Sterling Automotive

Reviews

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

  Emma Good
a month ago
I took my car to a different shop to have it checked out. They wanted to fix everything under the sun. I couldn t differentiate between necessary and unnecessary myself. Decided to go for a second opinion at Sterling and wow am I thankful. They let me know what should be addressed right away and what was overkill in relation to the first shop s opinion.

  Donald Branscom
a week ago
I took our 2017 Dodge Ram to get the spark plugs changed. I was happy with the service and it really needed the new plugs at 103,000 miles!

  Bettina AskBettina Carey
6 months ago
About 5 miles outside of Bellingham my car started sounding like a jollapy. Instinctively I knew to go back up the road versus keep driving to Seattle. I drive to a highly rated auto my location and met Pat of Sterling Automotive. Wow! Luckily i stumbled unto an honest mechanic who was unwilling to just take my money, but instead recommended I spend the money getting a proper diagnosis before trying to fix things that weren t actually the problem. Although they were booked till the following week, they managed to assess my car the same night and had it fixed within 2 days. Thanks Pat for building, not only instant rapport, but instant trust. Your colleague made sure to water my plants and even moved them indoors so that they didn t get overheated. We joked that he had a greased thumb by day and a green thumb at night. Thank you one and all!!

  Michelle Daniejs
a year ago
I have been going to Sterlings for about 15 years. When I first went in, I made it clear that as long as I felt they did good work and were honest with me at all times, I would be a faithful customer.Sterling and his crew have never let me down and have gone above all expectations in their work, customer service and humanity.Every time I leave the shop whether I m dropping off or picking up my vehicle, I feel like I just had a conversation with a friend.This level of service can t be beat.So very thankful for Sterling.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Samantha Sharum
a year ago
I have always taken my car to Sterling's Automotive they by far are the best in town! Sterling is by far the most honest person and I can trust he is not going to take advantage. His mechanics are all very knowledgeable, give me updates and get my car fixed in a timely matter with no surprise extra cost. Great customer service, clean shop and good coffee as well when you wait.Services: Engine repair, Auto brake replacement, Battery, Oil change

  Jacob Gerstner
a year ago
Thank you Pat so much for all your hard work on my hammered Tundra. Your attention to detail was a welcome relief to get my used truck ready to go. These folks are the real deal who will take the time to get the job done right. Don t take your car anywhere else. Thank you Sterling automotive, I m super grateful for you all.Services: Auto engine diagnostic, Vehicle Inspection, Brakes, Auto tire replacementServices: Auto engine diagnostic, Vehicle Inspection, Brakes, Auto tire replacement

  g
7 months ago
After giving these guys a tons of info and talking to the owner over the phone about my specific cam phaser/ timing issue i get a $400 diagnostic ( stuff i already knew about and had listed) to be told they don't want to do the work. mind you i made an appointment and waited a week to get it there. they couldn't wait to get my car off the lot for more easy fixes. i value my time and they obviously should have said no thanks from the get go the second i said cam phaser. For a common problem they recommended an engine swap. Still didn't get a straight answer and have to spend more on other mechanics diagnostics for them to even look at it. my time is valuable and this was a complete waste of that and $400 that could have went to the fix. Don't waste peoples time when they know specifically what needs to be done and you won't do it.

  Theron Hawley
a year ago
This shop is the absolute nicest place I have taken my car too, and will be the first place I call while I live in Bellingham. Not only are they friendly and knowledgeable, but as a broke college student, they helped me understand the real severity of the issues that my car had and let me make the decision, no one upsaled me. Furthermore they got my car fixed up quicker than promised and (while they could have easily charged me what they told me it would cost) charged me less than promised. To just keep adding on to the positives of this shop, recently my cars check engine light came on and they informed me more about the code that it was throwing and sense they were booked for 2 weeks and the code was serious they recommend me to another shop that they trust. Seriously can not recommend this place enough, they care more about you than your money and will treat you right now matter what.

  Avinash Dev
2 years ago
Noticed my power steering fluid was a bit low but all the shops in town were booked out for weeks. Sterling had me stop by the same day for a quick look, didn't notice any leaks, topped it off and had me on my way. I've brought my truck in before to Sterling and always have had a great experience. They never push things you don't need, are always honest, and explain everything in detail. I'll continue to bring my vehicle to these guys!Service: Steering & suspension repair

  Andy Bishop
3 years ago
Sterling is an amazing small business owner. When you walk into his shop, you feel welcome and it becomes quickly clear that customer service is a real priority to him and his employees.Do you know that feeling of walking into an automotive place, and you know they are going to try and swindle you? I have NEVER had that experience at Sterling Automotive. They are reasonable, great at what they do, and don't try to pull the rug out from under you.I'm a teacher too, and Sterling has always been gracious in offering me a discount. There was even a time when I was in there with my daughter, and he told her she could pick out one of the toy cars on the wall. That's just what you get with Sterling. He's even driven out to my house a couple of times when my car wouldn't start.I've been meaning to write this review for a while, but just got the time to get to it. Don't waste your time going to the big box people - give your business to Sterling. He is the best in the business!-Andy Bishop

  Lyle Owens
2 years ago
The very nice owner Sterling came to my residence (which is close to his shop) to diagnose my vehicle! We couldn't find the problem which drained my battery, but it was a relief to see my truck start and actively charge my battery. Such a courtesy doesn't seem to exist in this age! I can't recommend Sterling and his business enough, when I have another issue I know who I'm going to, what a guy!Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Sequoya King
a year ago
Once again Sterling Auto proves themselves to me as one of the best shops in the game. Always honest, dependable, they go above and beyond expectations. Glad to have them local and I will always come back.

