CARSTAR Lake Forest in
Lake Forest (CA)

Worst business practice I have ever been involved with. See my letter to the BAR, BBB, and Attorney General below. I am submitting this complaint regarding undisclosed storage charges imposed by CARSTAR USA in Lake Forest, California. On Monday, March 2, our vehicle was towed to this shop after an accident for the purpose of obtaining a repair estimate. Later that same day, the shop contacted us and informed us they would not be able to repair the vehicle. During that call, we stated that we would arrange to have the vehicle picked up as soon as possible. At no time during the delivery of the vehicle or during the March 2nd phone call were we informed that storage fees would be charged. On Tuesday, March 3, the shop called again and informed us for the first time that they were charging $200 per day in storage fees. By that point, the vehicle had already been on their lot overnight, and we had already begun arranging transport to retrieve it. Because we reside in Minnesota, coordinating interstate vehicle transport required approximately two days. When the transport company arrived on Thursday, March 5 to pick up the vehicle, the shop refused to release it unless we paid $600 in storage charges. After disputing the charge and explaining that these fees had never been disclosed to us when the vehicle was delivered, the shop reduced the charge to $450. We paid this amount under protest in order to retrieve our vehicle. We believe this charge is improper and unreasonable because: • No storage fees were disclosed when the vehicle was delivered • No written authorization or agreement acknowledging storage fees was signed • The shop confirmed on March 2nd that they could not repair the vehicle • Storage fees were only disclosed the following day after the vehicle was already on their lot • No reasonable opportunity was provided to retrieve the vehicle before storage charges began accumulating and NO reasonable grace period. • We arranged transport and removal of the vehicle as quickly as possible 3 days later. • The vehicle was effectively held hostage until payment was made We understand that under California automotive repair regulations, repair dealers are generally required to provide clear disclosure of charges and obtain authorization before imposing fees related to vehicle storage or services. In this situation, no written authorization was requested or provided, and the storage rate was not disclosed until after the vehicle had already been on the property overnight. For this reason, we believe the storage charges were imposed without proper notice or authorization. We respectfully request that this matter be reviewed to determine whether this shop’s practices comply with California automotive repair regulations and consumer protection standards. Given the circumstances described above, we also ask that the charges collected from us under protest be reviewed for possible reimbursement. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Thank you for your excellent service and thoughtful communication throughout the process. Everyone was so professional and I would highly recommend CARSTAR in Lake Forest, CA

They did a fantastic job. They kept me updated when a part was delayed and answered all of my questions keeping me informed. And if I had to use them again, I absolutely would.

I had a really great experience with CARSTAR. Cristina was incredibly helpful and responsive the whole time and made the process feel easy instead of stressful. They replaced both my driver and passenger doors in just a couple of weeks and the work looks fantastic. When I picked up the car it was cleaned inside and out, which was such a nice touch and honestly made it feel brand new again. Super smooth communication, solid repair work, and excellent customer service. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone who needs body work done.

My experience with their services was very smooth. The staff were great and I was always able to get my questions answered. I got a platinum detail and I'm pretty satisfied with how my car came out. Solid

I’ve just recently had a body repair job done for my Tesla Model 3 by Carstar, and the result was very satisfactory. They are not just great on the work quality but also the friendly staff (Tony, Huy, Denise, and Cristina) and timely delivery. I’ll definitely give them two thumbs up and highly recommend them to anyone who has needs for car body repair.

What a fantastic job! Thank you Carstar Lake Forest, you made my 13 years old Lexus a brand new vehicle! I was considering to sell it after the repair done but now I want to keep it. Thank you Dennis, Huy, Cristina and Denise. You guys are great!

They done a fantastic job, I would highly recommend them. Employees are very kind. They will explain in detail. This is the third time they have done body work for my RAV4, they are very skilled.

Carstar did an excellent job on repairing my car door. Very helpful on time response on time delivery. The team there is amazing

They do a great job on my bumper. Finished a day early, and the communication was great got an update every day on what they were doing to my truck. Oh and Beth was awesome too.

