Prestige Import Auto Service

These guys (especially Brad) are ethical, smart, attentive and honest! I have countless stories of situations where they saved me a lot of money. Unfortunately, finding a good mechanic is often a lengthy, expensive and excruciating journey. Bringing my car to Prestige has made it all worth it.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
I’ll add more to this review later on, but I wanted to add some stars ASAP!

Very pleased with the work done. I took my 01 volvo in thinking one thing needed to be replaced but these guys saved me an unnecessary repair. I would highly recommend this shop for any mechanical work to be done on your car!

Great customer service. Larry and Brad were very helpful. Got me in the same day I called and we’re able to fix everything and get it back to me before end of day.

This is one of the very rare breed of truly honest mechanics. I have a 14 year old volvo with milage over 200k. Needless to say, it has the occasional issue that reflects its age. I’ve brought it into Prestige several times over the past 3 years. One occasion required significant repairs associated with normal maintenance (timing belt and water pump replacement). His price was significantly lower than other shops had quoted for the same work. Coupled with his very positive feedback on Unilocal I took it in. He did a great job with great customer service. More recently my engine dropped to 10% power for 100 yards and then cut out. The next morning it started, but had no power and idled very roughly. I thought the car may have finally given up the ghost. I sent it to Brad (the shop owner) and he had it running the next day. Total bill including towing was about 250. The mass flow sensor had given out because someone had removed the air filter without replacing it. A less honest mechanic could have charged far more, or lied about what was wrong and offer to take the car as scrap selling it at a significant gain.
If you want an honest and fair mechanic, go to Prestige.

Very bad!!!
Let me begin with my last encounter first,
Brad was ranting «you beat the shit out of your car»!! Yelling at me in the office! I left, later when I calmed down I called to have a rational conversation. Again, Brad yelled at me about his assumption of how I care for my car and wouldn’t let me talk. When I asked to talk… He just hung up on me.
Here is how the whole thing played out.
Wow! I hired Brad and the shop to put a clutch in my car.
They called and said I needed a slave cylinder too, I agreed. I forget the total but it was somewhere around $ 1800.00
I drove the car for less than 600 miles and was on my way out of town when the linkage wouldn’t shift out of 5^th gear.
I got the car back to the shop and Brad said he could help me out because apparently there was a bolt inside the transmission that had fallen out. I paid a down payment of $ 500.00 for them to diagnose the problem, and the assumption was correct. I paid an additional «put it back together» fee of $ 560.00 and change.
When I picked up my car the clutch felt weird and the shifting felt odd. I drove 2 miles to work. After work I drove 1 more mile to the freeway where, upon entering the freeway it wouldn’t stay in 5^th gear. I called and returned the car a few days later. Only driving from home to the shop.
Many days went by and I never heard a word from Brad or the shop.
I called and one of the guys said they were working on it.
4 more days went by…
I finally stopped in and Brad told me he was sorry but had been too busy to call me. (It takes 3 minutes)
My car was done!
Or not…
I drove it to the freeway and the linkage had never felt worse.
And I had to really wiggle it just for it to go into 5^th now!
I went back «again» to The shop where I sat and waited to talk to Brad, he wouldn’t make eye contact, he answered phone calls and made a few more, he went out to talk to the guys in the shop, never asking how the car was.
When I finally spoke up and said «the linkage shifts really rough and now there is a clunking noise when I let out the clutch», Brad got red in the face and started to yell at me.
I have never been yelled at by anyone in business before today.
Brad contracted to fix my transmission issues and when I complained about the work he yelled at me claiming I beat my car to shit! An unjustified claim with which he has no basis to claim, but he wouldn’t even let me talk. In the middle of it all he stopped to answer the phone and I just left.
I take pretty damn good care of all my vehicles. An this one is no different.
I called back to try to resolve the issue an he started right back in yelling that I beat the shit out of my car and when I asked if he was going to let me talk, he just hung up on me.
I posted a review on their Facebook page, which has now been taken down so people can’t see my post.
I’m sorry if Brad was having a bad day,
Or week, maybe month. But I had a contract to repair my car.
If I was a race car driver, old lady, uncle bob, or you average guy who needed repair is irrelevant. If you say you can do a job, and are paid to do said job, then fulfill your obligation.
But don’t yell at me and claim «I beat the shit out of my car» because you failed to uphold your end of the bargain.

