WALTS AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE

Other than having a Ford Escape with a transmission that should be recalled, my experience with Claude at Walt’s was more than I could have hoped for. I am in Texas and my 22 year-old daughter recently moved to Syracuse. She called and said her Escape nearly stranded her and was barely running. Well, nothing gets a dad in gear like his baby girl’s safety and security. Being 1,500 miles away makes it difficult enough and there are no shortage of repair shops, mechanics and dealerships waiting to fleece their customers. I learned every Ford dealership within 100 miles had at least a 2 week wait for an appointment. I immediately began looking for highly rated and recommended mechanics in Syracuse and came across Walt’s. I called and explained my dilemma and also that I needed someone reliable that we could trust. I was told they could get right on the diagnosis so we had it towed there. Claude contacted me, within a day, with the worse possible news, saying it would definitely need a transmission replacement. He thoroughly and patiently listened to me and answered my questions. I was able to locate a used one online (2 years newer & w/o the factory issues) Claude reviewed the price and company for me so I had it shipped to Walt’s. Claude completed the swap promptly as he had promised and my daughter was briefed on the repairs when she picked it up. She said it has driven flawlessly ever since. I cannot possibly overstate my recommendation of Walt’s, nor convey enough gratitude to Claude for taking care of my daughter and putting me at ease since honesty, trustworthiness and conscientiousness have become the exception in our world today. He even emailed me several weeks later to see how everything was going. I don’t flippantly write reviews unless I am emotionally moved to do so (< 1/yr). I can say unreservedly, if you need a mechanic, spend your money here without worry.

Outstanding!

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I would definitely use them again.

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Friendly and courteous contact Dave in front office. Reasonable price and quick turnaround for brake job. Will definitely use again.

Punctuality: Dropped off the vehicle early on Wednesday morning and picked up on Thursday afternoon. Walt's met the agreed upon timeline.
Professionalism and Shop Experience: I was exceptionally impressed by the cleanliness and organization of the shop and the friendliness and professionalism of the staff, especially CJ.
Quality and Price: I was satisfied with the quality of the service, and the coupon made the price more affordable. I would feel comfortable sending my wife or mother here alone as their professionalism would guarantee their not being taken advantage of.
The detailing job quality was acceptable, but a little pricey at $175. The good: Detailer removed stains that a pair of messy kids spent years putting into the carpets. The bad: missed a few spots such as the gas filler cap area and some bug impacts on the front bumper area. There was nothing that would make me return it to get a deficiency fixed, but it would make me hesitant to have them detail my vehicle again.
I intend to remain a customer of Walt's for the duration of my time here in Syracuse

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Repair went very well.  I was told that over all the exhaust system was in good shape but I had a hole in a joint.  They cut that section out and welded in a new section of pipe.  I am sure that had I taken the car to a muffler chain I would have been sold an entire new exhaust system.  Walt's is both convenient and reliable.  I've used them several times now.  Yet to be disappointed.

The staff is very friendly and honest. They would never do anything without your permission, and they don't take advantage of female customers who are not auto experts!

They were great.

Walt's was fantastic to work with.  I called early this morning to say that I needed my NYS inspection but my engine light was on.  Their diagnostics registered an emission leak, and further testing determined that the fuel filler pipe was corroded and no longer keeping a seal on the fuel cap.  They replaced the fuel filler pipe and cap and reset the engine light.  After these repairs were completed, they explained that I would have to drive the car to clear all of the sensors, so rather than keep me there all afternoon they advised me to take the car and drive it at least 20 miles, then return with it tomorrow so they could re-scan in and complete the NYS inspection.
    During the preliminary inspection they also detected wear in both of my front wheel bearings, but after further examination they determined that the bearings were still within the limits to pass inspection.  They advised me, and I agreed, that the work was not necessary at this time. They could easily have told me that the bearings didn't pass and would need to be done, but they were very honest about their condition.  I was told to pay attention to the bearings and have them repaired if they become noisy, since they could fail very quickly at that point.   Walt's also pointed out some issues that could develop with the power steering lines, but so far there is no immediate need for repair. 
    Overall I feel that I was treated very well, I am happy with the work and the price, I would gladly recommend Walt's to anyone. I am so happy that I have found them, I will be brining my car there for a long time to come.