  Lucy Rose
a year ago
I m gonna be honest. From my experience, going into auto shops pretty much sucks and I usually walk out feeling like an idiot, not being sure if I was swindled or not because I don t know enough about cars and I have no read on the people at all. But at this place, I didn t feel that way at all.These people are some real home town heroes. So kind, so knowledgeable, so respectful even though I m a dope who probably knows more about the unexplored deep sea than I do about my own hecking car.I was so worried about my little Kia Pearl and the last place I went to did not help at all, but Sterling s fixed her right up! Even told me a few things about the car too so I could check on her a bit myself. :)Good people, good shop. Also they have coffee in the lobby.10/10, will come again.

  Michael Chun
a year ago
Probably the best auto shop in town. I would highly recommend them; even if they're busy they'll take the time to recommend another place you can take your vehicle to.I've had them work on my brakes, radiator, and do general vehicle inspections. They've always done great work and also pay attention to the little things such as pumping up your spare tire or replacing license plate light bulbs.

  Madison Hopkins
11 months ago
The workers were very nice and got me in super short notice, which I want to make sure is clear. I am a university student away from home and have been putting off car maintenance a lot more than I usually would, and as a result, it had quite a few things that needed some work. My main issue with my experience was the way I was spoken to on the phone, where the worker suggested that I should just have my boyfriend do it when telling me to have the air filter replaced. He did not know whether I have a boyfriend or not, and that comment really rubbed me the wrong way as well as being very misogynistic. The whole call itself was a bit demeaning. Shocker, I am a woman and can replace an air filter! I am always cautious of auto shops for this reason, and the women know nothing about cars mentality a lot of them have is very unfortunate. Not sure if it was a bad apple or not, but they still represent the business as a whole.Service: Battery

  Bob Lazzar
7 years ago
Sterling Automotive is the best repair shop that I have ever worked with. I have been using them for the past two years and I fully trust them with all three of my vehicles. They are always very honest about what needs to be done and they never overcharge or suggest work that doesn't need to be done. There prices are extremely reasonable and I have never been dissatisfied with the quality of their work. Sterling himself is a very friendly and humorous man and his staff are equally approachable. I would highly recommend Sterling Automotive to anyone.

  Parker Knoop
a year ago
Go to Sterlings if you have car issues. If you call, most likely Sterling himself will answer the phone and make the process as easy as possible. My dipstick fell into my engine and I had called around. Places were telling me they'd probably have to take apart part of my engine to get it out and it would be pretty expensive. I called Sterlings, he had an old trick to get it out in 2 minutes at no charge to me. Can't recommend this place enough!

  nathan B
8 months ago
Sterling and Pat were both super helpful and accommodating, and have made every visit super easy and straightforward. Definitely my go-to mechanics going forward!

  Kaveh Ahmadi
3 years ago
They diagnosed my truck promptly when it was towed in. Unfortunately it wasn t worth the repair but they gave me time to have it towed out and even gave me a huge discount on the diagnosis fee. Absolutely incredible and honest service and this is coming from someone who s family has been in the auto/mechanic business for over 20 years. 100% recommend. I also appreciated that they took the time to pronounce my name correctly! I usually don t care if people can t get it right but it always nice when people make an effort :)

  Natendragon Natendragon
5 years ago
Fantastic experience. I had a car fail to start, and after doing some work of my own, decided it was out of my hands. Sterling Automotive was the first shop to answer the phone, and I got the owner, Sterling on the other end. We spent 11 minutes talking back and forth, Sterling was offering me advice and things to try before I brought it in - this tells me he values my money as it's mine to spend and it isn't guaranteed to be his. But Sterling Automotive has great reviews, I enjoyed the phone call, so I had my car towed to the shop on a late Wednesday afternoon. I got my car back In 24 hours, with a comprehensive list of things they did, including testing so that I wasn't going to get the car home and have it fail again.Great group of guys, they really do value your time and money, and I did not feel any pressure or any sense of them trying to get any more money out of me than they needed. 5 star experience, if I have any other issues I cannot resolve, Sterling Automotive will be my first call.

