It's important for you to work with an auto mechanic who is transparent and can provide you with information to help you make informed decisions about your vehicle rather than feeling pressured to pay for a service you don't need. This is our mission at Shade Tree Auto, and we always provide you with detailed, digital inspections with easily digestible information to show what services are a priority and what can wait.
We promise to stand behind our repairs and provide a level of customer service that exceeds expectations. We want you to drive away with peace of mind and confidence in the safety and longevity of your vehicle. When you invest in your vehicle at Shade Tree Auto, we invest in it too. We proudly stand behind our parts and labor for 4 years / 40,000 miles on all of our mechanical repairs.
We promise to stand behind our repairs and provide a level of customer service that exceeds expectations. We want you to drive away with peace of mind and confidence in the safety and longevity of your vehicle. When you invest in your vehicle at Shade Tree Auto, we invest in it too. We proudly stand behind our parts and labor for 4 years / 40,000 miles on all of our mechanical repairs.
Services
Our mission is to help our customers make informed decisions regarding the safety and longevity of their vehicle. Our vision is to create a new perception of the auto repair industry through respecting our employees, customers, and community. It is the support of our community that helped us grow Shade Tree into what it is today, and we make it a priority to offer our time, skills, and finances to help our community continue to grow and improve.
After graduating DMAAC with a degree in Automotive Technology, our owner, Clint Dudley, started Shade Tree Auto in a small garage in Johnston, IA back in 2001. His philosophy was simple; bring back the classic repair shop that educated customers on what was needed, and what was not.
With a belief that a true repair shop should be able to repair cars and trucks, with a commitment to respecting our community, employees, and customers, Shade Tree Auto quickly became a favorite in the greater Des Moines area.In 2005, Shade Tree Auto found a home in Grimes with a 2,400 sq ft facility, that doubled in size 2 years later when an adjacent suite opened up in the building.
With a belief that a true repair shop should be able to repair cars and trucks, with a commitment to respecting our community, employees, and customers, Shade Tree Auto quickly became a favorite in the greater Des Moines area.In 2005, Shade Tree Auto found a home in Grimes with a 2,400 sq ft facility, that doubled in size 2 years later when an adjacent suite opened up in the building.
At Shade Tree Auto, we try to make your car repair service as simple as possible. Whether it's a routine oil change, or you have a serious issue you need help diagnosing, we will treat you and your car with care and transparency while providing you various benefits that help improve your experience.
Regular oil changes can not only help increase the longevity of your vehicle, but provide you with better fuel mileage, improved engine performance, and peace of mind knowing the parts within your car have been looked over by a certified technician. Depending on your vehicle and what kind of oil it uses, the frequency of your oil changes could vary all the way up to 10,000 miles.
Tires typically do not last over 30,000 miles, and it's our job to inspect your tires at every oil change for any unusual wearing or issues. As part of our courtesy inspection, we complete tire rotation and alignment, as well as balancing so that you can maximize the life of your tires. Once we see that your tire tread has reached 2/32 of an inch, that is when recommend getting them replaced.
Reviews (24)
Brandon Treu
Jan 23, 2022
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Shade tree took care of me 100%! Pam and Dustin are the happy and caring voices for a wonderful, honest and transparent company. I had problems with my Jeep Liberty and brought it to a different company. I didn't like what I heard and took my Jeep to Shade Tree for a second opinion. The highly trained technicians diagnosed the true issues and took care of all the problems. After educating me with a digital report card of my vehicles health status I was able to make better decisions on what to repair now, and what can wait. Take your vehicle here first, and you wont have to take it anywhere else
Karena E.
Jan 03, 2022
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Paul Hlivko
Dec 22, 2021
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Alyssa Petersen
Nov 24, 2021
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality
Pam and Clint were amazing! They squeezed me in last minute the day before Thanksgiving to fix my Edge. I can’t thank them enough for the service they provided and got me back on the road the same day! They are so kind there and work really hard to get your vehicle back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!!
