What clients say about BAM! Automotive - St. Louis Park in St. Louis Park (MN)
This automotive shop seriously was the best experience I had ever had with a mechanic ever - despite them not being able to even work on my vehicle from having to direct me to the dealership instead for some really specific issues I was having. Again, despite them not being able to do much work on my car, they were extremely helpful, went above and beyond in giving me advice, insight, did RESEARCH on my behalf, was communicative and followed up with me in a timely manner, honored their word to me, and was really pleasant to work with. Specifically this guy named Van- he was wonderful! Thank you!!!
Had my 4Runner towed to the shop after a phone conversation about a differential bushing that had lost some needle bearings found after replacing the cv boots on the drivers side. All good, I don’t have the tools to pull the bushing, and the shop understood what was needed when I talked to them before having the car towed. I understood this would be a bigger job than what they typically advertise as a specialty, but they were confident they knew the problem and the solution. I am newer to the area and didn’t have a shop yet, so let’s give this a try.
Next day I get a long list of repairs that are needed. Some legitimate, others definitely not. $3,800 to replace the differential with a used differential with the same mileage. I declined, reminding them that what was needed was a replaceable needle bearings bushing that was not reflected in the quote and did not require the full replacement of the differential. The tech was open to me coming down to show him exactly what needed to be replaced, and after that discussion he was great in saying he understood, but was not comfortable doing the repair. Paid to have the axle put back in the car with the promise that everything would be installed and torqued down to be drivable rather than having to be towed back to my house. All good….. until today.
Took the vehicle to a different shop that fully understood the repair and does the job often. In pulling the wheel assembly apart they found the axle nut was removable by hand and all other ball joints were loose, sensors not seated or tightened. Basically the work that was promised and paid for in reinstalling the axle was not completed to a level that left me with a safe vehicle. Thankfully I drove the vehicle a total of 30 miles since that visit, but I was surprised to hear of so many vital connection points being neglected in and around my front drivetrain and suspension and being left with an unsafe vehicle.
I get policies and a businesses standard practices. I have mine too. One of those being the fact that I need to trust my shop to be aware and focused on giving me a safe vehicle, even if that fix is intended to be temporary and short mileage. I was disappointed that one person says they can do the job and another says they aren’t comfortable, but I’d rather not have my car fixed by someone uncomfortable with the need. At the end of the day, comfort doesn’t change what is needed.
My tech and the location manager were easy to work with, but unfortunately my experience now knowing what I didn’t at the time has made it clear I have no intention of coming back to this shop for anything.
My favorite part about Bam, besides the great service and honest pricing, is their availability to set up for an hour or so with my work laptop and get stuff done in their space while I wait. Huge game changer.
Thanks BAM!
Brought a used car here that I bought from a dealership for a used car inspection. They found severe rusting underneath from flood damage and a tampered odometer reading along with the salvage title that the dealer did not disclose. Saved me $$$! Able to do same day service for me, because I had a 3 day return window.
Don’t go here. They will scam you. I went here for the first time to get a headlight replaced, and my tire pressure sensor fixed. At my appointment, they said that they found 10 other things my car needed to have done.
They claimed my windshield wiper fluid sprayers were broken and needed to be replaced for $225, I declined the service. After my appointment, I tested them and they worked just fine. Additionally, they wanted to charge me $150 to replace my cabin filter (which can be done for $20). They also recommended flushing my break fluid but I had that done a month ago. The rest of the services they wanted me to have done were all over priced compared to everywhere else I’ve gone.
Suffice to say, I declined everything other than the two things I went in for.
To top all that off, I got in my car and the sensor they said they fixed was still broken.
Overall, a horrible experience. Stick to other places.
Love their detailed inspection breakdown with pictures!
The service manager David is the best: consistently authentic, kind, and helpful.
Only nicety would be if I was able to share records of work I’ve had done elsewhere to clear the blanket recommendations based on mileage alone.
I’ve consistently had great experiences with BAM Automotive, and this most recent visit was no exception.
The team is outstanding at clearly explaining the status of my vehicle, what services are most urgent, what can wait, and how to make informed decisions without pressure. That level of transparency and support makes a huge difference.
