

  Dave Mitchell
11 months ago
Excellent service, competitive pricing!They have integrity. I trust them.Very good value.Addressed several issues with my 2004 Ford Focus ZX5.

  rkng1 garcia
4 months ago
Son had minor repairs done on his 2008 diesel jeep. Able to get an appointment within a couple days and he felt the price was reasonable

  Armando Villalobos
2 months ago
I was expecting better service than a quick lube place. Wasted a whole day for it, and was charged for a service that was part of their oil change package.

  Emily Walker
7 months ago
Mark and Crystal are super helpful and make things stress free on me. They re accommodating with my work schedule too. I literally live in ellensburg and still go to them because they are more trained, affordable and legit than anyone else. They washed my car and vacuumed it. 5/5

  Jean Arnoux
3 months ago
WTH Blake, Took my Vw Golf in for a front end alignment. I was told the tie rods were seized up and they needed to be replaced, Quoted me an exorbitant price! Went to a Highly recommended shop instead for under Half their estimate. Made another appt. fora front end alignment, they called to say the alignment machine was down, waiting on parts, could I reschedule? Sure, made another appt., got up early made the 35 minute drive only to hear,We have another car on the rack, waiting on parts, probably can't get to yours this morning!!! Then Why did I make an Appt? We apologize they said, Doesn't help me much!!! Certainly NOT the Central Automotive I knew. Robert Arnoux

  Juan Mata
a year ago
I went in having to have my starter replaced in my car. They sent me messages via text,and email on the progress, and the part being replaced. I found that very helpful. Next,they called me,letting me know they were done. Drove my car for 3 days when the starter went out again. I called them, they came right over towed my car to the shop, replaced the brand new starter again. Haven't had any problems since. They were very professional, and will definitely go there again, and recommend them.

  Arielle Davis
a year ago
After having problems for the second time after repairs from this place, I m done. I spent almost three thousand here, had new issues my car didn t have prior to repairs after I got my car back the first time, then they told me it was something else that would cost me (which was not in the inspection.) while they did do the work for free after my initial negative review, it feels like a wash since my car still isn t safe. They also recommended replacing the battery after I had literally had it replaced there two months earlier. They didn t inspect or recommend work on my starter which made me stall in traffic and have to get towed. I just saw them a month ago, and a month prior to that for the inspection. I m a student and spent my savings so I could drive what I assumed would at least be safe. The prices are high, but I paid them thinking it would at least be quality work and I could rely on my car. I m trusting a new mechanic from now on.

  todd gill
a year ago
Mark Piper, Central Automotive shop manager provided excellent customer service. I had an unfortunate issue with my Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel vehicle requiring a complete engine swap. Central Auto worked through many challenging issues we had to overcome from the engine supplier - Mopar Accessory Giant. I felt Mark and Central Auto worked through the challenges to pull the old engine and install new. I strongly recommend this shop.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Audio Chick
a year ago
I used Central Ave Auto twice with my 2013 Toyota Prius, but I will not be returning. I initially went it when I had issues with my car shaking and the ABS, Traction Control, and Brake lights coming on. I was able to get an appointment fairly quickly, and everyone I interacted with was very friendly and helpful, hence the two star review. They did some work on a speed sensor and also did an oil change. The total bill (~$1200) seemed expensive, but this was my first hybrid so I trusted that they were quoting me a fair price for the work.A couple of weeks later, my car was again shaking - even worse this time - and the check engine light came on. I took it back to Central Ave Auto. They diagnosed it as bad spark plugs, but did so by reading the check engine code and using a scope to look in the engine without pulling the cowl off to get a look at the plugs themselves. They told me I needed to have them replaced, and quoted me $700, and a couple hundred more if the ignition coil was also bad. The price seemed really high and I was suspicious of the price since other cars I've owned have had that repair done for far less, but again, I trusted that they were not ripping me off. They ended up only having to replace the spark plugs for $700 total.I picked up my car on a Friday right before they closed. The next morning I got in it to go somewhere and when I started it I got the horrible shaking again, a check engine light, and I also saw a crack in the windshield starting at the bottom of the passenger side under the hood. There was no ding or anything, so I couldn't figure out where it came from until I realized the shop must have broken it when they were changing out the spark plugs.Thankfully, Central Ave Auto owned up to the damage and paid for the window replacement, but I decided to take my car to the dealership for the shaking issue. They diagnosed a bad head gasket, which apparently is a known issue with my generation of Prius. I had to have a full engine replacement. I'm not really sure how Central Ave Auto could have misdiagnosed the issue, or how they could have missed the shaking when they did their test drive. I also confirmed with the Toyota dealership how much they charge for a spark plug replacement (less than $400), so I did indeed get grossly overcharged. That whole plug replacement was unnecessary anyway as it wasn't even the issue to begin with, and they overcharge me horribly on top of it? Not cool.I can't recommend this shop. I rarely write reviews, but I really don't want to see anyone else get taken advantage of. The people can be nice and polite, but if the work isn't good, it doesn't matter at all.Services: Air & cabin filter replacement, Vehicle Inspection, Auto maintenance, Oil change

