I am really troubled by the perhaps snap-judgement negative reviews some have rendered since I am a long-time Dave's Auto Repair Customer and they have always and likely will continue to be the standard setter for Auto Repair Shops in Sarasota, Florida. They are outstanding! My vehicle is a somewhat rare 1990 that most mechanics have never seen much less worked on. Over the years I have tried to find mechanics that are factory trained on the car to give me the best chance to get it repaired correctly ... and I have had some success. That said, even the best mechanics in the area have gotten completely stumped on occasion and without any hesitation they suggest I take it to Dave's for that particular repair. And each time Dave's has resolved whatever the issue was. Case in point, for a very, very long time I have had a partial Courtesy Light problem. I have tried, local mechanics have tried and an expert on my vehicle from out-of-town has tried but we all have failed to repair it. It has been a hole that I've just dropped money in. What I decided, and have been told by several local mechanics to do, is to take it to an Auto Electric Specialist. The problem, one is hard to find in Sarasota. To that end, since Dave is considered to be one of the best mechanics in the country, I decided to ask him to recommend a true Auto Electric Specialist. To my surprise, Dave told me he no longer owned Dave's Auto Repair ... the fine new owner is the very capable and approachable Jessica. Dave went on to tell me to not worry about finding an Auto Electric Pro just ask to have John work on it. To my astonishment, Dave told me that John was even better them himself [Dave]. Sure, I thought in my mind, no way. However, since Dave has never wronged me before I reluctantly decided to give John a shot at that even though I was certain I was throwing away more money, gulp. The punch line? John is as advertised!!! In a couple of hours, John diagnosed and repaired a mystery electrical issue that had pestered me and confused several mechanics for over 11 years! So, folks, Dave's Auto Repair has not skipped a beat under Jessica's topnotch leadership. Kudos to Jessica for taking on an almost impossible challenge by following a legend in the area [Dave]. Not only was she confident enough to jump in feet first, she was savvy enough, re the auto industry, to bring in a topnotch team of mechanics, including the incomparable John Zeiss, and upgrade some of the equipment. I should mention, that the customer service has not slipped one iota. Jan has been with Dave's for a decade so the transition in the administrative piece has been seamless as well. Bottom line: Dave's is still Sarasota's premier auto repair shop ... excellent customer service, excellent mechanics [especially John Zeiss], incredibly honest and fair, and reasonably priced. read more

Employing mechanics that aren't actually certified technicians and what they say are certified as well as employing technicians that don't have car insurance so when they drive my car to diagnose what's wrong and then accidentally wreck it per se then it's not covered.... I'm so curious does Dave's automotive KNOW that he DOESN'T have auto insurance?!??!? Do they KNOW that he has TWO DUI'S?!!? Do they know that?!?! And IF THEY DO...Why are they still employing him?!?!!? Cause if they DO then I would call that malpractice... if they don't know that he doesn't have auto insurance to drive cars that he's trying to fix and test out then I would call that ignorance.... cause apparently they did not do a background check on this guy or make sure that this guy had a VALID DRIVERS LICENSE after TWO DUI'S AND and VALID car insurance... and if he wrecks a car that somebody brings in and is supposed to be covered under their insurance he's not bonded under their insurance... somebody can sue the fuck out of them... all I'm saying I get giving somebody a second chance etc. and I'm all for it...but this fucker...this piece of shit right here...I can promise you he does not deserve it. There's too much to share in this review but if you want more explanations and more proof just reach out... I've got them... and every single thing that I said I have proof.... proof with the background checks... go to Manatee County clerk and look his name up.... you'll find it yourself. but either way I'm more than happy to share the information that I have. People like him need to have people like me call him out. Because the people that he takes advantage of aren't ready to and he knows it, but he didn't factor in a woman like me. Email me call me I don't care I have all the fucking proof... and I told him if he doesn't do the right thing that I would ruin his life and all I'm saying is my middle name is fucking karmKar don't get me started on the fact that he faked a license plate and stuck it on a car that didn't match up to the VIN with it...NOT JUST ONCE...BUT TWICE.. I have the records... just ask me and I will post them. So... did you have a bad experience? Or anything like that... were you not happy with your service??!?!! did this man Justin Albert Scott drive your car at some point?!!?! He did?!??!?? well he wasn't fucking insured so now you can sue and I have all the background records if you want to reach out to me... Bless his lil heart... and I DON'T mean that in the best possible way. See this is what you get when you're a bad person that takes advantage of good people. read more