The site manager, David, is exceptional. I genuinely appreciate the personal-professional relationship he builds—he knows me, knows my car, and communicates with care and precision. The entire staff is engaged, technically knowledgeable, and clearly well-trained.
I also want to acknowledge Austin, the owner, for doing an excellent job building this business, training his team well and creating strong consistency across both locations.
I’m now going into my third year since leaving service with the dealership and working directly with BAM. I wouldn’t go back. Five-star experience all around. Highly recommended!
Had a really good experience here! I brought in a unique issue with my speed sensor causing lights to keep coming up on the dash. The report from David / Drew was very thorough and they were super helpful getting it resolved. Thank you team!!!
Very professional, straightforward, you can do most communication, scheduling, and ordering of services online on their well designed site, but they are also available to chat in person. I will definitely be going back. They will let you know everything you need to do on your car via their online system, can also print as needed and you can pick and choose your services, no surprises.
I brought my vehicle here to remedy a check engine light. The issue was caused by a misfire in the 6th cylinder. They recommended I replace the spark plugs and ignition coils which I was told should solve the issue. It cost me $1,700… my car was there for 4 business days (6 total) and ultimately the issue wasn’t resolved and the check engine light and misfire still persist. I was told I will have to get it back in because there’s ’disassembly’ that can be done to further diagnose the issue, this of course means another $1,700 (at least). My frustration is this… I brought my car in to fix the cylinder misfire, I paid a ton of money and was without transportation for 6 total days, and the issue still isn’t fixed. I feel preyed upon by my experience at BAM and won’t be returning.
PROS: Very friendly staff. Were super patient when my car was delayed by the tow truck and great with getting a loaner vehicle to me. David is fantastic. Were able to confirm an appointment for Monday AM on a Sunday afternoon.
CONS: My car got towed there because it was literally dead...like possibly forever. I had oil change on my request list should they be able to fix the vehicle. They went ahead and did the oil change FIRST without A) seeing if the vehicle could be repaired at all or B) seeing if I wanted to move forward with the cost to repair.
The cost would've been $8000, aka about 15x more than the car was worth, so I declined and apparently paid for a wasted oil change.
Also, I gave them the exact diagnostic codes and they still charged me $250 for "diagnostic" which is diabolical.
TLDR: Was looking for a reason to leave Midas and support local, but this ain't it. David is a gem, though. Will keep searching!
David and Austin took good care of my truck. Their integrated systems are great for keeping track of maintenance records and putting priority status on what needs to be done. Highly recommend BAM!
Great shop! I made an online appointment for the next day, and they had work completed within 3 hours! Courtesy car at no expense and gave me a nice discount for mentioning an online coupon 🙂 The "other guys" don't compare. Thanks for the great service!
I have an android phone, I did not receive the text messages about my car, nor did they call me. They are aware of this problem and just told me to add them to contacts. I am very displeased with the communication about the service of my car and the lack of communication from the service team. I'm assuming they did the oil change correctly, it's not that hard (but you never know). They also wanted to charge me over $100 dollars for a burnt out headlight bulb. I am unsure if this is a place I'll be returning too, but I'll give them a second chance. Also to my great sadness they do not have shop cats.
Wonderful kind patient man answered phone helped me find the shop. Greeted do nicely, took 10 minutes the mechanic came out and said the code showed some front flaps, but they were working now,. No charge, what even honest people here. Will definitely return when needed
Highly recommend BAM for your next oil change. David was incredibly responsive and was able to get me in for an oil change the same day. Very quick and thorough oil change.
Very difficult electrical issue to diagnose. The last shop gave up on it so I bought it to Bam because were successful with the last electrical I had in my other vehicle. I told BAM that I was not in a hurry and to take their time and just fix my truck. After much time and may phone calls back and forth I finally got the call that I was waiting for. My truck was fixed. The personnel at BAM always conducted themselves in a very professional manner, and they didn't give up when things got tough. I will continue to use BAM for my mechanical needs.