  Illumination Expedition
a year ago
Pat and the rest of the team here are great auto mechanics that really care about the quality of their work. Sterling the owner is a blessing to vehicle owners. Definitely a trustworthy and efficient place to take your vehicle. Thanks guys!!Service: General repairs & maintenanceService: General repairs & maintenance

  Mollie
2 years ago
From now on we are never bringing our vehicles to anyone but Sterling! Several years ago, I totaled my vehicle and sterling went so truly above and beyond. My car was beyond repair, and so while I didn't end up having any work done on it, I never forgot how genuinely helpful Sterling was.Just recently, our Hyundai Sonata's clutch went out while we were driving it. It has less than 60k miles on it. We had it towed to the first autoshop we could get ahold of, but I got ahold of Sterling shortly after. I told him how little I knew about vehicles and since he had helped me so much in the past (without making any money whatsoever and giving me a bunch of his time), I told him I was uncertain here and so he gave me his advice. He spent time going over what the cause most likely was, even while knowing our car was sitting in someone else's auto shop and that he wouldn't be making any money. Armed with my new knowledge of clutches, we were able to determine that the other autoshop was trying to rip us off, making bad recommendations, and wanting to charge us $1400 MORE than they should, which is DOUBLE what sterling's quoted price. So straightaway we had it towed to Sterling's. At the end of the day, the cost was even less than what he quoted us. Sterling's automotive is incredibly reliable, professional, and most importantly they are TRUSTWORTHY. They went so far above and beyond. They make sure you understand what is going on in your vehicle and what exactly they are doing. They will do you right. They are true and honest mechanics. We are so thankful to have found them and are only ever going to take our vehicles there.God Bless you Sterling. We are truly thankful for you.

  Robert Schober
3 years ago
My wife and I own a 2007 Ford Econline conversion van and we will only let Sterling and his crew work on it. Why? They are simply the best in terms of quality of work, attention to detail and honest dealing. We have always been more than pleased with the work and price, plus they've gotten everything right the first time. In my opinion, having lived in other states, the Sterling Automotive is the best auto repair shop anywhereBob SchoberServices: Transmission, Tires, Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance, Electrical, Auto engine diagnostic, Auto engine tuning, Brakes, Oil change

  Kevin W
2 years ago
I was told by another shop in the area that I needed a slew of new parts and repairs, headed down to sterling for a second opinion and the lead man checked out my car, topped off the power steering fluid oil and the car stopped making noises (why couldn't the other shop do that??). He told me to take it home and check the fluid in another month to see how bad my leak was, anyway, very honest mechanic who you can tell takes pride in his work.Who knows how severe the issue with my car is, only time will tell, but the point is he didn't try to convince me that it needed immediate attention like the competitors because IT DIDN'T, all this for a very reasonable price too and he let me keep the bottle of fluid.10/10 would recommend! Thanks Sterling!!Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Connor Duffy
4 years ago
I originally came to this shop years ago when I first moved to Bellingham and have always had a positive experience. Every time I take my car into Sterling I know I'm going to get an in depth explanation of any problem. Whether the problem needs fixing immediately or might need to be checked again in the future they will let you know. They have never tried to pressure me into replacing anything that wasn't absolutely necessary. Their amazing customer service combined with fair pricing is what keeps me going back to Sterling year after year.

  Petrichor
4 years ago
At first I was a bit intimidated by the $100 inspection fee they charge up front but I can vouch that it is worth every penny. I knew that the wheel bearing was my issue, and the mechanic I worked with agreed after listening to me describe the symptoms. What I didn't know was that my car was rusted out and generally falling apart. It was going to cost thousands in maintenance to get it road safe for any length of time. The mechanic took a thorough look, gave me a discount since it didn't take them the full hour to diagnose the vehicle and were very honest and upfront that I should not put any money into my car. I appreciate the staff here and will definitely be bringing my new car in for any work that may need doing.

  Amy Wilkinson
8 years ago
Best shop in town. I took my CRV to Northwest Honda for many years and always left feeling less than satisfied, on top of being met with a snarky attitude. I'll admit that I don't know much about cars, but that doesn't warrant being talked down to by staff. One day I called Sterling instead, and instantly felt at ease, even on the phone. They are honest, friendly, and I often find myself pleasantly surprised by the number on the bill. The staff at Sterling are incredible and their service is just as good. They treat you like a person, not just someone to make money off of. I will never take my car anywhere else!!

  Emma
2 years ago
I ve come to Sterling since 2019 and I ve never felt more comfortable with a mechanic. He takes the time to explain what s going on with my car, doesn t charge me unnecessary costs, doesn t pressure me to get more work done than I asked, and has just been an overall pleasure to work with. I couldn t recommend everyone over there enough.

  Ellie Pe�a
6 years ago
Would highly recommend these guys to any/everyone. They re always honest with me and I never feel like I m being taken advantage of.I m a young person who used to drive my parents old mini van with some 220,000 miles on it, and when I would bring it in to Sterling they would tell me all the things that were wrong with it, but also what can be fixed when you have more money , and that their focus for me is on safety and reliability. Now that s speaking my language.Always feel I m in good hands with these guys, love how thoroughly they always look at my car, and that they never talk down to me either. Highly highly recommend <3

  Joe Vogl
2 years ago
Great people. Last night my engine shut off just down the road from their shop. I was able to get a jump and barely make it over there before it died again. Despite being 4:50 on a Friday, they gladly helped me out. These guys are awesome! Honest shop full of straight shooters. Thanks again! Y all got me out of a really rough situation last night.