I've used Dave ultimate for work on my other car at their Pflugerville and Howard Street locations and I've always been pleased with their work. Their prices are either in line or slightly less than dealership prices, and they do stand behind their work. This is their only location that can handle luxury cars like my Mercedes. It was time to do the schedule B service on my C300. It is the 60,000 mile or 10 year service and it runs about $1500 on average. And that's not including the transmission service. It's also a 3 to 4 hour job, which is why it's best to have someone pick you up. You can sit in their small basic waiting room where you can find complementary water and coffee. There are some places within a few blocks of walking such as Taco Cabana or Mandolas where you could spend some more quality time waiting. They have a very skilled service tech who also works on BMWs as well. They also work on EV's although that work is limited. They had my schedule B service done in 3 1/2 hours and were able to save me a couple hundred dollars making it just $1300. I was also not charged a credit card fee. Will be returning for future maintenance. Informative photos included. read more

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I brought my 2013 Volkswagen GTI to Dave's Ultimate Automotive - Central for overheating and misfire issues that turned into major cooling system and timing chain repairs. The technicians did thorough diagnostic work and the repairs, while expensive, were legitimate and necessary. I want to specifically thank Ike and Martin for how they treated me as a customer. Ike was friendly and went out of his way to help by giving me a ride home and later making sure I was able to get the loaner car when it had been made unavailable. Martin was also professional and supportive throughout the process. My main issue was with the service management, specifically Deon. The loaner car option was not brought up when it should have been, and after a frustrating phone call about the situation, Deon immediately called me back to ask if I wanted the loaner. From a customer service perspective, that follow-up was poorly timed and escalated the situation instead of de-escalating it. When a customer is already upset about communication and options not being presented earlier, calling back right away without acknowledging that tension makes things worse, not better. The shop clearly has capable technicians and helpful front-facing staff, but the way the situation was handled at the service management level added unnecessary stress to an already difficult and expensive repair. With better communication and timing from management, this could have been a much better experience Sincerely, Andrew Johnson read more

Do not use this shop. This establishment is absolutely a rip off, overpriced, predatory, and out of their skulls. My son brought his Nissan in for axle work and was quoted over $3000... He's getting the same repair job done at another shop; price $450. These bozos are about to get reported to the Better Business Bureau, avoid them at all costs. If you value your vehicle, your funds, and your sanity, heed this warning. And hey guys at Dave's: ever hear of the Internet? You don't think you can pull this crap off and not get reported all over social? You should be ashamed of yourselves. Total thieving rip off artists. With no regard for the customer. Thanks for nothing! read more

It's cheaper to keeper! Dave's is my go to for auto repair. Nice folks and quality work. My truck is only 8 years old and has low mileage. With the price of new cars and high interest rates, I'm happy to spend a little money on repairs. Love the 36 month warranty. read more

We were referred to Dave's, but unfortunately, I will not be referring them to anyone. I was really hoping that I could find an honest, mechanic in Austin who didn't overcharge to provide services for my daughters car as we live in DFW. Upon arrival, they seemed attentive, took a ride in the car, and then suggested we leave the auto with them for their diagnostics. We were charged 2 separate diagnostic fees on the same visit. These two fees were $430.00 combined! I have been going to mechanics for 40+ years and I have never been charged 2 diagnostic fees on the same visit w the same car. We replaced a wheel bearing - cost $968.00!! Now, the repair did fix the issue we were having, but they also gave us an unreasonable "suggestion of repairs", including replacing a part that is $1800.00 cheaper to repair at the Audi dealer. read more

