What clients say about East River Auto Care in New York (NY)
Fraudulent extortionist. Had to call police to retrieve car. Brought car in for a side mirror housing to be replaced. Was quoted $500 and 2 days. 5 days later Aly held the car hostage asking for $1,900 because he did extra work which was not needed nor quoted nor agreed to be performed.
Outright thief. Agreed to pay $200 for a new serpentine belt installed. Sat in drivers seat while they did the work. Given a $1300. bill when finished. They claimed vehicle also needed a tension pulley, an $80 part, which it did not because I took the old one which is still good. Regardless, I never approved anything other than a $200 belt and I was never asked if it was OK to do while sitting on the vehicle.
DON'T COME HERE
SCAMMERS
THIS MAN TELLS YOU A PRICE AND THEN DOES STUFF TO YOUR YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR.
WHOEVER READS THIS CALL THE BBB AND TOGETHER WE CAN PUT THIS MAN OUT OF BUSINESS. HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CARS .... AND THE PPL THAT WORK THERE HAVE NO LICENSE AS MECHANICS
ORIGINAL PRICE FOR WATER PUMP WITH LABOR &1525
TODAY 2 MONTHS LATER $3144.42
LEAVE THIS PLACE ALONE
Usually don’t post these but these people are total con-artists. Called asking about annual state inspections, left my car. Didn’t hear back for a day. Called to check in and was told that my car needed major repairs — new brakes, new brake pads and some electrical component. Car was running fine so i was skeptical.
I told the guy I wanted this in writing. He said, ok, he’d pass my inspection with just the brakes repaired and not the other thing but it’ll cost $1k…
I said I’d just pick it up and go somewhere else and he told me that would cost $90 for parking.
Eventually randomed my car for $30 but didn’t get inspected.
DON’T GO HERE. Such a criminal operation.
Update: passed inspection at another garage without issue.
Happily I have had nothing but great experiences with East River Auto Care. The first time I took my old Saab into the shop they got the brakes, taillights, exhaust pipe, oil change, and state inspection done in record time. The repair costs were good and everyone extremely nice. I’ve already brought the car back to them for another repair.
I went there yesterday for oil change inspection and for new brakes. I had the best experience and service ever. The owner was very pleasant explained to me what I needed and how he would be able to give me a deal. I was very pleased with my car experience and service. Thanks you East River Auto Care!!
I’m not sure why the bad reviews but the owner was actually very nice and helpful he fixed my Ac and a few minor things very quickly and for a very reasonable price compared to what others were charging me.
TOTAL SCAM! I strongly advise against bringing your car here. If a tow company suggests this shop, avoid it at all costs. I typically don’t write negative reviews, but my experience was so deceptive that I feel compelled to warn others.
My car wouldn’t start, and a tow truck company recommended this shop. I was quoted $2,480 for repairs that 'may or may not' fix the issue. When I declined and decided to take my car elsewhere, I was suddenly charged an additional $125 'storage fee' for my car being there one day on top of the $180 for the diagnostic. As I was leaving, the owner then offered to fix everything for $1,000. Miraculously he then found an “alternative solution”.
The entire experience felt like a deliberate attempt to take advantage of people in a vulnerable situation. If you’re in need of honest service, I’d recommend looking elsewhere.
I never write these. These thieves told me that rats had gotten into my car and eaten the wiring ina an effort to tr try and get my insurance to let them do the work. i refused to let them do it and sent it to my guy. There was nothing wrong with the car but a bad battery. Beware of these predators.
i dont understand how these thieves are still open, went for an oil change, left oil filter loose, the car lost the oil filter on the highway and car ran out of oil eventually locking up the engine, they claim no responsibility trying to say someone else did it after the car left the shop. Do not go to east river auto care as they do things on purpose and don't do nothing about it!
Al is a total crook. Went in for an inspection and he told me that I needed new shocks, rotors and brakes before he would pass my car. I left my car overnight and had to pay $25 for "parking" when I wanted my car back after I saw he was ripping me off. This place should not be allowed to do inspections.
I wouldn’t recommend this place to anybody. I went there for a car inspection. They had me sitting there for almost 20 minutes for something that takes literally 5 to 7 minutes. Every time somebody came in for something more expensive he would have me wait it got up to 30 minutes and then finally I said you know what I’m gonna go to the Bronx where I normally go to get it and they do it really fast. And the owner here does not care about you waiting for something like that. And I watched him walk back and forward and talk to other customers that just pulled up because their cars needed more work that was worth more money then my $37 inspection.
The owner tried to find something to fail my inspection so that I would buy something from his shop. First it was the tires (they are all less than 8 months old), then he peeled my back windshield wiper (also less than 6 months old) and told me that he can order them for me... no thank you! Now I have a peeling back windshield wiper. I want to believe that it was not a gender thing, but the other person who left a one star review had a similar experience. Stay away or film him when he is conducting the review.