All I can say is wow! My car has never looked better. From the moment I called in for an appointment Denise set everything up for me. Cristina helped me when I got there. Huy took care of my repairs. They made this stressful situation a lot easier.

I had a fantastic experience at CARSTAR Lake Forest! The team did an amazing job repairing my car. It looks brand new, with perfect paint matching and a spotless detail inside. Special shoutout to Denise, who was incredible at keeping me updated every step of the way with texts and calls. Super professional, friendly, and made the whole process stress free. Highly recommend this shop! Five stars.

Got my car back faster than I thought, so I was delighted, also Denise and Cristina were super nice. I can see they pay attention to detail. Glad to have used their services!

I would highly recommend Carstar to my friends and clients. They made the entire process easy and stress-free. Thank you, Richard and Cristina, for the excellent service.

Lightning quick with my repairs did a thorough job, very transparent and responsive even when I gave them a pretty rushed deadline. Cristina did an excellent job keeping me in the loop about the progress and any changes in the repair process.

I had a great experience with Carstar. My car was repaired in a timely manner, and the entire process was smooth and stress-free. Cristina provided excellent customer service—she was professional, kind, and very informative throughout the process. She kept me updated and made sure all my questions were answered. I truly appreciated the care and attention to detail from the team. Highly recommend Carstar!

Everything was excellent, from the front desk (thank you Cristina!), to the estimator, and body work on the car. They were communicative, professional, efficient, heard our concerns, and always with a smile. This Carstar was recommended to us by our Lexus dealer and we are grateful to all!

The service was very fast, efficient, and professional. The staff were friendly and very helpful throughout the process. Richard provided excellent support, especially with budgeting and detailed information about the car. He was patient, knowledgeable, and made everything clear and easy to understand. Overall, it was a great experience, and I am very satisfied with the service. Highly recommended!

CarStar finished my car earlier than expected, which was a nice surprise. I was also pleasantly surprised that they vaccumed out my car. The staff was very nice and they kept me updated about my car, so I never had to wonder how far along they were in my car repair. CarStar did a great job fixing my car.

I received excellent service and care for my Fleeteood Jamboree Sport RV. CARSTAR did an excellent paint job on the engine hood. It looks like a new RV again. The color matching is perfect along with a beautiful luster. They also notice a problem I had and fixed it.

I sent my car here to repair after an accident. The shop seems to cooperate with multiple insurance companies, so it is very convenient. The repair quality is pretty good, most parts are OEM at least in my case, and kept me updated on the progress all the time. It was finished sooner than I expected, and the staffs are nice and welcoming. Recommended for anyone wants a hassle free car repair.

The entire process from start to finish was a fabulous experience. Denise and Mr. Guy were amazingly to work with and the shop did a fantastic job on the repairs and paint looks amazing. Thank you to the whole team at Car Star!

Great experience working with CarStar. They were in constant communication with me, with my insurance liason, and with the rental car company I was using while my car was being repaired. The work they did was excellent--the car looks like new and the detailing and wash of the car was perfect too. Highly recommend!

I love this place. They helped me handle my insurance, made my car look brand new, and left it completely spotless. Will definitely be bringing my car and my husband’s car here for repairs from now on. Denise and Jin were super helpful during the whole process. Thank you!!

I really loved how they took care of my car. The staff are very nice and patient. They call you and message you to tell you the updates. AND THEY FUXED MY CAR SO FAST. IT LOOKS AMAZING. Great customer service.

We recently had our commercial vehicle repaired at CarStar, and we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. The vehicle looks great, and the attention to detail was top-notch! What really stood out was how awesome the owner was—he personally came outside to buff out an area of concern, making sure we were completely satisfied with the work. It’s always nice to know that the owner truly cares about his customers. The entire experience was smooth, and we highly recommend CarStar for anyone needing quality repairs!

Benaz and Huy were amazing from start to finish. They communicated with me daily on updates with my vehicle and even finished my car repair faster than the quoted date. They even went the extra step and detailed the interior and exterior of my car. I’d definitely come back for future repairs.