I normally prefer my main mechanic, who is basically the equivalent of a brain surgeon for car mechanics. Unfortunately sometimes his price reflects this and I got a huge quote for replacing some struts, a simple and standard job.
I called Prestige who offered the same service for a lot less and this brought me to them. When I got there I was pleasantly surprised about how the shop handles customers. It wasn’t very busy the afternoon I came in, which probably was the main reason my experience was so good. Even so, I got extremely quick, smooth service. For example my shuttle was instant and efficient. I really value not having to wait around in a queue. There are many other business where it feels like they make you take a number before you get anything done, such as even getting a question answered, even when it doesn’t seem to cost them much to serve you right away.
Brad, the owner, takes a very friendly, very attentive approach to customers. Brad really took care of what I needed from my first phone call, through my service, and then at the end giving me specialized advice about future services after calling his own specialist about a particular problem I had. He strikes me as unusually hard working for any person in Arizona. His family has been in Tucson for three generations, which is something I always think is a good sign.
By the way, if you are someone who is intimidated by car mechanics or has had bad experiences being talked down to, I feel like this place might be especially good for you. Here they seem to at least understand your mindset and can put themselves in your position.
My only caveat is that I’m not sure how good they would be for hardcore, complicated repairs. This is a small shop, and on top of this I don’t sense that anyone there is extremely passionate about cars. This last statement won’t matter to most people but might be a harsh statement for some. Pride of work and the sense of enjoying cars separates competent service from truly masterful work. Anyways, I wouldn’t hesitate to use them for brakes, tires, struts, filters etc. but I would definitely get a couple opinions for more rare or expensive and complicated problems, although this is something you should do anyways.
I’ve only done business briefly so I can’t judge in detail for quality, but from everything I’ve seen Prestige seems like a great shop, and Brad and seems like a very hardworking, very friendly person. The price was right too. I would probably give the shop somewhat less than 5 stars if I judged them as a car shop on the whole, but my service today was definitely 5 stars and thats how I will tilt my review. I will update if anything else happens, otherwise I highly recommended Brad and his shop, with the caveat above.

If there was an option of 0 stars that would be it. I went to this place after a groupon coupon and waited for a while with no people in the lobby. Then a guy came, I said I have a groupon for oil change and he asked whether i have an appointment. I said no, but let me get one. And, he said he is booked all day and there is opening at 7:30am on Friday. I said i cant do that while he was opening his schedule book. I saw there were appointments for other days and slots. He said if you leave later in the day, it may take more than 5 hours depending on the cars arriving on that day and that is how they do business for 20 sth years. Then, he said get your money back from groupon. While i was leaving from the place, he said we are a small place. I guess there is a reason why you are small! You are incapable of booking people… I would not pass near that road.

3RD time here for my 02 BMW. Brad the owner finally convinced me to change the interior air filter but only after he showed me how bad it was. I never felt pushed. While waiting for the part to arrive Brad had to leave the shop, but about 10 minutes later he called the front desk to have them call for a status on the part arrival. Even when he was not there he was on top of the job.

When my Kia started making weird sloshing noises, I knew I needed to get it checked out before road-​tripping to Vegas. As a young woman without the background to convincingly talk cars, I was concerned that I’d get stuck with a mechanic who thought I was an easy target for expensive and unnecessary work. After asking around for an honest shop, I made an appointment with Prestige.
Prestige gave me a free diagnostic, and admitted that they hadn’t found anything wrong with my car. I road-​tripped to Vegas and back, then to San Diego and back, and had no issues. I was very impressed with their honesty.
My boyfriend suggested I have the coolant flushed to try to solve the sloshing, so I made another appointment. Prestige quoted me a good price and a good time estimate for the work, and followed through on both. After the oil change and inspection during the same visit, they informed me about parts that were beginning to show wear, but did not pressure me about them.
The coolant flush seems to have worked, and I suppose it could be argued that Prestige should have suggested it themselves; however, I’m more impressed by an auto shop that is honest than one that pushes trying something they aren’t confident will solve the problem. My only quibble is that the website advertises free wifi in the shop, which is no longer available.
In short, my Kia and I will be back!