  Kim Mcdowell
3 years ago
I have been taking both my vehicles here for a couple years now for oil changes and other repairs. I recently had my daughters car in for new struts and had to return a couple months later for noise I heard. They explained the issue and took care of the repair! These guys are honest, fair, trustworthy and will have my business as long as they are in business. Conner, Eric and their team are very friendly, professional, and have a loyal customer. I recommend them 100%.Services: Steering & suspension repair, Oil change

  Pitshou Mwemena
3 weeks ago
Best repair for Germany cars and email you all the detail what going on in the car

  Mandi Lapointe
7 years ago
Central Automotive may be the last honest mechanic out there! Being a female I have had my share of mechanics treat me as such, but not at Central. They are very respectful and are always helpful when it comes to my questions. They let me know right away whether or not they can be competitive on a service and give me the best price possible. They usually can't be beat. They help me plan for the future of my car and genuinely care about me as a loyal customer. They thoroughly inspect anything I may have concerns about. They're always great about scheduling as well.... never disappointed. When it comes to me and my vehicles they have a customer for life! Thanks to Jason and team for the best customer service in the business!

  mike Olokun737
a year ago
Central automotive has done the best job on my Santa Fe, and prices are reasonable. The best place to take your car if you have a problem and please ask for JON, excellent customer service. Kudos he is the best.Services: Auto water leak repair, Vehicle InspectionServices: Auto water leak repair, Vehicle Inspection

  Saige Williams
2 years ago
Super nice people, Conner was at the front desk as well as another person but I didn't catch her name. Both were helpful. The shop couldn't repair my issue due to the manufacturer requiring specific tools. They did a safety inspection and didn't charge me for it or for the diagnostics since they couldn't perform the fix! Would highly recommend them, only thing that was a drawback besides not having my car fixed was waiting 3 hours for them to tell me they couldn't do anything. Not their fault tho. Otherwise everything was great!

  Paul Crow
4 years ago
Great business! Highly recommended! They offer great inspection summaries and work with you to prioritize maintenance within your budget.Our family is driving from WA to CA this summer and our car required a much needed tune-up; we feel much safer knowing the work was done by Central Automotive in a friendly and professional manner!They even followed up with me to make sure I was more than satisfied with the work performed. If you can't tell, we're more than satisfied!

  Michael S
a year ago
Not sure what happenedTook my 2005 Hyundai Elantra to Central Ave Automotive after the battery light had come on. Authorized diagnostic svc, received call from Mark within a couple hours and was told that the alternator was bad and needed to be replaced at a cost of $1,300+. I had seen estimates on this work for $400-$600 so asked why the price was so high. At this point Mark said (paraphrased) "oops it looks like we were set to bill you for 5 hours of labor.. I thought that looked high" (my thought: if you thought it looked high when were going to tell me?) The adjusted cost after this was fixed: $808. I asked for a price breakdown and part number. $460+ for the alternator. Online prices for the same part: $138-$250. Is that typical markup? I decided to not have the work done and when I picked up the car the alternator was working. Could it have just been a faulty/loose connection? As I said.. not sure what happened.Service: Vehicle Inspection

  Kenneth Davis
4 years ago
I have a used car, I knew there were a few issues with it when I got it (used car) but I hadn't been able to get it looked at till this last week. The great staff at Central made this an easy experience when I called to set an appointment they worked within my schedule and asked if I would need a ride after dropping off my car. The person interacted with most was Lindsay who listened to the concerns I had about my car and asked if there was a budget I had repairs; the next day I had an inspection report with pictures, received an estimate for the work and I was able to prioritize the most important things first; while I have a few more things to get done the car (subaru outback) has never driven better while I've owned.I will be returning and fully recommend Central Automotive.

