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October 2023 by Ryan Fournier
Pulled up asking if I could get a quick burst of air to fill a tire. Was shouted at “NO” and told to go to oreillys. Is it really that hard to lend someone an air hose for 2 minutes. Even if you can’t do that, you don’t have to be so rude to someone nicely asking for an air hose.
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October 2023 by Jessica B.
What a roller coaster with these guys. And not a fun one. We popped two tires on Friday night, very late. Parked the car, called AAA to tow. This place was the only one in north Seattle who CLAIMED to be open on Saturday. We called and no one answered but the voicemail confirmed the hours, so we figured they were just busy and had the car towed to them. Monday morning, we called to check in (this is our only car, mind you). They said they were closed on Saturday "because of the Husky's game". Why does THAT matter? The game is played at a stadium nearby, not at the shop itself. Why wasn't there a sign to this effect when we got there, or some indication so that we didn't make this awful choice. A lot of back and forth throughout the day about why they couldn't put on new tires for us. They said the place that put them on last time ripped us off, that those tires were cheap and awful and they couldn't replace them if they wanted to. They would replace all 4 tires (only two popped) with a conveniently expensive brand. But they wouldn't get the same two tires to replace. They said if WE wanted to buy the tires and bring them in, we were welcome to do that, but how can we get two tires to them with no car? And also, isn't their job to source and install tires? I know it's not their ONLY job but it literally says "tires" in the name of the business. So now we have to pay for a tow truck to pick up the car from them and bring it to a different place. $150 because AAA only tows a car once per incident. They were not nice about any of this either. And it was my husband dealing with them this whole time so I can't even chalk it up to sexism. Our experience with them was nothing but a waste of time and money.
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August 2023 by Bailey B
Call a week in advance to set up and appointment for a very simple and quick task. When arriving 5 minutes early for my appointment at 9am to simply rotate tires, they tell me it should be done before Noon. 3 hours for a 15min job that I have an appointment for at a specific time that I setup a week in advance so they could plan ahead for it? After waiting an hour they call to tell me they walked out to the parking lot to check the tread depth and don’t think I should rotate them because the tread depths are fine when that’s irrelevant because I’m rotating them based on my personal preference. Continue to wait an additional 1.5 hours and decide to call them, as I’m standing outside their shop, to get an explanation on how a 15min job takes 3 hours and how it’s still not done. Magically I watch them drop everything and start doing it right away. I always find it comical how that works.I’m usually not a Karen like this, but service like this is just unacceptable, especially coming from a background where outstanding client service and executing in a timely manner regarding appointments is always your #1 priority if you’re going to run a business of any sort.Service: Tires
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July 2023 by Alexander “lejandro” Arzumanov
Beware!I sent my son there a couple days after dealer's inspection for some secondary scheduled maintenance. These guys see a prey and go for a kill - created a laundry list of things to do. The way they spoke to him it was super clear they're trying to take advantage of him. The breaks were relatively recently replaced (less then 6-8 kMi ago) and, as additional proof, the dealer gave specific measurements of the rear and front break pads. These guys said the car needs new breaks including the rotors. Found a non-existing "significant oil leak from front timing cover access plate" + some other things that I knew for sure were not needed since they were recently done.When my son asked to do just what we came for, they refused the service all together.I'd be surprised if this is an isolated incident and judging by the number of good reviews, they're pretty good in duping people into unneeded work.I've got paperwork to prove all of the above.Stay away unless you need a johnson rod replaced
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July 2023 by Carly M.
I can count on Village Auto (twice)!As a new (inexperienced) car owner, I had to navigate not only one but two tire repairs for the first time! My luck took a turn in the right direction when I called Village Auto. TBH I was a bit nervous to cold call an auto shop, but a friend's recommendation steered me to the right place. With a quick call, Riley was a great help to get me in with a technician the very next morning. I arrived the next morning, donut and all, for service. As I handed Riley my keys, he reassured me my "baby" would be in good hands. He even helped to take me to take my key off my key ring (This is a big deal considering I just got a manicure the day before!)VA serviced my car in under 2 hours, just enough time to grab an evergreens salad and new pair of shoes from the neighboring mall.When I returned to VA to pick up, I was greeted with a welcoming smile! Ken, the owner, personally handed me my key and explained in depth the service VA performed for repair. Not only did VA order a tire to match my other three, but they also picked the tire up pro bono! Before I paid my bill, I did a little sneaky research for an idea of cost. VA charged me under market price for my tire and service! I was so impressed and grateful for how speedy, generous, and satisfactory my experience that I returned for my second flat tire. My second experience just as epic! Consistency for the win!!I blame Seattle roads and potholes, but thank Village Auto!Pro tip: Ask to see Wheatley, the adorable shop dog. He sings!
