2 /5 Daniel Blunk: First impressions can be deceiving. At first glance, this shop seemed really good. The management was friendly and they seemed genuine. Then my eyes were opened. My first experience with this company was around January 16, 2025. When I brought my Honda Odyssey to them. It had several issues and Pensacola Honda had been fixing them. On January 12th, on the way home from church, my Honda started choking, jumping forward and then dying as I drove it home. I took it to Autozone and they tested the battery. They said the battery was dead but they couldnt check the alternator. I was able to make it home and charge it overnight. Monday, we dropped our children off at PCA and the van completely died in the parking lot. We needed it towed some place close to PCC. East Hill Automotive Center (EHAC) was the closest place so we towed the van to EHAC. After analyzing our van they advised us that the Alternator was dead and that a head gasket needed to be replaced because oil was spraying all over the alternator. They told me there were numerous errors in the computer diagnostic that needed to be addressed but couldnt be fixed until AFTER the head gasket and alternator were fixed. I initially told them to fix it but then I told them NOT to fix it because I didnt want to pay the $1,700 they said it would cost to fix it. We decided not to proceed with this repair so we traded the vehicle for our used Chrysler Town and Country. When I called about picking the van up, the representative told me they already changed out the alternator and were getting ready to work on the head gasket. I reminded them that I did not want anything changed because I was going to trade in the van on something else. The guy asked me if I wanted them leave the alternator. He said that would only cost around $1,200. I said no. He then said he was able to get the cost clear down to $500 total. I said, no. (Down from $1,200 to $500? Thats quite a drop.) So they changed everything back and we traded the van.
Mid February, our Chrysler Vans ignition switch died suddenly so we took the van back to EHAC. They advised us that a new ignition switch was needed and that the cost of replacing it and programing 3 keys to the new switch was going to cost around $2,800. I thought this was high but it needed to get done, ASAP, so I had them fix it. They had the van for a week. They never once provided an update unless I called them. This caused me to second guess as to whether or not I should have chosen them. I started reading all of the reviews (negative, mediocre, and good) and the negative and mediocre ones were very concerning to me. I was also concerned as to how many of the reviews were 1, 2 and 3 stars. I then applied some pressure on them in order to get my van done because I had to drive the van to Ohio for my dads passing. When I picked up my van a week after dropping it off a week earlier, at the end of the day, I ended up paying just under $2,500 for the work. To my surprise, they had only programmed 2 out of the 3 keyfaubs and the electrical panel on the drivers side door no longer worked. I couldnt control the windows, mirrors, locks. Nothing was wrong with this when I brought it to them. They told me to bring it back to them when I got back. I was stuck driving it to Ohio in this condition and I decided to have a shop in Ohio fix it. The shop told me that there were numerous low voltage errors in the computer system. They advised that when they opened my fuse box that all of the fuses were almost completely disconnected from their places so they pushed them back into their places and all of my switches on my drivers door worked again.
After seeing EHACs lack of quality, and care in their workmanship and their change of pricing for installing an alternator going from $1,200 to $500 in order to not have to undo the work they were not suppose to do in the first place makes me question their ethics in pricing. Now I wonder if I should have traded my Honda Odyssey, but thats on me.
I do not intend to return to EHAC.
