Client Reviews
General
Dear Jim,
Jim, I am writing this letter to advise you that we have purchased a new 2012 Ford Focus, and as such we will be seeing you less often. But, mostly I am writing because I wish to express my gratitude to you for the great service we have received from you, Mike and J.C.
We have supported your business for many years because of the following values.
Honesty. Your advice has always been true, honest and reliable. You always gave us the advice that was best for us.
Quality workmanship. Mike and J.C. have always been able to quickly and accurately diagnose a problem. Equally so, the repairs have been of the highest standard.
Courtesy at all times by all people. We know that at times you have to tolerate a bunch of impatient clients who want everything and want it now. With the greatest diplomacy and courtesy you have always been able to satisfy our mental deficiencies as well as our mechanical ones.
Extra Effort. You have gone out of your way to help us even when we arrived after hours. You could easily have said, “Sorry we’re closed”, but you didn’t. You took the time, and with that extra effort you were able to help us.
Car loaner. A very much appreciated benefit.
Commitment. You tell us what needs to be done, and then you do it. You tell us when it will be done and it is done on time. You tell us what it will cost and that is what it costs.
Jim, we highly recommend Jim Dickinson Autotech to our family and friends.
Thanks for everything and we will see you soon.
~ Richard and Jane Jamieson
“A smile-the universal language. This is what Jim Dickinson Auto Tech delivers. You will soon discover upon arrival at JD’s that you are surrounded by an atmosphere of friendship and warmth. Greetings come in the form of a firm handshake and a booming “How can I help you?” Jim is genuinely interested in your problem and finding a solution to it. To sum up my overall feeling about this company-one does not feel like a stranger, laden with embarrassing car queries…Jim tells it like it is…. Jim’s Car Care Club Membership and his Newsletter are two benefits that quickly come to mind. The membership in my opinion, is a valuable offer and savings. The Newsletter is informative and fun and I enjoy reading it every month.. I honesty believe I am receiving excellent value for my hard earned dollars.”
~ Judy Irwin
“I believe the owner has a passion for his business. He wants to do a good job so his customers always come back. I like the fact that when you can’t fix a problem that you can recommend a solution to a problem. ie. You did recommend going to my dealership for fixing my sensor. You support your customers by supporting them with business because you know that one good turn deserves another.”
~Dave Belliveau, Owner of Belliveau Quality Frozen Foods
“Knowledgeable, honest proprietor; Very professional businessman. Jim is friendly and cordial. One feels at ease with him – no pressure tactics applied. Jim does not guess about complicated repairs. He knows the job and accomplishes all tasks with confidence and skilled determination. I rely on Jim and his staff to keep my 18 year old Pontiac 6000 running smoothly, and to this date has not let me down.”
~ Andy Reaume
“Thank you for a super and friendly service during our short stay in Ottawa. Our 2001 Toyota Corolla has never been in better shape. Also a big thanks to Mike (a fellow Oshawa/Whitby resident) for clearing up the “rattling” problem caused by a missing bolt. We’re on our way to another Toyota in Denmark, and hopefully we can find as good a service over there.”
~ Bo and Anne Keller
“Everyone is helpful and very knowledgeable about cars. Whenever I speak to Jim or Rob I get the distinct feeling that they actually know what they are talking about. In other words I talk to experts which is what I want! On top of that you care about my car!”
~ Jacques Waisvisz
“Very-very-Good Prompt-Service-Friendly Benefits: The explanation of the problem so one could certainly understand fully- Also done on time.”
~ Lillian Lecompte
“Like trusting a reliable “Doctor” (my feeling) is a feeling a complete relief knowing I can call anytime or stop in anytime regardless of having an appointment or not. Be it a small problem or large, Jim will always be there to diagnose the problem and make arrangements to fix it. After several calls to car parts dealers including car junkyards for parts for my 1988 Dodge Colt rusted out back bumper, Jim learned that some parts are just not available. I was assured by Jim “not to worry” much to my amazement Jim claimed he would have the no longer available parts made. With some new parts and others made my back bumper is better than ever. Benefits- Having the garage close to where I live. If I require a drive both ways to and from, it is available to me. Jim and his staff are always very courteous and concerned about your car problems. No matter what car troubles you have they are assessed and fixed as promptly as possible.
