We have been customers here for years. Never had an issue until the last few repairs. It all started with head gaskets, a month after getting them done we take it in for an oil change and it then when we got it back it was leaking oil so we brought it back to armstead and were told the car now needs vacuum pump. Okay we do the repairs and my husband picks it up (keep in mind we have been without a car now for almost a month) . He leaves armstead and is driving down us 23 going 75 when the car completely dies! It has been 30 minutes since we picked up at this point. He had to hurry and maneuver onto the side of the road from the fast lane! Luckily he wasn’t injured but he calls them say they’ll tow our car and they’re so sorry. Welp then a week goes by crickets until we receive an email for over $3000 stating it needs multi-air actuator and a new battery. My husband and I were both extremely upset and the owner gets on the phones says he’ll do just for the cost of the part but unfortunately the part is $2300. The owner said he tried to find it cheaper called junk yards and did everything he could but $2300 was the best price he could find. After the issues arising after the 3 repairs me and my husband do some research (which yes we should done when the first problem occurred but we took our cars here for years without issue so we trusted them) and found the part for $1300. We used to 100% send everyone we know here but we will never take a car here again or refer anyone to go there. Oh and to have the other stop tow it out of armstead they made us pay the towing costs of $180. Which was never mentioned when it happened. They were so sorry and said they make it right but that never happened. So they basically they held our car hostage after “repairing” it to the point it was immobile. I would avoid this “repair” shop at all costs
First off, thank you for being loyal customers over the years—we truly appreciate the trust you've placed in us. We’re genuinely sorry to hear that your recent experience didn’t reflect the level of service you’ve come to expect, and we understand how stressful and frustrating this has been for you and your family. To help clarify things: your repair order was opened on January 15th, 2025, for head gasket repair, and completed on January 30th. While we understand being without your vehicle for most of the month was difficult, our team worked diligently to complete the job thoroughly and keep you updated along the way. Unfortunately, additional issues surfaced after the repair was completed. About 3,000 miles after the head gasket service, you brought the vehicle back due to an oil leak. During the original job, the vacuum pump was removed and reinstalled, but it was not replaced. When you returned, we found the pump had failed. This issue was not related to the head gasket repair, but as a courtesy, we covered all labor and diagnostic time—you were only billed for the replacement part. After picking up the vehicle, it unfortunately stalled on the highway. We’re very thankful your husband was okay and acted quickly. We had the vehicle towed back to our shop for further diagnosis. The battery was found to be discharged and failed a load test. After replacing it, we discovered low compression in cylinders 2 and 3. Our technicians traced the issue to a failing MultiAir actuator, which is critical to the engine’s valve timing system. We understand how frustrating it was to hear the cost of the OEM actuator. That’s why we discounted the diagnostic time and labor for removing and replacing the actuator. We also went above and beyond in trying to find a more affordable solution—including contacting salvage yards and searching for used parts online. Unfortunately, due to their high failure rate and limited availability, there were no safe or reliable alternatives to a new OEM unit. Regarding towing costs: because the vehicle was not repaired at our facility and our diagnosis determined the issue was not due to negligence, we were unable to cover the cost of the incoming tow to our shop. We offered to cover the cost of the labor replacing the failed part and stand behind it with a warranty as a gesture of goodwill. We’re sorry if this wasn’t clearly communicated at the time. We truly regret that this experience didn’t reflect the trust and service we’ve built together over the years. If you ever have questions or want to talk through anything further, our door is always open. We wish you and your family all the best moving forward. Sincerely, Ben Armstead
- Armstead Automotive in Holly