GVT Tire & Auto - Golden Valley — Local services in Golden Valley

I normally never leave reviews but my experience was so terrible, I need to.

After being told by a different shop that I was due for new tires during a routine oil change and tire rotation I decided that I would take the opportunity to look for a locally/family owned trustworthy shop to have my car serviced at having recently relocated into the area and not wanting to drive far away to my previous shop. I researched and read reviews for many places before landing on Golden Valley Tire and Service so to have had such a bad experience is disappointing.

I called and scheduled a "waiting" appt starting at 7 am about 2 weeks ahead of time to ensure I could have my car serviced and still do my afternoon appts. without my entire day being taken up. I was informed it should be about 3 hours which was fine. When I arrived on my appt day, I was informed that it was a drop and go and nothing could be guaranteed before 6pm--11 HOURS from my drop off time. I explained that it was a waiting appt and Jim clearly did not believe me. I asked if it was possible to have it ready by 12 or 1 for my afternoon appts and was told nothing was set before 6. While debating what I should do because I wasn't going to sit there all day, the second employee at the counter informed Jim that they had plenty of loaners and to give me one of those. I agreed to that and asked if my car would be ready by 4:30/5 for evening activities so I could pick up before they closed at 6. Again, Jim wasn't sure they could manage that 9.5 HOURS out. Later when I went to pick up around 1 pm Jim did admit that they screwed up and I was originally a wait appt. They apologized but I had already had to cancel my afternoon plans because of it. When I called to schedule the appt I asked that the quote include everything they suggest for a tire replacement (tires, balancing, alignment, fees, etc.). When I arrived I was told that the alignment was not included in my quote and was another $130 in addition to the original quote. Not cool. I noticed walking in/out a poster on the door advertising a manufacturer rebate on certain tires. I had to make a specific point of asking at check out if that included my tires (it did) as it wasn't mentioned to me at drop off or pick up by the employees and is worth over $100 from the tire manufacturer (not the shop). When I went to pick up my car I was informed that the left front brakes were at 1 mm and given a sales pitch for how they might be able to buff out my rotor to save it but I was basically "metal on metal." I told him they were checked at my oil and tire rotation 2 weeks ago and measured great. I was told that they had taken my tire off. As part of my tire rotation at the other shop they had as well. I also know what a brake indicator and going into the rotors sounds like and that I hadn't heard any of that. Jim said he didn't know what to tell me. I declined the additional service. Upon taking it to a third mechanic the next day for a quick brake inspection (tire also removed) I was told that my brakes are fine and good for likely another 6-9 MONTHS. Having service recommended to me that is not needed ruins trust.

Having all of these issues during my appointment (my first!) has left a really bad impression and ruined my trust in them and their recommendations to ever return. Jim really didn't seem like he cared about any of the multiple inconveniences during my appt. I'll either keep looking for a new shop or just take the day off and do the drive to my previous shop before I moved because I'm never going back here and won't be...

I've had my car serviced by Golden Valley Tire & Service a number of times over the last few years and have generally had a very positive experience. This last time, though, was a mixed. Setup an appointment for a Friday to get my tire looked at as it was leaking air. When I arrived the night before to drop off the car, they helpfully indicated that the tire was still under warranty from when I had bought it from them a few years ago and that they would try to repair it. At that time I asked if they would be willing to add to my appointment an inspection of the car for safety concerns. The car is an old 1998 Corolla that has not been in for repairs for a number of years, so I was concerned that there could be items that really needed to be fixed. They gratefully agreed to add that to their efforts. Received a phone call the next day indicating a. that the tire was fixable (so no cost) b. the inspection had found a number of things to repair. c. that one of the employees had broken the driver side door handle trying to get into it. I was happy and grateful for the assistance in prioritizing the repairs and we reduced the items to the most important items. I was told it should be ready the following Tuesday, but unfortunately the repairs to cars in front of mine and the repairs to my car were delayed, so it didn't end up being completed until close of business on the following Thursday. That said, they were really good at calling daily with a status adn they did offer after noting the delay on Wed. that i could get a loaner, but I was able to work my schedule to not need the car so was not concerned with the delay. The only real disappointment I had was that on Friday when I picked up the car, I asked about me being charged for the door handle that they had broken. Basically was told it was my problem as a. the car was old b. the handle was plastic c. it was cold. I can't say I disagree with those statements as the car is old, and yeah cars have plastic pieces and yeah Minnesota in winter is cold, but still seems wrong that I am fully responsible for repairing a piece of my car that was functional when I dropped it off and then broken by them. There was not an attempt to take any responsibility, reduced price or even an apology. I'll leave it to the reader if my expectations are unreasonable, but will say I was disappointed for that in what was generally a positive experience

3/12/2024: Just following up (belatedly) on Golden Valley Tire & Service response. While I appreciate the offer to discuss, it feels like that should have happened when I broached the issue in person, so don't really feel like taking any extra effort. Thank you just the same. I was going to leave this alone, but have been debating the need to express my confusion about the reference that there was an effort to contact me as I was unable to find any record of a missed call, email or text message on any of the medium that was previously used to communicate with me. I hope that I just somehow missed a venue that was tried, but can't help but feel this is pertinent...

I can’t say enough good things about my experience at Golden Valley Tire and Auto, especially working with Jackson. In all my years of dealing with auto repair, I’ve never encountered someone as dedicated and willing to go the extra mile as Jackson. He helped me navigate a particularly difficult repair situation with my car, and his support was invaluable. Without going into too many details, Jackson really went to bat for me to resolve a repair issue that was caused by another shop. Even though GVT wasn’t obligated to assist with this problem, their commitment to helping me was truly impressive.

Jackson’s guidance was essential throughout the process, which spanned several weeks. He kept me well-informed with regular updates, answered all my questions patiently, and made sure I understood my options. Without his help, I would have been completely lost.

Although Jackson was my primary point of contact, I also had positive interactions with the rest of the team at GVT. They made me feel welcome and valued, and I could tell they genuinely care about their customers. GVT has earned my trust, and they’ll be the first place I turn to for any future car repairs. I appreciate their transparency—when it comes to what needs to be fixed now versus what can wait. I never felt pressured or that I was being pushed into unnecessary repairs.

If you're looking for a reliable mechanic, I highly recommend starting with Golden Valley Tire and Auto. I can’t recommend...