I had my step son“s car serviced here today. He is a U of A student and the car is an older Hyundai. It had been making some terrible noises and we feared the worse. One other shop had told us it needed a new timing belt (belt had been replaced less than 6 months ago) when all the other belts were replaced. Turns out it just needed some adjustments. Brad and his staff could not have been more professional and accomdating. If you have a vehicle which is not in warranty and needs service, I would highly recommend Prestige.

So I ended up buying a Groupon for Prestige Automotive Group LLC on ⁰⁸⁄₀₇ for complete AC evacuation and recharge. I got in touch with Prestige on ⁰⁹⁄₂₁ to have the AC serviced. After explaining the situation that led me to buy the groupon, Prestige refused to service my car. The reasoning behind it was that I had added some freon to the car that had an additive/​sealant. The main reason I am posting this is the fact that not only did the guy on the phone refused servicing but he sounded arrogant telling me that he would not even touch my car with his «$ 4,000» machine. I don’t care to know the price of any tools/​machine a shop uses, I’m just looking to get my car serviced.
Also, no where in the fine print was it written that they would not service a car that had aftermarket freon added to it.
Upon asking for the money back, I was told that I had to get in touch with Groupon. It’s been a week and so far Groupon hasn’t exactly being helpful. They have been noncommittal on giving me a time frame for resolution of the problem.
One thing is for sure, Prestige is not getting my business (ever) & neither would I recommend them and neither is Groupon till they figure out this mess.

If you have an ancient Volvo with over 100k miles on it, you will be pleased with the service it will receive at Prestige… Prices are way lower than at the dealership, service is excellent.

I haven’t taken my 2001 s40 to many shops to have it worked on since I’ve gotten it, but when i had a leak in it somewhere that was causing POOLS of water to build up in the driver front and rear floorboard that I couldn’t track down, I was forced to take her in.
I described the problem to the Volvo tech Logan and he knew exactly what the problem was. He showed me two drains on the sides of the sunroof that were clogged and causing the water to overflow back into my interior, then showed me how to check the tubes running down to make sure they stayed free and sent me on my way.
Logan treated me like I had known him for 20 years and I will definitely be bringing my baby back here when she needs more maintenance.

I came into this place for a simple oil change, and they converted me into a full-​blown fan. EXCELLENT customer service, they even sent me a handwritten thank you card, you won’t get that anywhere else. I felt like a friend in there, and they weren’t trying to sell me on anything, it was an enjoyable experience and will be back. Great stuff overall.

the couple of bad reviews this fantastic auto shop has gotten need to be DISREGARDED. seriously.
i LOVE my car. i would not take her just anywhere, and she has been and always will be going for her checkups at Prestige Import for as long as she is in my life.
i have received nothing but honest, friendly, and neighborly service at this fine auto shop. Brad has always been an upstanding and very real guy, that offers nothing but what really needs to be done in the years that i have been trusting him with my vehicle. my first visit there i came to him with a list of over $ 5000 worth of repairs that the subaru dealer had suggested to me, and walked away with only $ 1200 worth of necessary repairs. do the math folks. he could have made an extra $ 4000! He could have jacked up my bill, easy. but no, Brad tells it like it is, no messing around.
I have never had a great relationship with my mechanic prior to this. i have been screwed over many times in the past, and it has made me weary. before i became a prestige customer i really didnt think that honest mechanics were a thing to be had…
i have recommended Prestige to everyone that asks. Real people doing great work, and caring about customers? YES.

