Archer Automotive & Transmission Repair — Local services in Archer

I brought my F250 in because it was leaking oil towards the front of the engine and to also replace the body mounts. I talked to a guy for a while that said he did the bigger jobs on the F250 diesels and would do the work and that it looked like the vacuum pump was leaking and a common cause of leaks. He said if it were him, he would replace the gasket and torque it back down to spec. He said he would also clean all the oil off so it would be easy to keep an eye on and see if it stopped leaking. I also asked if they could get the expensive body mounts that come with a lifetime guarantee and he told me it would probably be easier for me to order them and bring in which I was fine with and did. I also printed out and read the instructions which were specific and said they had to be installed by hand without an impact wrench.

I took the truck in for it's appt and asked to talk to the guy which I saw walk by the door and they said he was in the back and even after insisting, they wouldn't get him and said they would relay anything so I mentioned the warranty and not to use an impact wrench. I even found someone else to ask to get the guy and called back an hour later and still was never able to talk to him again.

When I went to pick up the truck I paid and they sent someone to get it and were done with me. But I asked if they found anything else that looked like it needed attention so they went back in the computer and said there was a note that the AC blower wasn't working right. It worked fine when I dropped it off so I assumed it didn't pass a test or wasn't blowing as hard as it should, etc. When I got in the truck and turned on the AC it was completely dead. So I went back inside and told them it worked fine when I dropped it off and after some back and forth they got someone to look at it and eventually found something that wasn't plugged in good, or I was told, even though what they worked on shouldn't have been anywhere near the AC blower. They were going to send me down the road without the AC working but luckily I asked and said something as I use the windows a lot and have no idea when I would have noticed, but after an hour and a half it was working and I had my young daughter with me since I was just supposed to pick it up, so we left.

Once home I found multiple other issues. They didn't clean the oil off like I was told and it looks wet so I have no idea if it's still leaking. When I went to open the hood I noticed the grill was touching the hood on one side and I could see indentations in the plastic where the screw had been previously which was easy to see so I loosened it and pulled the grill out to where it was and so there was an even 1/4"+ gap and not touching. It definitely was not like that and anyone that takes the grill off frequently or has any pride in their work would check that the gap was even and not hitting the hood. This makes me question if their main F250 diesel mechanic did the work or someone else? Also, the brand new bolts for the body mounts were marred on half of each face of the bolt head, where a socket would touch when tightening. I don't know what they used but I can't see that happening if tightened by hand and would be much more likely to happen with an impact wrench due to the "impact". Was an impact wrench used and did it cause whatever happens that they tell you not to use that tool and void the warranty? Will they honor the lifetime warranty if something does happen? There were a couple other things but this is already a short book...

All in all, enough to make me question how good the work is and be hesitant enough NOT to recommend...

Very disappointed. I used to think the proprietor was honest and had my best interests in mind. No more. For example, the last time I got an oil change there, I came home a quart low. I put this down to an honest mistake, but now I wonder. The real issue however is the events of the last 2 days. I went in for an oil change and asked him to check out the car, and give me an estimate for fixing the ac. I told him I could not afford hundreds of dollars. He put in coolant with a dye and said there may be a leak, and if so I should come back and he would stop the leak for free, and the day's charge for that was $100+. Well, the coolant had dispersed within hours. I went back the next day. He found the leak because of the dye, and wanted to charge me $642 to fix the ac. What happened to "free"? Furthermore, on the first day, he told me that I needed 4 new tires. Without giving me any pricing on different tires, he said it would cost a total of $307. The written estimate did not have the correct make and model of the car. I took the car to Walmart, and total cost of getting 4 tires, balance, etc. was $207. Worst of all, the proprietor of Archer Automotive surprised me by saying that the power steering fluid was leaking. Since I had this fixed for a minimal amount only 2 years ago, and with no further problems, this did not seem right to me. It also did not seem right when he wanted...

I have brought 2 different Mazda's here for service since last November. I am so pleased with the service, the staff, the quality of their work. I highly recommend bringing any vehicle to Archer Automotive. They are honest, reliable, reasonably priced and just know what they are doing!!! The experience from beginning to end is worthy of 5 (or more) stars. I have complete faith in always calling them when I need help. Special shout to Ryan who fixed a minor car issue with my 2007 Mazda 6 last November when 4 other places couldn't, Mike who did my alignment last month on my Mazda 5 and checked the brakes and said they were fine!!! I am adding more comments to my review about a year ago. Archer Automotive continues to impress me with their integrity, knowledge, helpfulness and the principles of doing things right, fair prices. I could go on and on but I won't. I hope anyone who reads the positive reviews will call for an appt. when you have car issues. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Joe has the patience of a saint for sure and all the staff is professional, friendly and willingness to serve to the best of their ability! Special shoutout to Lisa. Thank you all very much and may you be blessed always. And to Joe, who took the time to fully explain my car issue, spoke with my husband on the phone. Joe, you have the patience of a saint! Thank you all very much. You are all...