Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers

I saved this experience for my 300^th review because it was such a great example of customer service.
My car needed an oil change, so I called Dobbs because they allow you to actually SCHEDULE an oil change. For some reason, the fact that people value their time and would like to actually know how long they can expect to be at the service place is lost on most places of this type. This was necessary during my busy season at work and they really worked with me to figure out a time that was convenient.
I took it in and they changed the oil as expected; no big news there. They did give me a discount though, just for asking, which was nice. What happened next was exemplary…
I got back in the car to drive off and a warning light came on that my daytime running lights were not working. Of course, my first instinct was to go back in and ask them about it, like maybe they tripped a fuze or something during the oil change. They sent someone out to look at it and they verified that neither of the dang DRL were working! The drivers side was easy… they quickly popped out the bulb, discovered it was actually burned out, and replaced it. The passenger side was not so easy. The way my car is made the mechanic had to take apart most of the car to get at the bulb. Slight exaggeration, but based on how the wiper fluid tank was mounted there were several components that had to be removed before he could get to the light. It was also burned out. Weird coincidence, but obviously nothing their oil change could cause. I went back inside to pay for the light bulbs and the mechanics time and they wouldn’t take my money. The man working the desk said that he was just glad it was fixed and that there was no charge because they should have caught it during the vehicle inspection.
I left a happy customer and will be back when its time for another oil change or small service.

I’ve taken my car to this Dobbs quite often because I purchased the lifetime tire balance & rotate. I’ve had many oil changes at this location too. They consistently try to sell more service than you really need. I had a slow leak in a tire and they «fixed» it… for about 10 miles. I took it to another location and it hasn’t leaked air again. I now wonder if they did the rotate/​balance everytime I took it there (sometimes i have to wait over an hour sometimes less than ½ an hour).They often «forget» to credit service coupons. So make sure you check on any specials they might have before you pay!

Had low tire pressure the dealership wanted to fix, with a new tire. My wife went to this Dobbs location to get another opinion. They said that valve stem on the tire was corroded and needed to be replaced, and that this was the culprit of the slow leak. $ 90 for that fix. Unfortunately the next morning the tire was flat. Put the spare on and filled the flat tire with air. Mike in Chesterfield Dobbs arranged for me to go see Dave at the Dobbs on Chippewa to get my tire checked out. Dave at the Dobbs on Chippewa said that everything was fine with the tire. On Monday my wife goes to work and the tire has low pressure. She takes it back to the Dobbs on Chesterfield to get it checked out, and they wanted us to replace it with a new tire.
After talking to manager Chris, things were smoothed out. They gave us few free oil changes for the trouble and applied the difference for the work with the valve stem toward the new tire. I must say I was very impressed by Chris for turning an initially negative customer experience into a positive one.

Company car oil change. I woke up that morning thinking that I was going to one of the national chains. After calling around, I knew I needed somewhere a bit more local because I wasn’t willing to make an appointment for a week from Tuesday nor was I willing to roll the dice on a «first come — first served» policy.
I’m really glad I checked with my local Dobbs. They were able to fit me in within about an hour of my phone call and finished the job in time to get me back on the road so that I could make it to my next appointment. The waiting room was sufficient and even had free wi-​fi. The car was in the same or better condition when they returned it to me. I also really appreciated the fact they didn’t feel the need to jack around with any of the vehicle’s settings… seat, mirrors, climate, radio, etc.
The only downside of the whole experience is exactly 0.00% their fault. The oil life indicator in the car wouldn’t reset. To their credit, two of their guys spent about 15 minutes screwing around with it but it still wouldn’t reset. I finally had to take it to the Ford dealer where they consumed two hours of my life reprogramming the damn computer, but that’s another story… and part of the reason I don’t buy Ford vehicles.

Quality of work for some of their technicians may not match up with the prices they charge. Overall, the staff is friendly and good sellers. I’ve never had any technical issues with their work, although cosmetic touch is almost always required afterward.

I have been a long time customer, having been responsible for a small leased fleet that my team drove. As a result they knew me well at this Dobbs and always treated me well. I have no complaints with the work done. At leat twice they have used the «Fixed for Life» guarantee without me asking, once replacing a battery for free, before it failed and I did not know there was an issue. My only objection is that they will push services you may not need so be informed and educated and manage the service experience on your own terms.