Uptown Imports - Auto Repair

02/25/08

The best mechanic I've ever found

by corneeeeelius at Citysearch

I'd neglected my 30k tune-up on my 05 Corolla for way too long and my car was starting to feel rough. At the time I was living in Los Angeles, about to move to MN. Having dealt with mechanics in LA for so long and having gotten screwed over by every one, I decided to wait until I got here to get my car checked. Found Uptown Imports here and checked them out.

I talked to John over the phone, who took a time out of his day to talk to me about his shop, the services they offered, the costs I'd be looking at. I knew what to expect going in. I dropped the car off overnight. I was able to pick it up the next day, faster than I was expecting.

John walked me through everything they'd done, and I was impressed right away by the fact that he'd actually passed up the opportunity to do things he'd sold me on over the phone, because my car didn't need them. He knew that I didn't know what the hell I was doing, he could've sold me on twice as much work, but he was honest. Maybe living in LA for so long had turned me into a hardened cynic that expected to get ripped off, but Uptown Imports was able to actually instill a sense of trust into my blackened heart.

To top it all off, it was far cheaper than I thought it'd be. My girlfriend also has an 05 Corolla and she'd gotten it serviced at a dealer in LA. The dealership had done less work than John had done for me, and their bill was twice as high. Anyone saying that Uptown doesn't offer competitive fair pricing is out of their mind.

The guy who left a comment below me along with his two-star rating is obviously one of those. To complain, on an $1800 bill, that a water pump was $20 more than it would've been if he'd bought a cheap one himself? That's insane. There's a certain type of person that will never be satisfied, who will nitpick for hours in order to save pennies, who expects a meal out to cost as much as a meal at home - sadly some of those people are on Citysearch.

Believe the hype, this place is awesome.

• Pros: service, prices, staff

11/19/09

A Trustworthy Auto Repair Shop!

by jeff weyrens at Citysearch

Uptown Imports helped me when no one else would. I had had a problem with my 2005 Volvo that had some issues. After taking it to two other shops, and getting nowhere because they did not want to touch a car that had hail damage. It was damaged goods to them.

Uptown Imports stepped up to the plate and helped me get my Volvo running again at minimal expense. This was done because they have some of the best people in town working for them, and under the right leader (John Shanderuk) who supply's them with the latest equipment and tools. Thanks Guys, your the best!

Jeff

• Pros: Honesty and Good
• Cons: none

06/04/09

Wonderful!

by AmyWillingham at Citysearch

I am use to taking my car into a dealership for repairs, but with the current economy paying those heavy dealer service prices don’t work into the budget anymore. As a woman who has no experience with cars, I found it to be very challenging to find the right repair shop. I decided to do a search on citysearch for a reliable and affordable repair shop. That’s where I found uptownimports, voted one of the best in my local area. After clicking through their website I was very impressed with their 0% interest and 90 day financing for all available major or minor repairs. I was also taken back by how much this repair shop can actually do, for they can do everything and more then my local car dealership could do. I decided that I should call for an appointment, and was transferred to a very friendly and knowledgeable staff member. Within the next few days all of my repairs were done for a fraction of the price I normally pay. I highly recommend going to Uptown Imports; you will not be disappointed by their knowledgeable staff, competitive prices, and overall quality of work.

Amy Willingham

Minneapolis, MN

• Pros: Fast and easy service
• Cons: Only one location

06/01/09

THEY DELETED MY PREVIOUS REVIEW!! Dishonest People!!

by UpsetMpls at Citysearch

I found out about Uptown Imports through citysearch and all the "great reviews". But my experience was quite the opposite. I brought my car in because the airbag light was on, the power windows weren't working, and the gears were slipping occasionally.

It was to my understanding that the mechanics would take a look at my car and give a rough estimate of what needed to be fixed, along with their quotes. I talked to someone on the phone who recorded my contact information incorrectly, so they were "unable" to get back to me the following day with the estimates until I called them. John, the owner, told me he still didn't have the numbers for me, but would let me know the next day. I still didn't hear from him, so again, contacted him at the end of that work day. John estimated $2500 worth of repairs. The real kicker is that they charged me over $200 for the diagnostic work. ($32 for "extensively driving" the car around the block). Their website advertised FREE ESTIMATES. $206 is not free.

I called John the following day to ask for my car to be ready to be picked up so I could bring it elsewhere for a 2nd opinion. John interrogated me, asking what, where, and why I would think of taking it somewhere else, and mocked the other business for being a small. He told me if I was just looking for a cheap job, then my decision to leave was good.