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June 2023 by Brooke
TL;DR: Was severely overcharged ($400 for something that was $200 at several other auto shops). They seem to use their generally very positive ratings to their advantage by overcharging customers who don't know better.I don't like to leave negative reviews, but I want other people to be informed and think twice about coming here as I did not. I chose Village AutoCare mostly because it had such positive yelp and google reviews and it is always hard to know how trustworthy auto shops are or how much they are overcharging you.My main complaint about Village AutoCare is their pricing. Based on their positive reviews and "trustworthy" reputation, I took my car straight to here to get the battery changed without exploring other options. To be fair, it is my fault for not shopping around more, because this could've been avoided. But VillageAuto charged me $394 (with tax) for a battery replacement (basically $250 for parts plus $150 (!!) labor), whereas O'Reilly Auto literally right next door would charge only $200-225 for the battery (pre-tax) and NO CHARGE for labor. I also called the Subaru dealer, who also said they DO NOT CHARGE for labor and the battery is $200. This means I wasted almost $200 on getting my battery replaced when MOST PLACES will do this completely for free with zero charge for labor.Ken did call me to give me a quote of what the price would be before starting the work on it, and I told them I felt that was steep, but they did not change the price. Now I've learned my lesson and 1) Will not take my car here again because I suspect they severely overcharge for many services (possibly taking advantage of those who've read their reviews as a "fair" company), and 2) will always cost-compare before choosing a service to avoid paying double.Last, Ken was also extremely vague about the warranty policy when I tried to get specifics, and they said that the warranty was good for 75 months, but the paperwork itself said only 2 years. I didn't contest this because I don't plan to be here for more than 2 years, but it seemed like a very suspect practice.(The service itself was fine. However, after the battery was replaced, when I began to drive my car it made a persistent beeping sound and the trunk door would not open, a fairly common Subaru issue. I went back inside to tell them this and asked them to fix it, and they offered to fix it but said I would have to leave my car there so they could figure it out and I could get it later that day. I was frustrated by this point so I did not do this, and I fixed it myself in <30 seconds, it turned out to be incredibly simple.)Service: Battery
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June 2023 by Brooke R.
TL;DR: Severely overcharged ($400 for something that was $200 at several other auto shops) and subpar service. I'm concerned they are using their generally very positive ratings to their advantage by overcharging customers who don't know better.I don't like to leave negative reviews, but I want other people to be informed and potentially think twice. I chose Village AutoCare mostly because it had such positive yelp and google reviews and it is always hard to know how trustworthy auto shops are or how much they are overcharging you. However, it looks like there are not many recent reviews, so maybe things have changed there.My main complaint about Village AutoCare is their pricing. Based on their positive reviews and "trustworthy" reputation, I took my car straight to here to get the battery changed without exploring other options. To be fair, it is my fault for not shopping around more, because this could've been avoided. But VillageAuto charged me $394 (with tax) for a battery replacement (basically $250 for parts plus $150 (!!) labor), whereas O'Reilly Auto literally right next door would charge only $200-225 for the battery (pre-tax) and NO CHARGE for labor. I also called the Subaru dealer, who also said they DO NOT CHARGE for labor and the battery is $200. This means I wasted almost $200 on getting my battery replaced when MOST PLACES will do this completely for free. Ken did call me to give me a quote of what the price would be before starting the work on it, and I told them I felt that was steep, but they did not change the price. Now I've learned my lesson and 1) Will not take my car here again because I suspect they severely overcharge for many services (possibly taking advantage of those who've read their reviews as a "fair" company), and 2) will always cost-compare before choosing a service to avoid paying double.Last, Ken was also extremely vague about the warranty policy when I tried to get specifics, and they said that the warranty was good for 75 months, but the paperwork itself said only 2 years. I didn't contest this because I don't plan to be here for more than 2 years, but it seemed like a very suspect practice.(The service itself was fine. However, after the battery was replaced, when I began to drive my car it made a persistent beeping sound and the trunk door would not open, a fairly common Subaru issue. I went back inside to tell them this and asked them to fix it, and they offered to fix it but said I would have to leave my car there so they could figure it out and I could get it later that day. I was frustrated by this point so I did not do this, and I fixed it myself in 30 seconds, it turned out to be incredibly simple.)
