Ben is definitely one of the most affable mechanics I have come across. Which can be hard to find in Los Angeles. He's always been able to fit me in and has always fixed my car with the utmost care. I've been able to schedule rather last minute oil changes and he still manages to get me in and out in about a half hour, despite weekends always being busy for mechanics. I've never had any problems with my car after one of his repairs. I've had my brakes done by a dozen of mechanics over the past decade, all with the same vehicle, and they always seem to start breaking down not but a few short months after the repair, however, since going to Koester, they've been fine for a year now and counting.
He is good about keeping in contact and informing you every step of the way on prices and what needs to be done, never acting without your permission. Always putting the customer first and doing everything he can to get your car repaired and back to you in a reasonable amount of time. He even has a loaner car he can provide you if the repairs will be more intensive than you hoped and you'll need some way to get to work. I've always found his prices to be completely fair and often cheaper than other mechanics I've gone to in the area. I've recommended a couple friends to him and they've also had nothing but pleasant experiences. I highly suggest him and his mechanics to anyone.
Koester Automotive is the best auto care that I have found in LA. I had a 2005 Chevy Malibu that failed smog inspection due to the check engine light not lighting up on the dashboard, and at first I thought it might be a simple fix, such as replacing a fuse. After my usual mechanic checked it out, he said it was not a fuse and was probably an electrical-related problem in the dashboard. My mechanic does not do auto electrician work, so I was basically on my own to find someone else who did. I was so nervous because I have been ripped off with auto services before and I have very little knowledge or understanding about car repairs in general. I resorted to Yelp to find an auto electrician and stumbled upon Koester Automotive, and thank god I did.
Ben and his team are simply the best. He made sure that I completely understood every step of the process - what was being checked out, what was damaged, what kind of repairs he recommended, and price. I always feel some level of unease when it comes to auto repairs, but Ben made sure I never felt this way. The car had to have an extensive check-up into the dashboard and all the electrical wiring to figure out what the problem was, and every other place that I had called quoted me at least $400 to $500 just to diagnose the problem. Ben was able to do the job at half these prices! I also had to leave the car over the weekend for them to work on, and Ben always made sure I was updated on the car's progress and when everything would be completed. All in all, I dropped the car off on a Friday, picked it up on Monday, and got my second smog check passed that same Monday afternoon.
Because of my great experience here, Ben and his team at Koester Automotive are now my new mechanics for any and all future repairs and check-ups. I definitely plan on going back to them and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone.