CONSUMER WARNING: Safety Hazard & Unfinished Work I am writing this to warn local families about Dave's Auto Repair. I paid this shop $5,263.54 to replace my Porsche's transfer case, which included a $1,177.73 labor charge and an itemized $250.00 Programming Fee. Because of their incomplete and negligent work, my daughter experienced a terrifying total drivetrain system failure while driving. We had to flatbed tow the car ($125.00) directly to an authorized Porsche dealership. The dealership's full diagnostic scan officially confirmed that the new transfer case module was left completely blank and unprogrammed. When I reached out to resolve this, the communication was appalling. Jessica completely ignored my messages, and Michael just called me to argue rather than help. They are trying to deflect blame using false technical excuses, claiming that because 1 year and 4 months have passed, it isn't their fault. Here are the undeniable facts verified by Porsche's computer data:     *    The data does not lie: New Porsche factory modules arrive completely blank. An unprogrammed module will temporarily run on estimated default values, severely straining the drivetrain until the system flags a fatal VIN mismatch and shuts down.     *    Permanent history logs: The internal computer memory pulled by the Porsche dealer explicitly confirmed that the module had zero history of ever being initialized since it left the factory box. Time does not erase computer logs.     *    Deflection tactics: The owners tried to blame wheel speed sensors that Porsche replaced under a separate, unrelated warranty. Speed sensors do not hold transfer case data and cannot erase a module's internal memory or delete a VIN registration. The Porsche dealership billed me $405.88 specifically to program the transfer case that Dave's left blank. I simply asked Michael and Jessica to cover this $405.88 dealership invoice to correct their mistake. They completely refused. Instead, they only refunded the original $250.00 programming fee, leaving me to pay for the tow truck ($125.00) and the remainder of the dealer bill out of my own pocket. They took money for a critical service they never performed, gambled with my daughter's safety, and are now hiding behind technical falsehoods. Parents, please take your luxury vehicles elsewhere and protect your kids. read more

On very short notice, I brought my Toyota Corolla in to Daves Auto Repair. I spoke with Jessica who could not have been nicer and within 30 minutes (9;30am) my car was at the shop. She called UBER and sent me off to work, I checked in with her a little later and learned that my 3rd cylinder had to be replaced. She explained the issue, proposed a solution, gave me a fair price, and told me when the car would be ready. Then she sent an UBER to me at my place of work when the car was ready, and I had my car back by 5:30pm. She delivered on everything she said. Daves Auto Repair will be getting all of my repair business in the future and I plan to share my experience with many others. Outstanding service!!! Take a bow Dave's, you all deserve it. Thank You! JMB read more

I have been a long time patron of this business and am pleased to be writing this positive review. From day one I have received good service from Dave, Karen and their staff. I get regular maintenance and they keep my 2001 Toyota Prius in tip top condition. The shop is neat and clean, work is done in a timely fashion while I wait, drink coffee and read the paper. If I cannot wait a driver takes me home and comes for me when my car is ready. My husband is also a customer and his car is also in good condition and reliable. They supply parts if needed and the car is neat and clean when the work is finished. I can recommend this service to anyone who needs a good, reliable auto service. Thanks Dave and Karen! Glad to have you on our side. Judy H read more

Dave is a highly trained, skilled mechanic. I have an older car that I wouldn't hesitate to jump in and drive cross-country thanks to his repair skills and sharp maintenance eye. Three things to know about Dave's: 1. I have NEVER had to return due to a problem unfixed. 2. More than once his repair came in below estimate, due to a part not needed or time saved, and he charged the reduced amount. (Sad that not all shops are that ethical). If he finds something unexpected, Karen the parts/scheduling/dispatch wizard is on the phone immediately with prices and options before they proceed. 3. I have only one car and work full-time, their customer drop-off and pick-up is a Godsend. And, the garage is cleaner than some restaurants. read more