Here's my negative review: my heater & A/c went out last fall & I stopped by Dave's off N. Lamar.I had an extended warranty with a company called Route 66 but it would take $150.00 just to diagnose the problem. So I left & drove around No. Austin looking for a diagnosis & estimate at 5-6 places & everyone wanted $150 to tell me what was wrong. Finally a mechanic on No. Lamar took five minutes to tell me that it was the blower inside the car & the warranty wouldn't cover it. He quoted me $500, however, which I couldn't afford. It took a couple of months but, just before winter freezes in January, I luckily found a good mobile mechanic who fixed it for $150.00. The heat worked wonderfully through the winter. Now I have great a/c working in 100-degree May. It isn't just Dave's; everybody is pricy & overcharging for work & not even taking five minutes to find a problem. read more

Sloppy work and took no accountability for it. I brought my car in for a standard service to change oil, brake fluid and radiator fluid. Everything seemed fine when I left. They did all the work in a reasonable time. Afterwards I drove to the grocery on a normal smooth street and all of a sudden I hear a crazy loud scraping sound for a second and then I see in my rear view mirror that a chunk of my car is laying in the middle of the street and other cars are driving right over it. It took me a few minutes to pull off the road to park and go see what it was. It was some undershield of my car. What the heck! I picked up the parts that I could find in the street. The main shield was torn by other cars driving over it. I didn't know what to do. Of course it was just before a holiday and we couldn't deal with it before so there was no fixing it till the day after. My husband said it was the shield that they have to take off to empty out the radiator fluid. The day after my husband took my car and all the parts I found on the street back to Dave's. He was very nice and told them what happened. He has worked on many cars so he knows exactly what he's talking about. He asked them to replace the part which only costs about $100 and to install it properly. Obviously they had not put it back properly after they drained the radiator fluid. Dave's would not admit to any wrong doing and said because we waited 3 days they refused to replace the part. Yesterday was a holiday and Dave's was closed so how were we supposed to get it fixed then. They take no accountability for their wrong doing. Even though the shield was torn my husband wanted it put back on at least till he could order a new one and install it himself. He watched the guy put it back on and saw that the guy was not installing it correctly and told him that's why it fell off in the first place. Ugh, So frustrating when the simplest thing isn't done properly. I had been to Dave's once before and had decent work done but after them not owning up to their incompetency and refusal to replace the part that they did not install properly, I will never go back!!!! Putting on that shield properly is mechanics 101. Maybe other guys there are ok but this mechanic is incompetent. read more

Dave's Ultimate Automotive - The parts that fell off my car as I was driving to the store from Dave's Automotive Repair on Lamar. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

I moved back to Austin in 2022 and was so glad to be back to Dave's Ultimate Automotive for service on my 2013 VW Jetta. It's amazing how fast, efficient, friendly and competent this group of professionals are with each appointment. I highly recommend going to their locations (chances are you're close to one of their locations if you are in the metro area). They have tons of loyalty programs, too! read more

These folks are honest and good. I've taken my vehicle to the Dave's on Howard Lane for years, but moved to Crestview and now take my truck to Dave's on Lamar. I highly recommend them. read more

Was just told by a shop worker that they don't have the capability to help me replace my high pressure steering hose. What an absolute joke of a business. 0/5 don't even give them the time of day. Condescending through the entire conversation. I called and told them that I couldn't extract the bolt and needed them to do the job for me. I had the part and was willing to pay whatever labor was needed. That's what you do, you ASK A SHOP FOR HELP as in to DO THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE. but unfortunately this wasn't the case at this shop. I called, told them what happened and they told me they couldn't use my hose. They condescendingly tell me that they refuse to price the new hose and told me to find a mom and pop shop. I just needed a price out for the job and they unfortunately run under policy that inhibits this. What an absolute joke this shop is. Just dropped my car off at **MECHANIC NAME REDACTED IN ORDER TO KEEP REVIEW ALIGNED WITH YELP POLICY*** (who is also going to use my part) and the guy took my key with a smile **EDIT** not even 15 minutes after dropping my car off the mechanic from **OTHER MECHANIC NAME REDACTED** called me and told me he could do the job DAVES ULTIMATE AUTOMOTIVE couldn't for only $125 DAVES ULTIMATE AUTOMOTIVE IS A JOKE! Thank you Dave's! Thank you for showing me (and everybody reading this) exactly what to avoid in a mechanic! If this review doesn't show it then the others should read more

