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November 2023 by Jeff Oliver
When I sprung a leak in my Honda CRV exhaust system I asked Honda of Bellingham to give me an estimate while they had my car up on the lift for some recall work.They texted me an estimate for $8,100! Huh?? ??! I told the counter guy there was no way I would/could pay that and he chuckled and agreed it was a massively stupid quote. I'm not sure why they would even send it then, it seems really predatory.I looked for a good exhaust repair shop in Bellingham and finally one garage (thank you Joe's Automotive) suggested Ben Richards fabrication in Burlington. I called ahead and roared down the I-5 on Thursday afternoon for an estimate. Amber at the desk, the wife of Forest (one of the owners) was very nice and I had barely settled in to wait when Forest walked in and told me he had already looked underneath the car and had diagnosed the problem. Two flanges had rusted out and his solution was to simply cut them out and weld in a connector pipe.Forest said "it will take me about 1/2 an hour, I can have you in and out for under $100!" No hedging, no upsell. Tell me the last time you took your car to any automotive shop and got away for less than 100 bucks? Doesn't happen unless You're getting an oil change. It gets even better.He asked when I needed my car. I told him I was driving to Vancouver on Monday afternoon. Without a moment's hesitation he offered to squeeze me in the following day even though the shop is officially closed on Fridays! I told him Monday a.m. would be more than fair and Amber scheduled me in.Long story short, I arrived on Monday and about an hour later I was on the road, my exhaust totally fixed and whisper quiet. The total including taxes was $90, $8,000 less than the outrageous, almost comical Honda of Bellingham quote.For the short time I was in the waiting area of the office I observed Forest and Amber's interaction with their customers. They didn't talk down to people, and really worked hard to meet their customer's needs in terms of scheduling and repair options available.When you see all the cars parked in the lot you assume they must be booked out weeks in advance, yet somehow they were able to take care of their customers in a timely (and highly cost effective) manner.If you are within driving distance of Burlington WA and you need exhaust work done, THIS is the place to go. I am so happy to have found an independent repair shop that does excellent work and puts customer satisfaction first. Thank you Forest and Amber, you have a loyal customer for life. ?
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November 2023 by Whitney Chamberlin
At first glance, with its hot rod ambiance and cool cars, I doubted if it was the right place for my Swedish car. But I was in for a surprise.I visited based on a hunch after being told elsewhere that I needed an expensive catalytic converter replacement. The mechanic here, a true Volvo aficionado (owning more Volvos than the founder of IKEA), diagnosed the issue within minutes. Instead of a costly repair, it was just two coils that needed replacing. The cost? A quarter of what I was originally quoted.It wasn't just about saving money, though. It was about finding that rare mechanic with an incredible depth of knowledge, able to diagnose problems on the spot. The efficiency and expertise here are unmatched.As I write this, I'm almost hesitant to share how great this shop is. I fear it'll become too popular and I'll have to wait weeks for an appointment! It's that good. Highly recommended for anyone seeking honest, expert service, especially for Volvos.
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November 2023 by Whitney C.
At first glance, with its hot rod ambiance and cool cars, I doubted if it was the right place for my Swedish car. But I was in for a surprise.I visited based on a hunch after being told elsewhere that I needed an expensive catalytic converter replacement. The mechanic here, a true Volvo aficionado (owning more Volvos than the founder of IKEA), diagnosed the issue within minutes. Instead of a costly repair, it was just two coils that needed replacing. The cost? A quarter of what I was originally quoted.It wasn't just about saving money, though. It was about finding that rare mechanic with an incredible depth of knowledge, able to diagnose problems on the spot. The efficiency and expertise here are unmatched.As I write this, I'm almost hesitant to share how great this shop is. I fear it'll become too popular and I'll have to wait weeks for an appointment! It's that good. Highly recommended for anyone seeking honest, expert service, especially for Volvos.