When I stopped back to pick up my car, John demanded the several hundred dollars for diagnosing (comparing himself to a doctor), and THEN asked me to sign the paper giving him my permission to work on my car- to figure out the problem. THAT CONVERSATION AND DOCUMENTATION SHOULD HAVE COME BEFORE HE DID $200 WORTH OF DIAGNOSTIC WORK!!!

When I found my car in the lot, the power windows were stuck down... I had to return to the office and ask for them to put them up, where they originally were. Over a half hour later, I drove off, $200 poorer, and with nothing fixed.

P.S. The second opinion mechanic estimated my repairs $1000 CHEAPER than John, the great.

DO NOT GET RIPPED OFF HERE, LIKE I DID!!

• Pros: I got a keychain?
• Cons: dishonesty, overpricing, unprofessionalism

05/29/09

Great Customer Service

by JenSa at Citysearch

Rarely do I get service good enough to take the time to write a review. It just doesn’t happen much anymore. I felt completely at ease with this auto repair shop from the first phone call until I picked up the car. The gentlemen that picked up the phone was friendly, answered all my questions so that I understood the answers and invited me to stop by for a free estimate. As a single woman, I rarely have felt comfortable with car repairs. They have a wide variety of services as well. It was a wonderful experience, and I tell all my friends about it. Check out their website for yourself.

• Pros: most helpful

05/21/09

AMAZING

by AmandaN at Citysearch

These guys were SOOOO helpful. I stopped in yesterday after my car overheated and coolant was running out of my car faster than I could put it in. I just leaving MN and on my way to M, with my car packed, I for my move out of the state. They were extremely accommodating, they fixed my car the same day and were very nice and helpful with everything. When fixing my car they kept me in the loop of everything that was going on and what they were doing, along with why each fix was made. I really appreciate their service and would recommend them to anyone anytime.

• Pros: So helpful and easy to work with

05/19/09

The Only Repair Shop I Feel Good Leaving

by rndmcrzyns at Citysearch

I brought my Volvo to Uptown Imports after the dealer charged me an arm and a leg for "standard maintenance", which supposedly included a full vehicle inspection. After picking my car up from the dealer and driving less than 10 miles, the car went nuts and flashed all sorts of crazy warning messages related to the electrical system and voltage. Uptown figured out the problem, repaired it at a reasonable price, and then went above and beyond by creatively (an inexpensively) solving a leaky differential problem that, wait for it...*gasp* the dealer failed to correctly identify. I'm done with the dealer for good and will be loyal to Uptown from now on!

• Pros: knowledgeable, reliable, and take the time for customers
• Cons: small shop - need an appointment & no weekend hours

03/05/09

Honest, friendly service‎

by BMWlover318 at Citysearch

I brought my 318 into the shop to get my cooling system inspected. Uptown Imports clearly described what was included in the inspection. They thoroughly inspected the cooling system and diagnosed the problems. In addition, they recommended other preventive repairs. I will continue to bring my cars into the shop.

11/11/08

Honest. Friendly. Fast. Bring your car here!

by anthemmarie at Citysearch

Friend recommended them and glad I went there... fixed my problem and advised me on the extensive list of things I should watch out for on the P.O.S. I brought in. But NO pressure to fix anything, just advice. Really fast repair, friendly and the receptionist was very sweet. The next day I THought I had a problem with the car, but the tow company they recommend in their closed hours message was helpful - it was just some corrosion on my battery connectors - good people know good people. Too a total lifesaver to include that info in their phone message. A consideration that is overlooked by other auto shops. I am sorry I doubted the repair job for a minute. The POS is running great and I am definitely going back. I did fail to check the bathroom out... next time, I suppose. Thanks guys!

• Pros: Advice, not pressure; fast service. Thorough.
• Cons: no weekend hours.

10/27/08

Problem solving and expert repair at a great price

by brockmanschumacher at Citysearch

I had my car towed to Uptown Imports after another auto shop made multiple mistakes. Uptown had to figure out how to get my car started (it had been running fine) and then repair the original problem. They kept me informed every step of the way, returned my calls promptly, and they delivered my car in great shape at a very reasonable price. Their mechanics are trustworthy and down to earth.

• Pros: Thumbs up

10/17/08

Overall Good Experience

by craigslegs at Citysearch

Service here was very responsive and thorough. Owner of the shop spent an extensive amount of time working on my car in order to figure out a complicated problem. Definitely feel the business is very trustworthy and would recommend to anyone.