Dave's Ultimate Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

As a first time customer, I made an appointment online for wheel alignment since I'd just purchased new tyres a week ago. The service advisors, Martin and Chris were friendly and welcoming. While I waited in the lobby, the alignment took about 90 minutes and they kept me informed of the progress of the technician and a few issues he found (it's a 2007 Prius - it's gotta have issues!) during the alignment process. The cost was reasonable and I feel like this is a very trustworthy shop that I'm gonna call home now. Just be aware that they looked very busy so it's best to make an appointment ahead of time. And an added delight is the friendly doggie "Wilson", the master and lord of Chris. If you like dogs, you can get all the petting you want with Wilson. He's a real sweetheart! And so are the folks at Dave's Ultimate Automotive. read more

Dave's Ultimate Automotive - Wilson, the shop doggie, loves to be petted. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This was my first time at Dave's (they've come highly recommended by a trusted friend) and I absolutely will be back. The staff is professional, courteous and answered all of my questions in a precise and easy way to understand. They were able to fit me in during the morning while they were fairly busy and I was out of there within 30 minutes or so. Absolutely phenomenal service. I will be coming here for all of my future auto needs. Special thanks to Chris especially for giving such outstanding customer service - y'all went above and beyond. read more

Dave's Ultimate Automotive - Dave's Ultimate Automotive in Austin, Texas - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hey do you have extra money gathering dust in your bank account? Like to pay a lot for the same service you could have gotten cheaper elsewhere? Don't care about getting value for your hard-earned money? Then this is the place for you. I was stuck getting my car fixed there. I should have had it towed somewhere else. It would have been far cheaper. I asked about the cost of an oil change and was told it was $100. When I expressed disbelief at the high price, I was told that's what everyone was charging. I AM NOT THAT STUPID! Maybe they are that GREEDY. Don't waste your money. And don't buy the we give new customer discounts and discounts for Dell employees. Oh, sure, they give the discounts , but do you know why? Their prices are so above market, they can afford a discount. Not all robberies are done with guns. Some are done with inflated car repair prices! read more

I've had to do some major repairs on my 12 year old car. I feel like I get honest, and realistic timelines for repairs. When I have questions, I feel comfortable asking and I get explanations that I can understand and respond too, which I deeply appreciate. I would recommend it to anyone for good, honest work and mutual respect between business and patron. I personally like to say thank you to Bret, who has been so kind during my emotional rollercoaster with fixing my old but very loved car. I hope I don't need any repairs, but if I do, I wouldn't hesitate to bring it here. read more

I can't believe I found "old Austin". Honest, skilled and ready to go the next mile - this is a mechanic you can trust. They have several shops and can rotate the mechanic with the most experience where needed. Use them, you'll be happy you did. read more

My customer liaison, Brett, was pretty nice to me and drove me home when I left my truck for repair. But his estimate on when I would have the diagnosis was pretty far off. I called several times. The last time got me the attention I wanted but then I was shocked by the repair price. I think the shortage of mechanics in town led to both problems and he did acknowledge they were short handed. The repair is for replacement of an under-dash AC blower which is not that complex but the repair fee was about $600 so I had to decline. Sad thing was I lost two days. I know the part is under $50 even at the dealer. These days are tough on consumers needing repairs at a reasonable price. After many years, I'm searching for more reasonable car repair. I'm hoping the fan will really prove to be broken once we get it out. I paid $150 for the diagnostic fee. read more