$3,000+ gone and my car is still broken. I brought it to Bam Automotive two times for the same issue, and they failed every time. No apology, no accountability, no concern for the time, money, and frustration they’ve caused. Their “solution”? Offer to look at it again — for free — as if that erases their incompetence. This shop has wasted my money, my time, and my patience. Bam Automotive is where cars go to stay broken. Avoid like the plague.
I wholeheartedly recommend BAM Automotive for your vehicle repairs. They are professional and explain the issues clearly. They've kept my 2012 Ford Transit running safely for a few years at what I believe has been reasonable pricing. The front end staff are friendly and polite, and they have a comfortable place for you to wait. I've gotten a free loaner when the work took more than a day. I'm extremely satisfied with all of their services.
Bam Automotive did a really great job! I loved how thorough their evaluation was — they caught issues that other shops had missed, and my car seems to be running much better now. The pictures they included in the evaluation were super helpful and made it easy to understand what was going on. Highly recommend!
This was my first time at BAM Automotive, and I will definitely be back. They took great care of my car and kindly explained the suggested add on services/repairs that were above what I came in for. Reasonable prices and friendly staff. Nice work stations as well for those who wait at the shop during service.
BAM! has been the best and most honest shop I have been to in years! They helped me with inspecting a couple of used cars I was considering buying, and saved me a ton of money and headaches with their recommendations. They have also done some work on my cars I already own. The work is always top notch, and the customer service is 2nd to none. HIGHLY recommend if you're looking for a trustworthy mechanic.
I recently got my oil changed and car checked on at the BAM St Louis park location. The employees gave me a great rundown of what needed repairs and even listed them in most important to least important for me when I asked them to do so. David was awesome at explaining everything for me. And the location is new, clean and easy to get into with their app booking!
I felt very taken advantage of here when I brought my car in a tough situation.
My car stalled on hwy 7, I jumped it, and brought it to one of the closest auto shops in the area because it kept stalling. I chose BAM because they were highly rated and had positive mentions on fair pricing. I left the keys in the box and set up an appointment online for 8am the next morning. I explained in detail about my strong suspicion it was an alternator. The only diagnostic choice I was offered was a “full electrical system test” at -BAM!- $250.00. I declined and asked for a simple alternator test they gave me no other options.
Fine. I called 2 shops on the same street both offering an electrical system test for 1/5 of the price. I decided to have my car towed to the only shop I trust and paid half what BAM quoted me for test and repair.
I gave an additional star because Drew was kind despite my unwillingness to go through with any of their work. I couldn’t say much more about their workmanship, which I’m sure must be prestigious at the hourly labor rate they charge. Was hoping this would be my chance at finding a solid shop nearby me.
We’ve had three vehicles serviced at this garage for a variety of jobs, ranging from routine maintenance like oil changes to more extensive repairs, including steering linkage, tie rods, and other issues. We’ve used their services multiple times, and the experience has been consistently positive.
The staff, particularly David and his team, are professional, helpful, and offer sound advice. They completed the necessary work within a very reasonable timeframe, which we greatly appreciated. Their pricing is transparent, and there were no unexpected surprises when it came to costs.
Most importantly, the quality of their work has been excellent—our vehicles are running smoothly, and we haven’t had any issues since the repairs. Based on our experiences, we would confidently recommend this garage to others looking for reliable and trustworthy automotive service.
If you're driving down highway 7 and you have a problem with your car. Stop at bam. This happened to me and they were able to take care of me within minutes. Add me back on the road and on my way to work. Thank you, Cody and Stephanie.
I was in need of wheels and a set of winter tires and BAM was great to work with. The team made sure to pay extra close attention to my vehicle as it has a body kit and when put on a lift is easy to accidentally pinch and crack.
The team also was attentive to a failure on my part with the lug nuts that came with the wheels and would not fit tight enough. They worked to get a set that fit correctly and would be safe to use.
I've used BAM for other services in the past, but this was a first for tires and they did not disappoint. I got the same great service I've come to know at the Minnetonka location.
I popped a tire on a nasty pothole. My first call was to BAM to order a replacement. I drive a lot for work so I had to get back on the road ASAP. They were able to get me in right away, and gave me a loaner so I could continue working. BAM always makes me feel well taken care of, I know I can trust their work and recommendations.
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