Compact Car Service ( CompactCarService.net ) (Charlotte, NC) Mechanic(s): Joe Rybensky, Johnny Parker
6177 E Independence Blvd. , Charlotte, NC 28212 (704) 567-7797
Features and Specialties: Specializes in Transmission Work ,Specializes in Air Conditioning work ,Specializes in Brakes & Mufflers ,Specializes in Engine Rebuild Work Honda and Acura

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Survey results:

They are always honest
They are competent
The repair price is always reasonable
They fix the problem the first time
They complete the work in a timely manner
They respond well when they screw something up
They take the time to explain the problems and necessary repairs
The shop is located in a safe neighborhood
The hours of operation are convenient for customers
They treat male and female customers in the same manner
They are near public transportation (or provide loaners, shuttle bus, rides as needed)

Reviewers Comments:

These guys have worked on my 1992 Honda Accord since the warranty ran out. They have never been anything but wonderful to deal with! I have never felt uncomfortable as a woman taking my car to be repaired there, because they treat everone the same. I have referred them to several friends as well. My best story about Joe and Johnny involves an incident that occurred in the fall of 1999. Something wierd was happening with my transmission, and since my car has over 100,000 miles, I feared the worst. I took it Compact Car Service, and later that day they called and told me that my car was fine, and they had just repaired a minor part. When I went to pick up my car, the receptionist handed me the keys and said "Have a good day." I told her I hadn't paid yet, and she said. "Oh, there's no charge."

These guys have worked on my 1990 Honda Accord several times (for different, independent reasons). One particular incident stands out in my mind as being indicative of the type of service they do. Once, while driving down a busy road, my entire electrical system died. My hazzard lights wouldn't even work. The car had 175,000+ miles on it, so naturally I feared the worst (I am a college student, and don't have much money to throw around on expensive car repairs). I had the car towed to Compact Car Service, and they took a look at it. It turned out that something having to do with my distributor was loose (I don't know much about cars, and I even told that to the mechanic). He told me it was no big deal, and he fixed the problem at NO CHARGE! I went ahead and got an oil change since I was there (it was only about $25 I think), and since I figured they should at least get something for saving my car. These guys are great.

These guys are incredibly competent and honest. Heck, I'd even let them date my daughter if they wanted! The guys that own this shop are career Honda and Acura wrenchheads. They know their business cold and don't carry the overhead/headaches that you get at a dealerhship. They did a major repair for me, (replaced a head gasket). I was satisfied in every way. "Ten thumbs up". Honest, competent repair shops are hard to find. Mark their number down and keep it handy!

Have been taking my Hondas to them for over 10 years. Always been done right as promised. Brakes, tuneups, oil changes, alignments, cv joints/boots, cables. I have had them checkout Hondas that I was considering purchasing. Can't respond about screwups since that has not happened to me. The only reason I wouldn't take Honda to them is to get warranty work done at dealership.

I've been bringing my 3 old Hondas to these guys for 15 years. They have been consistently great. When people ask me what I'm going to buy to replace my 89 with 275k miles on it, I reply that it has to be a Honda. That is because MY mechanic only does Hondas!

I found Compact Car Service sort of by accident. I was in the midst of a repair nightmare with Meineke (the branch by Carolina Place Mall, for you Charlotteans out there). They had massively ruined my brake system, and I had taken it back to them three times only to have the brakes lock up and burn out again each time. In desperation, I started flipping through the yellow pages for Honda mechanics who might know what was going on. Johnny got right on the phone with me, knew exactly what the problem was, and fixed it for a reasonable price. He even called up the Meineke mechanic's boss and told him what had been done incorrectly. These guys are great.

I have a 1997 Honda Accord with 70,000 which required a timing belt replacement. I do know a little about working on cars, but I won't do this type of repair. I took my car to them because I knew about them in their former Independence Blvd location and their Honda specialization. Because so many things had to be removed to change the timing belt, I had them replace the water pump, drive belts, and whatever seals leaked. The car was returned to me the next day and the bill $500 (YIKES)!! But I dont think I paid too much for the work that I got. This place is a good alternative to the Honda dealership.

