The staff at Clintonville Auto Repair Service are awesome. They are very friendly, helpful, patient and knowledgeable. Gary and Paul took their time and explained everything that was done to my car. Today Gary listened to my questions and explained everything to me. He is patient and was very helpful. They have certified mechanics. They do quality work and guarantee their work. I would recommend CARS to my family and anyone who is looking for a quality place to take their car for Repair.

Have been doing business with CARS for years. GREAT people. 👍

These people are so wonderful. Ive never had a bad experience. Gary was understanding and helpful when I came to them with serious suspension issues caused by bad maintenance done by someone else. They also rebuilt my suspension about 4 years ago when I was in an accident, including salvaging my CVT transmission.They are a small shop with a small dedicated staff, so yes, sometimes communication isnt as immediate as franchise places. But if you call and leave a message they always call you back, and they take the time to explain things to you. Thank you all for your hard work. I appreciate you.

Great work. Professional service. The owner, Paul, and his team really go out of their way to take great care of their customers. Much appreciated!

I needed an oil change, they did a thorough inspection and made some recommendations. No pressuring me into things I did not need. I will definitely be back.

I went to C.A.R.S. based on reading many positive reviews over many years. In addition, their location is close to my house and they are affiliated with AAA, which I am a member of. I was very disappointed that they released my car to me after they replaced the brake master cylinder, without properly testing it out, after completing the work. I drove away from their shop fully expecting my brakes were in perfect running condition, only to have them seize up, just blocks away. Rendering my car underivable immediately. I struggled to drive my car to an alley, with the brakes completely locked up. I had to call a local tow truck service, to have my car towed back to their shop, where it had to remain for another day, so they could remedy their botched repair work. They also replaced my cabin air filter, which we did not talk about, and I never agreed to have them replace it. They did reimburse me for the cost of the tow. I am now hesitant about using them again.

Thanks again for the quick repair job! Really appreciate the fast service ... so I could get to an appointment!

Weve used them for a long time. Theyre courteous, close to home without highways, and they do honest work. They recently started sending out excellent work flow documentation/pictures/notes that I find helpful for completing some of the maintenance on my own and generally seeing whats going on under the hood. I add these reports to my maintenance log for our vehicles. Thanks, CARS.

I thought the price was a little high but over all l was satisfied with the repairs

I’ve taken my cars to Clintonville Auto for years — it is the most professional and honest car repair service I’ve ever found!

I was getting ready to drive to ATL in the summer and my A/C was out. Gave me great advice over the phone on how to fix my problem. Answered all my questions. Thank you very much CARS!

I started going here a few years ago. Theyve always been honest and kind, and very matter of fact in their discussions with me about my 10 year old Honda. Happy to support a local business that also takes care of me!

Great experience every time. Professional, efficient, courteous, and reasonable.

I have been a customer for 5 years. My husband and I are satisfied customers.

Everyone there was very polite considerate. Thank you. My car sounds new again

This is the first internet review I’ve ever wrote. I was so “wow’d” by this company that I need to share. I brought a fairly new Jeep in for lose of engine Umph, loud ticking and back firing.I was met by the owner who was very customer focused and helped me personally. They have a cool web tool which kept me informed of progress and any issues. The service writer was very knowledgeable, listened well and did not jump to conclusions about the fix. (Ask for Gary).They serviced the car with integrity, skillful diagnostics and speed; fixed right the first time. CARS is at the top of their game. No hesitation here to trust them with any automotive fix.

I started going to this place because it was close by. I keep going back because I like their style - easy to work with and get the job done. I have an older car that i want to run well, but don’t want to pour money into unnecessary cosmetic fixes. They’re thorough about laying out what’s going on with the car, but giving you options about what needs done right away and what can wait. They’ll give it to you straight and won’t try to sell you on stuff. Very happy with this shop!

Gary is very personable and was patient and polite. I appreciate all the courtesies they extend to me...although I prefer the G6 over the one I used. :) The problem was remedied! Im never pressured to spend more than I think I can handle. I receive complete descriptions to understand my options. What more can I ask for? A clean and accommodating waiting room for those times I wait. Excellent service from beginning to end!

