Consumers research carefully before choosing an automotive business, but a new Better Business Bureau (BBB) report finds that reviews and recommendations alone do not reliably predict a satisfying experience.

The research commissioned by BBB Great West + Pacific found that 96% of automotive customers research more than one business before making a decision, and 65% compare at least three. Yet 66% have chosen an automotive business based primarily on reviews or word-of-mouth recommendations and then been disappointed with the experience.

This new 2027 Automotive Customer Report, based on a survey of recent automotive customers in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, explores why that disconnect exists, how customers find automotive businesses, and which signals build confidence before and during service.

Clear Pricing Outranks Reviews in Building Trust

Reviews and recommendations remain important, but they do not always provide enough information, according to the new BBB data. Clear pricing and estimates topped the list of what builds trust, cited by 77% of customers, ahead of positive reviews at 56%. Consistent status updates during a repair also matter, with 62% calling them very important to whether they keep using a business.

“Customers were clear about what builds their confidence, and most of it comes down to simple steps any business doing good work can take,” said Tyler Andrew, CEO of Better Business Bureau Great West + Pacific. “Give customers an estimate they can understand. Use photos to explain costly repairs. Call with updates while the work is underway, even when there’s nothing new to report. These simple actions can build more trust than anything a business says about itself, and customers are paying attention.”

Nearly Half of Younger Customers use AI to Find a Business

The report found that customers use a mix of reviews, recommendations, search tools, and business reputation research when shopping for automotive services.

Overall, 34% of customers use AI search tools to find automotive businesses, rising to 46% of customers ages 25 to 40. While AI is changing how consumers discover businesses, the findings reinforce the importance of independently researching and verifying a provider before scheduling service.

A surprise charge is one of the fastest ways to lose a customer's trust
Most customers (63%) strongly agree that surprise charges are one of the fastest ways for an automotive business to lose their trust. Documentation also matters: 47% say photos, written estimates and repair documentation significantly increase their confidence when approving expensive repairs.

Download the full 2027 Automotive Customer Report here.