The car has never run as well as when I have had it with them! They were fair in pricing, and when you have a problem they take you right in so I appreciate this!

Was able to bring the car in the same day that I requested service. The work was completed within my lunch hour. The mechanic listened to my concerns and answered my questions. It was a pleasant experience. I usually dread having to take my car for service. I felt that my car was in good hands, and I was treated with respect.

I called Walt's the same day I brought my car in, the woman who answered the phone was extremely patient, thorough and friendly. She told me no appointment was necessary and that I could bring it in whenever, though she mentioned sooner was better if I wanted it back same day.  The shop was easy to find and the drop off was quick and easy requiring only some basic information and a description of what was wrong.  I told them I was going to leave the car overnight but they had it in one of the work bays before I even left.  Within a couple of hours they had diagnosed the problem and called me with a quote.  The guy who called, whose name I can't recall, was friendly, spoke clear English, and gave me an easy-to-understand explanation of what was wrong.  I grew up with a decent amount of car-knowledge but I got the feeling that if I hadn't, he would have been able to explain in simpler terms if I had asked.  As soon as they were finished with repairs they called and left a voicemail making sure I knew their hours and left their number if I had questions.  Overall I am very happy with my experience and plan to go back to them with any future car problems I have. They were patient, knowledgable, friendly, and most importantly they were fast and their services seem very affordable.
The work was performed at the shop in Downtown Syracuse, right across from Dinosaur BBQ. It was easy to find and had a small shop lot to park my car in temporarily so I didn't have to search around the area for a spot.

My battery was dead. Would not be jumped. Checked with Angies List and found WALT's Repair. Called them and a tow truck was there in about 40 minutes. Nick, the tow-truck driver tried to jump the battery with his handy-dandy portable charger, and the car started!!  Nick advised me to follow him back to garage to have the battery tested to see if it had just been drained of charge or if maybe battery going bad.. Right away, they did diagnostics, and determined both battery and alternator needed replacing. 
(They gave me an explanation and showed me the test result print out, but it was all lost on me.)They started work on it around 1:00pm and were finished at 3:20pm.  I am always wary of car repair places because I am so clueless about the functioning of  a car, and they could tell me anything and I couldn't dispute it.  The folks at Walt's were pleasant, helpful, knowledgable and professional.  I felt sure I wasn't getting ripped off which is a very good thing!

I think the price for the last service was over $100. There was nothing in particular, but I have been going there for years. They are fantastic. Their price is very fair. I would give them the highest grade for everything and they are very professional. They do great work and I would use them in the future too.

They actually insured me for the diagnosis.  They are great.  I give them high marks on everything.  They are very knowledgeable and fair.  They are punctual.  They are able to handle whatever I need them to do on the given time and they do it.

I can't say enough good things about Walt's.  In one recent instance, my parents drove out to Syracuse from Indiana.  While here, we noticed a burning smell and discovered that the axle boot on their Subaru had split open spilling lubricant onto the catalytic converter.  We gave Walt's a call, and Dave explained that they see that pretty regularly, that it was ok to drive it in, and they would take care of it the next morning so that my parents could head back to Indiana the next afternoon.  His over-the-phone estimate was right on, and they had it ready to go by noon the next day.  In another instance last summer, the front lower panel of our van caught on a rock and pulled loose late one afternoon the day before we were leaving on a trip.  My wife called Walt's, and they told her to bring it right in.  No real work was needed but they made sure it was securely attached and wouldn't be a problem for our trip.  In another case, I left work in Skaneateles and found that my parking brake did not release.  I called Walt's, and Dave told me to try the release by the back tire.  That worked, and off I went.  I could go on and on, as they have taken such good care of us over the years.  I had never trusted an auto shop until we started using Walt's.  They're fantastic.