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November 2023 by Andrew Miner
Fixed an absolute hack job muffler install from a different shop at a great rate. Fantastic looking welds. Will be back for all exhaust work going forward.
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October 2023 by Alex B.
Came in with low power and a check engine light. Previous shop ran the code and said I needed new Cats for $2200. Forrest opened them up, confirmed they were fine and found a vacuum hose that had come off (or not been reconnected by the last guy). I was out the door for $80 labor.The truck runs great again and these guys earned a new customer. Great to find an honest and competent shop nearby!
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October 2023 by Laurie W.
Superior service. Super honest. Very helpful. After shopping all around Island County and Skagit County, so thrilled I found this shop. Thank you Forest and Amber for your wonderful service. (My truck sounds awesome!)
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September 2023 by Ted Kruth
Exceptionally honest. Came in to repair exhaust noise thinking it would be an expensive replacement. They said it was only a broken weld. They fixed and we were on our way. They could have ripped us off but didn't. Super nice folks and honest. If you need exhaust work this is the place to go.Service: Exhaust
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September 2023 by Dale Kreiser
I must say, I’m very impressed with the workmanship and talent of Forest and his team! I originally hired them to swap out my headers and rebuild my exhaust system on my 67 Camaro as it was rubbing the ground on bumps. Since then he has changed out my braking system, found a broken leaf spring and replaced those They dialed in a handful of other items. I highly recommend giving them a call! Thank you team!
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September 2023 by Dale K.
All I can say is wow! Forest and his crew of professionals have really steered me in the right direction on getting my classic Camaro, dialed in with headers, new leaf springs, new braking system, and many more odds and ends. Super fair on pricing and amazingly responsive.
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August 2023 by Joshua A. G. (Alpinist422)
Superb service and quality work! They did a "suitcase muffler" delete on my BMW diesel in stainless and she looks and sounds great! Exactly what I was looking for, and they got me in fairly quick for how busy they are. Highly recommend for any type of automotive welding or exhaust work.
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July 2023 by Ron Shirk
Just came back from taking my car to the exhaust shop.I was extremely happy with the way i was served. It was raining and I was asked if I wanted to wait until the weather had cleared. Now to me that was over and above service. Doing a clean professional job. Covering my seat when driving the car in and out of the stall. Did the task in a timely manner and reasonably price. Great job Ben Richards I'll always recommend you to all. I was driving a 1951 Ford Woodie.
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May 2023 by Michael Crossman
Took my girl’s car here to have an exhaust leak patched up. They did a bangin’ job at a bangin’ price. Not to mention all the fab work I saw in the shop, top tier work. I’d use them for any project, big or small.
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April 2023 by Ben Arendse
Very helpful and knowledgeable group there. Their work is excellent. I would recommend this shop. Thank you Forest.
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January 2023 by Philip Trinh
Car: BMW 330i (E46)Richard Dutton did my exhaust work. I quickly found out that he's friendly, professional, and very experienced. I'm a rather attentive-to-detail kind of person and he did everything to expectations and beyond without being asked.To be completely honest, I was reluctant about "upgrading" my OEM/stock exhaust (will it rattle? will it leak? will it be twisted or too long/short?) but everything was put to rest when I saw the work and I drove it after install.I regret that I didn't do this sooner!!! I also did my due diligence to see if the battery terminals were screwed back square and tight after welding, and of course they were. My only critic (no shop is perfect), would be to have a cleaner shop, there were nuts, bolts, wires, sawzall blades, other material lying on the floor but a little mess, especially in a high traffic shop, isn't the end of the world. Don't judge a book by its cover.5 out of 5.Services: Welding
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December 2022 by AlahST Jesus
Excellently done welds in a timely fashion! Great prices that surprised me. I heard of this place from a friend and was not disappointed. I brought in my 2006 Ford Focus and had my exhaust done as a cat back. The quality of sound and performance gained from the job done by this shop was worth the affordable rate that was charged. I vouch for this placeServices: Welding
