Rising Sun Automotive

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  deejay fernandez
a week ago
My son was handed down my Kia Sorento and being a 16 yr old he drives little different than I did the 10 years I had it. Every time I have had an issue with it, Vanessa is the first person I call and the miracles she has worked with this car. She is a true lifesaver and the best at what she does. Anyone with a foreign car needs a mechanic like her.

  Augusto Todeschini
2 months ago
I recently visited Rising Sun Automotive as a first-time customer, and the experience exceeded expectations. From the moment I walked in, the staff treated me with exceptional courtesy. I had my 105k mile maintenance scheduled, and the quality of their work was nothing short of impressive. I highly recommend Rising Sun Automotive for their excellent service and professionalism. As a satisfied customer, I'll undoubtedly return for future automotive needs. Top-notch service that deserves recognition.

  teej A
a month ago
Believe the ratings. This place is an honest shop. The staff here knows their stuff. Not only that, but they're all friendly & you can tell they take pride in their work. They also give you very good diagnostics of what is going on & take the time to make sure things are as they should be. I'm newer to the area, but after seeing so many positive reviews I decided to give them a shot. & I feel very comfortable with the idea of taking my Honda Element back here, whenever any other concerns come up. I know they will be my top choice from now on. Vanessa & her team are the real deal.

  Nadine Jackwin
a month ago
Vanessa will EXCEED your every expectation! Not only is she thorough, but more importantly...she's full of integrity!! I was referred to her by a close family friend who is also a mechanic and I am so thankful I was, because despite being slammed, she made the time to help me by replacing my front brakes and rotors - as a "walk-in." She did an amazing job!!!

  Anita Storrs
2 months ago
Vanessa is honest, never tries to sell you something you don't need. She listens when you talk about what's wrong with your car. Prices are reasonable. It's a good place to take your car for repair!

  holden sherman
5 months ago
I wanted to take a moment to share my experience with the fantastic team at Rising Sun Automotive. The service I received was exceptional from start to finish.I highly recommend the crew at Rising Sun Automotive to anyone seeking reliable automotive service. They've definitely earned my trust, and I'll be returning for any future car needs. Thank you all for the exceptional service!

  Beckey Cregar
a year ago
Vanessa is the bomb.I took my 2002 Toyota 4 Runner.In for a check up in March.After I bought it.My poor truck had a substantial oil leak.I was really hoping that it was going to be okay.When I walked into Rising Sun.I was so overwhelmed.I was hoping that this 21 yr old truck wasn't a big mistake.Esp with this oil leak.After I left and came back in a few weeks.I had a BETTER mind set.And Vanessa was ELATED that my truck was okay now.She worked her magic.Now, my truck runs like a boss.I'm STOKED that I was referred to her garage from the previous owner of my truck.Esp. since they are affordable.But, most importantly.They are honest.Hands down.Vanessa is also the first female mechanic I ever met.In the 30yrs that I've been driving.Plus, they ONLY work on foreign car's.!!!!YAY!!!!Thank U so much.Rising Sun Automotive.U TOTALLY RULE.

  Mikki
5 months ago
Vanessa is the best. She only suggests repairs you need, and her work is quality. I've taken my car to her for years (approx 20 years tbh) and I'm never upset with the outcome.

  Amy Guides by Amy McClain
a year ago
Vanessa, Jan, Parker and team at Rising Sun are the BEST! From my first interaction by phone, I knew this would be my #1 auto service provider. Rarely does one find a reliable, knowledgeable mechanic who is this honest and isn't to upsell you or grab a fast buck. Rising Sun has been in business for 25 years and has 100s of repeat customers for many reasons, but the top one is simple: Integrity.

  Kevin Clancy
2 months ago
Vanessa and the team have always been a dream to work with on my old pick up. Honest and fare pricing and the best shop dogs you can ask for.

  John Howat
7 months ago
Very knowledgeable and honest mechanics. Had what I thought was a small coolant leak after I replaced my water pump. They looked it over and pressure tested the system. Nothing to be found. They were happy to help and did not charge me for their time. They really seem to enjoy working on Toyotas and know their stuff. I ll be returning the favor by taking my next repair to them. Highly recommend.Service: Auto maintenance

  Matthew Emmons
7 months ago
The absolute best mechanic experience!A mechanic you can trust is one of those things that helps you sleep at night!Vanessa was incredibly helpful!My family has been doing business with Rising sun automotive for 30 years. I had an issue with my Lexus RX 350 and currently live in Georgia.I had taken it to my local mechanic and even to the Lexus dealership up here. No one could tell me what the problem was and the Lexus dealership had quoted me almost $500 just to assess!Fortunately, I was back in Saint Petersburg to visit my family and thought it would be worth a shot to bring it to our family mechanic. Thank goodness I did!I had previously worked with Rising Sun over the years and they were one of the reasons I was able to keep my 98 Toyota Corolla in excellent driving condition for 20+ years!Not only was Victoria able to diagnose the issue, but she was also able to get me back on the road under budget and in a timely fashion!I cannot say enough how grateful I am!If you need any reassurance of a mechanic, you can depend on, just know that Rising sun automotive has my family s business for life!Services: General repairs & maintenance, Vehicle safety inspection, Auto maintenance

  Sharlene Feingold
7 months ago
I ve been a customer for many years. This is the place to go if you own a Japanese vehicle. Vanessa (owner) is a woman of integrity. She s honest and a hard worker. You can be assured that you will only pay for what your car truly needs. No more anxiety about taking your car to an auto shop and worrying they are going to up-sell you on parts you don t need. I highly recommend Rising Sun Automotive.