~ Muriel Blyth
“Very Professional-Jim Dickinson takes the time to cover all aspects of vehicle repair.- Son visiting from U.S.A. needed some maintenance on Van.. During routine Maintenance serious problems were found on Front End of 98 Van. The problems could have caused a serious accident. The resultant repair by Jim I feel saved a potential disaster. Benefits.
– superb diagnostic and vehicle investigative skills
– Once a problem is located and fixed, it stays Fixed.
– being able to discuss situation with owner & mechanic.”
~ Bill Douglas
“I just wanted to thank you for the advice you gave me after our first big dump of snow in December. I called you because the wheels on my 2001 Volkswagen Beetle felt like they were going to fall off when I drove above 60km/hr. You asked me if I had driven through any snow banks which as it turned out, I had. You then suggested that I take the car through a carwash because you suspected that ice had built up on my wheels. Well, lo and behold it worked! This is just a further testament to your expertise as a mechanic and your ethics as a businessman.”
~Cavell Townley
“ Very capable & competent. Work as always done right, on time. The car is always ready on time, at a reasonable price with no call backs. Advance warning of future problems.”
~ Richard Jamieson
“I don’t consider Jim Dickinson and the auto-techers a company, I consider them part of the family. At Jim’s place you really feel that they understand! That safety for the “family” in their car is their biggest concern.”
~ Adrian Butts
“The Greatest! Jim & Staff – kind, cheerful willing and able. The fact that Jim offers to pick up my car one day and bring it back the next day, work fully completed, is a real bonus for me. Jim will call me before work is done & tell me what should be done & what can wait. He is keeping me on the road Safely.”
~ Margaret Petersen
We always know that the quality of work done on our vehicle will be the very best. It is reassuring to talk with Jim about whatever our concerns are and he is able to solve the problem. A number of years ago we were heading out of town to have a holiday week-end. On the way we ran into trouble with our car and Jim took us right away. He gave us priority service as he knew we were expected at a certain time. He also could see how the toddler & pre-schooler were getting very tired. The Car Care Club is an amazing program. It is financially positive to take advantage of this program Jim offers. Jim’s many years of experience as well as his staff’s mean that his knowledge of the best way to describe what needs to be done is detailed and accurate.”
~ Maria Taylor & Ben Storey
Tires
”My overall feeling about Jim Dickinson Auto Tech is a very favourable one including: honesty; integrity; comitted to clear communication and relationship building with customers; technical expertise and service excellence; fair dealings and friendly staff. While on a trip recently I ran over a roofing nail which became embedded in one of my tires. I was in a hurry to get to Oakville that day and so I sprayed a can of “Fill and Seal” into the tire as a temporary repair. When I returned to Ottawa Jim’s friendly mechanic, scraped out the gunk from my tire without complaint (which looked to me like an awful job to do) and cheerfully made a permanent repair. I was very impressed with his good attitude! I appreciate the expert advice I am given regarding the upcoming service I will require to keep my vehicle running smoothly. This helps me prepare for service and guides me into a safe & reasonable schedule for this to be carried out. Also the “Car Care Club” provides me with excellent value for my service dollar and ensures that my vehicle is seen & serviced regularly. This, no doubt, provides me with safer and trouble-free motoring”
~Peter Converse
Air Conditioning
Jim takes the time to diagnose the problems and explain in detail the steps required to resolve same. Jim listened to my explanation and the previous repairs were considered without hesitation to my relief. Air condition problems for an RV- the leak was hard to pinpoint and Jim worked til past 9:00 p.m. to discover the cause. Considering the time spent on the repair, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount the repair cost.”
