Detroit auto repair with the price agreed up front.
Engine, transmission, electrical, suspension and brakes on W Warren Ave. ASE-certified technicians, payment plans on the big jobs.
Nothing gets turned until you say go.
4.5from 58 Google reviews
Read them on Google rather than taking our word for it.
- ASE-certified technicians
- The people opening your hood hold National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certification. That is a proctored exam plus two years of hands-on experience, retested every five years.
- Payment plans on bigger repairs
- A transmission or an engine job does not always land on a good week. We set up payment arrangements so the car gets fixed now and the bill gets spread out.
- You approve the price before we start
- We diagnose, we call you with a number and what it covers, and nothing gets turned until you say go. No surprise line items at pickup.
What we fix
The work that actually comes through the door
Diagnosis first on all of it. A trouble code tells us which circuit reported a fault, not which part to sell you.
Engine Repair
Knocks, ticks, overheating and oil loss. We find out whether it is a repair or a rebuild before you spend anything.
See what is involved
Timing Chain & Belt
That rattle for two seconds on a cold start is a warning. A stretched chain that jumps takes valves with it.
See what is involved
Head Gasket Repair
White smoke, milky oil, or a car that overheats and pushes coolant out. We confirm it with a block test first.
See what is involved
Check Engine Light
A code tells you which circuit reported a problem, not which part failed. We test the difference.
See what is involved
Transmission Repair
Slipping, banging into gear, or no reverse. Some of it is a solenoid or a leak, not a rebuild.
See what is involvedTwo things we put on the table for new customers.
Free full synthetic oil change on your first visit
New customers only, with a paid service. One per vehicle. Ask for it when you drop off.
Free towing with any service over $300
Local tow to our W Warren Ave shop. Applied to your invoice once the repair is approved.
How a repair goes here, start to finish.
Bring it in, or call us to tow it
Walk in, or call and we will arrange a local tow. Tell us what the car is doing and when it does it. The when is usually more useful to us than the what.
We diagnose it properly
Codes, live data, and a physical test of the circuit or component those codes point at. The car goes on the lift. We find the fault rather than replacing the most likely part and hoping.
You get a call with a number
What failed, why it failed, what it costs to put right, and what can safely wait. If a payment plan makes sense, we set that up at this point.
We fix it and you check the work
Nothing starts before you approve it. If we find something else along the way, you get another call before any of it happens.
What customers say
4.5from 58 Google reviews
Read them on Google rather than taking our word for it.
Finding us
On W Warren, between Evergreen and Outer Drive
20142 W Warren Ave
Detroit, MI 48228
(313) 253-0300| Monday | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Where our customers drive in from
Warrendale is home, and the shop sits close enough to the Dearborn and Redford lines that a good share of the lot on any morning came from outside the city limits.
Before you call
Questions we get asked most
Where is Instant Auto Repair located?
Instant Auto Repair is at 20142 W Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48228, on W Warren Ave between Evergreen and Outer Drive in the Warrendale neighbourhood of west Detroit. We are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9:30am to 6pm, closed Sunday. The phone number is (313) 253-0300.
Do I need an appointment, or can I just come in?
Both work. Walk-ins are normal, especially for brakes, batteries and anything that has just gone wrong. Calling ahead is better if you need the car back the same day, because it means we can have a lift free when you arrive rather than putting you behind whatever is already up there.
Will you tell me the price before you start the work?
Yes, always. We diagnose the fault, call you with the number and what it covers, and nothing gets turned until you approve it. If we find something else once we are into the job, you get another call before any extra work happens. No line items appear at pickup that you have not already agreed to.
Do you offer payment plans on expensive repairs?
Yes. Engine and transmission work in particular tends to arrive at a bad moment, so we set up payment arrangements that let the repair happen now and the bill spread out. Ask about it when you get your quote and we will go through the options with you.
What makes of car do you work on?
Domestic and import cars, pickups, SUVs and work vans, with gas engines from four to eight cylinders. Being in Detroit we see a lot of Ford, GM and Chrysler vehicles, but diagnostic work is the same discipline whatever badge is on the grille. Call with your year, make and model and we will tell you straight away whether it is something we take on.
Can you tow my car if it will not start?
Yes. Call (313) 253-0300 and we will arrange a local tow to the shop on W Warren Ave. Towing is free once the repair comes to over $300. Plenty of no-start faults are cheaper than that, so ask about the tow cost up front and we will be straight with you either way.
Car making a noise it did not make last week?
Tell us what it is doing and we will tell you what it usually means before you bring it in.