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Last updated: Over a year ago
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Auto Service
About Pawlik Automotive
Pawlik Automotive's focus is on preventative maintenance so you enjoy peace of mind and the confidence of knowing that you are driving a safe and reliable vehicle. Go to full description...
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Pawlik Automotive, Vancouver Reviews (2)
TL; DR Don't use Pawlik Automotive, you may be charged twice for fixes that may not last.
This is a review of my recent experience with Pawlik Automotive.
Long story short...I cannot recommend that you get your car repaired there. You may end up getting charged twice for work that wasn't done right the first time.
Over the years I've used Pawlik as my mechanic and dropped quite a few thousand bucks there. Never again.
This last time I got billed twice for the same problem and it took three full weeks to get my car back
I've got a 1999 GMC Yukon. Yes, it's an old car BUT it's my old car and I keep it it in tip top shape.
A couple of years ago, the Yukon's steering column breaks on the coldest day of the year. Oddball problem. How often does that happen? I mean you put your foot on the brake, shift from P to D (or vice versa), take your foot off the brake and off you go. It's not an item that gets a lot of wear and tear. Weird.
Pawlik repairs it with a used steering column(since GM no longer makes the original part) and indicates that they have no idea of why the repair was needed in the first place.
Later, one of the Yukon's tires has a slow leak. I get the tire replaced. Only thing is, the tire still leaks. More slowly, mind you, but still leaking. Seemingly not a big problem and and nothing that can't wait til next service(so long as I fill it up on occasion).
So, lo and behold, three weeks ago, the steering column breaks, AGAIN. I get to talking with the tow truck driver and he tells me that the steering column cable is a known weakness.
I ask Pawlik what's going on and get told that it's "operator error." In other words it's my own fault and nothing to do with Pawlik or their previous fix of the problem. And I've only been driving for 50 years and never encountered this problem before. But what do I know? And besides, what can I do? They've got the car. (Sunk cost fallacy true, but Pawlik still has the car).
I ask after a loaner and am told - get this - that the loaner is out on a "more valuable job." Over the next three weeks I do ask if a loaner is available just to see if I'll get an answer that tops what I was first told. Oddly enough, there is never a loaner for me. It seems that the loaner is always just gone out door. Go figure. I'm certainly never asked if I need a loaner nor am I put in the queue.
As to the steering column, I'm told that the part is difficult to find. Fair enough, it is an old car. But I do do a google search and in 30 seconds, I find what is almost certainly the right part and that it can be shipped overnight. But, again, what do I know? Pawlik takes two and half weeks to find the part and get it shipped in.
So finally, after three full weeks, the car is ready. Remember the leaking tire? I ask why it was still leaking and am told that that the rim has some internal corrosion and, oh, didn't we tell you this the last time you were in? Our bad. We've thrown some silicon at the problem and we're still charging you again to fix the leak that wasn't fixed the first time round. And by the way, if the tire still leaks, it's not Pawlik's problem.
As to the steering column, well Pawlik has indeed replaced it again and this time I'm told that Pawlik had replaced the steering control cable(remember the tow truck operator that said the cable was known problem? I do). And, meanwhile Pawlik gets to say that, so sorry, we don't know why our first repair of a barely used part failed but since their first repair is now out of warranty, we get to charge twice for the same problem. Again.
So, needless to say, I'm in the market for a new mechanic and am looking for recommendations.
TL; DR Don't use Pawlik Automotive, you may be charged twice for fixes that may not last.
This is a review of my recent experience with Pawlik Automotive.
Long story short...I cannot recommend that you get your car repaired there. You may end up getting charged twice for work that wasn't done right the first time.
Over the years I've used Pawlik as my mechanic and dropped quite a few thousand bucks there. Never again.
This last time I got billed twice for the same problem and it took three full weeks to get my car back
I've got a 1999 GMC Yukon. Yes, it's an old car BUT it's my old car and I keep it it in tip top shape.
A couple of years ago, the Yukon's steering column breaks on the coldest day of the year. Oddball problem. How often does that happen? I mean you put your foot on the brake, shift from P to D (or vice versa), take your foot off the brake and off you go. It's not an item that gets a lot of wear and tear. Weird.
Pawlik repairs it with a used steering column(since GM no longer makes the original part) and indicates that they have no idea of why the repair was needed in the first place.
Later, one of the Yukon's tires has a slow leak. I get the tire replaced. Only thing is, the tire still leaks. More slowly, mind you, but still leaking. Seemingly not a big problem and and nothing that can't wait til next service(so long as I fill it up on occasion).
So, lo and behold, three weeks ago, the steering column breaks, AGAIN. I get to talking with the tow truck driver and he tells me that the steering column cable is a known weakness.
I ask Pawlik what's going on and get told that it's "operator error." In other words it's my own fault and nothing to do with Pawlik or their previous fix of the problem. And I've only been driving for 50 years and never encountered this problem before. But what do I know? And besides, what can I do? They've got the car. (Sunk cost fallacy true, but Pawlik still has the car).
I ask after a loaner and am told - get this - that the loaner is out on a "more valuable job." Over the next three weeks I do ask if a loaner is available just to see if I'll get an answer that tops what I was first told. Oddly enough, there is never a loaner for me. It seems that the loaner is always just gone out door. Go figure. I'm certainly never asked if I need a loaner nor am I put in the queue.
As to the steering column, I'm told that the part is difficult to find. Fair enough, it is an old car. But I do do a google search and in 30 seconds, I find what is almost certainly the right part and that it can be shipped overnight. But, again, what do I know? Pawlik takes two and half weeks to find the part and get it shipped in.
So finally, after three full weeks, the car is ready. Remember the leaking tire? I ask why it was still leaking and am told that that the rim has some internal corrosion and, oh, didn't we tell you this the last time you were in? Our bad. We've thrown some silicon at the problem and we're still charging you again to fix the leak that wasn't fixed the first time round. And by the way, if the tire still leaks, it's not Pawlik's problem.
As to the steering column, well Pawlik has indeed replaced it again and this time I'm told that Pawlik had replaced the steering control cable(remember the tow truck operator that said the cable was known problem? I do). And, meanwhile Pawlik gets to say that, so sorry, we don't know why our first repair of a barely used part failed but since their first repair is now out of warranty, we get to charge twice for the same problem. Again.
So, needless to say, I'm in the market for a new mechanic and am looking for recommendations.
TL; DR Don't use Pawlik Automotive, you may be charged twice for fixes that may not last.
Bernie Pawlik and his team look after both my cars. They are thorough, knowledgeable and responsive.
I get a loaner car when I need it - Bernie has graciously lent me his personal car when his 2 loaners were out already! Where the heck else does that happen??
They are superb at fixing automobiles and trucks. Bernie cares and so do his staff. His advice about maintaining my cars has saved me time and money. They're not perfect but they make it right. It's one less worry for me now, to have vehicles that are reliable.
I get a loaner car when I need it - Bernie has graciously lent me his personal car when his 2 loaners were out already! Where the heck else does that happen??
They are superb at fixing automobiles and trucks. Bernie cares and so do his staff. His advice about maintaining my cars has saved me time and money. They're not perfect but they make it right. It's one less worry for me now, to have vehicles that are reliable.
Additional business details
Email address:
service@pawlikautomotive.com
Payment methods accepted:
cash, visa, debit card
Pawlik Automotive's focus is on preventative maintenance so you enjoy peace of mind and the confidence of knowing that you are driving a safe and reliable vehicle.