Clintonville Automotive Repair is so highly recommended by me, my family and friends. This shop is professional and explains everything they are doing to your vehicle and the cost. Foreign or Domestic vehicles this team really knows their stuff! I have wasted money and time elsewhere and never again! I will take every vehicle to Clintonville Auto Repair. Great to have them in this day and age. Thanks crew.

We are just extremely excited about my husbands truck getting a complete health check and having everything done to bring it back to life after sitting and only used during hunting season. We will now keep it up to date and bring it back for a regular check up! The company employees are honest, knowledgeable, and do what they promise. I can’t express enough how thankful we are for the Clintonville Automotive Company !!! George and Cindy Porter

Best Car Repair shop in Columbus! What I love most is the detailed report I receive(with pictures) about my car. Since I don’t know a ton about cars, the transparency allows me to trust that they will always do the right thing! They are in constant communication with us every step of the way, and to top it all off, do a fantastic job!

We moved from Wooster (where we had a mechanic we trusted) to Columbus a few years ago and have been looking for someone in the Clintonville area we felt comfortable with. Clintonville Automotive it seems is going to fill that need. My wifes Jeep had a water pump go out, so I got in touch with them. CARS was very accommodating, friendly and did a great job. They did a complete check over and repaired the problem. Jeep runs great and weve found our new trusted mechanic.CARS have been great for keeping me apprised of maintenence work needed and making sure the Solstice is ready to stay top down and head out.Thanks

Paul was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in providing exactly the service we requested, even to the extend of getting a special tool to provide the service.

Had them perform an inspection on a used car. The owner walked me through every aspect of their report which included pictures and was very detail oriented. Overall it was very professional and I felt that I absolutely got my moneys worth for an inspection.

They diagnosed our issue, gave us an estimate and fixed it the next day.

I received a very detail diagnostic. I was not pressured to get everything discovered to get fixed. I gave the go ahead for one of the issues found to be repaired and that was that. I was very satisfied and would return for future repairs.

I have used CARS for 30+ years. I have learned to rely on their judgement, which is always good. This service was for routine maintenance. CARS keeps a list of the manufacturers maintenance recommendations and records which are due/done. As usual, the service was great!

Always professional. Reasonable, and Great Customer service. Im very confident in the quility work CARS provides on my cars. I dont go anywhere else for car service . I recommend them to anyone asking for car care.

I was new to Columbus and I wasn’t sure where to go for car repairs and Clintonville automotive repair services has been the best! They are always so helpful and take great care of my car!

CARS thorough and straightforward analysis leads to best decisions for repairs or other ideas -- definitely worth the investment.

Absolutely the most knowledgeable and kind people I have ever dealt with in this industry

Highly recommended, especially for Clintonville-area residents! I have an aging vehicle, had multiple indicator lights on, wanted a simple diagnosis as well as routine maintenance, but I did not want to spend more than my cars worth! They checked everything, emailed me a detailed report and followed-up accordingly. I asked for my AAA discount, but they applied a mailer rebate for first-time customers to save me even more money!

Excellent service in all respects. I’ve used them for years and will continue to do so

I am new to Ohio and was very satisfied with my experience at CARS. The staff are professional, honest, and devoted. I will be back!

Great service!! Will certainly use again. Was very impressed with the detail of the assessment,

I called Clintonville Automotive out of the blue, asking for information on a vehicle I was considering buying and they had serviced many times in the past. They maintained privacy of their previous customer while also providing me with as much information as possible. Less, the man who helped me, went as far as to research the car and tell me about common issues with the make and model. Exceptional service. Polite, friendly, and welcoming. Thank you, Less!

There aren’t many shops that you can fully trust but this definitely is one of them. They document everything, keep you informed and don’t lock you into something by doing the work before authorization. This is a known Gem in Columbus, Clintonville, Ohio and their record proves it. I would recommend this place for all of your car care concerns.

