Avantgarde Automotive bristol

Booked in for the B2 service today, as always their approach is always first class. Apart from the service they resolved a parking brake issue and a problem with the drivers side window, which only required some grease on the mech. A++ highly recommend.

In summer 2018 I contacted this garage to discuss some handling issues I was having with my BMW Z4. After gaining confidence in the garage, I booked the car in for a four wheel alignment on the understanding that it would cost £78 inclusive of any necessary front axle adjustments, with additional charges for any necessary rear axle adjustments. Upon dropping the car off I explained that it was pulling left when braking and was generally a bit vague on the road, wandering a little. Some hours later the garage rang me to say that they had been unable to complete the job because a special tool was required to adjust the rear wheels. They said they didn't have the tool and couldn't get one. Initially they said there would be no charge, which later turned out to be a mistake. When I went to collect the car they said I still had to pay £78. I wasn't happy with this, but eventually agreed to pay on the basis that they said they would order the special tool and complete the work for me at a later date for no extra charge. I had to call twice to find out what was happening; both times Steve (garage owner) said he couldn't get a tool. I visited Steve at his garage to ask for a refund but he didn't agree that I should get my money back. His argument was that he had CHECKED my wheel alignment, spent time fitting his alignment equipment to my car and also checked all of the rubber bushes on my car to ensure that they were in good health and not affecting the alignment. I explained that I had paid him to ALIGN my wheels, not to CHECK the alignment. I would never pay the best part of £80 just to find out where the wheels were pointing. Twenty minutes of debating later, I left, frustrated, and would now have to pay a similar amount to a different garage that was correctly-equipped to do the job it was charging its customers for. I have never paid a garage for a wheel alignment and driven away without my wheels pointing straight. A few weeks later I decided to inspect the front suspension rubber bushes myself and found that one was completely detached from its housing, causing wildly excessive movement of the front wishbone. This discovery is what has led me report this garage. Not only did they fail to align my wheels, but they also failed to inspect my car correctly - something they claim to do as part of the wheel alignment service. Replacing the bush instantly cured the snatching under braking that I reported to Avantgarde, even though they told me they inspected the bushes and found issues. To top things off, when I came to drive away, they couldn't find my key. Eventually we found it in my ignition. The car was parked outside, unlocked and the convertible roof was down - just waiting to be stolen. This is the worst garage experience I've ever had. What kind of garage recognises that it isn't suitably equipped to carry out a job it has taken on, but still expects the customer to pay for work that wasn't done? They also sent me back out onto the road believing that my suspension was safe, when it clearly wasn't. Trading Standards were made aware of this poor practice, and the only reason I didn't go through the courts to get my refund is that I had too much on my plate at the time. Shameful way to operate and there was no hint of regret for the way I was treated.

Friendly professional knowledgeable service who dealt with a complicated problem for me. Can't recommend them highly enough. Mercedes Benz could learn a lot about customer service from them

Great team with great service

Mercedes Benz B service included a very thorough and honest inspection of my 15 year old car and a breakdown of how we can prioritise work required. With a good loan car and an MB McLaren parked outside along with older Mercs I think I've found the right place to look after my car.

Great place!!! They know there stuff. SLR specialist…amg. Steve is the guy to know. Shmee150 great content

This was my first visit to Avantgare Automotive but doubt it will be my last. Excellent friendly but professional service with reall attention paid to ensuring everything was OK with my car before it was returned. I especially like that a test drive was undertaken and a report provided on how it performed under real road conditions as so many workshops these days refuse to drive customers cars believing (wrongly in my opinion) they can diagnose any problem through inspection only. If your Mercedes-Benz needs looking after then give these folks a chance and I doubt you will regret it.

A great place to go when you want your Mercedes repaired. A very friendly and good team who will go that extra mile to give you the best service and deal. You can certainly guarantee that your car will be looked after. Especially Lee

Super service from Mercedes approved technicians at the right price. Highly recommended.

Fantastic, professional service with excellent customer care