Varna Auto Service

+1 607-273-3776

933 Dryden Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 United States of America

Open Today: 07:30 AM - 05:00 PM

Varna Auto Service Info

933 Dryden Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 United States of America
+1 607-273-3776
[email protected]

Amenities

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings

Oil change

Amenities

Mechanic
Restroom

Planning

Appointments recommended

Payments

Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Best KPortal Reviews

I have taken my cars to Varna Auto for twenty years or so, and I trust their judgment. My present car, a 2013 Honda Fit, has standard transmission, and William takes excellent care of it. As old as it is, it still runs smoothly and is reliable. To date, it has had no major --and very few minor -- problems.

Simply put, I cannot recommend Varna Auto highly enough. They have done great work on my cars for many years now (mostly Honda sedans and Toyota minivans).

For the most part, customers usually interact with William, the owner; William's wife is often there , too, and is equally lovely. One of the things I like most about Varna Auto is that William and his colleagues are always willing to listen to the customer describe what's going on with their vehicle. They're pleasant, patient, and ask really good questions trying to get to the heart of the problem. And they certainly don't try to rush folks out of there, like some other shops do.

I have lived in Ithaca for nearly two decades and, over the years, I've dealt with just about every auto mechanic in the area -- many of which have undergone repeated ownership/management transitions during that time period.

While I've had some good experiences here and there, as a whole it's been EXTREMELY difficult to find an auto repair shop that:

1) has integrity;

2) performs consistent, quality work;

3) doesn't completely rip you off with huge cost markups or invent fictitious problems for your car;

4) charges you an amount similar to their initial estimate; and

5) doesn't have a customer waiting room that's filthier than a sleazy hotel bathroom.

Just like with any independent repair shop, I wouldn't necessarily bring a vehicle to Varna that has a super-complicated or model-specific problem. And the best part is, William will tell you the very same thing! For example, one time my minivan's automatic sliding door broke, and he said at the outset I'd be better off taking it to the dealer, since the dealer would have the correct parts in stock, mechanics who really know that particular model, and so forth. The fact that he didn't insist on having his shop do the job speaks volumes regarding the integrity and high standards of this auto repair shop.

It's also important to know that Varna Auto (as of this writing) is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. It's a family-run business, so they're not open weekends. While they're pretty firm on the 5 p.m. closing time, if you're running a bit late and call ahead, they'll usually do the favor of sticking around for you to arrive. (And of course there's always the option of dropping your car off after-hours.)

Again, while no auto repair shop is perfect in all ways, I highly recommend Varna Auto!

I’ve been going to Varna Auto for years. Never had so many problems with them as recent. I told them about a noise in the right back rear and they told me it was the bumper cover and they fixed it. I drive it, it’s still making the noise. Now I’m at a different shop and they told me it’s actually the shock! I can’t believe how much money I wasted at Varna having to go back over and over again for things that haven’t been fixed. Would not recommend!

For years, I have heard good things about Varna Auto Service, but I had a mechanic that I would use regularly. Last year, I needed service but my normal mechanic was too busy to get me in, and so I finally tried Varna Auto. I am impressed. Varna's team got me in quickly and fixed my car's issues in a couple of days, far faster than my other mechanic would have been able to do.

Since then, I have gone back to Varna Auto three other times for different needs. Each time, Varna Auto's team is great at communicating with me: when I call to schedule, when they have information about the issues, and when the car is done. Varna Auto is now my go-to auto repair shop.

I was recently telling another friend about my experiences, and she told me that her husband and she have been going to Varna Auto for almost 20 years--seems like the secret is out that Varna Auto is amazing.

Hope this information helps you decide whether to give Varna Auto a try.

Jess

Varna auto is super accommodating, friendly and reasonably priced. I called on a Tuesday afternoon and they could get me in that Thursday. It was my first time there and they gave me a second opinion on some work my prior mechanic had suggested. After getting a third opinion early Friday morning, they were still able to get my car in again Friday to finish the work they recommended. I am very impressed and thankful because I leave for vacation and need a safe car, just two days later!

Had multiple services done at Varna Auto Service including a pre-purchase inspection, state inspection, and brake replacement. The service was top-notch, and the staff was courteous and professional. Thank you for making the experience smooth and efficient. Highly recommend!

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. I’ve been taking my car here for almost four years and trusted them with my car care. I noticed that over time, I kept needing to get things replaced and I assumed my car was just not reliable (and even considered trading it in). It was costing a ton of money and as a college student, I struggled to keep up. They replaced my brakes and rotors within the past six months, and I’ve had my brakes changed by them multiple times.

Three months ago my car was making an awful sound, so I took it there and they replaced my brakes and rotors. My car has been making that noise again, so I took it somewhere different this time (on my parents’ recommendation, as they had also starting using a place other than Varna auto due to mistrust). According to the new mechanic, it looks like my brakes had never been replaced, nor the rotors. The brakes were completely worn with a hole through them. The mechanics were nice and weren’t going to make assumptions about why it happened, but when I asked, they said it had clearly been improperly installed.

I’ve spent way too much money and time here for this sort of care. I will not be coming back.

After 5 years of doing business with Varna Auto they rate number one among all the auto service operations I have dealt with since my first car in 1955!.