~ Clare Morris
“Your company is excellent as is the work you do and you are never too busy to answer questions. I have complete faith in you.
When my air conditioning was not working you actually called GM regarding my car to see if my warranty would cover the repairs. The answer was yes so you advised me to have the repairs performed at the dealers so there would be no charge to me.
What I feel has benefited me most are the bumper to bumper inspections. I had one just prior to my three year warranty expiring and one before the powertrain warranty expired. Both times the work that needed doing saved me more money than the cost of the inspections.”
~ Ann Joy
Brakes
”I am a chiropractor and I depend on my car, especially for emergency calls and house calls I joined the Car Care Club . I have had my car in three times and my wife had her brakes done under this plan. Jim checked her car over because she was going alone a a long trip to the U.S. I had real peace of mind because I knew the work would be well done. Jim does good work, and at reasonable prices through the Car Care Club.”
~John Hall
“Auto Tech is a rare gem in the world of automotive repair and maintenance: Jim and his staff are Knowledgeable, honest, and more than that they go the extra mile for you.
Because of Jim and J.C.’s thoroughness in inspecting a used truck I had just bought, a crack in the brake linings(shoes?) was discovered that should not have passed the dealer’s safety certificate. When I showed the entire report to the dealer, he performed ALL of the work indicate, not just the brakes, for Free – a savings of $600 for me!
Jim keeps track of my car’s maintenance needs and advises me by mail when a particular service is due. This is a big advantage for someone like me who has trouble telling the difference between a brake shoe and an argyle sock…
~ Brenda Bradley
Inspections
“I drive across town to bring my car to Jim’s. I so appreciate dealing directly with a mechanic whose name stands behind his work. That name has come to mean for me trustworthiness and thorough, efficient service.
When I first moved to Ottawa, I brought my car in for a drivesafe inspection. Jim’s patient, detailed description of what required work won me over.
I very much appreciate the new detailed billing system, which helps me keep a far better repair history as well as planning ahead. Most importantly, it conveys that transparency I’ve come to appreciate about Jim’s further instilling my trust.”
~ David Robinson, Pastor
In one word … Integrity.
Jim is not only very knowledgeable, but takes the time to rationally explain the problem and the cost.
My family and I moved to Ottawa from B.C. last year and we had an older/low mileage Toyota truck that had to pass the “Clean Air Program”. After taking it both to Canadian Tire and the dealership, I was told that I would need to overhaul the cylinder heads (meaning a new motor!). We were fortunate to be referred to Jim. Jim and his staff proceeded to do a complete diagnostic of the exhaust system. He discovered that it was simply a leak in the exhaust manifold. I truly believe Jim saved me hundreds if not thousands in not having to replace the motor and by correcting the real problem.
Courtesy and personable service.
Good value for the money!
~ Stuart Valair
“Thanks once again for suggesting I have you perform a bumper to bumper inspection before my warranty expired on my Cavalier.
When my first warranty expired you saved me about $1,000 as you determined I needed a new air compressor and also one of the rear strut mounts had to be replaced.
This last inspection, before my warranty expired saved me a minimum $600. I had the water pump replaced plus axle seals.
So I would say to your customers who still have warranties on their vehicles to have you perform the bumper to bumper inspections.
Once again Jim, thank you so much.”
~ Ann Joy
Collisions
“Very professional. Would go above & beyond what is required, regardless of the vehicle’s value, they look after it with the utmost care. I got into a collision, they took care of my car as if it was worth a lot of money. Car Care Club- efficient & valuable service.”
~ Jay Jarmin
“Jim is great, he always explains everything he is doing & why. He tries always to get the best deal for us and does the work that is needed when required. He keeps on top of our car so we never have large problems develop overnight.
-so many positive experiences- Jim responded when I had my accident & helped me keep calm & then was able to help us find a new car (used) quickly & we have had no problems with it because Jimtakes care of it.