Terrible Service!Been to CARS 3 times in two years spending almost $4000. they are expensive, thats not the main problem. When i took my car in there last time, Jason told me they would give me my AAA discount. when i picked up the car, they wouldnt give me the discount, and refused to compromise to any discount despite my loyalty to them. I talked to Mark on the phone who only offered excuses like we only made $50 (on my $500 bill).Also, while my car was there over night and i was driving by, i seen they left my tail lights on all night!! *see picTAKE YOUR CAR ELSEWHERE

Vehicle is burning some type of fluids immediately leaving their lot. Didn’t even do a walk through with me upon checkout. They will not give discounts. I asked if they had any military or triple A. They said yes. Then told me sorry unfortunately we can’t do it but we can give you a discount towards next visit ? I did not even pay yet. They offer discounts but then won’t follow through. Around my vehicle I have grease hand prints not happy about it. I also had some auto equipment that is not in my trunk all of a sudden. Thankfully I don’t live near here.

Excellent service and highest quality repairs. I’m a long-time customer and I’ve never been disappointed. CARS has saved me time and money because they care about diagnosing and fixing real issues, unlike dealerships where they just sell you services and parts based on a report on a computer screen. CARS gets into your car to see and treat what’s actually wrong.

General upkeep of 2009 Civic today. Expeditiously done; thorough; convenient; courteous and dependable service. Have used them since late ‘80’s.

We take all our vehicles to CARS. I trust their expertise & know they will treat me professionally. Many auto repair shops may try to up-sell or cut corners - I know that the folks at CARS will repair exactly what my vehicle needs, no more and no less.I would recommend CARS to anyone in the area!

I have had them work on two different cars I owned in the past, and they did a great job on them. My current vehicle, once it needed work done on it, was obviously going to be worked on by this shop. I know that Volvo is a bit of a pain in the behind to work on, I was treated fairly and the work was done properly. I’m privileged to have found such awesome mechanics.

Years ago when I was getting quotes for a repair on my car, CARS not only came in with the lowest quote, but they also got my car back to me in less time and for less money than they initially quoted. Since then, I haven’t shopped around for other quotes, so I can’t speak to how economical they are compared to other shops today. Great staff, great work. They take care of us. I’ll continue to take our cars to them.

I was very pleased as soon as I walked in the door. The front desk associate knew who I was and why I was there. They were timely and kind. When my car went in the shop, I was notified. When the car was checked, they let me know what was wrong. They even let me look under the car before taking it back down so that I had a visual picture. And they fixed my lights. I highly recommend CARS for any auto repairs!

Best auto repair in the area, hands down. Friendly, professional staff that are taking the COVID-19 safety and sanitizing guidelines seriously. Theyre always willing to help explain whats going on with your car, which is great when youre like me and dont know a thing about cars.

Ive been bringing my vehicles to CARS for about 10 years now, and I have always found them to be very professional and very fair.

Great place to do business. I have found that they will not advise anything that is not needed or that could wait for another time. Many times they have told me to wait later to have something done. Very, very honest company. Very trustworthy.

Appreciate the professional manner this company has in providing excellent car care.

Great place....highly recommend

Our family has taken cars here for many years with great results. They are friendly and they know their stuff. They always explain their findings before doing any repairs. Always great to work with.

I get all my car work done here and Ive done so for years. They always do a good job and for a very reasonable price.

I was driving through town on my way to a family vacation when we had issues with our brakes. My insurance company recommended Clintonville Auto. It was a Friday and Clintonville Auto was already booked until Monday. These guys understood my sense of urgency. Although they did not make any promises, they did their very best to get us out that Friday and they did. They did this without cutting corners and without charging us an unfair price. The staff was honest and nice.

I use to live very close to CARS and started taking my car to them at least 20 years ago. I now live about 40 miles from CARS and I still drive to Have them perform the work. I think this says it all with regard to how good they are and the trust I have in them.

I have experienced all of the above at CARS consistently, over the 18 years of patronage.

I visited about 2 weeks ago. I had a nail in my tire and needed to get from Columbus to Chicago same day. The staff not only fixed the problem, but they were really professional and nice during the situation. Pricing was also very competitive. Would give a 6 if I could. 10/10 will be my go-to if I am in Columbus again with an issue.

