Portobello Garage

I used this garage last week and they explained to me that they took over the business from Portobello Garage back in May this year (2011) and have renamed the business Notting Hill Garage. I took my four year old Audi there to have the brakes seen to and they were extremely courteous and professional explaining to me in detail where the faults lay and giving me a number of cost options to remedy the problem. For someone like myself who knows nothing about cars I found them to be completely transparent with pricing and they gave me a written estimate which they didn't action until I gave my approval. Furthermore they not only picked up my car but delivered back free of charge which was another service they said they were happy to offer to distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd. Not only was the car dropped off at my address but it had also been cleaned inside and out! The work they carried out ( new pads and discs) has remedied the issue and they have told me it is guaranteed up to 6000 miles or 6 months. The bill was completely transparent with the work being broken down into labour, parts and vat. I have read the other reviews here and brought it up with Notting HIll Garage who explained that they were new owners and in essence a new garage and they urged me to post a review if I was happy. I am a firm believer in supporting local business and Notting Hill Garage seems to me to be a professional, local boutique business that goes the extra mile. I highly recommend them on all aspects - work carried out, professionalism and communication during all aspects of the job. Give them a go and in particular look out for a mechanic there called Alex - one of the friendliest helpful people I have met - quite refreshing from the other mechanics I have used over the years who haven't seemed to really care.

I used this garage last year, they asked for £300 cash up front to MOT the car and buy some new tyres on my behalf. Neither happened and I have been trying to get my money back ever since.

I am now resorting to going to the police and reporting it as theft as they are still yet to pay me. They even gave me a cheque at one point which bounced.

Avoid at all costs. There is a much better garage down the road called the German Auto Clinic.

Reading the previous review has worried me - I dropped my car off here yesterday for an MOT. They told me I would also need a service and since it has been a while I agreed to this. He rang me later in the day and told me I needed new brake pads and discs - I said he himself had replaced my brake pads the previous year and my car has hardly been driven. However it couldn't pass as it was and since they do wear easily I said go ahead - I have now got a bill of £750 + VAT. I haven't picked it up yet because I'm trying to find out as much as I can before I go. I'm worried the work won't have been done as per the last review....

I took my car into Portobello garage wanting a small service on my car, they seemed nice, willing and very helpful. They told me to pick the car up the next day as it should have been done, i turned up and the garage was close when i tried to call there was no answer. i tried calling for a week!!!! and still no answer or reply. As i wanted my car back i went to the garage and found a young scruffy polish kid who didn't even speak English to be working there. he said he was the mechanic and that the boss was in the pub across the road. i found the boss (Who had too much to drink) and he was very apologetic claiming there was a problem with the phones. I demanded my car back, he gave me the car and a £860 bill for work that was apparently done. I payed the bill and took the car to another garage to confirm the work was done as i thought the bill was very high. When i asked the mechanic if the work was done he said nothing had been done to the car at all!!!! also i noticed that there was a considerable amount of miles added to the car while in the other garage. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS GARAGE FROM HELL!!!!!!!!!

This garage seemed really friendly and helpful but having picked my car up 3 days later than they said they then took over two weeks to return it to me after it had bene fixed even though they kept promising they would: they rarely answer the phone and most of the time you can't leave a message because the inbox is full. The will never ring you to sort anything out, you have to chanse them. Seem nice on the surface but say one thing and do another: don't use them, you may never see your car again!!!!!! I never would again.