LaPointe Auto

Also 0 stars if I could.
This guy either employs homeless people off the street or just has no idea what he is doing himself. I brought my car in to have the exhaust replaced. Simple enough job. Took four days and when I showed up to pick my car up, he said, «Hey, I also went ahead and replaced your distributor caps and wires because it seemed like a cylinder was misfiring.» For an extra $ 250. Without calling me to ask if that was okay.
I thought he knew best, so I said it was fine and paid for it. The next week, my car started stalling out at intersections. I brought it back. He said, «Uhh, I dunno, I can’t seem to perform a diagnostic. It’s probably your exhaust valve. I jiggled it and it seems fine now.» Still charged me for an hour’s worth of diagnostic work.
Nope. Didn’t fix it. I brought it to another mechanic. Guess what the problem was? Bad wiring (the «new» ones he’d installed for the distributor caps and spark plugs). The other mechanic literally asked me if I had tried to do the repairs myself without knowing what I was doing.
It would be cheaper and you would get better service to have your car towed basically anywhere else. Maybe even a homeless shelter.

I have been going to Lapointe for about 15 years on and off. They are not nearby, but I trust them for the major jobs. Many times they have told me that work does not need to be done, or not charged me if they don’t find a problem. Also, they are always cheaper than the dealer.
I do have to take responsibility for getting my car before they close, but arrangements can be made for off-​hours if you communicate. But the main thing is I trust them, which is saying a lot for auto repair shops.

0 stars if I could… I dropped off my car this morning and when it was ready I Told them I would come pick up my car. However, they did not tell me what time to come, what time they close nor did they follow up on whether I was still coming since I work until 6 and they failed to let me know that they close at 5. When I reached the shop my car doors were left unlocked and my keys no where to be found. I spent an hour trying to contact someone so that I can get my car to no success. All my keys, including my apartment keys were with them. If thy had hidden my keys somewhere in my car, I could not find it for the last hour. I was quite literally stranded with no transportation and no way to get into my home since I live by myself. There are two possibilities, either they completely forgot that I was coming and left me stranded, or they assumed that I was not coming… I am lividly disappointed that they are happy to leave my car doors unlocked overnight. Moreover, since I do not know if my car keys are well hidden in my car and since I have no extra keys, I was forced to leave my doors unlocked. I was able to arm my alarm, and have brake lock (sort of the club like lock for your brakes) I was able to somewhat secure my car. I am livid and angrily disappointed at how terribly they treat new customers, since this was my first time. I am DEEPLY disappointed and absolutely livid about this entire fiasco.
UPDATE: After spending an hour stranded at night, I was able to stay with a friend who was kind enough to come pick me up and drop me back here. When I started to talk to them, the only thing they would let me say was that «I didnt know when you closed, you never called to see if I was coming, and you left my car unlocked with all my keys in your shop that has my house keys leaving me stranded» when they turned around, grabbed my keys, gave it to me and WITHOUT ANY APOLOGY, started attending to another customer.
COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND SIMPLY RUDE BEHAVIOR. UNAPOLOGETIC, DISCOURTEOUS and HIDEOUSLY HORRIBLE CUSTOMER DISSERVICE.

I have been going to LaPointe exclusively ever since they fixed my car for $ 300 when another mechanic was quoting a thousand. They are honest about what needs to be done – if it can wait until a later date before being fixed, they tell me so. Though they have forgotten to call me a couple times to tell me my car was done, everyone there has been nice, and I trust them.