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May 2023 by Adam Maxwell
I always feel like I’m not getting ripped off and that they truly care. Am I right? Probably. I used to work as a service manager for Tires Plus so I can kinda sniff out those disreputable twerps tryin’ to upsell you on everything. I think the prices might be kind of high, especially when you factor in hanging out eating and drinking at u village while your car gets fixed.
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May 2023 by Jillian Douglas
I have used this auto shop for the past several years. Ken, the owner, is honest, helpful, and kind. He’s let me know that multiple cars I’ve owned are not worth the money to fix (bad transmission luck) and connected me with people who purchase totaled cars.All maintenance I’ve received at Village Auto has been speedy and fairly priced. Highly recommend Village Auto!Services: Transmission
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March 2023 by Jessica L
I love Village AutoCare. I took my car to them solely due to their proximity to U Village – my catalytic converter was stolen while parked at the mall and I didn’t want to drive it further than I had to. I dropped my car off on a Thursday morning, and by noon that same day, Riley called and told me what all needed to be done, suggested I contact my insurance company (State Farm) to see if it would be covered, and sent SF a detailed estimate. SF was often unclear and confusing in their communications with me, so I was calling Village daily – sometimes multiple times per day – and Ken and Riley were always incredibly patient, kind, and helpful. SF of course tried to cut corners to save costs, and Ken was more than happy to deal with them on my behalf. Once SF finally approved things, Village AutoCare promptly got to work on my car, and it’s now good as new. I live on Beacon Hill but will absolutely be taking my car back to Village AutoCare from here on out.
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March 2023 by Annali Snyder
The kings at village auto care always get me exactly what I need for exactly the right price- I recommend them to my friends for respectful service done right! Great location, plenty of things to go in U village! Thanks again Ken!Service: Auto tire replacement
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March 2023 by Jessica L.
I love Village AutoCare. I took my car to them solely due to their proximity to U Village - my catalytic converter was stolen while parked at the mall and I didn't want to drive it further than I had to. I dropped my car off on a Thursday morning, and by noon that same day, Riley called and told me what all needed to be done, suggested I contact my insurance company (State Farm) to see if it would be covered, and sent SF a detailed estimate. SF was often unclear and confusing in their communications with me, so I was calling Village daily - sometimes multiple times per day - and Ken and Riley were always incredibly patient, kind, and helpful. SF of course tried to cut corners to save costs, and Ken was more than happy to deal with them on my behalf. Once SF finally approved things, Village AutoCare promptly got to work on my car, and it's now good as new. I live on Beacon Hill but will absolutely be taking my car back to Village AutoCare from here on out.
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February 2023 by Jake O
Made an appointment to get winter tires mounted..After leaving, I noticed they had mounted the tires backwards, and drove back only to be turned away until the next morning. Owner was apologetic but never offered a refund or discount for the mistake and my now almost 8 hours of waiting for tires (already on rims) to be mounted.When driving over 50 MPH the tires were not balanced and shook like crazy. Ended up just going to Firestone and getting it done right. Price at Firestone was only $60 vs $120 at village auto, and about an 1/8th of the wait time.
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November 2022 by Reese Tuts
Strait up lied about fixing my A/C compressor in my 2003 focus and charged me for it anyways. Tried to scam my mother and straight up lied about the part being "discontinued" The owner is nice though.
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October 2022 by Michael Bishop
I brought in my car for an oil change and asked them to inspect the brakes. They had done an oil change and "inspection" six months prior, as well. Ken called and said the front brakes were not contacting the rotors and the rear brake pads were 1mm. Also, the parking brake motor would need to be replaced. $2100 was the estimate. I asked how the rear pads could have been fine six months before and was told that was because they inspected only the outer pads routinely and this time had looked at the inner pads. In any case, I took the car to the dealer and showed them the info from Village. They felt that this was largely incorrect. The rear pads were down to 2-3mm and there was some rust on the rotor. Total cost was $632. This followed an episode with our other, very old car. There was a sticky fluid all over the engine and a noise. Ken said it would be $3500 to fix an engine oil leak. We agreed that it was an old car and not worth fixing. I took it to the dealer (different dealer as different make of car) who found that it was actually transmission fluid leaking. $1000, and car was fixed. I am puzzled by these episodes and have to wonder about the quality of Ken's technicians that they have so misdiagnosed the issues. I always thought dealers would be more expensive--but in these two cases, they saved me a lot of money and hassle.
