Car Clinic Boksburg

I had a very disappointing experience with Car Clinic Boksburg.

I took my VW Polo in because it was losing water. The car has a full service history with VW, and it had a major service done at the agents less than 3 months ago. Based on a family recommendation, I decided to try Car Clinic in Boksburg.

On arrival, the technician suggested it could be something minor like a thermostat or water bottle, but also noted there was no water in the motor. Shortly after, I was given a quote of R24,000 for another major service, including brakes front and back. When I said that was out of budget, the price suddenly dropped to R18,000, which already raised concerns.

They kept the car for a couple of days and said everything was fine, but warned that if water appeared in the motor I should bring it back. That same evening and the next morning, the issue was still there — water levels were low again and there were signs of water in the motor.

I returned the car, and this time they claimed it was a head gasket issue, but said they could “make a plan” to fix it temporarily. This didn’t sit right with me, so I got a second opinion from a trusted mechanic.

After a proper pressure test and thorough inspection, he found no evidence of a head gasket failure or water mixing with oil. The actual issue turned out to be a faulty water bottle cap, which was replaced for just R135. Since getting the car back from Car Clinic, the vehicle has not been the same — it now has an idle/jolting issue that was never there before. We have so much trouble with our Polo now.

Overall, I would not recommend this workshop. The diagnosis was inconsistent, the pricing questionable, and the suggested “temporary fix” for a major issue like a head gasket felt dishonest. In my opinion, this is not a business that operates on trust or proper workmanship. Please think twice before using them.