Auto inspection service near Malvern, PA

Great mechanics, friendly service.

Once a good, honest auto shop, Saunders has made a graceless fall. We took our cars to them for years and then as their lot filled up with cars, they lost their way. They missed basic problems, from transmission fluid lines to failing brakes to poorly installed parts (and damaging them in the process). Plus, they notoriously overprice much of their work. We have never seen such poor workmanship in quite some time. Tony, the owner, smiles and seems to try his best, but rarely admits mistakes. In the end, the proof is in the results. There are many good mechanics in the region who charge half and do twice as good work: Saunders is not one of them. Avoid.

I have been going here since about 1962 when John and his brothers learned to repair cars from their father. He was very demanding and expected perfection from them. John learned well and always manages to fix my old cars in a proficient and timely manner. He has continued to learn and keep up with new technologies. Like his father he clearly explains what needs to be done and why. He often finds inovative ways to repair my old cars. For example a rear tail light on my 1989 station wagon just needed replacement. Because my tail gate no longer goes down, bolts to hold it in place could only be accessed from the out side by removing paneling. Instead he gained access through a storage compartment. Although I now live in West Chester I continue to go to Shall Martin Garage because of their superior service.

Hodgsons really is a gem in West Chester. My husband and I have been using them since we moved to the area this year, and we will continue to use them as long as we are around. I find that their prices are always better than the competition. The service in unparalleled. I always feel like I am being given an honest evaluation of my vehicle and not being pressured into any unnecessary fixes. I am always told which repairs can afford to be left for a while and what requires immediate attention. You will not be jerked around as a customer, and they are very accommodating with schedules.

Brought car in for annual state inspection and whatever else it might need, including an oil and filter change. That turned out to also include replacing the spark plugs and also flushing the power steering fluid, all items that used to be simple but now add up to $700 on my little 335xi. Oh well, with a long inline 6 hiding the two rear cylinders changing the plugs (necessary every 45k miles) is no picnic I'm sure. It's the price of admission for driving these things. I must add though that keeping up with this stuff is absolutely necessary to keep a Bimmer running like, well, a Bimmer. I swear the car feels like it has 50 more HP; it zings up the tach with what is clearly less effort than before and climbs hills with less pedal position, all because of new plugs and an oil change! Or perhaps it's because Steve Snow sprinkles some of that Bimmerworks magic on the car just for taking it there. Whatever, the car runs great and I know I'm taking it to BMW experts without financing some fancy dealership's latest addition. If you drive a Bimmer, and live within 35 miles of this place, you should seriously consider taking it here for service. -Len Dube

Curtis Automotive Center has been offering automotive repair services to the West Chester, PA community since 1989. We specialize in providing all aspects of auto service and maintenance focusing on excellence. We prefer to do the job right the first time