I am rating at 2 because of the pricing model. My service was well and good, however the price was steep, and they seemed to find much more that needed fixing than I went in for. I took my car to the dealer later in the week to get a recall fixed as well as to ask for their multi point inspection to see how they compared. Steve's automotive found a lot more that needed fixing. The two reports found one thing in common, and to fix that thing Steve's automotive was asking $1800, the dealer (who is notorious for higher prices on average) was at $1040. That is an $800 difference. I also needed a window regulator fixed and Steve's was asking $600 for the fix, when the dealer was $450. Now Steve's automotive tries to justify this pricing based off of value, however I have a hard time seeing how compared to a dealer they bring more value. Especially when the part for my window fix was a dealer only part meaning the part would have been the same whether I got it from Steve's or the Dealer. Since that is the case the difference in price would mainly come down to labor and other charges. So in this case Steve's was not offering more value nor any other special treatment, yet they were $150 more for my window fix. My theory goes back to the overhead they likely install in the cost. Two nice facilities, and one of them with a new remodel and new equipment means more overhead for Steve's business, and unfortunately the way business works is that someone has to pay for the overhead, so it gets slapped to the customers.
Travis, thank you for your review. Believe it or not we appreciate even the 1-star and 2-star reviews. They help us understand how good of a job we're doing and especially how well we communicate with our clients. I'm very confident that if we performed a true apples to apples comparison that our pricing would not be as far apart from the dealership as you've stated. Speaking of communication, it sounds like we failed to make you aware that we can match any legitimate estimate provided we perform the job the exact same way, with the same parts, and provide the same warranty. In the extremely competitive world of auto service it's important for all consumers to be aware that phone quotes are dangerously inaccurate and that dealerships in an aggressive push to compete with independent shops don't always offer the best parts or warranties. So, the bottom line is that the game of comparing price isn't so simple. Also, the fact that our inspection provided you with more information about what your vehicle really needs than the dealer's inspection does not reflect well on the dealership. Conversely, it proves that our mechanics are better trained and more qualified. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. We'd love the chance to prove to you that our service is competitive and worth the price, thanks again your feedback! - Richard (Owner) 801-694-7936
- Steve's Automotive Specialists - Orem