The owner of the shop completely took advantage of us. They agreed to a price and then when we came to pick up the car they did significantly less than what was agreed upon, claiming we did not put it in writing and that there was miscommunication on what they said they would do. We were all fluent in English, he manipulated the conversation to his advantage and charged us far more than necessary, talking circles around us when trying to figure out where the miscommunication happened.
After leaving the shop we ended up getting a flat tire on a four hour road trip we did the next day. We brought the car to a nearby mechanic who then explained that two wheel bolts on a single wheel had completely fallen off and the others still left were able to be removed with their hand, not even using a tire wrench. East River Auto Care had replaced the brake in that same wheel the day before.
We feel lucky to made the journey without totaling the car and now are skeptical of the $1,000+ of other work they did at this auto body shop.
Simply put, go somewhere else. There’s plenty of other options. Do not trust the owner, they will take full advantage of you and not even do a quality job.
This mechanic changed the radiator. The fan was not put back securely. The owner told us that he never touched the fan but he didn't do the actual work. There was also a cover to the exhaust that was missing and never put back. He denied and argued being blamed as soon as he opened the hood. Out of frustration I let everything go because my temper was rising. This place has the worst customer service and actual service I've ever seen. If you want horrible service all around, then go to this garage.
Stay away from these con artists. Unreliable; not trust worthy. Several hundred dollars wasted and more issues on vehicle than what it was bought in for.
CUSTOMER BEWARE THESE PEOPLE ARE ARE RIP OFFS AND ARE TOTALLY DISHONEST!!!!
My dad took my husband's truck to this auto body shop for repairs because the place we usually go to was totally booked.
First, the guy Al was extremely rude and nasty to ALL of his customers He gave an estimate and we went with it because this was an emergency. He took the entire front end of the truck off to do the repairs and did NOTHING!
Everything he was paid to do was incomplete or not done at all and within 3 days , we ended up having to take the truck to our original place of business which cost us an extra $500!!!
Beware of this place because you'll be over spending only to have to get the "repairs" repaired and with today's economy, it sickens me that these people have no integrity but want you to pay top dollar for it
Please avoid this place, so sad I didn’t read the reviews first, they will charge more than the initial quote, adding extra stuff you did not asked for , dishonest owner!!!!!!
STAY away from the charlatans !!!
They have the same scheme .. annual inspection- they find something major wrong with your.. usually you "need" new break etc .. and wanted to charge 1K..
I left . took to another mechanic - $300...(Caboa on 130th btw Park and Madison).
Very disappointing to find people this DISHONEST
DONT GO HERE. He said he changed my oil I left the shop my oil was BLACK.. I hope he gets his though. They charged me like 1,000 to get my car fixed, and inspected. When everything that needed to be done was for less than 250. Please support any other mechanic but this one is a dirty mechanic, and sneaky. Do yourself the favor and go somewhere else!
Avoid at all cost. They try to force you into doing all kinds of work on the car to pass your inspection and overcharge you on top. That guy Al there, be careful.
Please avoid visiting this shop unless you enjoy being overcharged.
I went in for a routine NYS inspection. The gentleman lifted my car, looked at it for about a minute and concluded that I needed to change my front right tire and all my brakes. I have a 2019 Jeep Cherokee with 30,000 miles and had recently replaced that tire he advised needed to be changed with a new, months prior. When i asked him about the tire tread and how my tires pass the state inspection he began to understand I knew something about cars. That’s when he started to backtrack, he said we can leave the tire and he can maybe reduce the price on replacing the brakes. I said no thank you I will get it inspected elsewhere. I jist finished getting out of a respectable auto repair shop and my car passed with flying colors.
They will try and take an arm and leg if you don’t know about cars so please tread carefully and avoid if possible.
Don’t trust this repair shop dishonest.
They stolen new parts from your car and change it for old part.
Also dose very bad job and charge extra money.
And I leave my car that day and they put it on the street and the car get parking tickets and they hidden the tickets and after 1 month I receive paper from the city to pay the tickets.
It’s horrible place dishonest people.
Thank you
Do NOT use their services, they are dishonest and thieves. I brought my car already with the diagnosis. I had to change the serpentine belt and tensioner. They wanted to charge $375 for the tensioner $70 for the belt plus labor. I went to Autozone and got the pieces myself, bought the best quality parts for $140. Over 300% mark up price!!! Not only that then they pretended to charge me over $200 for a 30-45min work. I took the car elsewhere at a decent rate and it took literally 35 min. Also, they could have helped me charged the battery a little as they saw me with issues turning it on, or at least advice me. They knew (me too) the battery would die...but they didnt give a sh**t... But it was totally worth the extra time to avoid giving them a penny.
299 Park Ave 6th floor, New York, NYRecycling center
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