Avoid this shop! I came here to get my car shaking violently when I turn on the AC diagnosed and fixed as well as my state inspection. Around $500 later, neither were taken care of. They did not call me before service was started to give me a run down of the situation either. Keep in mind, my car was here for over 4 days and the place was absolutely swamped with cars needing to be serviced. Not sure if they were overbooked and taking on clients they didn't have time for, but to me it feels like a cash grab where quality of service is sacrificed. I write this review well after taking my car here because I went to a different auto shop finally and they diagnosed the AC problem immediately. This shop said the only way that Dave's wouldn't have been able to diagnose my failing cooling fan is if they didn't take the time to actually look under the hood while the AC was on. In conclusion, avoid taking your car here, especially if it's busy. They will sacrifice quality of care to squeeze more people in. read more

Was kind of blown away how great everyone is here! So kind, on top of it, quick and you can tell they really care about their customers and doing the right thing! Amazing service! read more

My saga started the week before Christmas, I hit a huge pothole and thought I needed a front end alignment. Dropped it off before work imagine my surprise when I got the call saying I didn't need one and that the car was safe to drive. On the way home my check engine light came on..called the shop said to bring it back and they'd run a diagnostic.. Diagnostic done..glitch in the Kia's computer (mind you there has been no charge for any of this) Dropped it off today for an inspection needing a minor fix.. I can't say enough about this shop..its so nice to know that there are honest mechanics out there And bonus points..they had a dog in the shop! read more

Had a hybrid warning message appear on my 2013 Prius. Dave's did the diagnostic (with discount for being a first time customer), Dave's did on-line research that suggested Toyota should cover the repair under warranty/recall, and Dave's called Toyota to confirm (Toyota would not provide any info to Dave's, or to me when I called). Took car to dealer with this Dave's info, and dealer completed repair very quickly at no cost to me. Now maybe dealer would have done this without the info Dave's provided, but because I mentioned it as I checked the car into the dealer I feel like the dealer repair process was smooth and easy, and saved me a LOT of money. Thank you Dave's. read more

I couldn't be happier with Dave's. I had an issue with a "door ajar" light that wouldn't go off, which happened at the same time the rear windshield stopped working. The Autin Toyota dealership, which I won't name but it rhymes with "Snarls Blond," took a $129 diagnosis fee to tell me I needed to replace the junction box - a fancy name for the fuse box in the front of the car - for $1400. That didn't sound right, and particularly since Snarls Blond has a reputation for jacking up its customers, I got a second opinion. Dave's does a brisk business, so I took the first available appointment 36 hours later. They fixed it within a day, for 1/14th the cost (the back door latch had shifted just a bit, and needed to be adjusted). The service was friendly, efficient, they said what they said they'd do, when they said they'd do it. I'll be back. read more

Easiest service I've ever been to. Staff was courteous, honest, and efficient. Came in for an oil change, state inspection, and tire rotation. They also had a very friendly doggo greeter who loves belly rubs just fyi. read more

As a college student in the midst of studying for finals who commutes to campus and need a car, I was a little stressed when the engine check light of my car turned on after pumping up some gas. As someone with very little knowledge of cars, I did not know how serious the issue was and decided to come to Dave's Ultimate Automotive to get it checked out. After arriving, they told me that they could get a read on the code, but could only do a diagnosis later. I said that that was fine and the guy who did the reading told me that I had a leak in my EVAP system. Keep in mind that I had told the guy that the engine check light had come on AFTER I had filled my car up with gas that morning as this will be important later on. I asked him how serious the issue was and he said that "It would not leave me stranded" which was vague, but I got a general idea and felt that it was better to be safe than sorry, which meant getting the car diagnosed. I asked how soon they would be able to do the diagnosis and they said that if I came early the next morning the guy would be able to do it by noon. It would cost around/over $130 just for a diagnosis (average online is $88-$111), but I said ok as I really needed to get this issue solved. However, I was not able to make it the next morning and could only get there in the afternoon. The guy from the day before was not there, but I talked to another guy and he said that they were all booked and could only get the diagnosis done a week later. I mentioned that the guy from the day before said that if I had come in the morning then he would be able to do it the same day. Maybe it is because I did not come early enough, but either way, it left a bad feeling in my stomach as I felt that I had been lied to. That said, because this place was booked, I decided to go somewhere else to get my car looked at. This new place (not Dave's Ultimate Automotive) did a free diagnosis the very same day and told me that it was a simple gas lid/cap not being on correctly (presumably from when I pumped the gas) and all they needed to do was to turn the engine check light off as the cap was on correctly now. I was extremely grateful that it was not a big issue. But remember what I said earlier about how I had told the guy at Dave's Ultimate Automotive that I had pumped the gas and it was after this that the engine check light had turned on? I feel that as someone with professional knowledge about cars, the people here could have already known that it was as simple an issue as the gas lid/cap not being on correctly. Instead, they proceeded to miscommunicate about when they could do a diagnosis and I almost paid over $100 (and potentially more) for a diagnosis over such a small problem. Maybe the people here were genuinely not able to confidently evaluate the situation. I understand that they would not want to give false information and maybe genuinely needed to conduct a thorough analysis to confirm that it was this small of an issue. However, as a female with little knowledge of cars, I was left feeling extremely disappointed to the point where I almost felt that I would have gotten scammed had I decided to get the services at this motor shop. I do not understand how professionals could not have told me that "perhaps the engine check light was still on because you just need to get it turned off after fixing the gas lid/cap". read more