  Ron Torres
3 months ago
She was very knowledgeable and explained to me what the problem was in great detail. I was pleasantly surprised that the job wasn't as bad as I thought and the price was very fair. I was expecting the worst and hoping for the best...with God's grace, I received the best.

  C Solar
6 months ago
Got a big tune-up for my V6 Accord. They knew exactly what the car needed to feel revitalized. Fair prices and did it quickly! It was definitely worth the 1hr drive for their service!

  Lauren Martens
3 months ago
Vanessa Is The Absolute BEST There Is Hands Down!!She is Very Fair & Honest!Extremely Knowledgeable & Very Cool! I m A Customer For Life!!Never Going Anywhere Else!!!

  Rashana Hamilton
8 months ago
I would recommend this place to everyone! Vanessa really knows Japanese import cars and is an amazing person. She will look at your car in great detail and tell you all that needs to be repaired. She will let you know what is urgent and what you can hold off fixing because she in not just in it to take your money. Vanessa is a honest, friendly and trustworthy person. This is now the place I will always take my car for repairs. Thank you Vanessa :-)Service: Steering & suspension repair

  Andrea K
7 months ago
The only shop you need in your contacts list! Been going here close to 20 years now and have referred many friends as well. Honesty and integrity is top priority here, so much so that any future cars i purchase will be Japanese just so I can take them here to be worked on! The best part is if your ride needs a job/service that they are not able to do they have great reccomendations of other shops in the area. Thank you Vanessa, Parker, and Jan and the added bonus office puppies that always have me feeling at home!

  Heather Renee Warner-Dubin
2 months ago
I came in to get a full work up and the head mechanic said I only needed new tires. Very honest! Saved me money and time! I'll come back here for sure!

  Henry Fussell
2 years ago
The owner Vanessa is the best mechanic I've ever met. 100% trustworthy and honest. I will never go any other place for my 4runner n Land Cruiser. Her dogs are pretty cool also !!!

  Teresa Thode
6 months ago
We had a wonderful experience here. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and responsive. They got our vehicle in quickly, fixed it well and charged us fairly. We were referred to come here and we will be referring our friends to come here too. Thank you for a job well done!

  Chollette Kizer
6 months ago
Phenomenal, everyone was so friendly, they took the time to really explain what was wrong with my car, told me about how much time I can wait until I need to get it fixed and what to look for when it's finally time. Gave me a quote on my way out the door so I know how much I need to be setting aside. Best mechanic experience I've had ever

  April
10 months ago
I was disappointed considering this place has high ratings. Last week I was told I could have my car looked at to diagnose (in order to do the repairs there) within a few days of dropping it off for this week. I scheduled a a tow truck after talking to the man that answered and it was on its way to take it to their shop when Vanessa told me that the larger repairs like clutches and diagnostics would not be in the order it was received, but would be put aside as the quicker jobs like brake work came in...indefinitely. She recommended I take it to a dealership.I gave two stars, one for her honesty that they do this because honesty is important. I had to cancel the tow truck so I could find a different place to take it to. This was highly frustrating to find out AFTER a couple of conversations to make sure of when they could work on my vehicle if I brought it in. I do appreciate that Vanessa was honest about their policy to put new small jobs as priority since that is an unexpected practice. I'll continue to look for a foreign car/Japanese Automotive mechanic in the area.

  Nathaniel Acosta
6 months ago
Excellent mechanics! Wonderful people! They have taken care of my Nissan Altima as well as my Toyota Prius and every time it has been a great experience

  Annette Reynolds
11 months ago
Great fast efficient service. My last oil change was 2020. Had an appt for today, and I was out in about 30 minutes. Vanessa has been taking care of my Toyota since 2014. Very reputable and highly recommended.

  Emily Basara
11 months ago
Vanessa is straightforward, honest, and most importantly an incredibly knowledgeable and gifted mechanic. I took my 2004 4runner in fearing the end was near for my almost 20-year-old vehicle... not only was Vanessa honest with me through the entire troubleshooting process, but found an easy fix, explained in detail what had been done, and assured me she could keep my car running until I was sick of looking at it. I won't be taking my business anywhere else!

  Puddles Skyy
a year ago
Vanessa was absolutely great! I ve been having recurring issues with my car for about a year, I ve done my own repairs on it and finally was at my wits end.Vanessa got to the bottom of it, didn t try to rip me off or sell me anything I didn t need, fixed the issue, and then simply told me the next steps I needed to take myself. She also recommended the correct brand of ignition coils and spark plugs for my specific car.She is very knowledgeable, skilled, and displays integrity. 10/10 would recommend.Services: General repairs & maintenance, Engine repair

  Emily Black
a year ago
Rising Sun and all of their team members have gone above and beyond for all of the services we have ever received. The honesty and knowledge of their staff and management is like nothing I've ever experienced from any auto repair shop. I brought my car in for several different issues, from key fob to break problems but, most importantly, a timing belt issue. Rising Sun had my car repaired within a day for my broken timing belt--with new factory-issued parts! The owner is knowledgeable, experienced, fair and humble. I heard the truth about my car and the cost to repair. Prices are incredible and I have only gratitude. You will not find a better auto repair shop in all of Tampa Bay! I am a loyal customer. Thank you, Rising Sun!

  Susan Thorp
2 months ago
This is the first time ever that I ve met the most honest,professional,womenMechanics I went in as a new customer and was treated like I ve been coming there for years

  Shazari Diaz
11 months ago
Vanessa is absolutely phenomenal. She could tell I was anxious about the random noise my car decided to make, was able to bring the car in and she kept me updated with the steps she took and what she did to fix it. Just amazing service for my 2012 Odyssey.