Automotive

[Merged] Recommend Honest Mechanics In Canada

Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 6, 2006
1511 posts
31 upvotes
For those that have gone to both:

360 Auto (Chi) or IGarage (Ivan)??

I've been reading through this thread and those 2 pop up a lot, and are highly recommended here on RFD.
I also checked them out in Googlemaps, their practically beside each other.

Reason is: It's close to where I live, as well as Markville Mall being walking distance away while they work on the car.

Thanks in Advance!
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jun 12, 2008
3759 posts
1397 upvotes
Ancaster
ARDENT AUTOMOTIVE INC.
Unit #4, 864 Drury Lane, Burlington, ON L7R 2E1

Jim & Nigel are the owners and people in Burlington love them and trust them with their vehicles. We take our cars to them and have never had a problem.

Even Lorraine Sommerfeld, the Wheels.ca columnist raves about them in her blog.

http://www.lorraineonline.ca/blog/archi ... rchive.php

Joe
Member
Mar 21, 2009
253 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
I've also dealt with ricksrepair last summer for rotors + brake pad install on my Talon. He fixed some other little things like my ebrake and squeeling belt out of courtesy. Good guy, solid labour prices also.
Newbie
Mar 26, 2007
25 posts
For VW repairs I'd highly recommend John Becks Motor Sales in Embrun, Ontario (1/2 hr. east of Ottawa). My wife and I, both VW owners, have been going there for over a decade. Very honest, high quality work and won't try to push unnecessary repairs. I've bought a couple of higher mileage used vehicles from him. Both have run flawlessly over the years and have saved me many $$$ over the purchase of new VWs.
Newbie
Oct 12, 2006
50 posts
Ottawa
Anyone recommend a good/honest/reliable mechanic in the Ottawa Area that are able to service/repair imports (specifically Honda) cars.

So far I have searched online and found two possible places:
-Takaki Automotive
-Ming Auto Service

Any other recommendations?

Thanks.
Member
Mar 26, 2006
297 posts
12 upvotes
Markham
salvador wrote: Has anyone been to http://www.gilmourautorepair.com lately? I'm looking for an honest reliable mechanic I can go to for my sentra and tercel.

Not happy with the last mechanic I went to. Gilmour is the closest to my house but i've only seen +1 positive feedback on him in RFD. Anyone else go to this guy?

Bill Gilmour and his crew rock.

Very honest dudes and very concerned about honesty, reliability and your safety. I might source their parts for them if I have a bit of time next time to save a 100 or so but generally speaking I am quite pleased.
Deal Addict
Nov 27, 2007
3678 posts
820 upvotes
gwu wrote: For those that have gone to both:

360 Auto (Chi) or IGarage (Ivan)??
Do these guys accept cash? to lower the cost ;)
Deal Addict
Jul 30, 2005
2348 posts
258 upvotes
gwu wrote: For those that have gone to both:

360 Auto (Chi) or IGarage (Ivan)??

I've been reading through this thread and those 2 pop up a lot, and are highly recommended here on RFD.
I also checked them out in Googlemaps, their practically beside each other.

Reason is: It's close to where I live, as well as Markville Mall being walking distance away while they work on the car.

Thanks in Advance!
:arrowu: :arrowu: Anybody?? :arrowu: :arrowu: :o
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 9, 2007
1399 posts
323 upvotes
Richmond Hill
zymcpcp wrote: Anyone recommend a good/honest/reliable mechanic in the Ottawa Area that are able to service/repair imports (specifically Honda) cars.

So far I have searched online and found two possible places:
-Takaki Automotive
-Ming Auto Service

Any other recommendations?

Thanks.
Takaki is horrible. They're dishonest and expensive.

Ming Auto Service is good and honest but they're always backed up. They have quite a list of loyal customers.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 6, 2006
1490 posts
14 upvotes
Toronto
fast_typeR wrote: I have been going to Star Auto Service for about 2 years since I discovered this shop, and have referred many people to this shop before.

To give credit where it's due, Quan is a decent mechanic, he's honest and he does his work cheaper than other mechanics. He doesn't take any shortcuts and the quality of his job is above average (but not stellar)

However, my beef with them is their terrible customer service. This is a shop where even if you schedule an appointment with them, they never keep their words. I had two instances where I scheduled a morning service around 8:30a.m. with them (when they open), only to go there and have them tell me that I need to wait a couple of hours because they need to finish some cars they were working on the night before. Sure, I understand this is a very small shop (they don't even have parking space up front) and its a one man team, but you just cannot treat customers like that. I have seen some of their most loyal customers being treated like crap and forced to wait 4-5 hours because the shop doesn't take their scheduled commitments to customers seriously.

