First off, I admit that I think many mechanics and shops deserve the negative perception applied to them by many people. I've had my share of being told that my car needed something which I'm sure that it did not, just to inflate the bill, and most people I know have had similar experiences. It's been especially frustrating when I've spent hundreds of dollars on 'repairs' that did nothing to fix the problem. I understand that some issues can be complicated to diagnose, but please don't just keep charging me money for items that may or not fix the problem. I just want to find a competent, honest mechanic who I know I can trust to not rip me off if they can't fix the problem.
Anyway, when the check engine light came on in my wife's car we first took it to one of those quickie oil-changing/brake-replacing/lubrication-doing/fluid-filling shops that offer a free reading of your car's computer when the check engine light comes on. We were told that the trouble code indicated a faulty O2 sensor which we be several hundred dollars to repair. I wasn't comfortable with the shop so we left and I decided I would try to tackle the repair myself and save some money. In doing research, however, I found that the O2 sensor should be fine for up to 100K miles, and since my wife's car had only 70K and the part cost over $200 I decided to try cheaper options first. I replaced the air filter, and then bought new Iridium-tipped spark plugs (no idea what iridium is but that's what Toyota calls for and it sounds hi-tech!), but never got around to replacing them. The car was acting up in cold weather and I certainly didn't want my wife to be stranded somewhere in the middle of winter so I decided to try the pros.
I'd heard good things about Dave & Wayne's so we decided to give them a try. We were able to get the car in on the day we wanted and my wife dropped it off in the morning. She told them about the check engine light and the rough running engine. She also told them that I had already replaced the air filter and had bought new spark plugs to replace them but hadn't done it yet. She also asked them to check the brakes which were making lots of noise and felt like they were 'grabby' after having being recently replaced by Sears when we got new tires. She also asked for an oil change and told them to use the spark plugs that I bought if they felt it was necessary.
One of the mechanics called several hours later and said that the trouble code and the rough running engine was due to a leaking intake gasket, which is common on these cars. He ordered the gasket and replaced it (the next day), changed the oil, and inspected the brakes. The brakes were fine except for a build-up of dust which was causing the grabbiness. He didn't replace the spark plugs because he said the Iridium-tipped plugs are good for 100K miles so it wasn't necessary yet. Total bill - about $330.
The car now runs fine and we were very happy with the speed and quality of the work. Everyone we dealt with there was pleasant and professional, and we felt that they were honest and competent, and that the cost of the work was reasonable. We would definitely recommend them and we will continue using them for any issue that doesn't to be handled by a dealer. Thanks Dave & Wayne's!
p.s. sorry for such a long review! :)
- (Review left on Yelp by Greg N.)
Thank you for visiting Dave & Wayne Auto Center in Bethlehem, PA. You can count on our automotive repair technicians to keep your car, truck, suv, van, or motorcycles on the roads longer and safer.
Service Areas: Bethlehem, PA | Easton, PA | Hellertown, PA | Nazareth, PA | Tatamy, PA | Stockertown, PA | Catasauqua, PA | Bath, PA | Springtown, PA | Phillipsburg, PA | Riegelsville, PA | Northampton, PA | Whitehall, PA
