CarSmart Auto Service

My car needed new spark plugs. I suggested that this was the issue when they told me what the code said. They charged me $100 to diagnose this issue. When they guy called me back he told me he was going to charge me $560 to replace spark plugs and the cable that he thought I might need. I told him I was aware of how much spark plugs cost and picked up my car. He took my $100 for information I gave him at the beginning of the conversation. I replaced the sparks plugs in my car the next day for $20 and my problem was fixed. I ended up a little better than the guy sitting next to me though. They charged him $200 to do a safety inspection and replace windshield wipers. He was elderly and they took advantage of him. This shop represents the worst in mechanics in my opinion. Very nice, but lie to you and try to charge you a ridiculous amount of money for normal maintenance on your car.

Called Carsmart to check on the price of a front end alignment. The man on the line stated, it would be best for me to bring my vehicle to them so they could take a look at it and give me an estimate on the repairs. I asked, how much would be? He stated, oh, that's free. This was going really good. So I immediately took my vehicle to them. Upon my arrival, we filled out a sheet about how my vehicle was acting. I said, it's pulling to the right and the wheel shimmies back and forth over 40 mph. The man said, we'll check it out and call you back. Would you like a courtesy shuttle? I replied, sure. Oh this was going great. I waited for their call to tell me what was wrong with my vehicle. This is when the experience went to what I like to refer to as "Dirty Business". The man said, our tech drove your vehicle & yep, it's pulling to the right and shimmies over 40. Now for $80.00 we can find the problem. So glad I left my vehicle with them so they could confirm what I told them it was doing. $80.00 really? I am 41 years old & I have only paid a few times to get an estimate on repairs. The places I usually deal with put it on their rack for free or for a really low price & I only pay a fee when I'm on the road & it's in a pinch. Whether I mistook the man's words for free doesn't matter. He truly worded the conversation & made it sound like the estimate was truly free. I would not have wasted my time to find a babysitter, leave my house & waste gas so they could drive my vehicle to confirm exactly what I told them.