I have an older vehicle and I appreciate CARS diagnostics. If they say something is faulty, it usually is, so I feel confident that they arent gouging me. They arent cheap, but neither is good service. I have no affiliation with them except as a long term customer.

Great place! Have been there and theyve said no work was needed.

The worst experience I have ever had in my life, $29 oil change and $77 labor. Please stay away from here. 0 Star.

Mostly it has been okay and it is handy since I can drop car and walk home but yesterday I waited for an oil change and was there nearly two hours. Also,yesterday, I found out there are a lot of things that need to be done on my car and I have brought it to CARS for years so I dont understand how they got overlooked. For example, the brake fluid needs to be flushed; according to technician, it has never been done. CARS has put on new brakes on this car so why did that not get taken care of then?

Service was great. Over time I’ll be able to tell if the problem is really resolved. If so, this rating gets the full five stars.

Would give a 0 if possible. Sexist, liars and cheats.Having taken my car here 3 years ago, and having a pleasant experience when the time came to replace a part in my car I couldnt get to myself(I live out of state from my mechanic father) we both decided to return that that nice place with reasonable prices from a few years ago.After calling in and giving the person on the phone, the exact code my car was pulling with the engine light, and having a discussion about the exact issue and part I knew I needed replaced. He appeared to take notes and set me up for an appointment to replace the part a few days later.When I walked in to drop off my car, the man behind the desk, told me they would only give it a look over and not replace the part that had been previously discussed, and the detailed notes I had given a few days prior were not attached to my appointment. On my drive over the engine light went off randomly (but having car knowledge myself, the fact that the issue was clearly discoverable after the car idling for 5 minutes, and several other facts I knew this wouldnt be an issue). I let the man taking my keys know that light just went off, but here is the code it was pulling again just in case.. etc. He responded that if there is no engine light there is no problem with my car, (a false, lazy and incorrect statement.) He begrudgingly took my keys and said theyd look into I guess. Overall treating me as less than, unintelligent and making it clear that because Im a women Im clueless.Over the next few days, my father (a mechanic) spoke on the phone multiple times, these mechanics claimed their computer didnt have access to stored history (I took my car home, watched my dad plug it into his computer and pull up the exact issue that these mechanics claimed didnt exist in under 5 minutes) Eventually after days of these mechanics, claiming to not experience the issue (the second I started my car up on their lot the obvious issue was apparent), taking my car to other shops to use their computers and so on. Eventually they claimed (after learning I installed a part) that the only issue was with what I had installed (which was installed correctly) and charged me for fulling installing the part. (which was already installed, at one point they even claimed in installed the part in the wrong place, another lie).Once I left the shop, deciding to drive my car the 7 hours home instead, I discovered an antifreeze leak that had me putting in 1 gallon every 2 days until I got my car back to my father. Before this visit to the mechanic I was not loosing coolant. We also discovered the plug for my oil pan almost completely unscrewed (something that would have fallen out had it been loose since my last oil change 6 weeks ago).I will be filing a report with the better BBB over this.

We got work done for my daughters car-- a gift from my father since he stopped driving. It was an older Jeep that was in ok condition-- I took it to Clintonville Automotive to look it over to make sure it was safe to drive between home and college. They did a GREAT job of making it safe. I was able to see the issues and why it needed to be fixed. I was given an honest evaluation. The work they performed was awesome!! My daughter was thrilled with how much better it drove-- she felt confident and safe after getting the work done--me too!!.. I would recommend Clintonville Automotive to get your car serviced !! it is hard to feel comfortable with a shop and worry if it is the right place to go--- I say goto Clintonville Automotive--- they will do honest and great work and they care about the customer--- which is what I wanted and I got that --

Great job and professional. Thanks guys😎

NO phone quotes?Hey, how much to rotate my tires?Youre going to have to bring it in, we dont give phone quotesSo another shop gets my business... So much for supporting local businesses.

