K & M Auto Service

My wife and I have an ’03 Ford Escape, getting up in miles. Unfortunately, that means is needed some service over the last few years. When we first moved to Portland nearly 10 years ago we didn’t know where to take it, who we could trust, so we took it to K & M solely because we live within walking distance. I’ve never taken it anywhere else since. The guys that work the front of the shop are straight-​shooters who will tell you what you NEED to fix and what can wait. They stand behind their work, go out of their way to help you understand the work they did, and have helped me out of more than one jam.

Yet again, another case of upselling because a young-​looking woman goes into a car shop. I took my car here, quoted $ 380 and almost a 9 hour wait to fix a minor problem. I called the car shop in my previous neighborhood who fixed the problem for $ 80 in 45 minutes.

It was mid-​day on a Sunday –the day the shop is closed– and the direct heat from the sunlight had made everyone a bit flustered. After a quasi-​argument with a gas station attendant (whose English skills were not particularly proficient), we had begun to consider that perhaps a gasoline sensor in the 2008 Prius was malfunctioning, as opposed to a broken gasoline pump at the station.
We stopped on at nearest mechanic on our route and met a Father/​Son team who, despite obviously being in mid-​project catching up on other work orders, they most kindly took the time to plug a diagnostic device to the car and gave us some suggestions on what the problem was and various repair options, including some common-​sense ideas which we could perform ourselves.
These guys took time (on a day the shop is technically closed) to perform a basic diagnostic check-​up. Everything was explained in plain English, and being a bit flustered from the heat, the diagnostic was done out of the goodness of their hearts — to pause their active project to perform a quick Dx and offered several ideas for solutions, some at their shop, some things we can do at home.
They were not «pushy» or try to sell/​charge us in ways some mechanics do (ex: «You need rust proofing.» etc.), They were exceedingly kind and understanding about our situation — and did not charge a dime for their time and Dx service.
It’s that «human connection» that Portland seems to have in abundance, or at least at this mechanic shop. If the sensor needs replacing, or general repairs which come up from time to time, we’ll be going to K&M for our future car repair needs. Taking time on their day off to do a Dx for free on a customer who arrived unannounced… they were really just great and understanding about «The Great Gas Fiasco» we experienced…
…and as a result, have gained a loyal customer for future work. Kind, professional, and even recommended specialty shops for Prius work, as well as explain the Dx results in plain English.
General service happiness rating (performed gratis) at 110%!

$ 140 bucks to replace a serpentine/​accessory belt… That is the labor and belt (which is a cheap dayco btw). SMH you can go buy a good (gates/​motorcraft) from any car shop for around $ 25-​$ 30 and replace yourself in about 10 mins tops. Even if I have the money I see no reason throwing that much away to someone that can fix the problem in a minute with the right tools it’s ridiculous.

Auto repair can be expensive. K & M is competitive but relistic. No matter where I go, I look for customer service, and this place is ideal. You are not in the shop for more than a few moments when you are greeted, nicely, even when they are occupied. If so, they tell you that it will just be a moment. They use your name, treat you like you are a valued customer, and go above and beyond. I marked their business 5 stars because that is what it is.

My Hyundai was not running well and I took it in to them. They diagnosed it promptly, fixed it and the price was very reasonable. I am very pleased with their helpfulness, promptness, service and attitude. Great job guys!

I had a Pathfinder once that broke down and this shop is around the corner from my house so I had it towed there. They told me a spark plug wire was arcing which caused the problem. They also recommended a major tune-​up and a fuel injector cleaning. It was a bit spendy but they were honest and up front and I went ahead with it. They did great work and the car ran way better and stronger right up until I sold it. They are definitely a bit spendy but you get what you pay for and honesty which is hard to come by these days.

My family has used this shop way more than I’d like. I guess that’s the downfall of having older cars. they’re always in the shop!
K&M is a shop we trust. The front desk guys are straight shooters, friendly and they’ve always gotten us right in when we needed it.
They are a bit spendier than the shop I’ve used in the past and that’s the reason I’m not giving 5 stars.
Every few months they send people in the areas closest to them these $ 20 off any service flyer. I love these! They can even be used on an oil change. I’ve used K&M about 6 – 7 times now and they haven’t pissed me off yet — that’s saying something!

I was referred to them from a friend who said they were the most reliable and honest shop he knows. I got my first opportunity to do business with them as my gf’s driver side front brake caliper came off her car while she was driving. I had it towed to them using a tow company they recommended (have a close working relationship with) and was told I could put the tow bill on the repair bill for convenience. A day later I was able to pick the car up and was expecting a bill in the $ 350 — $ 500 range but was extremely surprised that it came in at $ 175 (towing included). All they had to do is replace the attaching bolt. They test drove and even checked the other side to make sure all was well. As far as I’m concerned, they had a chance to take advantage of me by saying that the caliper was damaged and/​or the rotor was damaged and/​or the brakes were damaged and that they needed to be replaced. Being honest paid off to this customer as I will be taking all my automotive work back to them. The way my friend painted them represents and shows their true colors… HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!