I was out of town, and the engine light went on in my car. I called Dave's, and they said that they were all booked up, but they would look at my car and let me know if I could safely drive it home(about 100 miles). I pulled up, and the secretary was amazingly helpful. They checked the car, and said it was a coil, and they actually made room for me in their busy schedule. It happened to be my 60th birthday--and they were so nice about it. I only had to wait about an hour. They were absolutely amazing. They even offered me a ride so I could get some food while I waited! I was a little nervous about being out of town, and having to deal with someone I didn't know, but it was terrific. (David P.) read more

Took our Camry in for a battery replacement this week. Service was expert, prompt and courteous, as always. The actual cost of the battery came in under the estimate -- when was the last time you heard of an auto shop honoring the LOWER price? Best of all, a small but telling detail. We've been meaning to fill up our windshield fluid for weeks but just never got around to it. When I got in and started the car, the fluid light on the dash was out -- all full. Nothing was said and nothing on the bill. This is the attention to detail and courtesy that is a hallmark of Dave's. Thank you, thank you! Michael and Cynthia Dwyer, Sarasota, FL. read more

Based on many 100% positive customer reviews, I came to Dave's for a quote (free) on an a/c evaporator coil which is leaking. It's a family operation with great staff and environment, The service was prompt, efficient, forthright and I received a written quote. Extremely impressive is the cleanliness and order of the shop, which can be fully viewed from the waiting room. I think that says a lot about any repair facility. I am trying to squeeze another 100K or so out of an older Subaru Forester, and I think I have found a great dealer alternative to help me do just that. read more

I have been taking my 2006 car to Dave's since I moved here in 2013. I always get an appointment when I want. I have been completely satisfied with the services they have provided. I have never felt that they wanted to do anything that wasn't necessary. When I have to wait there for the service, it's usually done quickly. They provide transportation if my car needs to be there longer than a couple of hours.The prices are very reasonable. I will continue to take my car there because they are the best. read more

After $2000 of repairs before we left on our road trip from Toronto, we were pretty anxious about the grinding noise coming from our car when we arrived in Sarasota. After reading the online reviews we took our car into Dave's auto. We were out of there same day with a fixed car, but more than that, they really made us feel like they looked into it to make sure we'd be safe and in good shape for our trip home. The total was under $100. Very professional staff. We were grateful and impressed. read more

Can't say enough good things, worth every penny!! Real Hometown feeling!! I have brought my vehicles to Dave's Auto Repair since 2002 and their work far exceeds my expectations! Always friendly and courteous, their shop is clean and yes they have great coffee! Door to door service is so helpful and convenient. They give great attention to detail and will let you know about any issues that need attention so that you don't wind up on the roadside later on. read more

These guys were outstanding. Being an out of towner in Sarasota for vacation I was very worried about getting taken by some repair shop that would see my Georgia plates. Not these guys - they treated me like I was from the neighborhood, promptly diagnosed the problem and had be back on the road within a couple of hours. I am glad I found you guys on the internet. These are good guys. read more

I have used Dave's for over 10 years, for everything from A/C issues to various belts and doohickies. Pleasant to deal with, quick turnaround, kept me informed every step of the way. AND if it ain't broke, they tell you that it doesn't need it, so I'm confident their charges are as honest as their diagnosis! read more

The ownership here is outstanding! I'm impressed... cleanest repair shop I've ever seen. Had brake service completed. On time and professional with no BS. They took the time to explain my options and give me great pricing. As my Jeep is out of warrantee this was very important to me. Highly recommended. read more

I took my truck in for an oil change and wanted them to look over my truck for a noise i had been hearing? All the time i was there Jessica and the techs were pleasant to talk to. They looked over my belts and pulleys with no problem at all. Very nice people with great prices. Highly recommend. read more

Dave's has been here for a long time. They are very skilled and professional, but why I really like them is because I can trust them. I know their price is the best, their parts are original and they will not sell you a service or part that you don't need. Thank You Dave's Auto Repair!!!! read more

Dave's Auto Repair always comes to the rescue! We trust him to check out potential purchases, and he takes care of all our vehicles. He identifies possible upcoming problems and keeps up with the latest in technology for diagnosis. Can't recommend him highly enough! read more

As usual, honesty and excellent service. Highly recommend this company. After all, what does the normal guy know about cars, we have to trust whoever is looking after your car and I can say that I do with Dave's read more