The staff at C.A.R.S is always very attentive, straight forward and most importantly honest about the issues with my vehicles. The provide thorough evaluation and professional results. I would recommend them to anyone.

The service I got yesterday, general maintenance check, was excellent, efficient, and amazingly inexpensive--$56. That has been my experience at CARS for 40 years, with no exceptions. They have taken care of all of our cars, never tried to suggest or charge for anything that wasnt needed--they are practically religious about that. Numerous times I have asked if I might need something and they said, no, not yet. Always when I ask them if a fix they are suggesting is a safety issue, they will tell me clearly when it is not a safety issue and then tell me why. This is one of the 3 or 4 best businesses, much less mechanics, my wife and I have ever dealt with, and weve lived in six cities, and in Columbus for 40 years.

Good service and knowledgeable folks. Good value for the money. Good advice and assistance in a tricky situationSage, timely and targeted advice. Great folks to work with

The work they did was fine however the original problem that I took it in for was not resolved. I took it to another mechanic who fixed the original problem.

I have been taking my Jeep here for the last few months and I will continue to in the future. They are honest and answer all my questions and the quality of the work is top notch. You would never know that there was a transition of ownership that just took place. I think that the new owner Paul and team continue to put the customer first and make sure that everything promised is delivered! Great job guys see you at my next oil change!!!

As always, great service today. CARS is my go to auto repair shop. I have been going there for around 17 years, I think.

Love these guys. They are the best!

Had my head gasket replaced here. Blew a hose after the fix and took it to the dealership. The dealership said they wouldnt use the type of clamp C.A.R.S used, thus causing me more repairs. You are better off taking your car elsewhere

Spot on with repairs and details about other issues. Thanks again.

Actually this is from Carl Bogenschutz, not Margie. Excellent service as always. After 45 years in Columbus, I can always count on three places: Como Mower, Beechwold Hardware & CARS/Clintonville Service Center.

Took 2 vehicles here for a few years, vehicles kept developing new odd problems so i went elsewhere and said nothing of the issues, was told by other mechanics of various serious issues like a stripped bolt pushed almost all the way through to the other side, causing engine damage and gasket leak. Not sure if intentional but I lean more towards a mechanics mistakes. If you value your time and vehicle go elsewhere, you wont notice the permanent issues until its too late.

Fixed Ac hose and checked the system 500 dollar job a week later ac compressor went out needs 1,000 dollars worth of ac work

I won’t be going back to this shop, let me tell you why you shouldn’t either.Someone called me after inspecting my car and said that it would be about 4 hours labor and 450 dollars but they need to find the part. I said ok that sounds about right, go ahead and source the part and give me the final estimate when you can.Next day he calls and tries to upsell me with an oil change, air filter change, some diagnostic fees and then says the price will be 3 hours so 590 dollars to just replace the part. I said whoa 4 hours was 450 this is less time what’s the deal?Long story short he tried to misrepresent the charge AND throw in a 122 dollar alignment without telling me which I did not need. I said no I just want the part replaced nothing more, that came to 520 somehow (“diagnostic fees”).So my car is there for 4 days total for a 3 hour job. When I pick it up, they’ve got my interior plastic all torn up on the passenger side from where they were looking for the cabin filter, it’s al just laying on the floor some guy came out and had to replace it all.Then the bill shows all these fees. Disposal fee (to throw away a small rubber bushing?) diagnostic fee of 72 dollars, all kinds of fees.Save your time and money. Go elsewhere, I know I will. Really wanted to give them a chance because they’re close to a family member with an extra car but I will be ubering to a different shop.

Always professional, courteous, and looking for ways to help drivers stay safe within budget.

CARS has always been able to help me out and repair my vehicle in a timely fashion

Very nice to customers in the first place. Every detail on your car is checked, and explained to you. And what l even like more about them is that, they keep on giving update. For the service, you will never regret, theyre wonderful.

Let me preface by saying being a mechanic is hard and I know it can be hard to find what exactly can be wrong with something. That said my experience in C.A.R.S. diagnosising and servicing me left a lot to be desired. My car was having trouble turning over every now and they, and the solution I was charged for did not fix the matter. So I took my car back and was rather rudely dealt with when I mentioned I was still having a problem. I tried to give you my money guys...I really did.