I like to do most of the repairs to the car myself, but there are certain repairs I would rather have a mechanic perform. I have a 1997 Honda Accord with 70,000 miles I took to them for a timing belt replacement. The manager of the shop was very friendly and explained that the costs could vary based on what he found when he opened up the engine. Since they were going to replace the timing belt, I asked that the water pump also be replaced. He stated that they typically do this on such jobs since everything had to be torn apart. The same day I purchased tramission fluid and unsuccesfully tried to replace the transmission fluid on my Honda. There is a 3/8" drive bolt in the transmission which I was not able to remove. When I told the manager about this, he gladly accepted the transmission fluids I had bought and a new gallon of coolant I had in the car. As promised, I got the car they very next day and I was called and left a message when it was complete. When I looked under the hood and inspected the work, I noticed that the coolant recovery tank was drained and replaced with the new coolant, and the leaky valve covers were cleaned and replaced with a new gasket (nice touch). The entire repair cost be about $500 bucks (YIKES!!), but I guess that's they way it goes. Good thing Honda cars are so reliable. In summary this ship is definitly a better alternative to the Honda dealership.

The guys at Compact Car Service are the reason we bought another Honda.

I've been dealing with these guys since 1992. They are always a fantastic group to deal with. I have never worked with a repair shop with such integrity and respect for the customer. If you have a Honda or Acura that is out of warranty, there is only one place in Charlotte to go.

Hard to add anything to the other reviews. They all say it so well. It's all about trust. They're the reason I drive Honda. It's so good to have someone to go to when you are concerned about the safety of your family

A rare combination of integrity and competence. Actually talked me out of things I didn't need that the dealer wanted to do for me, which saved me major dollars. Highly recommended.

Johnny Parker and Joe Rebynski's expertise has saved me hundreds of dollars because they fix problems, not just replace parts. For example, Johnny replaced my starter contacts instead of the whole starter, a difference of over $200. I could think of many other examples during the combined 190k miles that I've taken 2 cars to them. They only work on Hondas and Acuras, so they know their trade. Maybe this is why my '90 Accord was still going strong when it met a premature death by accident at 244k miles, and my '92 Acura Integra still BURNS NO OIL AT 223k miles!

My Honda Odyssey needed major routine maintenance as well as 'check engine light' service after 100,000 miles. The estimate as well as the itemization of the repairs from the dealer was simply ridiculous. Moreover, the dealer couldn't explain why my trusted vehicle needed all those parts to be replaced to resolve the 'check engine light'. I took the vehicle to Compact Car for the first time and pleasantly surprised with the level of knowledge, courtesy, quality and last but not least the price. I will most certainly be returning to Compact Car with confidence for all future repairs and maintenance.

The guys at Compact Cars are great. I have 2 Hondas which I take there regularly for service, and will only consider replacing my current cars with Hondas or Acuras in the future just so I can take them to these guys for service. Even when just taking the car in for a basic oil change, they throughly look over the entire car for any potential problems or repairs that are on the horizon. They always take time to sit down with you and throughly explain the current condition of the car and any potential concerns. When a repair is needed, they offer as many repair options as possible (i.e. used parts vs. new parts), as well as when repairs are recommended vs. when they are necessary.

I took my 2002 Honda Accord here based on Car Talk Mechanix Files. I was tired of getting ripped off at the dealer. They replaced rear brake pads on first visit and said the front pads were good for another 5,000 miles. On a later visit they replaced the front pads. They took time to explain my options and I was very pleased with the service and price. I'm very, very, sceptical when it comes to car mechanics and I have a very good feeling about this shop. They have earned my business!

These folks are exceptional in their field! We no longer even have a Honda, but we've had several in the past and Compact Cars has our complete confidence. Our adult daughter is still driving a Honda; they are taking care of her in the same manner we came to expect. Over the years, we have referred many friends to Joe and Johnny -- nobody has been disappointed. They are big supporters of our local NPR station WFAE so you just know they're good ... right?!

If you're within fifty miles of Charlotte, don't buy anything but a Honda, and don't take it anywhere but here. When I was a broke college student, they nursed my 1980 Accord with 200,000 miles on it through four years of shoestring-budget maintenance. I almost couldn't give them the full five stars for "reasonable" price, since pretty often Joe's price was unreasonably low! I think sometimes they took it easy on me just to keep me safe and on the road. The only time they didn't get it exactly right turned out to show even more how great they are: Two things on the car were broken, and they only fixed one, thinking that would do the trick. When the car acted up a couple weeks later and I brought it back, they replaced the other part FREE! I stood there with my checkbook open and argued with them that in fact I owed them for both sets of work, but they'd have none of it. Maybe they were just afraid my check would bounce :-)

I have been using Compact Car Service for ten years. I will only purchase Hondas because I can trust them implicitly. When my 92 Accord hit 100,000 I would bring it in every six months and tell them to do whatever needed to be done for under $1000, I did not need to be contacted first. I never paid more than $150 on one of these stops. To date, I have referred 12 individuals to them and all have been thrilled.