Don't go to this place period. The lady up front (Quan's wife) is extremely arrogant and very deceptive about making appointments for you. Unless you feel like you have lots of time to burn by sitting there and listening to broken promises, I highly advice you to avoid this shop at all means.
I have to respond to this since I posted in here last year recommending Quan and I have been to see him a couple of times lately.

It is true enough that scheduling is a bit lax at Quan's shop. An appointment there is a bit of an undefined thing. I can fully understand your frustration if you went there with a schedule for your day and had it blown out by Quan. However, if you've been there multiple times, you probably had some idea of the way things go there.

For me, as someone who has come to realize how difficult it is to find an honest mechanic, the fact that you have to deal with Quan very specifically and state exactly what you need is a small price to pay. I simply tell him exactly when I have to pick up my car. I don't bother pulling up to his door for an oil change or booking 'while you wait' appointments for things like brakes etc. One problem is that Quan is too nice and too conscientious - he takes a long time to get things done and he will do a small extra job that the customer tells him to look at last minute, which puts him behind.

With regard to his wife - I just have to object completely to the characterization above. She has always been very nice to me. Perhaps she gets defensive when people get in her face about scheduling problems.

At any rate, please check out Quan for a small job and make sure that you are very clear with him about when you expect to be there and when you expect to get your vehicle back.

Once more, I found Quan through this very thread and I have nothing whatsoever to do with him or his business except that I'm a satisfied customer. Also, there are two parking spaces at the front and I have never had to park anywhere other than in one of those two spots - Quan has always kept them open anytime I've been there.
Sr. Member
Jan 31, 2009
626 posts
29 upvotes
I went there a couple of weeks ago to find out when I heard a rattling sound when I was driving my car which subsided after a while. I went to Benjamin Auto and had it checked out and was told nothing was wrong.

Found out yesterday that one of the panels was loose and that there was something wrong with oil pan gasket.

Service was not cordial and I felt like the guy wanted me out there and was more interested in his other jobs. I won't go back there again.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Dec 19, 2007
582 posts
31 upvotes
Markham
anyone can recommend a good Buick mechanics? My boyfriend's 1996 buick skylark does not start. One mechanic took a look, and couldn't figure out what's wrong. i would like to have a Buick specialized mechanics take a look. Richmond Hill/Markham area is preferred.
thanks a lot
Newbie
Nov 18, 2008
4 posts
Ottawa
OTTAWA

AMS Auto, on Riverside Drive near Brookfield Road.

It's a very small shop. Nick is the guy in charge, and his sister works in the office. Very nice, very friendly. Been taking my two cars there for several years now, and wouldn't think of going anywhere else.

I reluctantly recommend them ... only because they're busy enough as it is, and sometimes it's hard getting a quick appointment.

Tell them Jeff sent you!
Newbie
Feb 16, 2009
7 posts
Innisfil
Any good ones in the Bloor/Royal York area or thereabouts? I saw Star Auto (Quan) mentioned, but any others?
Deal Addict
Dec 20, 2005
2898 posts
234 upvotes
gwu wrote: For those that have gone to both:

360 Auto (Chi) or IGarage (Ivan)??

I've been reading through this thread and those 2 pop up a lot, and are highly recommended here on RFD.
I also checked them out in Googlemaps, their practically beside each other.

Reason is: It's close to where I live, as well as Markville Mall being walking distance away while they work on the car.

Thanks in Advance!
Id say 360Auto(Chi) would be the one to go to. If anything do this call Chi up and ask him how much to do something, then call iGarage. Chi will have the better price.

I actually tried this in the beginning when first going to 360Auto and he always had the better price without me saying "Can you do lower". Now i just call Chi up and tell him im coming lol, no point in trying to shop around as everytime he always has it far better.

Plussss on top that i feel that Chis customer experience is wayyyyy better then other shops. He'll explain things, wont mind you looking over, and will actually teach you a thing or two as well.

I make a 40-50 minute drive up to Chi when i need to get something done and in the end i still save adding gas cost to it as well as if compared to i had done it somewhere else. If only Chi was closer to downtown toronto i'd go for the little things like oil changes too.
Feedback:RfD HoFo eBay
:arrow: :arrowu: :arrowd: :arrow: :arrowu: :arrowd: :arrow: :arrowu: :arrowd: :cheesygri :eek:
Deal Addict
Jan 15, 2005
1354 posts
15 upvotes
Waterloo, ON
traderNik wrote: I have to respond to this since I posted in here last year recommending Quan and I have been to see him a couple of times lately.