CARS fixed two electrical issues on my car in one day. I was expecting a $500 repair, after parts/labor -but they found both issues and there was basically no charge in addition to the base diagnostic cost.Very much appreciated.I dont often write reviews, but this was notable.

Very kind. My vehicle was no longer roadworthy and they did not attempt to persuade me into repairs--instead they warned me that I should spend that money on a replacement.

Very fair and knowledgeable. Highly recommend.

I’m always pleased with the service that I receive at C.A.R.S.

Ive been going to CARS for about 4 years and lately they have really changed. Ive had 3 experiences of them giving me an estimate only to bring the car in for service and see the bill double.The last time I was given an estimate for replacing an oxygen sensor and rotating the tires. The paper estimate I have was $140 give or take about $50 if the sensor was in the front or back.While waiting one of the service people came out to tell me it would be over $300. I was shocked and they were able to revise it to about $270.Today I go in to have a look at the engine light. They refused to give me any kind of information because they didnt want to misinform me.Obviously, Ive become the bad guy here. I expect that an estimate will be within reason and not double.This was the 3rd and time proverbially - yourre out.

My son is a student at OSU and when his car needed work, I was worried hed get taken advantage of because of his age. Mark at CARS was great with communication and the cost was even lower than quoted because one part was needed. I highly recommend!

They will take advantage of you. They tried with me.I am a young female, and if I didnt question them they would have easily taken advantage of me.They verbally estimated $589 to replace a starter over the phone, so I went to the shop to discuss this with them. They failed to notice it was under warranty when they replaced it 2 years ago, citing their computer system being down for 3 hours the day before as the reason why. After asking, they offered to cover the cost of another, but charge labor. They didnt specify why it would cost $113/hour in labor, and why it would take 1.5 hours to replace. I had to ask, and I was told it is overhead of the company that makes such a high labor cost, and that the Mitchel1 guide says it takes 1.5 hours of labor so they estimate time off that guide. I called 3 other mechanics and they confirmed this was excessively priced and shouldnt take this long. I was also quoted $18 for shop supplies, in addition to $65 for an inspection, even though its a warranty part that failed.Long story short, Les Walters was the employee who handled me. He spoke rudely and was very unprofessional with me, displaying his aggravation when I asked him to explain itemized costs. He also didnt specify that the starter was a remanufactured starter. Every time I questioned something, he would minorly adjust the price.Finally I spoke with another gentlemen, who was professional and repsectful. He informed me that I shouldnt be charged an inspection fee for a part with a lifetime warranty (contrary to Less statement). I ended up asking them not to work on my car, and am going to a competitor. Labor and a NEW starter for $316.So be very weary about coming here. I can only speak to my experience, but let me tell you my experience was absolutely horrendous. However, I do want to acknowledge the gentlemen at the end who helped me. I didnt get his name, but he was the one who informed me that my inspection fee was waived because of the warranty and then very kindly moved my car to a place where I could get it towed easily off their lot.Below are pictures of the written estimates.

Great service. Fast, fair, and friendly -- as always.

EXCELLENT commitment to quality and service. I have seen tremedous strides under the new management. I would definitely recommend this business to everyone!

Great professional and honest service every time!

My check engine light came on twice in a short period of time. CARS was patient and persistent in figuring out the problem and getting it fixed. They communicated well with me and had a loaner available when they needed to keep my car a little longer.

Great staff, honest and open about what you REALLY Need for your car

Very professional, knowledgeable, thorough, reasonable, auto repair shop.

I am thankful that the employees at Clintonville Automotive Repair Services (CARS) treat me with respect even though I do not know anything about cars. Im usually stressed out and intimidated when I go into a auto repair shop. That is not the case at CARS.

Good work. Honest and competitive pricing

Super Owner!! Took wonderful care of my car and had great customer service!

I have been taking my cars to them for years. They do a great job in a reasonable amount of time.

Excellent garage, VERY knowledgeable staff, honest, highly recommended!