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September 2025 by Jason Brown
Very qualified and excellent work, by experienced and professional team. Quick repairs at a very reasonable price. Highly recommend
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August 2025 by Ed Duffy
Have had work done at Karns for over 10 years on all of our family vehicles. Wouldn't trade for another mechanic in CT. Honest, fair and reliable. If I could offer 10 stars, I would.
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August 2025 by Matt Jones
There’s a heart-felt letter from a longtime customer of Karns in the waiting room, one line reads “if a consumer is lucky enough to stumble into this business…” and the sentiment holds true.
Yesterday, I had my fully loaded rusted pickup with trailer in tow stopped for gas and air in Groton during a solo 250mile move to NJ - what would have been a quick stop turned into a permanent nightmare when I saw that my tire’s valve stem had cracked in half while pressurizing and watched in horror as it went completely flat. With no usable spare and AAA/local tire places stating I needed to tow to them (and leave my trailer), I was resigned to the fact I going to live in Groton for the next day or two. Defeated, I walked around the corner to the nearest auto body in search of a miracle - I found it at Karns.
Despite no shortage of customers or work, Dan immediately had a solution and shuttled his tech AND my tire back and forth from the truck, repaired the stem and had me on the road in a little over an hour. I was treated with the kindness and respect I’d only get from my hometown guy AFTER he hands me the bill.
Dan and the whole team at Karns are an absolute class act and I could not have been “luckier for stumbling in”. If you want impeccable work by incredible people go to Karns. Thank you Dan, Sally and Zach!
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August 2025 by Cian Noone
Awful customer service.
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July 2025 by Dan
My girlfriend brought her vehicle in for AC issues and was hit with a $300 bill without any communication or authorization for the work to be done. We had already consulted two other mechanics who diagnosed the same issue, and the part Karns replaced was already confirmed to be working. The owner, Dan Karns, also suggested that we come back a week later for more work, likely to squeeze us for additional charges, because his “fix” didn’t address the root cause of the problem.
When we picked up the car, we tried to have a conversation to understand how the problem was diagnosed and Dan Karns quickly became hostile. When we expressed our disappointment that work was done without any communication from the shop Dan became erratic, combative, and defensive. We wanted to understand why they thought this particular part was the issue, but instead of addressing any of our questions Dan Karns began verbally attacking us. Between the hostility, wanting us to return a week later for more work, and not calling for authorization it became clear the type of shop Karns Auto is.
I had been a loyal customer for years and recommended this shop to my girlfriend, who’s new to the area. After this experience, I can’t recommend them anymore. As a paying customer I expect transparency and respect, especially when dealing with my vehicle and my money. Karns offered neither.
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July 2025 by Brittney
There’s something I learned about men who feel the need to treat others the way Dan (the owner) does. They often feel inadequate and sad in their own lives and don’t have an outlet to correctly process their feelings, so in turn they lash out on people who don’t deserve it. People like Dan, never seek help or tools to better themselves in life. With that being said, I truly hope this comment will be a wake up that this man needs. May this comment help the all future customers (ESPECIALLY WOMEN) & learn to stay far away from this sexist, verbally abusive, arrogant human being. Please Dan, if you see this- do better.
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July 2025 by Emily Vance
A sexist mechanic! Shocking 🥱 it shouldn’t be hard to clearly communicate what services will be provided and what the cost will be. Customers deserve to know up front what will be done to their car and when they ask, they shouldn’t be belittled 🤷🏼♀️
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July 2025 by Rachel
I had one of the most unprofessional and hostile experiences I’ve ever encountered with Dan, the owner of Karns.
Dan performed unauthorized repair work on my car without obtaining prior written or verbal consent and failed to provide an estimate in advance. I was simply told over the phone that the car was ready for pickup and that the cost would be over $300, and it needs to be brought back the following week. There was no opportunity to approve the work beforehand.
When I arrived to pick up the car, I calmly asked what diagnostic tests and repairs had been done to better understand the issue. As my boyfriend questioned why the work had been done without authorization, Dan exploded. He became immediately combative and proceeded to yell and belittle me with condescending, sexist remarks. To quote him directly:
• “Well why isn’t your dad fixing your car?”
• “Wow, NOTHING is good enough for you!” (This was repeated to me multiple times).
• “You’re embarrassing yourself in all these customers!”
• “You’re putting on a performance.”
This went far beyond bad customer service — it was verbal abuse. I remained calm and respectful the entire time, even when a grown man shouted in my face. I walked into that shop simply trying to understand what had been done to my car. Instead of offering a professional explanation, Dan chose to escalate with hostility and personal attacks.
Despite our repeated efforts to deescalate the situation and have a respectful conversation, Dan continued to berate me, insisting I was “performing,” “interrogating,” and “causing a scene,” while he was the only one yelling. His inability to justify the unauthorized work sparked his defensive and abusive behavior, simply because a young woman asked reasonable questions.
This experience was not just unprofessional – it was degrading, unacceptable, and deeply concerning. No customer, under any circumstance, deserves to be treated this way.
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July 2025 by Lisa Wheelock - Neelis
Excellent service at Karn’s Auto! My brother-in-law has been using them for years and as always, they did a fantastic job for me on my 2015 Toyota Tundra. The team was communicative when checking the truck out to buy and the pricing was very reasonable. It's refreshing to find a place that provides such high-quality service and customer care. Their honesty and expertise are truly appreciated.
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June 2025 by Eric Crespo
Dan got upset with me, got pretty rude and aggravated. The work was done and prices are fair. I'm disappointed in how Dan treated me.
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May 2025 by Jill Holman
Dan has always been super nice to me, and they've always been very fair. He calls me anytime he's doing major work, explains what needs to be done and how much it costs and then confirms i want it done before starting. He never pressures me if I say I want to check with someone else and call back. But in the end, they're always the best option! Definitely recommend if you need any work done!!
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March 2025 by Safin Choudhury
Called Dan to ask about a stuck bolt that was holding up my license plate. Came in at 4 and he made sure everything was taken care of, even installed my new plates free of charge. Cost was very fair and wait was about 20 minutes before he got to my car.
Update: came back for a spark plug change, charged 125 for 4, consider bringing your owm parts.
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March 2025 by Coby Baldauf
Great auto shop, awesome service
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November 2024 by Deanna Deyhim
Amazing experience!! Dan was able to get me in on very short notice and the service was top notch. Will go back whenever I need car help.
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November 2024 by Nathan Grace
Great service, great work. These guys truly care about their customers.