The only place to get your Honda worked on!

We've been taking our Hondas to Compact Car Service since 1993. I had an '86 Prelude that needed a clutch and they were 2/3 the cost than the dealerships. When I mentioned them to my brother (a mechanic), he said then that Johnny was the Honda God that could diagnose anything with a brief description. Compact Cars kept the life in my prelude for 235,000 miles until I traded it. We still own a '95 Accord with 192,000 miles on it that has never been touched by another service department (except for warranty work). As long as Honda makes good cars, we will continue to purchase them. As long as we own a Honda, it will only be serviced at Compact Car Service.

I can only echo all the other great reviews of this company. Our '99 Acura Integra had an intermittent start problem that was completely unpredictable and stranded me on two occasions. We had it at the local Honda dealership twice and the local Acura dealership once. Neither could find the problem (although the Honda place certainly charged us for trying). When we finally discovered CCS, they spent 20 minutes on the phone with us first troubleshooting the problem before we even talked about bringing it in. When we did take it in, we knew we were home. They found the problem no one else had been able to find and fixed it at a reasonable price. We have not had another problem with the car since. We just had it in for its 60K major service and wouldn't consider taking it anywhere else. These folks are amazing. I just can't say enough good things about them.

Great shop. I give them the highest recommendation possible for your Honda or Acura.

They are friendly and honest and offer many services free without appointments. As an example, they will read the engine code and give information on what the problems indicated are without an appointment and without any fee. They also will pre-check a used Honda that you are considering for purchase free of charge. Beyond top notch - the epitome of what a repair shop should be. I trust them completely and have never been disappointed in their work or their demeanor. My wife and I have both been customers over the years and they treat both of us with the same level of respect.

Johnny and Joe are the best! I've been servicing my "fleet" of Honda and Acura vehicles with Compact Car Service for years. I even took my car there while I was working at a Honda dealership. They're that good and honest. Here's a story for you: I had a problem with my power steering in an '89 Accord. It was the weekend and I was headed out of town, so I couldn't bring it in on Monday. Joe found out that I was headed out of town and found out what route I was taking. He met me on the side of the road, flagged me down, and fixed my car in a nearby parking lot! I was good to go. Now that is great service!

I love this shop. They are the reason I continue to buy Hondas besides the Hondas themselves. I actually have another appointment with them regarding my 1993 Honda Accord Ex. I am glad that they have a very friendly staff, they are able to answer my questions even if I am calling on the phone and something bad happens. I wish they were open on the weekends due to my work schedule.... but they are still convient for me. Thank you guys for everything!!!! Sincerely,

They kept my '94 Honda going for 174,000 miles. I had a chance to get a '98 Honda and took it to them for an appraisal - they took the time to go over it with a fine tooth comb, told me and the previous owner it's exact condition, which enabled me to purchase it at a fair price. No charge was made for this service. New car has only 45,000 miles!! I'm confident they will help me keep it going at least as long as the previous one.

I've been taking Hondas & Acuras to Compact Car Service since the early 80's. I consider where I will have my cars repaired when I buy them and Compact Car Service is a big reason I continue to buy Honda products. I'm obviously biased but I would not take my Honda/Acura anywhere else unless they told me to.

These folks are great and treat a customer with a high standard of customer service. My wife and I have each owned a few Honda's through the years and Compact Cars is one reason we keep buying them. We just don't want to change mechanics.

My wife and I have been taking our Hondas to Joe and Compact Car Service for over 25 years just after we first married. Our first Honda was already about 6 years old when we first took it to them. They helped us get 13 years out of that first Honda. We got 17 out of the next. Our current Honda is 5 years old. Joe and all of his staff are courteous, polite and professional but more important than that they are honest. Honda and Compact Car Service - a winning combination!

I was working, so set up an appointment for my 19 year old daughter to take the '98 Honda CRV that she drives. I'm always a little nervous sending a teenage girl to get car repairs done, but I needn't have worried. CC came highly recommended (on this site and by a colleague). They treated her well, explained everything, and found a rebuilt motor for the drivers side window. The AC repair was 1/3 the cost of what I had been quoted at another (we'll never go back there) place. I couldn't be more pleased. This is THE place to go if you have a Honda.

They are completely trustworthy -- I never feel that they're taking advantage of my ignorance regarding cars.

They have been working on my car for over 14 years. It is an Accord Wagon with 220K. When I got a divorce I chose her car the Honda because of these guys, instead of the Nissan truck. I did not want to give up the only honest mechanic in town!!!!!!!!!!

Very honest people who offer great service. The only place I take my vehicles.

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