Brett and the team at Dave's are honest and excellent communicators. I was apprised of any and all updates on my vehicle and pricing was fair. The inspection they complete is the most thorough and transparent I've seen, with their reports complete with photos and notes. The wait to get an appointment is reasonable. Whenever I run into issues with my car again I'll be heading back here for sure. read more

Came here for a general car inspection, the staff were friendly and the service was pretty decent that they didn't force me to do any further service. read more

My daughters car was towed to Dave's at the recommendation by AAA . Being from Maryland, with out out of state tags, I was skeptical of getting taken advantage of by this repair shop. However my experience was just the opposite. My contact Brandon was professional in explaining the diagnostic process and provided a quote to replace the starter that I verified as a reasonable price with my mechanic at home. Brandon also informed me of spungy breaks and conducted the diagnostic' and determined the brakes needed bleeding to correct the spungy issue. Overall great experience and I would Highly recommend Dave's as a professional fair and honest operation. read more

Totally satisfied with Dave's ultimate automotive. Everyone was respectful and attentive. The waiting area was clean. Very happy and will return again. read more

Bottom line: they got the job done but I warn you it is PRICEY! They did front end work without an appt when I (a woman on my own...) with my concern about the squeaking I was hearing R front (I keep my 20+ year old car running in TOP condition and address any issue as it occurs--even though I have free towing with Allstate, I have 0 desire to be at the side of the road in this town, especially South where we reside..grr) but they fixed it right away before close, were very congenial in conversation in the waiting space (which is QUIET without canned music = appreciate it!) but it cost over fifteen hundred bucks for the repair--and I have had the entire rack and pinion (front steering) replaced three years ago for eight hundred...Juss sayin'.... IF YOU WANT GOOD SERVICE AND MONEY IS NO OBJECT, Dave's off Howard in North Austin is for you! Cheers, guys! Thanks for thinking I LQQK wealthy, ha ha read more

The staff is amazing! They helped me to identify two factory recalls for my car, and were completely honest about what they did and didn't need to do. I will be returning for future car maintenance read more

We had our VW Beatle fixed a few weeks ago. There were some major issues and we knew it would cost us some money. The price was reasonable and they were professional and quick. We can definitely tell our car runs so much smoother and quieter like a new one. Thank you for the great service. We will highly recommend Dave's! read more