It is true enough that scheduling is a bit lax at Quan's shop. An appointment there is a bit of an undefined thing. I can fully understand your frustration if you went there with a schedule for your day and had it blown out by Quan. However, if you've been there multiple times, you probably had some idea of the way things go there.

For me, as someone who has come to realize how difficult it is to find an honest mechanic, the fact that you have to deal with Quan very specifically and state exactly what you need is a small price to pay. I simply tell him exactly when I have to pick up my car. I don't bother pulling up to his door for an oil change or booking 'while you wait' appointments for things like brakes etc. One problem is that Quan is too nice and too conscientious - he takes a long time to get things done and he will do a small extra job that the customer tells him to look at last minute, which puts him behind.

With regard to his wife - I just have to object completely to the characterization above. She has always been very nice to me. Perhaps she gets defensive when people get in her face about scheduling problems.

At any rate, please check out Quan for a small job and make sure that you are very clear with him about when you expect to be there and when you expect to get your vehicle back.

Once more, I found Quan through this very thread and I have nothing whatsoever to do with him or his business except that I'm a satisfied customer. Also, there are two parking spaces at the front and I have never had to park anywhere other than in one of those two spots - Quan has always kept them open anytime I've been there.
I have seen numerous times when his loyal customers (myself included) have to come back 3 or 4 times because he said he can't complete the car he was working on, even though he has already scheduled appointments with those customers. Well guess what... There's a little thing called estimation and courtesy... if you think you can't make it for your next customer, then tell them you can't work on his car for the time frame they requested. It's bad courtesy in lining customers up to come to your shop in hopes of having a continuous stream of cars to profit from, while completely neglecting their schedules for your own benefits. If you think the car you are working on needs more time to complete, phone the customer that you don't have time today or schedule in advance with this in mind. This can be as simple as using a piece of paper and pencil to write down in an agenda - by the way, to my knowledge, they still don't have anything remotely close to that - it is that simple!

To clarify some things, his wife's characterization is not based on the fact she was defensive about me getting in her face about scheduling problems - that never happened. I have been a loyal customer to Quan's shop for over 2 years, and I simpily asked her to give me call back whenever there was an avaliable time to fix my car - mind you, my car was in bad shape as one of my wheel bearings was about to break off so it was a bit of a critical issue for me. For 2 days that call never happened, and when I called a second time, she simpily said "we are too busy for you, your job is not as important as the one we are working on right now". This is, by far, not what you say to any customer, let alone loyal customers who have been to your shop for a while.

Bottom line... like I have mentioned before. Quan is an above average and honest mechanic... however, his customer service and treatment of customers completely offsets any reasons why he should be recommended to anyone who uses this board.
Sr. Member
Jul 8, 2004
627 posts
5 upvotes
GTA
fast_typeR wrote: I have seen numerous times when his loyal customers (myself included) have to come back 3 or 4 times because he said he can't complete the car he was working on, even though he has already scheduled appointments with those customers. Well guess what... There's a little thing called estimation and courtesy... if you think you can't make it for your next customer, then tell them you can't work on his car for the time frame they requested. It's bad courtesy in lining customers up to come to your shop in hopes of having a continuous stream of cars to profit from, while completely neglecting their schedules for your own benefits. If you think the car you are working on needs more time to complete, phone the customer that you don't have time today or schedule in advance with this in mind. This can be as simple as using a piece of paper and pencil to write down in an agenda - by the way, to my knowledge, they still don't have anything remotely close to that - it is that simple!

To clarify some things, his wife's characterization is not based on the fact she was defensive about me getting in her face about scheduling problems - that never happened. I have been a loyal customer to Quan's shop for over 2 years, and I simpily asked her to give me call back whenever there was an avaliable time to fix my car - mind you, my car was in bad shape as one of my wheel bearings was about to break off so it was a bit of a critical issue for me. For 2 days that call never happened, and when I called a second time, she simpily said "we are too busy for you, your job is not as important as the one we are working on right now". This is, by far, not what you say to any customer, let alone loyal customers who have been to your shop for a while.

Bottom line... like I have mentioned before. Quan is an above average and honest mechanic... however, his customer service and treatment of customers completely offsets any reasons why he should be recommended to anyone who uses this board.
Just go to Ivan at iGarage. I think he is pretty close to Quan. He is also one of the top recommended places to take your car. I take my car to him all the time and I have no issues with scheduling.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)