I hate to do it, but I have to give Prestige only two stars. After two years of using them as my mechanic I finally moved on, and things have been better since. Let me explain.
Prestige Auto specializes in Volvo repair. That was originally their focus, but with the times a-​changin’ they branched out to service other imports (mostly Japanese) as well. I had a ’95 Volvo 850 Turbo and feared exorbitant dealer prices on OEM parts, so I thought these guys would be a perfect fit.
Brad, the gentleman running the office and typically answering the phone, is awesome and a great guy to deal with. He’s the only reason I give this place two stars instead of one. He is truly concerned about customer service and a wonderful, wonderful person. When Prestige messed up on my car the first time and didn’t charge my a/​c even though they billed me for it, Brad gave me a voucher for a free oil change to make up for the inconvenience of bringing the car back in.
But did you catch that «messed up on my car the first time» bit? I used Prestige three different times, and each time I got the car back something would be wrong, or they’d have introduced a new issue the car didn’t have before. They forgot to charge the a/​c. They replaced a light on the gauge face, but knocked out all the lights for the computer. They replaced my blinker stalk, but didn’t reconnect the integrated cruise control.
Eventually it became clear that I would save money and ensure the work was done correctly by ordering the parts I needed online and simply doing the work myself. When my horn broke and wouldn’t stop honking, I ordered the parts online, took 30 minutes out of my day, and spent only a third of what I was quoted from Prestige. The parts were less expensive, the labor was free and time-​correct, and I learned my lesson.
I like Brad a lot, and I believe they run an honest shop. Truly. But that’s not always enough to subject your car to an inept mechanic.
–UPDATE–
Brad has now commented on this review, and if you read what he says, it only goes to reinforce my opinion of him as a stand up guy. I just have to address where he says they fixed my check engine at «NO COST». You don’t fix a check engine light– you fix the cause. Resetting the light (an oil change/​maintenance reminder) on a Volvo 850 is a simple as spending 2 minutes on Google to find out how, and 3 minutes under your hood to DIY.

i found Prestige Import Auto Service on Unilocal.I took my Volvo there for service this week and had a great experience. First, I got a 10% discount off the bat for being a «Yelp» referral. Second, I was driven to work and picked up by a friendly, helpful employee (Scott) so that I could leave my car all day. Third, the assessment of what was wrong with my car was right on. Fourth, they fixed my headlight for free. Fifth, they sent me a card that I got today saying «thank you.» I couldn’t be more pleased with them and give them the highest recommendation.

Prestige was SO helpful and nice when I was buying my first car. They took them in, gave me a discount for mentioning Unilocal,gave me recommendations about different auto places, explained things clearly and slowly, and were just in general a real pleasure to work with. I expect to use them for all my mechanic needs: D

Prestige was recommended both by word of mouth (by a customer at the Budget truck rental counter that shares the parking lot with the shop), and by Unilocal,with a 5-​star rating. Having done a number of car repairs myself I did not want to trust my car to someone who was going to do a quick and dirty job, overcharge me, and then recommend other useless services.
I came in for a relatively simple A/​C recharge, and I was impressed at the honesty about the services and the speed at which they completed the job. Brad (the owner) let me know upfront what the maximum price would be, and then added that they would only charge for the amount of refrigerant (R134a) that they added to the system. Sure enough, it came out less than the max. It was also comforting that I did not receive a laundry list of potential repairs when I picked up my car. The job took a total of two hours, I got my car back the same day, and it was a pleasant experience. What more can you ask for.
Just so you know, this shop has a long history of working with Volvos, although they are perfectly capable of working on other makes as well. They are also actively becoming Mini Cooper specialists, so I would recommend giving them a try for Mini service as well.
Lastly, although I’m not an expert on prices, the price of the AC recharge was not the cheapest on the block, but also not particularly expensive. I asked how much an oil change would be, and it was quoted at $ 30, which is pretty reasonable for a shop that does good work. (No, the $ 20 oil change at Jiffy Lube does not count as good work).

The first time I took my car to Prestige in 2003, they kept it for three days, and didn’t fix a thing.
I know that sounds like the start of a bad review, BUT: they did that because they knew that a) I could survive for a few days without it (they make a point of knowing these things), and b) I was a poor student at the time, and couldn’t afford an expensive repair.
They were 90% certain they knew what the problem was, but because it was going to be a pretty hefty repair bill, they wanted to *make sure* by witnessing its failure. Wouldn’t you know it, but the damn thing wouldn’t fail while in the shop. They returned it to me, no charge. When it finally died again on me, and then they still couldn’t get it to fail for them, they suggested that maybe they should go ahead and do the expensive repair, though they were hesitant, knowing that I was broke. I told them to go ahead (they had already earned my trust) and the problem was indeed fixed.
Brad, the owner, is the one who answers the phone. He always knows exactly what’s going on with your car, has good advice for how to proceed in the most economically feasible way (he’ll tell me what should be done, but also which things *have to* be done now, and what can wait).
As a woman, I have never felt talked down to (all-​too-​common in the world of mechanics), and save that first time, they’ve always fixed my car the same day. One recent visit, I thought my poor Volvo was on its last legs, I took it in, sure it was the end. Turned out it was a loose heat shield they tightened for me, no charge. Instead, I got an oil change and it was back to running smoothly.