Richmondtown Service Center

Reviews

• KP

  Kali Palacino

  4 days ago
  1.0
  I’ve been bringing my car to Joe for years for inspections and repairs. He’s also a longtime family friend of my grandfather, so I had every reason to trust his judgment. After this experience, I’m seriously questioning how much money I’ve spent here over the years on repairs I took at face value because I trusted him. My car is nearly 20 years old and failed inspection for a brake issue. Joe told me a wheel had locked during testing, called the car “dangerous,” and started talking about replacing both calipers, slide pins, and other brake components for roughly $700. When I returned and asked him to actually inspect the slide pins, he refused. I asked about replacing the brake pads, and he refused to do that unless I agreed to the larger job. Yet somehow, despite all the dramatic talk about my car being unsafe, he was still willing to give me an inspection sticker without doing the repair or even properly checking the parts he claimed were the problem. At that point, it felt less like a diagnosis and more like an attempt to scare me into spending $700. I took the car to Firestone for an independent diagnostic, explained exactly what Joe had told me, and showed them my inspection paperwork. Their written report found my front pads at 4 mm and grooved rotors, so they recommended a normal front brake service. However, they specifically documented that the brakes DO NOT fail inspection, that my rear brakes had no issues, my hoses were fine with no leaks, and that the vehicle had no safety issue that would cause it to fail NYS inspection. They did not recommend replacing the calipers. To top it all off, I overheard Joe talking about me to another customer after I stepped outside. He made comments about how my father is a mechanic so I apparently “think I know it all,” discussed whether I could afford his $700 repair, and said he expected me to come back when the problem eventually got bad enough to scare me. Completely classless and incredibly unprofessional. I don’t “think I know it all.” I asked him to check the damn parts before expecting me to hand him hundreds of dollars, which apparently was too much to ask. I can’t prove what Joe’s intention was, but the entire interaction left me feeling like he was trying to screw me. And frankly, if this is how he treats someone whose family he has known for years and who has been a loyal customer for years, I have to wonder how he treats a complete stranger walking through the door. I won’t be returning. Get a second opinion before authorizing expensive work here.
• FF

  Fish

  May 21, 2026
  5.0
  These people are very kind and helpful. I was stranded and thought I was going to need a tow truck but they managed to fix the problem and get my car running in under an hour. They didnt charge me very much either. And they let me use their phone cause mine was dying. Thank you Joe. God bless you
• LE

  Lou E.Kalb

  May 18, 2026
  5.0
  I’m writing a first hand review about my experience at Richmondtown Service Center. I do have an older car that needed a lot of diagnostic and mechanical work in order to maintain its safety. Each and every time I brought my 2006, Hyundai Elantra , currently at 66,400 miles I was treated with the utmost respect from Joe . It is difficult to find an honest, and completely knowledgeable professional mechanic who only has your best interests in mind . Joe worked on my car personally, he literally rebuilt the entire car to provide me with peace of mind while driving my grandchildren to school. His work is done in a timely manner, and that enabled me not to miss work as a registered nurse in Brooklyn. Joe explains everything to you in great detail, so that you have a clear understanding of what he is working on. I literally would not trust anyone on Staten Island with my car or any future car I may purchase. Richmondtown service center is truly an asset to Staten Island. I’m completely secure in the work done there , and I highly recommend that you contact Joe if you’re in need of assistance for your vehicle. Sincerely, Lou Ellen Kalb , R.N. , B. S.
• JC

  Joe Catalano

  Mar 19, 2026
  5.0
  Joe and Roy, very professional and courteous highly recommended
• RF

  Rich Fleissner

  Mar 10, 2026
  5.0
  Great service and Joe is the most honest mechanic you can find. Super knowledgeable. Would highly recommend them.

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