  Kane Mittie
3 years ago
Everyone here is extremely helpful and kind. Eric specifically worked on my car and gave me a comprehensive list of everything recommended with price breakdowns and urgency. He let me know what things to do to fix the issue and what should be my next maintenance to get done. He also washed my car right before I picked it up and was very communicative about every aspect of the process. They do not try to trick you into spending more money and don't pressure you into getting anything done that you can't afford at the time. My Mustang is running better now after their service than it was when I first bought it a year ago. I am genuinely extremely happy with the whole experience. Eric turned a scary process into an extremely comfortable one. Thank you guys so much.Services: General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic

  Adrienne Calderon
4 years ago
I can t begin to say enough good things about this place!! The entire team is fantastic! We took our 2007 F-150 in with a few issues. A couple were very noticeable and one major issue that would take some work to replicate the issue. I d done my research and shared with Lindsay(rock star) what I thought the issue was. And she was extremely knowledgeable. We had an after market warranty company that isn t the greatest PRco, they can be difficult to work with and want a lot of information. However The Central team persisted and worked with me to get things covered. In the end we needed a new engine and they provided us with options and knowledge to make the best decision. They stuck to their timeline and 100% transparent with pricing. I was treated more than fair. From start to finish they made this process less stressful and even offered a loaner vehicle if needed. They will have our business for years to come. Thanks again Team you all are amazing!!

  A VAN BUREN
3 years ago
I just had my 2014 Jeep Wrangler serviced at this shop. I can't say enough about the professionalism and courtesy that I received throughout my experience! I was especially impressed by Eric who handled the interface of my repair, a check engine light displaying as well as other issues, from start to finish. Additionally, the follow up AFTER care from Blake. The entire experience was so refreshing and thorough, especially after enduring dealer service for years!! I HIGHLY recommend this shop for all of your service and repair needs. My Jeep is running so smoothly now!! Excellent!!

  Josh Jangula
5 years ago
I just picked up my car and could not be happier with the results. The support staff is always friendly and helpful and I never feel pressure from them to do more than is required. I hadn't had the car in for over a year, and they told me what needed to be done and nothing else. The car drives better than what it did when I first got it. It is a hard industry to find someone you trust in, but look no further. I would recommend Central Avenue Automotive to anyone!

  Lynn Nguyen
4 years ago
Had issues with my Subaru CVT. They diagnosed, did a full vehicle inspection, provided me replacement options, and replaced it in a timely manner. Excellent customer service from the time I called setting up the appointment until the time I picked up the car. Clean shop and very knowledgeable team. Highly recommend the team at Central Avenue Automotive for your vehicle repairs. They also have Costco member discount.

  Julie Campbell
5 years ago
My car had a few issues that made it kinda scary to drive. Had taken it to a different place before, they had it for a while, replaced some parts, said it was good to go and by the time I drove it home the issues were happening again. Did a google search and saw all the good reviews so I called Central Ave. Everyone was supper friendly, they understanding my attempts at explaining my car's issues, and made sure I understood what they were gonna do and charge before actually doing anything. They had my car for a few days, gave me their loaner car, no fees or charge, and when I got my car back it was even washed! It's been several days driving my car and it's running perfectly, no issues whatsoever. If I ever need anything done, this is where I'll go and I recommend it to everybody I know.

  Paul Nickelson
2 years ago
My Ford Explorer needed a new water pump which they did satisfactorily but they billed me for a 'full synthetic oil change' but ....I had brought my own oil, thus it was a false charge on the bill. I called them on that error when I picked up the vehicle, they admitted the error and issued a Credit for $40 which I accepted and paid the bill. On the way home, the Battery indicator showed low so I investigated and found that the tech had failed to reinstall the connector to the alternator.That error should have been discovered on their test drive, not something that a customer should have to discover and correct.Since that time I have taken my business to a different shop and no longer wish to deal with Central so I went back and asked for a cash refund of my $40. The current Service Managers declined, saying that the owner will have to give permission but that he only stops by on occasion and that they didn't know when he would be available to OK the refund. I'll give them a couple of days for the owner to respond but I am expecting another song and dance in an attempt to avoid doing business right. (interaction date: 7/12/21)This is not a business that operates honestly from my experience in dealing with their Service Managers.Follow-on Edit.I stopped by the shop today, 7/23 and received the amount Credited at the time of bill paying as promised. I am satisfied with the outcome and thanking Owner for taking the time to respond.Service: Engine repair

  Larry Steveson
10 years ago
This is my first experience with Central. I was visiting with Blake about an oil leak in my Toyota T-100. He took a look and while we were discussing how to fix it he noticed that the radiator was leaking a little and told me I should check it out. Later that same day, yes, the same day, my radiator cracked along the top and blew out!I called Blake right away and he helped me figure out what to do from there. He priced out the repair while I was waiting for the tow truck to come. He ordered the parts so they would be there first thing in the morning. They checked for any damage before the radiator was installed and then ran further tests before to make sure the engine was good shape before I had them repair the oil leak and a few other things.Blake and John and Jason called me for approvals before any work was started. They followed up with updates and estimated time of completion. They gave good, sound advice with options; very professional and straight forward. Had me on the road in record time, Straight shooters, reasonable prices, great service! What more can you ask? I highly recommend Blake, his staff and technicians!!