For years I'd tried to find a competent, honest, affordable mechanic, and frankly I'd lost all hope until one day I found The Auto Dr. Here's what happened.
After moving to Leander in January 2015, my van developed brake and radiator problems. Not having a reliable mechanic, I stopped at Just Brakes one day. The first couple times I went to there, they gave me so many breaks and discounts, were so nice and honest, telling me that they wouldn't do any unnecessary work, all of which earned my trust. The story is just too long so I'll just tell about the last time I took my vehicle there. My heater was blowing cold air, plus I had known for a while that there was a leak somewhere in the coolant system, since the first time I took it there. I had to fill the anti-freeze every month. Plus my brake light was intermittently coming on. Being that it was winter, however, the heater was a priority. They checked the vehicle out and told me that I needed to replace the main blend door actuator and quoted me $321.63/part plus $183.75/labor, for a total of $569.80 to repair just the heater. They also said the rear brakes needed leveling because they were leaking break fluid (I'd told them my brake light was coming on) and it would cost $129.99. They never even gave me an estimate for fixing the radiator & I didn't ask because I couldn't afford it anyway. Well I decided to think about it & try to get a second quote. Called a mobile mechanic an auto parts store had recommended to get a second quote on the activator. Just over the phone & based on what I told him, he said I could get the part for $30 myself & he'd install it for $30. That's $60 compared to $569.80! No wonder they give you all kind of breaks & discounts, pretending to do you a special favor when you first go in. That's just to suck you in and earn your trust so they can rob you blind later with unnecessary repairs at inflated prices. Forget these auto shop chains; they're all a rip off. Anyhow, now I was stuck because this mobile mechanic moved to south Austin & there was no way I was ever going back to Just Breaks! But I despaired of finding a competent, honest mechanic that I could afford & who would actually call me back. Then one day I was searching online for a mobile mechanic & got a prompt to install Yelp. So I did & boy am I glad! ! I found a mobile mechanic (The Auto Dr.) in Leander less than a mile from where I live who is awesome! !! I can't recommend him and his wife (Mark & Kathy) enough. He has his own professional garage on his property next to his house, gives a 30% discount to people who live in the neighborhood, provides free pickup and delivery service, & is highly qualified with all the certifications for mechanics. First thing he told me when I asked how much to install the activator was to wait until he checked it out. He explained that most likely that's not even the problem. Often when the heater is blowing cold air, it's because the coolant is low. Sure enough, as soon as he filled the radiator, which was bone dry, the heater blew hot air. The next day they picked up my van & he went over it with a fine tooth comb and gave me an itemized written estimate, going over every item with me while showing me on the vehicle. Since I don't use credit & work on a cash only basis, I couldn't afford all the repairs at once, but he was happy to work with me to prioritize. Since the radiator leak was the most immediate concern, he replaced the radiator for $579.66, about $10 more than Just Brakes quoted me for a totally unnecessary repair which would have left me with the radiator still leaking and heater still not blowing heat. Oh, and he said the brakes were fine but there is a leak under the hood where you put the break fluid.
I didn't even have to get my van there because they picked it up while I slept and brought it back before I had to leave for work (I work second shift). Then, in addition to the written estimate they provided ahead of time, they also emailed the final itemized invoice after the repair. Last, but certainly not least, they answer their phones or call you back in a timely manner! Kathy, the wife, handles all the bookkeeping and phone calls, & both her & Mark are very responsive, easy to talk to & so helpful. I am so blessed to have found The Auto Dr. in Leander & already worried about losing them if I move! Do yourself a favor & don't go anywhere near chain garages. Either they are incompetent or just plain sleazy ripoff artists. You owe it to yourself to take your vehicles to The Auto Dr., even if you don't qualify for the discount. You'll get quality, competent work & professional, friendly service.