I've been here before and have always felt a little upcharged, but I accepted it for the convenient location and the fact that I thought I was at least getting adequate service. Unfortunately, I guess they've changed during COVID-19. My check engine light was on, and I needed to pass inspection in order to renew my registration. I brought my Mazda 3 in, and they performed a diagnostic test utilizing a scanner. After performing their tests, they didn't provide me any information about what the actual problem was for my check engine light beyond what could be accomplished by retrieving codes from the computer. They didn't provide me information about how to fix my car but rather gave me information about the car's possible problem. They said that they'd have to completely remove the manifold in order to accurately diagnose the problem which would require hours of labor. They told me that the next step would be what amounts to exploratory surgery, at a cost of $840 for labor alone. And only then they MIGHT figure out how to actually fix the vehicle. I decided to take it for a second opinion and retrieved my car. Despite their failure to give me any information beyond what a simple code retrieval would have yielded, they nonetheless charged me for a higher fee for the higher level diagnostic test. They didn't utilize any of the more labor intensive and time consuming tests that sometimes accompany this level of inquiry, but rather did some basic vacuum testing that, again, yielded inconclusive results. I understand that these must be difficult times for them as well, yet I feel they've deliberately taken advantage of a loyal customer thinking that I'd paid before, and I'd pay again. However, after this level of shameless money grabbing, I will never visit this location or franchise again. I have lost my confidence that they will provide honest service. read more

Great auto shop with straightforward service. I had a splash shield that was hanging loose underneath my car and they fixed it quickly at no charge. read more

Too expensive... they won't do brake pads without turning rotors.... There are plenty of times that rotors don't need turning

My brother co-wrote a song for Pat Green called "What I'm For". The first verse is " I'm for wildflowers in a window, mechanics you can trust, crackers in my chili and leaving grudges in the dust". Dave's Ultimate Automotive is a mechanic you can trust. read more

I was searching for a skilled, efficient, and trustworthy local automotive repair shop that could work on my 2009 Toyota Prius when Dave's was recommended to me. There are few affordable local shops that are equipped and knowledgeable enough to repair hybrids, but thankfully Dave's has an experienced hybrid mechanic who was able to properly repair my Automatic Braking System (ABS) - not a small job! - in just a couple days time, as well as with a warranty for the repairs. I was extremely pleased with the results of how well it now drives, as well as grateful for how well I was treated customer-service wise by Alex and Brett. I was able to get all my questions answered by these two and felt very confident turning my vehicle over to them. Hopefully I won't have to go back soon, but when I d need a future repair, I will return to Dave's. Thanks y'all! read more

Chris, manager at Central location, cares about gettin' it right. I could go into gory details, but won't. Suffice to say that, like the drunk bartender, Chris drank his mistake. Happily, I might add. I WILL be back as regular customer. Cheers y'all Parker read more

I have an old car and I trust this place entirely with it. I needed a place that was reliable, honest, and understanding, and Dave's was all of that and more. I've been to Firestone and every chain auto shop possible and none compared to my experience here. They take photos of every problem, point it out, explain it and put it all into an easily accessible file for you to read. I'm a broke college student and I don't mind spending a little extra to support good people who look out after me and my car. read more

Everyone at Dave's is kind and always looking out for your best interest. They are clear about what needs to be fixed and provide insight into why. Overall I have had many great experiences with their team and trust that they are always providing the best service in Austin. read more

To preface- I went to a Toyota dealership to have my Rav 4 looked at as my trunk was stuck, made an appointment and everything. After waiting a hour, Toyota gave me a service check (which I did not need) and told me it would be 5+ hours to fix the trunk. Called Dave's Automotive per recommendation of a friend and they told me to come on over! Trunk was fixed in about 5 minutes and they even made sure it wouldn't happen in the future! So very grateful for this place for saving me time and $$! THANK YOU! read more

Either dishonest or incompetent. They told me my tire sensors need to be replaced and it would cost ~ $150 per sensor. I looked at my car manual and it says after a tire change I should do a recalibration. I recalibrated it using the car settings menu and everything was working perfectly. I called the dealership and they confirmed that the only thing that has to be done is recalibrate the sensors after a tire change and it is an EXTREMELY STANDARD thing to do. If I were charitable, I would say these guys know little to nothing about newer cars (i.e cars made after the 20th century?). The only other thing that could explain this is dishonestly. read more