Automotion

Finding a trustworthy mechanic is tough, finding a trustworthy mechanic to work on German cars is near impossible. This place is excellent and reasonably priced, and they truly go above and beyond in terms of customer service (for instance, they don’t perform inspections but offered to get my car inspected for me at no additional charge while it was getting worked on).
Can’t recommend this place enough.

I recently took my 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit in for some repairs to the belly pan. Rather than charge me an absurd amount to replace the entire unit, the owner called and gave me a range of options and prices tailored to my budget. In the end, the repair was very quick and affordable. Ronee even installed a new light for me for no charge. This will be my go-​to shop from now on!

I cannot believe its taken me 10 years to find this jewel of a car service garage! Probably because there are SO many to choose from in the area… and Ive used most!
This place was highly recommended by a new friend who raved about the service and cost. Ever the skeptic I decided to give it a shot, as Id had a number of high dollar estimates to sort out my broken down car and money was tight.
From the first moment I met Dan — Dan The Man indeed — who runs this place i felt i could trust him. He was knowledgeable and came across as an honest player… and is a truly nice guy. A rare combo!
I was dumbfounded but elated when I called back 2 hours later to pick up my now repaired car to discover he hadnt had to order the expensive parts the other garages had recommended — with the huge labor charges on top — and had discovered and fixed the problem for under $ 100!
Car has now run fine for 2 weeks and needless to say I now have found my ‘garage for life’!
Do yourself a favor — check this place out.

This is where I always take my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The reason I decided to first go with auto motion was that I called around to area import mechanics and asked for their labor charge of an oil change if I brought in my own synthetic oil. auto motion was cheaper than any other import mechanic, but they still have expert skill and offer great advice. Definitely a good find in chapel hill!

Automotion gets my highest recommendation.
The owner, Ronee, is an old-​school businessman who relies on community reputation, and he’s been doing it right for over 30 years. Finding a mechanic who is honest, skilled, professional and friendly is almost as hard as becoming an astronaut.
I moved here in 2002 and brought my 1988 Mazda 323 with me. During an oil change a local place suggested that my brakes were worn and needed replacing. I was dubious, so I looked for a mechanic to check them out. I just went in to Automotion on the recommendation of a neighbor, and said, «I’m concerned that the brakes are kind of old.» Automotion checked the brakes and turned me away without charge. According to them, the front ones had a year and the back ones 6 months, and they gave me percentages of wear. Our other car was American, and we’d get the «you need a brake line flush» or «transmission flush» BS from other garages in town (their name ends in «Tire»): always trying to come up with some bogus work to pad your bill. Ronee at Automotion never does that, and runs a really honest business.
Over the years, I’ve also brought in a 97 Toyota Corolla and 94 Mazda 6, and these guys have taken good care of our vehicles and kept us safe. They are flexible about drop off and pick up, it’s easy to get your car in, they are helpful about things where they won’t make a dime (like selling my car), they communicate well, and they keep me updated on the overall health of my cars, especially the older ones.
When Ronee hasn’t been around, my interactions with other guys in his shop have also been very positive. These guys are helpful, and I think Ronee hires people who share his philosophy.
Full disclosure: I think Automotion is a bit more expensive than some of the competition. But I can guarantee that you’ll get that money back through honesty and peace of mind. You going to nickel and dime the safety of you and your family?
The only down side about Automotion is they don’t do state safety inspections. But that’s on the city of Carrboro. Ronee needs another, specialty bay to do that work and the city won’t allow auto mechanics to expand. But let’s face it: any old mechanic can do the state inspection if they have the proper equipment. Just don’t let that other mechanic flush your transmission!

I had my (manual) 2003 Audi A4 1.8t Quattro serviced at Automotion in Carrboro recently. I was very happy with the excellent work done on my car (the following items needed replacing: oil uptake screen/​tube, oil pump & oil level sensor). In addition, I was extremely pleased by how I was treated as a (female) customer (who btw truly knows how my engine mechanically works!). The owner Ronee Fontazzi patiently answered every concern I had about my car and I felt he genuinely cared to give me the best possible service at a very fair price. The mechanics at Automotion truly know their Imports and are excellent! I completely trust them to work on my «frustrating» German car! Likewise, you will be treated professionally with kindness, politeness, much humbleness, and respect. ALL the reasons I won’t bring my Import vehicle to any of the other shops in Carrboro or Chapel Hill– They need to take a lesson in how to establish a true customer service relationship from Mr. Fontazzi. Thank you Ronee for not losing this old school approach after 35 years in business nor forgetting the REAL importance of this. Great experience all the way around. I will surely be back!

I am a graduate student and I live on a budget. For two years I have trusted the guys at Automotion to keep my 2003 Nissan Sentra on the road. They have done that and more. I have never been up-​sold or misled. For every repair, they offered me a fair estimate prior to the work being done, and I never ended up having to pay more than the estimate. These folks are honest and they know cars. I would highly recommend Automotion.

They quoted us an estimate of $ 135 just for a battery and the labor to install it, and then when we went to pick it up the bill was almost $ 200. I know an estimate is not exact, but estimates should be for the total price including environmental fees and taxes and any other fees involved. I’ll let you decide if $ 200 is a fair price for a battery and installation… We’re not going back.