Services: Oil change, General repairs & maintenance, Steering/Suspension, Wheel alignment
Pam and Clint were amazing! They squeezed me in last minute the day before Thanksgiving to fix my Edge. I can’t thank them enough for the service they provided and got me back on the road the same day! They are so kind there and work really hard to get your vehicle back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!!
Services: Oil change, General repairs & maintenance, Steering/Suspension, Wheel alignment
Kenny Crouthamel
Nov 02, 2021
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Shade Tree is always awesome.
After the free overall inspection, I was talked to about my car and asked what was I wanted to fix. They answered my questions honestly and did not try to push repairs that I didn’t want to take care of since I’m upgrading soon.
I also always enjoy story time and talking shop when I’m dropping off or picking up. I Highly recommend these folks.
After the free overall inspection, I was talked to about my car and asked what was I wanted to fix. They answered my questions honestly and did not try to push repairs that I didn’t want to take care of since I’m upgrading soon.
I also always enjoy story time and talking shop when I’m dropping off or picking up. I Highly recommend these folks.
Nana Frost
Aug 21, 2021
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This is the most caring auto service I have had the pleasure of using in a very long time. I'm not a number or a repair, they treat me kindly and respectfully. They answer all my questions so I can understand them. I'm not treated differently as a woman who can get taken advantage of in these instances. I feel respected and cared for when I bring my car in. They recognize me and know my car very well. It's very comforting to have this personal feel service. Highly recommend them for anything!!
Mike Sticklen
Jul 29, 2021
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Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Value
Shade tree completed my Audi A6 brake inspection and found rotors run out exceeded Audi spec after only 20k miles. They honored their work warranty with no hassle at no cost to me. What a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend them.
Service:Â Brake service & repair
Shade tree completed my Audi A6 brake inspection and found rotors run out exceeded Audi spec after only 20k miles. They honored their work warranty with no hassle at no cost to me. What a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend them.
Service:Â Brake service & repair
Goutham Sattu
Jul 14, 2021
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I have a very bad experience, I went for a diagnosis for a sound coming from underneath my car, they gave me a list of things which are wrong with my car. None of them were accurate. 1. They said I need to replace my head light, 2. Replace breakers and rotors, 3. Font wee bearings needs to be replaced. But when I went to my dealer there was nothing wrong with my head light which costs me 300$ but just needed a 5$ fuse, I just need to replace break pads my rotators were in good condition, and nothing wrong with the wheel bearings(700$) but I had a problem with my rear axel which they completely
Jamie Lashier
Jun 22, 2021
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We switched from another auto service in town because we were not happy with their customer service. Shade Tree Auto has always been professional and helpful. However, our most recent visit has shocked and surprised me. We had taken our Equinox in to get some issues taken care of - we were long overdue for a tune up/oil change, but knew we had other, more expensive issues going on. Shade Tree Auto took care of us and got us back on the road. The next week, however we noticed an issue with our brakes so we took it back in. Fully prepared to pay full price for this new issue, we picked our Equinox
Grant Luberda
Jun 20, 2021
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My sister lost use of the brakes on her Toyota Prius while driving through from Wisconsin. When she was broken down there on the side of 80/35, on Memorial Day weekend no less, I knew exactly where to have her car towed. Shade Tree Auto has always done good work for me, and the fact that they allow a key-drop-off after business hours ensures that the work can get done even when I'm unavailable during the day. I'm not even local to them anymore, and I still drive out to get repairs done there when I can.
Prices are fair, they share all the relevant info I need to make an informed repair decision
Prices are fair, they share all the relevant info I need to make an informed repair decision
Wendy H.
Sep 04, 2020
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It's never fun having car problems when you're 1500 miles from home and then trying to find someone that will be honest with you and get you back on the road without swindling you. I choose shade tree because of the raving reviews and we were not disappointed. They got us in immediately, diagnosed the problem, installed the new part (which they had to go get)and had us back on the road in 90 minutes!!! What a huge blessing! Des Moines is blessed to have these guys . Thank you !
Rick S.
