The Review: Brought my old (1991) truck to Bernie's for a number of reasons over the years, nearly every visit has had some issue and the overall quality of work is average. Most recently there was an issue with parts not fitting or being lost and weeks after the repair i find more issues that were caused or flat out unaddressed by their techs. Customer service is sometimes great, other times not. I would not recommend if your vehicle is over 10yrs old.
The Story: Long so I apologize in advance: Years ago (2019?) I brought my truck to the Bernie's on Market. Cedar worked there at the time and although he was very charismatic there was a lapse in communication causing my truck to sit in the shop for a week before techs began work on it. Whatever, it happens i get it they're busy NBD. A portion of my work was installing a refurb starter and a couple weeks later my starter engages while I'm driving down the street. It locks up on the flywheel and fries itself. I pull over as starter is smoking. I drive manual so I disconnect starter and bump start to get home. I call Bernie's and Cedar makes it right. Installs a new starter and even gives me some credit for a future visit. Awesome!
Fast forward to some months ago. I redo passenger side ball joints on the same truck. I have some money and i didn't feel like spending another weekend on driver side, so i call up Bernie's and schedule appt. Later that day I drop off and ask for upper and lower ball joint replacement on driver side then alignment. Ball joints are new in box on passenger seat (AC Delco Gold i believe). They say "we don't use customer supplied parts" which makes sense (i had no clue) but they make an exception for me. Very cool +1. They state because of it there will be no warranty on any work done. No problem, understood.
Later that day i get a call stating they're working on other stuff and they'll begin working on my truck in a few days. Why a few days? What's the point of making an appointment if my vehicle sits there? They say they are slammed so i say OK and buy a bunch of bus tickets for the week.
Two days later they call and tell me they've started working on my truck, but the upper joint doesn't fit in the knuckle. How? It's the same model as the one I installed on the passenger side... i wonder... but ultimately i say OK and authorize them to buy and install a new one. (they gave me back the one that didn't fit. It's absolutely mangled. I still have it in my garage.)
The next day I get another call: "Hey so we got that ball joint in, but where's your camber sleeve?" (for those that don't know a camber sleeve is a metal cylinder that sits in the ball joint of some Ford trucks. Without it the tire will wobble endlessly making driving difficult and dangerous)
I don't know if they lost it, threw it out or what but there's no way i was driving without one. I had even taken the truck in for an alignment a few weeks earlier! No way it was "missing". They say they can buy another one and put it in for me: "Don't worry they aren't very expensive..."
Another day goes by and I finally get the "everything is completed" call. I stop by after work and make it just in time before closing. Immediately i notice my steering wheel off center and slight pull to the right. Did they align it?? I take it to my tire guy and have them align it. It was so off i couldn't believe it. Bernie's must've forgot to align it after doing the work. sigh
A month or so later i install new brakes and rotors on my truck. while removing my hubs i notice my spindle nut is cracked! There's no way this went unnoticed during the work they completed. Either that or they tightened it SO tight is cracked and got worse over the past few months. Either way I order a new spindle nut and reinstall everything to torque.
In summary: Frequently inconvenienced and felt looked down upon for bringing in such an old vehicle. Will not be returning here. I'm not looking for any conciliation, by the way. This review is only to share my experience. I'm sure some of the techs here do good work.