– the friendly quick service, the feeling of being someone- with a Name.
When we have to leave the car for repairs Jim always has a loaner on hand to help us out”
~ Eric & Phyllis Driscoll
Electric
“Since discovering the company by chance I have used no other. This is proof of the high regard I have to the reliability, honesty and integrity of Jim Dickinson Auto Tech. Simply put I trust the company. Around 1991 my Dodge Caravan had an electrical problem, it sometimes refused to re-start. The dealer tried to fix the problem at some expense. Jim towed the van to his garage & solved it relatively inexpensively. After that he became my garage of choice.”
~ Kenneth Whitham
Engine
“I know nothing about cars. The brain goes numb and my eyes glaze over when Jim launches into one of his detailed explanations of the merits of this or that maintenance procedure.(I sometimes wish I hadn’t asked) But the guy’s a responsible professional-exactly the kind of mechanic I want working on my car. To test whether Jim’s honesty matched his personable charm, I had a friend who is very knowledgeable about car repair review the half-dozen bills I’d accumulated in the Car Care Club. My friend pointed out that though Auto Tech’s labour rate was industry-standard ie. No particular bargain, the time being allocated to various repair procedures was often less than dealers were allocating, resulting in a lower bill overall. Now I was born automotivel- challenged, but even I can understand that while oil draining from one car, another can be put up on the hoist, and that the honest way to cost out the oil change recognizes such everyday efficiencies. The dealers try to sidestep this issue consistently it seems & Jim meets it square on! Originally I thought Auto Tech was worth trying just for the Free loaners., but one day Jim suggested a lower-cost maintenance job on my car’s electrical system over a higher cost one respecting my pocketbook without compromising safety and reliability. What a refreshing experience!”
~ Brenda Bradley
Oil Change
“In my eyes, JD Autotech is a front-line service where a caring dedicated and highly knowledgeable mechanic welcomes, reassures and talks to their clients while persisting their excellence in customer satisfaction. JD Autotech has been “there” when I most needed them. In my case you took the time to explain about problems with my engine’s computer, a faulty alternator and what needed to be done. You couldn’t have made me feel in better hands when you took time out of your day to “shop around” for better prices on parts then insisted that I make use of your spare vehicle to get around in until my car was repaired. You have provided me with a top-notch service that I will recommend to anyone. I appreciate not being “treated as a number” as like other garages. I also appreciate the honest caring comfort that you never fail to provide to the ever loyal customer Bravo! Many Thanks! Thank you Jim!”.
~ Al Chene
Other Repairs
“I always feel very welcome. Never intimidated, Jim and staff are always ready to help with the car’s problem, very honest with the estimates, the parts are never inferior, always the best for the best price. I feel very comfortable leaving my car with this company.”
My 20 year old (1987) Dodge Colt’s front fenders were rusting badly, as well as the rear wheel wells. Jim suggested new fenders, some body work with a paint job would solve the problem. Thanks to Jim’s expertise, after several phone calls new fenders were found (a perfect match) along with a very experienced body man the job was completed to two days, the cost very reasonable. I am pleased to be a client of Jim’s garage, except for Jim’s caring, along with his fine mechanics, I should not be still driving this car. Many thanks to Jim and his staff for previous positive experiences and benefits. I have received. Keep up the very informative and funny newsletters. I enjoy it very much.”
~Muriel P. Blyth
“I feel very at ease when I take my car into Jim’s shop. I know that I get an honest estimate of the work needed in my car. There was a problem with the car not starting and intermittently shutting off while driving the car. Jim checked the car and was able to tell me that a recall was in place which would solve the problem. Instead of him charging me, I got the work done for free at a dealership. I love the Car Care Club. I feel it’s great value and I get excellent customer service every time I go in. Customer service is extremely important to me so I appreciate it”
~ Josee Wolfe
Thanks for the Kind Words