Aug 26, 2020
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If I could give Shade Tree Auto 10 stars, I would. I was driving across the country from NYC to LA with my wife, 17 yr old son, 2 dogs, and 2 cats when we started to encounter a rather strange noise coming out of the front end of our 07' Highlander. Fearing the worst, we hunkered down for the night at a pet friendly hotel and in the AM after scouring the Yelp reviews I decided to drive 20 minutes to Shade Tree Auto (passing many other auto service locations along the way with lesser reviews). I arrived when they opened, and they agreed to check out my car (I thought it sounded like something
Juanita G.
Sep 07, 2019
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Really a 4.5. I took my car in because I was having issues with it idling low after replacing the starter. Looking at reviews from this site Shade Tree Auto was highly recommended. I contacted them and they told me to bring my car in and they would take a look. What I really liked about their service is they check everything on your car and provide photos if they come across any issues. They tell you what's wrong and let you decide what you would like to fix without being pushy. My car was fixed in a timely manner with them keeping me updated along the way and they provided a shuttle service
Oshawn S.
Jul 12, 2019
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Great service, great service, great prices. They have a very well operated business and focus on customer satisfaction and quality. Also provides mobile updates when getting work done on the vehicle to inform customers of their findings in real time. I would recommend Shade Tree Auto to anyone looking for honest mechanics at a quality price.
Cory W.
Apr 18, 2018
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Jennifer F.
Jan 16, 2018
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I chose this place due to online reviews and I was not disappointed. Even though our car is not repairable, Dustin was knowledgeable, timely and extremely gracious concerning our loss. He took the time to talk with me about all of our options. I have another car with issues and I plan on bringing it into them this week.
J. S.
Dec 22, 2017
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Emily B.
Aug 08, 2017
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I have previously gone elsewhere for auto work since it was conveniently located right in Grimes, and I had not heard much about Shade Tree. After their new center opened and I had heard about them being heavily involved in the community, I decided to to give them a shot. I was pleasantly surprised with their amazing service. Pam was very helpful up front, giving me the confidence to leave my keys with her. I also felt a sense of trust that she would not tell me that something needed done, that was unnecessary. This was important to me as my previous auto shop would tell me over a thousand dollars
Cody L.
Mar 27, 2017
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I completed my first visit today. I could not be happier or more impressed. The staff is upbeat, patient and extremely helpful. The owner (locally owned and operated small business) came out and introduced himself to me and thanked me for my business. I grew up in this industry and I will never go anywhere else after meeting the owner and staff. Honest, quality work without any pressure to buy unneeded product or services. I'll be a customer for life!
Dan D.
Mar 20, 2017
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GREAT staff at Shade Tree Auto, they are very professional and provide quality service. Very trustworthy and stand behind their work. Have been there multiple times and will continue to go there. Very thorough in explaining what is wrong and fair with pricing and recommendations for repairs. They have always provided timely rides and also provided a loaner when needed. They go above and beyond! The new location is VERY nice and clean. I would highly recommend them to others. Thank You ShadeTree Auto...
Kathy W.
May 05, 2016
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Wonderful service. Trusted mechanic. Customer service a+. Having had the same mechanic for 20+ years, it's scary going somewhere else. But with shade tree, I have been treated so well. Honest good people there. Having a vehicle to drive while they look at mine makes its less stressful. They have found a loose tire twice now after I had taken car to dealer for oil change and tires rotation. They will get all my service from now on.
Gary N.
Apr 26, 2016
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Hil H.
Jul 06, 2015
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I went here on a recommendation from a co-worker. He said he's sent a ton of people there for damages and has never had a complaint from anyone. I told him after their service, he could add me to that list!
Everyone here is very knowledgeable and the service is fast. They have fair pricing, and they gave me a military discount, which was not even asked for. They fixed my vehicle quickly, and they made sure I was able to drop off and pick up during off hours because that's what worked for me. I highly recommend this spot for car repairs.
Everyone here is very knowledgeable and the service is fast. They have fair pricing, and they gave me a military discount, which was not even asked for. They fixed my vehicle quickly, and they made sure I was able to drop off and pick up during off hours because that's what worked for me. I highly recommend this spot for car repairs.
Carrie M.
Feb 05, 2014
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